Day 17 and 18

Wow, that last post was certainly worth waiting for wasn't it!
Day 17, Monday, was a rest day which they sorely needed as you can imagine, though Nick seems to have spent most of it struggling with the blog due to poor internet access and today, Day 18 seems to have been pretty straight forward with Matt riding ahead of Nick. The forecast rain Matt was dreading didn't arrive until just as they were finishing when there was a thunderstorm, lucky for them because although it can be quite a pleasant day, when the rain comes down it is freezing cold. They seem to be getting on well now having got into the stride of things and treating it almost like a job.
From my point of view I had a complete panic this morning as I am starting to think of the end of the ride and the celebratory dinner in Paris and guess what, I haven't got a thing to wear. Not a single shred of my clothing is any good for this!
 I do feel a little nervous when I think about meeting Nick's fellow riders of the past weeks. Nick is the oldest which means that they will all be fit young things who will probably look fab in any old rags. Not that looks are really important but I don't want to let the side down do I?
It is also difficult to know exactly what to wear because although it is a special dinner at the top of a hotel in Paris the riders haven't been travelling with their dinner suits or any suits come that have they? Don't want to over do it either.
An emergency shopping trip was required which is never a good idea when panic sets in (I went into the changing rooms in John Lewis with 7 white silky tops) but anyway I should now be suitably attired in what I would call a style of understated elegance. Hope that's ok!
Tomorrow, is another time trial so fairly easy as far as the boys are concerned but this will be followed by 3 gruelling days in the Alps with ascent after ascent after ascent -possibly worse than Mont Ventoux. They've got 6 mountains to get over on Thursday! Glad it's not me.