I thought there to be space for one final blog update, just to tie up some loose ends. And also because, once again, I find myself on a long train journey. And, if honest, because I rather enjoy this blogging.
When I last wrote we were stranded in Liskeard. After a four hour wait and plenty of confusion we finally managed to get through to Plymouth, after the engineers had declared one line of track safe to pass. After arriving at Plymouth we had hoped to catch a sleeper train, which was due to arrive into Bristol at 2am. Almost immediately it was announced that this train was 90 minutes late. Riding a fully-loaded bike is hard enough, but hauling it onto and off trains, while loading and unloading panniers is energy sapping. The prospect of cycling home through Bristol at 4am didn't fill us with excitement, whereas the prospect of a bed did. So we managed to get on an accommodation list and shortly after 1am we were marched to the nearest hotel. Naturally it rained.
I dread to think how much this whole episode must have cost the rail company, because not only did they put us up in a hotel, they put us up in a very nice hotel! With breakfast included. Also, extremely luckily, it was my turn to get a room to myself. Sorry boys. After an extremely welcome - but not quite long enough - sleep I met the guys for breakfast, which turned into quite the feast. Of course, if you're not paying a penny you're going to have some fun. A little while later, we were uncomfortably full and checked out, prepared for a second attempt to get to Bristol. This time it was easier. Our tickets were still valid AND we should get a full refund anyway. So, on reflection, the whole episode turned out rather nicely for us!
And then it was time to continue the interrupted and extended celebrations. These mostly involved collapsing on the sofa with a cup of tea upon making it to Jonny's house. It felt great though. We did muster the strength to play a round of crazy golf, which I lost. Badly. And then, there was time for a little more carb loading, as we devoured a selection of food that my girlfriend had had delivered to Jonny's house, as way of congratulations. With this much food and a few drinks, we were all soon falling asleep on the sofa.
Saturday, after an extended lie in, had a similar pattern. More sofa time, a round of golf, which I lost (again, very badly), and a few drinks. It culminated in a BBQ, which, due to our slow start to the day, finished in total darkness around 11pm. By this point we were simply hoping the meat was cooked. So far we all seem well. Today really hasn't been any different. Except that, once again, I'm now on a train. Destination Diss, where I shall see my sister for the first time in a year, after her return from New Zealand.
It's been lovely not to have to bike for a couple of days, although I am now discovering the full extent of some of my injuries. This was always going to happen as soon as I came off the Ibuprofen. The left knee doesn't seem to enjoy bending, while the right calf complains about stretching. Also, my whole body feels generally battered. All I can do now is rest. And I plan to.
It still hasn't really sunk it what we achieved. Like I said previously, cycling really became the norm. To the extent that it almost didn't feel as if we were doing anything special. We were all so focused we simply fell into a routine. Wake up, stretch, eat, cycle, eat, cycle, find place to stay, stretch, chill out, sleep. And then we would do it all over again the next day. I also think we had it very easy. The weather was smashing, with the slight exception of the last few days, particularly the second-last day. But, on another trip we could have had hell and damnation the whole time. Also, we didn't fall off our bikes once, get hit by a car, or, amazingly, get one single puncture. For all this we are hugely grateful.
We are also hugely grateful for the donations to Macmillan and the kind messages that people have sent us. This really helped and at last count we had raised nearly £1100, which we are hugely proud of. So thank you everyone for making the experience so rewarding and worthwhile. In return, I hope at least a few of you have found some entertainment through reading my blog. Additionally, we met plenty of lovely people along the way (the only real exception being Glasgow!) who added to the enjoyment. Before leaving, I will summarize the trip in a few short phrases...
Reclining chairs, not much sleep, slowest train ever, most northerly, JOG, interesting meal, getting started, massive hills, Great Glen, midges, Rannoch Moor, midges, Loch Lomond, Glasgow, youths, tricky navigating, knee trouble, legendary couple, escaping Scotland, Carlisle hotel, Carlisle curry, up and down, amazing fudge, Shap summit, A6, urban sprawl, funny butchers, escaping the north, A49, lunch with Jonny's parents, dinner with friends, are we in Wales?, going 'downhill' in the Wye valley, Severn, industry, cash machine race, easy to Exeter, hard after Exeter, Dartmoor, hills, leaving Dartmoor, hills, Cornwall, hills, sideways rain, soaked through, only B&B for miles around, eager to finish, LE, the struggle home.
Really, I've loved it all. Thanks to everyone, especially Gareth and Jonny. You're both heroes.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Day 12 - Grampound to Land's End - Longest day
Distance - 48 miles
Total distance - 935 miles
Average speed - 11.3 mph
Maximum speed - 34.4 mph
Time - 4 hrs 15 mins
We finished! However, the day is far from over. More on that in a bit. For now, the most important thing is that we safely made it to Land's End.
The day started much like any other. After a fairly restless nights sleep, at least on my part, panniers were packed and breakfast was eaten. On reflection the B&B wasn't too bad, but we were all pretty eager to get away. Around 9am we were on the road.
The going was still fairly tough, littered with steep gradients. But with plenty of determination we ticked off town after town, passing Truro and Redruth within a couple of hours. The uphill sections were met with frustration more than fatigue. They were simply an annoyance, halting our progress. We simply wanted to get to Land's End.
The headwind wasn't quite as strong as yesterday and we only caught a couple of light showers in the first hour. So generally conditions were more favourable. We stopped for lunch in Penzanze and after a quick recharge readied for the final 10 miles. I had heard lots of people say the last 10 miles to Land's End were among the hardest on the whole trip. This is an exaggeration. The first 5 miles are tough, but no more difficult than much of the final two days. Then, the going was actually relatively easy for the final 5 miles. Or maybe that's called adrenaline.
We popped on our Macmilllan shirts a couple of miles shy and crossed the line in unison. We had clicked up 935 miles in total. It's hard to describe how I felt and I think I can speak for the boys. I was very happy, but I wouldn't say emotional, or elated. In a way cycling just seems to have become my day job. Scotland seems like a lifetime ago. It almost feels surreal to think how far we've come, almost unbelievable. I'm sure it will sink in, one day. Either way, it's satisfying to know you have accomplished it.
We thought the hard work was over, but it had barely begun. We had an adrenaline-missing 10 miles to Penzanze, before booking a seat on a train to Bristol, where we are going to stay at Jonny's for a few nights. The train left shortly after 5.30pm, making it as far as Liskeard, where it stumbled across a derailed passenger train. Luckily no one was hurt, but it has slowed progress somewhat. Over three hours later we're still in Liskeard, with the earliest arrival estimates into Bristol being 2am.
A fun end to a fun day. I don't really care too much. I'm one of the lucky ones. I don't have work tomorrow. And when I do finally get to sleep, I shall sleep sound in the knowledge that I have managed to do something pretty cool.
Total distance - 935 miles
Average speed - 11.3 mph
Maximum speed - 34.4 mph
Time - 4 hrs 15 mins
We finished! However, the day is far from over. More on that in a bit. For now, the most important thing is that we safely made it to Land's End.
The day started much like any other. After a fairly restless nights sleep, at least on my part, panniers were packed and breakfast was eaten. On reflection the B&B wasn't too bad, but we were all pretty eager to get away. Around 9am we were on the road.
The going was still fairly tough, littered with steep gradients. But with plenty of determination we ticked off town after town, passing Truro and Redruth within a couple of hours. The uphill sections were met with frustration more than fatigue. They were simply an annoyance, halting our progress. We simply wanted to get to Land's End.
The headwind wasn't quite as strong as yesterday and we only caught a couple of light showers in the first hour. So generally conditions were more favourable. We stopped for lunch in Penzanze and after a quick recharge readied for the final 10 miles. I had heard lots of people say the last 10 miles to Land's End were among the hardest on the whole trip. This is an exaggeration. The first 5 miles are tough, but no more difficult than much of the final two days. Then, the going was actually relatively easy for the final 5 miles. Or maybe that's called adrenaline.
We popped on our Macmilllan shirts a couple of miles shy and crossed the line in unison. We had clicked up 935 miles in total. It's hard to describe how I felt and I think I can speak for the boys. I was very happy, but I wouldn't say emotional, or elated. In a way cycling just seems to have become my day job. Scotland seems like a lifetime ago. It almost feels surreal to think how far we've come, almost unbelievable. I'm sure it will sink in, one day. Either way, it's satisfying to know you have accomplished it.
We thought the hard work was over, but it had barely begun. We had an adrenaline-missing 10 miles to Penzanze, before booking a seat on a train to Bristol, where we are going to stay at Jonny's for a few nights. The train left shortly after 5.30pm, making it as far as Liskeard, where it stumbled across a derailed passenger train. Luckily no one was hurt, but it has slowed progress somewhat. Over three hours later we're still in Liskeard, with the earliest arrival estimates into Bristol being 2am.
A fun end to a fun day. I don't really care too much. I'm one of the lucky ones. I don't have work tomorrow. And when I do finally get to sleep, I shall sleep sound in the knowledge that I have managed to do something pretty cool.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Day 11 - Moretonhampstead to Grampound - Hardest day
Distance - 65 miles
Total distance - 887 miles
Maximum speed - 38.2 mph
What. A. Day. Mother nature certainly decided that we had had it too easy so far. So not only was today the hilliest of days, it was also the day we experienced the strongest headwind and the heaviest rain. Quite a combination.
It all started in a rather mundane nature. Jonny kept to his bold promise that he would get up early to make a start on some bacon and eggs in the kitchen beneath the dorm. After a pretty heroic effort he supplied us with a filling breakfast and shortly afterwards we were packed up and on our way. The cycling today began much how it had finished yesterday. In other words there were plenty of hills. Most of them were in an upwards direction. But shortly we were cycling along open moorland, with wild ponies, sheep and cows to keep us company. Another new companion was a strong headwind, which made the going extremely tough. Even what downhill sections there were required plenty of effort.
But after struggling on for a couple of hours we made our way out of Dartmoor National Park. I'm never sure how I feel about Dartmoor. It's a weird blend of spectacular yet barren landscape. Either way it was good to leave and we assumed the going would get easier, which it didn't. After Tavistock we crossed into Cornwall, which coincided with a ridiculous hill. Initially descending, then ascending. The ascent was horrible, although at this point it was dry. The headwind was keeping us busy though.
We stopped for a slightly early lunch in Callington, where a young lad became very interested in what we were doing. Apparently he had a half day at school. Do kids get half days now? Either way he was a good lad and actually lead us out of the town on a shorter route than we would have taken. Half an hour after lunch was when the real fun started.
The rain began around Liskeard and was initially light. It didn't stay that way. Between the hours of 3pm and 4pm it rained very heavily. In fact I haven't seen it rain as hard in quite a while. And with the wind it truly rained sideways. Soon there were torrents of water flowing down the hills and we were soaked through. At times it was scary. With the rain straight into the eyes a few downhill sections were tackled with next-to-no visibility.
Eventually it became beyond wet so we stopped in Lostwithiel and found a cup of tea. It was perhaps the best cup of tea ever. Well, it probably wasn't, but it seemed so. After the rain eased we headed back out, keeping our heads down towards St Austells. Further showers came and went, but at least we went with the hope that we would be able to find somewhere to stay for the night. Or so we thought. We couldn't find a hotel, hostel or B&B for love nor money. Everywhere was fully booked. At this point we were cold and miserable. With a little work on the smartphone we found a B&B 5 miles along the road, luckily in the direction we planned to go. After covering the miles with gritted teeth we eventually found the B&B around 7pm. It isn't the nicest of B&B's, by any means, but it provides a roof and that's enough.
So a crazy and very tough day comes to an end. We had hoped to make it to Truro, but we are all satisfied with our effort today. We are about 50 miles from Land's End. That is the sole focus. I just want to get going.
Total distance - 887 miles
Maximum speed - 38.2 mph
What. A. Day. Mother nature certainly decided that we had had it too easy so far. So not only was today the hilliest of days, it was also the day we experienced the strongest headwind and the heaviest rain. Quite a combination.
It all started in a rather mundane nature. Jonny kept to his bold promise that he would get up early to make a start on some bacon and eggs in the kitchen beneath the dorm. After a pretty heroic effort he supplied us with a filling breakfast and shortly afterwards we were packed up and on our way. The cycling today began much how it had finished yesterday. In other words there were plenty of hills. Most of them were in an upwards direction. But shortly we were cycling along open moorland, with wild ponies, sheep and cows to keep us company. Another new companion was a strong headwind, which made the going extremely tough. Even what downhill sections there were required plenty of effort.
But after struggling on for a couple of hours we made our way out of Dartmoor National Park. I'm never sure how I feel about Dartmoor. It's a weird blend of spectacular yet barren landscape. Either way it was good to leave and we assumed the going would get easier, which it didn't. After Tavistock we crossed into Cornwall, which coincided with a ridiculous hill. Initially descending, then ascending. The ascent was horrible, although at this point it was dry. The headwind was keeping us busy though.
We stopped for a slightly early lunch in Callington, where a young lad became very interested in what we were doing. Apparently he had a half day at school. Do kids get half days now? Either way he was a good lad and actually lead us out of the town on a shorter route than we would have taken. Half an hour after lunch was when the real fun started.
The rain began around Liskeard and was initially light. It didn't stay that way. Between the hours of 3pm and 4pm it rained very heavily. In fact I haven't seen it rain as hard in quite a while. And with the wind it truly rained sideways. Soon there were torrents of water flowing down the hills and we were soaked through. At times it was scary. With the rain straight into the eyes a few downhill sections were tackled with next-to-no visibility.
Eventually it became beyond wet so we stopped in Lostwithiel and found a cup of tea. It was perhaps the best cup of tea ever. Well, it probably wasn't, but it seemed so. After the rain eased we headed back out, keeping our heads down towards St Austells. Further showers came and went, but at least we went with the hope that we would be able to find somewhere to stay for the night. Or so we thought. We couldn't find a hotel, hostel or B&B for love nor money. Everywhere was fully booked. At this point we were cold and miserable. With a little work on the smartphone we found a B&B 5 miles along the road, luckily in the direction we planned to go. After covering the miles with gritted teeth we eventually found the B&B around 7pm. It isn't the nicest of B&B's, by any means, but it provides a roof and that's enough.
So a crazy and very tough day comes to an end. We had hoped to make it to Truro, but we are all satisfied with our effort today. We are about 50 miles from Land's End. That is the sole focus. I just want to get going.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Day 10 - Weston-Super-Mare to Moretonhampstead - Moor hills
Distance - 76 miles
Total distance - 822 miles
Average speed - 11.4 mph
Maximum speed - 36.3 mph
Time - 6 hrs 35 mins
My first thought on writing the title for this blog was how we've stayed in two towns with ridiculously long place-names. We didn't leave our B&B until quite late (by our standards) this morning. We were fully braced for the bad weather, which as it turned out never really arrived. Having navigated out of WSM, we saw just enough rain to make the road slick and make progress a little smoother. We followed the A38 for the most part, taking us through Bridgewater and Taunton, before stopping in Wellington for lunch. Having made good time, we made up for our lateish start. Riding across the spine of southwest England the countryside was attractive, yet the road quite busy.
After lunch we found a B-road that shadowed the M5. The road took us through some idyllic little villages, which looked increasingly expensive to live in as we neared Exeter. After working our way through Exeter we then stumbled upon an entirely different type of road. We knew that the road towards Dartmoor was going to involve a gain in altitude, but it was quite the gain in altitude. Having been averaging over 12 mph for the day, our speed dropped off dramatically as we crawled upwards towards Dartmoor. Whereas many of our climbs have entailed gradual uphill slopes, this climb was made up of very steep ups and downs. It's really demoralising when you struggle uphill for 15 minutes, just to lose the altitude again in 2 minutes.
After what seemed like a lifetime we stopped for the night in Moretonhampstead, one of the bigger towns within the National Park. We found a cheap backpackers, before preparing dinner and having a drink at the local. I write from the local now, so to be sociable I should sign out. After all, the barman is offering some 'entertaining' chat. Perhaps not the most interesting of blog updates tonight. Maybe progress is too smooth. I'm really looking forward to heading over the moor tomorrow and, with luck, ending the day within reaching distance of Land's End. Getting there. Getting there.
Total distance - 822 miles
Average speed - 11.4 mph
Maximum speed - 36.3 mph
Time - 6 hrs 35 mins
My first thought on writing the title for this blog was how we've stayed in two towns with ridiculously long place-names. We didn't leave our B&B until quite late (by our standards) this morning. We were fully braced for the bad weather, which as it turned out never really arrived. Having navigated out of WSM, we saw just enough rain to make the road slick and make progress a little smoother. We followed the A38 for the most part, taking us through Bridgewater and Taunton, before stopping in Wellington for lunch. Having made good time, we made up for our lateish start. Riding across the spine of southwest England the countryside was attractive, yet the road quite busy.
After lunch we found a B-road that shadowed the M5. The road took us through some idyllic little villages, which looked increasingly expensive to live in as we neared Exeter. After working our way through Exeter we then stumbled upon an entirely different type of road. We knew that the road towards Dartmoor was going to involve a gain in altitude, but it was quite the gain in altitude. Having been averaging over 12 mph for the day, our speed dropped off dramatically as we crawled upwards towards Dartmoor. Whereas many of our climbs have entailed gradual uphill slopes, this climb was made up of very steep ups and downs. It's really demoralising when you struggle uphill for 15 minutes, just to lose the altitude again in 2 minutes.
After what seemed like a lifetime we stopped for the night in Moretonhampstead, one of the bigger towns within the National Park. We found a cheap backpackers, before preparing dinner and having a drink at the local. I write from the local now, so to be sociable I should sign out. After all, the barman is offering some 'entertaining' chat. Perhaps not the most interesting of blog updates tonight. Maybe progress is too smooth. I'm really looking forward to heading over the moor tomorrow and, with luck, ending the day within reaching distance of Land's End. Getting there. Getting there.
Monday, 4 July 2011
Day 9 - Wellington to Western-Super-Mare - Wye?
Distance - 80 miles
Total distance - 746 miles
Maximum speed - 35.0 mph
(Unfortunately other stats were lost today)
Day 9 began with a 6:30am alarm call. We had an early night last, so decided an early start wouldn't hurt us. And it didn't. We were away by 7:45am, after something approaching a breakfast. After a few miles we made it to Hereford. Again we found ourselves on the A49, but a few miles south of Hereford we abandoned our old friend and became acquainted with the A466. This is when the road became pretty...and pretty steep. Initially the road was undulating, but it became increasingly steep, culminating in a huge uphill section. We disagreed on exactly where it ranked with regards our steepest hill, bit I personally think it was the most challenging since day 1. Either way the surrounding views made the climb worthwhile.
With more lovely scenery to be viewed we made our way to Monmouth, in doing so crossing into Wales. Unfortunately there was no sign for us to celebrate our passing into a new country, so we instead took a photo of the England sign behind us. We picked up lunch in Monmouth, which struck me as another lovely yet expensive-to-live town. With lunch bought we continued confidently in the knowledge that it was all downhill through the Wye valley to Chepstow, because Jonny told us so. It wasn't quite. Although we did drop off, there was plenty of uphill to keep us busy. By this time it was very warm, probably the warmest it has been all trip. But the fair weather made the scenery even more special. It was one of my favourite sections of the trip.
After criss-crossing the Welsh-English border a little more we made it to Chepstow. Here Jonny took the lead. Jonny lives in Bristol and did some of his training in the area. To begin he lead us across the older of the two Severn bridges, which shook rather worringly. After crossing back into England we stopped for lunch, before expertly navigating our way around some very busy roads with the use of national cycling routes. After winding through the industrial heart of Avonmouth and collecting plenty of industry in my eyes, we found our way back to some roads. Thereafter we got out heads down and soon chalked up the miles, before making it to Western-Super-Mare, where we had booked a cheap B&B for the night. After showering we went for food. I currently write while sitting on the sea front enjoying a pint of cider.
We made a few more milestones today. We topped 700 miles, but more importantly topped £1000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. We're hugely proud of this and it has made us even more determined to get to the finish line.
And to test us a little more, tomorrow it should rain fairly heavily in the morning, while much of the day will be spent pedalling into a headwind. It wouldn't be fun without a test.
Total distance - 746 miles
Maximum speed - 35.0 mph
(Unfortunately other stats were lost today)
Day 9 began with a 6:30am alarm call. We had an early night last, so decided an early start wouldn't hurt us. And it didn't. We were away by 7:45am, after something approaching a breakfast. After a few miles we made it to Hereford. Again we found ourselves on the A49, but a few miles south of Hereford we abandoned our old friend and became acquainted with the A466. This is when the road became pretty...and pretty steep. Initially the road was undulating, but it became increasingly steep, culminating in a huge uphill section. We disagreed on exactly where it ranked with regards our steepest hill, bit I personally think it was the most challenging since day 1. Either way the surrounding views made the climb worthwhile.
With more lovely scenery to be viewed we made our way to Monmouth, in doing so crossing into Wales. Unfortunately there was no sign for us to celebrate our passing into a new country, so we instead took a photo of the England sign behind us. We picked up lunch in Monmouth, which struck me as another lovely yet expensive-to-live town. With lunch bought we continued confidently in the knowledge that it was all downhill through the Wye valley to Chepstow, because Jonny told us so. It wasn't quite. Although we did drop off, there was plenty of uphill to keep us busy. By this time it was very warm, probably the warmest it has been all trip. But the fair weather made the scenery even more special. It was one of my favourite sections of the trip.
After criss-crossing the Welsh-English border a little more we made it to Chepstow. Here Jonny took the lead. Jonny lives in Bristol and did some of his training in the area. To begin he lead us across the older of the two Severn bridges, which shook rather worringly. After crossing back into England we stopped for lunch, before expertly navigating our way around some very busy roads with the use of national cycling routes. After winding through the industrial heart of Avonmouth and collecting plenty of industry in my eyes, we found our way back to some roads. Thereafter we got out heads down and soon chalked up the miles, before making it to Western-Super-Mare, where we had booked a cheap B&B for the night. After showering we went for food. I currently write while sitting on the sea front enjoying a pint of cider.
We made a few more milestones today. We topped 700 miles, but more importantly topped £1000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. We're hugely proud of this and it has made us even more determined to get to the finish line.
And to test us a little more, tomorrow it should rain fairly heavily in the morning, while much of the day will be spent pedalling into a headwind. It wouldn't be fun without a test.
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Day 8 - Prees to Wellington - Busy and quiet
Distance - 68 miles
Total distance - 666 miles
Average speed - 11.8 mph
Maximum speed - 33.9 mph
Time - 5 hrs 42 mins
No real drama to start today. I found the key to my lock straight away. We ate breakfast that had been bought the night before, packed away and went on our way. The main difficulty today was picking a route. Initially we hit the A49, a continuation of the previous day. The going was good, although perhaps not quite as good as yesterday. Fatigue is creeping in. After a little while we made it to Shrewsbury, which seemed like a pretty town, from what little we saw. After successfully navigating Shrewsbury we continued south on the A49. Our next target was Craven Arms, where food was waiting...
Before that we had to tackle a narrow, busy and ultimately tricky section of the A49. I can't say it was always fun, but we made it to our lunch stop, where Jonny's parents, spending the weekend in the area, awaited with a picnic. And what a picnic. They had very generously bought a bit of everything. On first sight it seemed a lot, but it didn't last too long! We're burning at least 1500 calories a day, which need to be replaced somehow. Usually, without the kindness of Jonny's parents, the calorie count is kept high by carbohydrate-rich meals and regular sugary snacks along the way. Thanks Barry and Anna.
With plenty of food stored away we turned off the A49, finally, and took a more scenic route towards Wellington, where we had booked a campsite for the night. The road was undulating, but the scenery was attractive, if not dramatic. After taking in a little more rolling Herefordshire countryside we made it to Wellington. We stopped a little sooner and earlier today, because we had arranged to meet a couple of friends, Claire and Lizzie. We were spoilt even more. They greeted us with cake and then treated us to a meal in Hereford. Another hugely generous act. Thanks girls. Everyone has been massively kind to us since we've been doing this. Therefore, we're soon off to bed, we don't want to let anyone down.
And yes, out total distance really is 666 miles!
Night.
Total distance - 666 miles
Average speed - 11.8 mph
Maximum speed - 33.9 mph
Time - 5 hrs 42 mins
No real drama to start today. I found the key to my lock straight away. We ate breakfast that had been bought the night before, packed away and went on our way. The main difficulty today was picking a route. Initially we hit the A49, a continuation of the previous day. The going was good, although perhaps not quite as good as yesterday. Fatigue is creeping in. After a little while we made it to Shrewsbury, which seemed like a pretty town, from what little we saw. After successfully navigating Shrewsbury we continued south on the A49. Our next target was Craven Arms, where food was waiting...
Before that we had to tackle a narrow, busy and ultimately tricky section of the A49. I can't say it was always fun, but we made it to our lunch stop, where Jonny's parents, spending the weekend in the area, awaited with a picnic. And what a picnic. They had very generously bought a bit of everything. On first sight it seemed a lot, but it didn't last too long! We're burning at least 1500 calories a day, which need to be replaced somehow. Usually, without the kindness of Jonny's parents, the calorie count is kept high by carbohydrate-rich meals and regular sugary snacks along the way. Thanks Barry and Anna.
With plenty of food stored away we turned off the A49, finally, and took a more scenic route towards Wellington, where we had booked a campsite for the night. The road was undulating, but the scenery was attractive, if not dramatic. After taking in a little more rolling Herefordshire countryside we made it to Wellington. We stopped a little sooner and earlier today, because we had arranged to meet a couple of friends, Claire and Lizzie. We were spoilt even more. They greeted us with cake and then treated us to a meal in Hereford. Another hugely generous act. Thanks girls. Everyone has been massively kind to us since we've been doing this. Therefore, we're soon off to bed, we don't want to let anyone down.
And yes, out total distance really is 666 miles!
Night.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Day 7 - Cabus to Prees - Urban sprawl
Distance - 83 miles
Total distance - 598 miles
Average speed - 11.6 mph
Maximum speed - 31.6 mph
Time - 7 hrs 9 mins
The day started with a panic, at least on my part. Every night we camp we lock the bikes together outside the temt. This morning my bike was locked to Jonny's and I couldn't find the key to my lock. After a 15 minute search, which culminated in emptying the entire contents of my panniers, I located my one remaining key (I have already lost the other!) and the panic was over. For breakfast we pulled over at a nearby food van and loaded up on bacon and egg butties. Fuelled with these, we made very quick progress initially, soon making it to Preston and onwards to Wigan. It was a little busy on the road at times, the road mainly being the A6, but again nothing to obscene.
After plugging along the A6, then the A49, for a little longer we made it to Warrington, via Wigan. In Warrington, after our good progress, we had an extended lunch break. This involved rather a lot of faffing about as we hunted for a place to stay this evening. As the boys went to the tourist information office I managed to get into a rather entertaining chat with a couple of butchers. As you do in Warrington. If honest, I didn't understand all that they said, but they were nice chaps nonetheless.
After Warrington, the air became cleaner and the countryside prettier. In other words we were leaving the North. The road became a little more undulating and the pace dropped a bit. With the urban sprawl of northeast England behind us we centered down to Shropshire, finding a campsite in Prees. It's getting chilly so to the tent I should go.
Before I leave though, for those interested, I have seen some average sporting stadia so far. The exception was Celtic Park. However, other 'highlights' have included the Inverness Caledonian Thistle stadium, Deepdale, The Halliwell Jones stadium (that may require some research) and, not forgetting, the home of Wick FC.
Night.
Total distance - 598 miles
Average speed - 11.6 mph
Maximum speed - 31.6 mph
Time - 7 hrs 9 mins
The day started with a panic, at least on my part. Every night we camp we lock the bikes together outside the temt. This morning my bike was locked to Jonny's and I couldn't find the key to my lock. After a 15 minute search, which culminated in emptying the entire contents of my panniers, I located my one remaining key (I have already lost the other!) and the panic was over. For breakfast we pulled over at a nearby food van and loaded up on bacon and egg butties. Fuelled with these, we made very quick progress initially, soon making it to Preston and onwards to Wigan. It was a little busy on the road at times, the road mainly being the A6, but again nothing to obscene.
After plugging along the A6, then the A49, for a little longer we made it to Warrington, via Wigan. In Warrington, after our good progress, we had an extended lunch break. This involved rather a lot of faffing about as we hunted for a place to stay this evening. As the boys went to the tourist information office I managed to get into a rather entertaining chat with a couple of butchers. As you do in Warrington. If honest, I didn't understand all that they said, but they were nice chaps nonetheless.
After Warrington, the air became cleaner and the countryside prettier. In other words we were leaving the North. The road became a little more undulating and the pace dropped a bit. With the urban sprawl of northeast England behind us we centered down to Shropshire, finding a campsite in Prees. It's getting chilly so to the tent I should go.
Before I leave though, for those interested, I have seen some average sporting stadia so far. The exception was Celtic Park. However, other 'highlights' have included the Inverness Caledonian Thistle stadium, Deepdale, The Halliwell Jones stadium (that may require some research) and, not forgetting, the home of Wick FC.
Night.
Friday, 1 July 2011
Day 6 - Carlisle to Cabus - Up and down
Distance - 76 miles
Total distance - 515 miles
Average speed - 11.8 mph
Maximum speed - 35.0 mph
Time - 6 hrs 25 mins
Another 7am alarm call greeted us in our Ibis room in central Carlisle. A tricky decision had to be made last night. Close the room window and roast, because we couldn't get the air con to work, or leave it open and struggle to sleep, because the Carlisle revellers were being a bit lairy and noisy. In the end the window was left open, until it got closed again 5 minutes later! In all honesty a decent sleep was had by all and after tucking into a breakfast that had been bought from Tesco the night before we went on our way.
We spent virtually the entire day on the A6, the traffic on which varied greatly. Initially it was very frustrating, very up and down. Therefore it was difficult to get into any real momentum. To quell this frustration I made a stop at the Toffee Shop in Penrith to refuel on some vanilla fudge. Some of the best fudge around. Then we headed towards Shap, vaguely aware that there may be a more sustained climb ahead. And there was. Bigger than we were expecting. In a way this ignorance made it easier and we simply launched into the climb. And climbed a bit more. Then more. Eventually we reached 1400ft, our highest point on the journey so far. Hopefully it will stay that way. But the view across the Eden Valley and towards the Pennines was pretty spectacular and made it all worthwhile.
From then we had an enjoyable downhill section, soon making it to Kendal where we stopped for lunch. Then it was onwards to Lancaster. Here the road became a bit dull, if honest. With little more of note we made it to our pre-booked campsite just outside Cabus, in Lancashire. We made it just in time to watch Andy Murray lose, while having some lovely pub grub. The tent awaits. But first I must stretch, ready for tackling another urban section tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be more fun than Glasgow.
Lastly, the eagle-eyed amongst you readers will have noticed that we have topped 500 miles. So unless something goes badly wrong, we're over halfway. Another milestone. Milestones are good.
Total distance - 515 miles
Average speed - 11.8 mph
Maximum speed - 35.0 mph
Time - 6 hrs 25 mins
Another 7am alarm call greeted us in our Ibis room in central Carlisle. A tricky decision had to be made last night. Close the room window and roast, because we couldn't get the air con to work, or leave it open and struggle to sleep, because the Carlisle revellers were being a bit lairy and noisy. In the end the window was left open, until it got closed again 5 minutes later! In all honesty a decent sleep was had by all and after tucking into a breakfast that had been bought from Tesco the night before we went on our way.
We spent virtually the entire day on the A6, the traffic on which varied greatly. Initially it was very frustrating, very up and down. Therefore it was difficult to get into any real momentum. To quell this frustration I made a stop at the Toffee Shop in Penrith to refuel on some vanilla fudge. Some of the best fudge around. Then we headed towards Shap, vaguely aware that there may be a more sustained climb ahead. And there was. Bigger than we were expecting. In a way this ignorance made it easier and we simply launched into the climb. And climbed a bit more. Then more. Eventually we reached 1400ft, our highest point on the journey so far. Hopefully it will stay that way. But the view across the Eden Valley and towards the Pennines was pretty spectacular and made it all worthwhile.
From then we had an enjoyable downhill section, soon making it to Kendal where we stopped for lunch. Then it was onwards to Lancaster. Here the road became a bit dull, if honest. With little more of note we made it to our pre-booked campsite just outside Cabus, in Lancashire. We made it just in time to watch Andy Murray lose, while having some lovely pub grub. The tent awaits. But first I must stretch, ready for tackling another urban section tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be more fun than Glasgow.
Lastly, the eagle-eyed amongst you readers will have noticed that we have topped 500 miles. So unless something goes badly wrong, we're over halfway. Another milestone. Milestones are good.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Day 5 - Boghead to Carlisle - Cruising
Distance - 80 miles
Total distance - 439 miles
Maximum speed - 36.7 mph
(Other data lost today because Jonny's speedometer reset itself a couple of times)
The day started with a fright. I totally forgot I had a full-wall mirror right beside my bed and in my sleepy state it took me several seconds to realise the person staring back at me was in fact me. However, the day soon got better as we tucked into an amazing breakfast courtesy of our lovely hosts. With full bellies and packed panniers we set off for the day, although we did schedule a brief stop at the local chemist, where I stocked up on double strength Ibuprofen and some Deep Heat. Eventually it helped.
For much of the day we were following the old Glasgow to Carlisle road, which shadowed the current motorway. It was a bizarre road, with next-to-no traffic and little upkeep. It was almost a little eerie at times. After an hour or so when we were generally climbing, the going became a lot easier and we made real good time. The wind was also mostly on our back, so moral was high.
After a fast few hours we stopped for lunch at a pub in Beattock, where we loaded up on cheap-but-filling food. Mostly just carbohydrates on a plate. Afterwards we continued to push on, fuelled with food and the knowledge that England was awaiting not too far ahead. With further swift progress we hit a fairly heavy shower just short of the border. The sort of shower which you seem to track and sit under for an age. However, it abated just as we reached the English border, where we stopped for customary photos. England really was a lift, the biggest milestone we have made so far. So with a spring in our steps, or pedals, we shot to Carlisle.
Having planned to stay at the YHA in Carlisle, we found that it didn't open until July. Apparently that's tomorrow! So with a little work on the smartphone we managed to find a cheap room at the Ibis in the city centre.
Bed beckons. It really is good to have made it to England. We've cycled the length of a country, just one or two more to go.
Total distance - 439 miles
Maximum speed - 36.7 mph
(Other data lost today because Jonny's speedometer reset itself a couple of times)
The day started with a fright. I totally forgot I had a full-wall mirror right beside my bed and in my sleepy state it took me several seconds to realise the person staring back at me was in fact me. However, the day soon got better as we tucked into an amazing breakfast courtesy of our lovely hosts. With full bellies and packed panniers we set off for the day, although we did schedule a brief stop at the local chemist, where I stocked up on double strength Ibuprofen and some Deep Heat. Eventually it helped.
For much of the day we were following the old Glasgow to Carlisle road, which shadowed the current motorway. It was a bizarre road, with next-to-no traffic and little upkeep. It was almost a little eerie at times. After an hour or so when we were generally climbing, the going became a lot easier and we made real good time. The wind was also mostly on our back, so moral was high.
After a fast few hours we stopped for lunch at a pub in Beattock, where we loaded up on cheap-but-filling food. Mostly just carbohydrates on a plate. Afterwards we continued to push on, fuelled with food and the knowledge that England was awaiting not too far ahead. With further swift progress we hit a fairly heavy shower just short of the border. The sort of shower which you seem to track and sit under for an age. However, it abated just as we reached the English border, where we stopped for customary photos. England really was a lift, the biggest milestone we have made so far. So with a spring in our steps, or pedals, we shot to Carlisle.
Having planned to stay at the YHA in Carlisle, we found that it didn't open until July. Apparently that's tomorrow! So with a little work on the smartphone we managed to find a cheap room at the Ibis in the city centre.
Bed beckons. It really is good to have made it to England. We've cycled the length of a country, just one or two more to go.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Day 4 - Inverarnan to Boghead - Navigating Glasgow
Distance - 73 miles
Total distance - 359 miles
Average speed - 10.8 mph
Time - 6 hrs 45 mins
It was another midge-ridden start to the day, to an extent that it was very difficult to muster the willpower to leave the tent. But after a quick bacon roll at the onsite pub we soon packed away. Just as an added annoyance we had a brief shower just as we were packing up the tent. So, when we next camp, we'll be starting with a damp tent.
The start of the journey was quite unevwntful, but pretty. We cycled alongside Loch Lomond, stopping for our now permanent-fixture 8-10 mile stretch, at a lovely view point. The second half of Loch Lomond was slightly less enjoyable, simply because the road became busier. It became busier because Glasgow loomed. Therefore, evasive action was required to avoid the busiest roads within the city itself.
Even though we had discussed ways through/around Glasgow we hadn't truly settled on a route. The first steps in tackling the suburbs went to plan, before we rather luckily stumbled upon a national cycle route into the heart of Glasgow. This was a huge relief, which we celebrated by eating lunch by a canal, just north of the River Clyde. At this point Glasgow seemed nicer than we expected. This was because we were in the 'nice' part.
After lunch we cycled through the not so nice part. To signal this transition a rat shot across Jonny's path and miraculously avoided death by whizzing between his wheels. Then we encountered a few hairy moments with some youths. You never want to have preconceptions about a place, but Glasgow was living up to its name. The fact I was wearing leggings may not have gone down too well. After the cycle path reached the city centre, our progress became even more stop-start as we found a way out towards Hamilton, southeast of Glasgow. The roads were a bit busy, but manageable.
After an uneventful final stint we found our way to our pre-booked B&B, an absolute luxury after two nights of camping. To make it even more enjoyable, the couple who own the place are absolutely legendary. They insisted on doing some laundry for us and gave up the kitchen after the boys found some Chinese takeaway from a nearby village. They really are an amazing couple, far nicer than some folk we met in Glasgow!
Anyway, I must sleep. I'm very tired and the knees are hurting. I shall sleep soundly no doubt, especially with the knowledge that England awaits tomorrow.
Total distance - 359 miles
Average speed - 10.8 mph
Time - 6 hrs 45 mins
It was another midge-ridden start to the day, to an extent that it was very difficult to muster the willpower to leave the tent. But after a quick bacon roll at the onsite pub we soon packed away. Just as an added annoyance we had a brief shower just as we were packing up the tent. So, when we next camp, we'll be starting with a damp tent.
The start of the journey was quite unevwntful, but pretty. We cycled alongside Loch Lomond, stopping for our now permanent-fixture 8-10 mile stretch, at a lovely view point. The second half of Loch Lomond was slightly less enjoyable, simply because the road became busier. It became busier because Glasgow loomed. Therefore, evasive action was required to avoid the busiest roads within the city itself.
Even though we had discussed ways through/around Glasgow we hadn't truly settled on a route. The first steps in tackling the suburbs went to plan, before we rather luckily stumbled upon a national cycle route into the heart of Glasgow. This was a huge relief, which we celebrated by eating lunch by a canal, just north of the River Clyde. At this point Glasgow seemed nicer than we expected. This was because we were in the 'nice' part.
After lunch we cycled through the not so nice part. To signal this transition a rat shot across Jonny's path and miraculously avoided death by whizzing between his wheels. Then we encountered a few hairy moments with some youths. You never want to have preconceptions about a place, but Glasgow was living up to its name. The fact I was wearing leggings may not have gone down too well. After the cycle path reached the city centre, our progress became even more stop-start as we found a way out towards Hamilton, southeast of Glasgow. The roads were a bit busy, but manageable.
After an uneventful final stint we found our way to our pre-booked B&B, an absolute luxury after two nights of camping. To make it even more enjoyable, the couple who own the place are absolutely legendary. They insisted on doing some laundry for us and gave up the kitchen after the boys found some Chinese takeaway from a nearby village. They really are an amazing couple, far nicer than some folk we met in Glasgow!
Anyway, I must sleep. I'm very tired and the knees are hurting. I shall sleep soundly no doubt, especially with the knowledge that England awaits tomorrow.
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Day 3 - Invergarry to Inverarnan - Midges, Knees and Hills
Distance - 84 miles
Total distance - 286 miles
Average speed - 11.6 mph
Time - 7 hrs 15 mins
If you're going to bike a long distance over some pretty tough terrain, being near-eaten by midges isn't a brilliant start to the day. And I'm really not exaggerating. All three of us currently look as if we have chickenpox. This suffering was further compounded by a pretty average breakfast (sorry Gareth who was on diligent breakfast duties). Of course it was probably lovely, but when two out of three of the party don't particularly like porridge oats at the best, about 20 deceased midges don't really offer to the appeal. But it's all added protein I guess.
Anyway, after abandoning the campsite as quickly as possible we hit the road, back on the A82, towards Fort William. It was a fairly unexceptional stretch, with the bonus of some pretty scenery. Naturally, pretty scenery hasn't exactly been at a premium. My knees were painful from the off and, much to my annoyance, I resorted to some Ibuprofen to ease the pain. It seemed to do the trick. We made it to Fort William with little drama, although a very exciting steep downhill section near Spean Bridge. However, I'm at the realistic cyclist stage of my journey and simply view a downhill stretch as an opening to an uphill stretch. Very pessimistic perhaps, but clearly true.
After buying some lunch at Morrison in Fort William (and subsequently eating most of it in the car park) we made wind towards Ballachulish, again a fairly mundane 15 mile section. However, I was made uneasy by whisperings from Gareth of a 300m climb after Glencoe. They came to fruition. Although, perversely, it was actually my favourite bit of the ride to date. The slope was long but relatively gentle. And, for one of the first times on the trip it was in the company of sun. It made for a pretty cracking view along Glen Coe, made even more satisfying because you could see exactly where you had come from, the road snaking away behind us.
After reaching 348m at Rannoch Moor we began a slow descent, peppered with further uphill pieces. Eventually we reached Tyndrum, after a few awkward moments cycling into a headwind. We popped into the Tourist Information centre and were told of a good campsite 12 miles away. Initially my heart dropped at the thought of another 12 miles, but Gareth wisely noted that it took in a 200m descent. So after a quick stop at the local store in Tyndrum, we were at our campsite 40 minutes later. We found a little gem. After some very filling spag bol and a warm shower, we made to the pub, where we currently sit enjoying a quiet pint.
I must leave, mainly because I'm conscious this is a long update. Before I leave though, I must mention another reason we have dived into the onsite pub...the midges have returned and my face is on fire. I'm positive I also speak for the boys.
Total distance - 286 miles
Average speed - 11.6 mph
Time - 7 hrs 15 mins
If you're going to bike a long distance over some pretty tough terrain, being near-eaten by midges isn't a brilliant start to the day. And I'm really not exaggerating. All three of us currently look as if we have chickenpox. This suffering was further compounded by a pretty average breakfast (sorry Gareth who was on diligent breakfast duties). Of course it was probably lovely, but when two out of three of the party don't particularly like porridge oats at the best, about 20 deceased midges don't really offer to the appeal. But it's all added protein I guess.
Anyway, after abandoning the campsite as quickly as possible we hit the road, back on the A82, towards Fort William. It was a fairly unexceptional stretch, with the bonus of some pretty scenery. Naturally, pretty scenery hasn't exactly been at a premium. My knees were painful from the off and, much to my annoyance, I resorted to some Ibuprofen to ease the pain. It seemed to do the trick. We made it to Fort William with little drama, although a very exciting steep downhill section near Spean Bridge. However, I'm at the realistic cyclist stage of my journey and simply view a downhill stretch as an opening to an uphill stretch. Very pessimistic perhaps, but clearly true.
After buying some lunch at Morrison in Fort William (and subsequently eating most of it in the car park) we made wind towards Ballachulish, again a fairly mundane 15 mile section. However, I was made uneasy by whisperings from Gareth of a 300m climb after Glencoe. They came to fruition. Although, perversely, it was actually my favourite bit of the ride to date. The slope was long but relatively gentle. And, for one of the first times on the trip it was in the company of sun. It made for a pretty cracking view along Glen Coe, made even more satisfying because you could see exactly where you had come from, the road snaking away behind us.
After reaching 348m at Rannoch Moor we began a slow descent, peppered with further uphill pieces. Eventually we reached Tyndrum, after a few awkward moments cycling into a headwind. We popped into the Tourist Information centre and were told of a good campsite 12 miles away. Initially my heart dropped at the thought of another 12 miles, but Gareth wisely noted that it took in a 200m descent. So after a quick stop at the local store in Tyndrum, we were at our campsite 40 minutes later. We found a little gem. After some very filling spag bol and a warm shower, we made to the pub, where we currently sit enjoying a quiet pint.
I must leave, mainly because I'm conscious this is a long update. Before I leave though, I must mention another reason we have dived into the onsite pub...the midges have returned and my face is on fire. I'm positive I also speak for the boys.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Day 2 - Tain to Invergarry - Nessie
Distance - 83 miles
Total distance - 202 miles
Average speed - 11.9 mph
Time - 7 hrs
Another good day on the bike. Generally the terrain was easier going than yesterday. However, I'm still shattered.
After another 7am alarm call we managed to stock up on a full English breakfast, before leaving the B&B around 8.45am. We made good time straight away, managing 14 miles in the first hour.
Then a few hours later and about 10 miles short of Inverness we took our first wrong turning of the trip, in an attempt to avoid the dual carriageway. It cost us a few extra miles but was quite a laugh. Then we navigated into Inverness and ate lunch outside the rail station where we transferred trains a couple of days ago. Initially I thought this would be a nice mileatone, but it ended up feeling like I hadn't really made it anywhere!
Anyway, after lunch we made towards the Great Glen and our destination for the day, along the A82. It was a fairly busy road at times, but nothing too bad. We cycled beside Loch Ness for 30 miles, but unfortunately didn't see the monster. Of course I'm sure he was there somewhere. Maybe the bus loads of tourists may have had more luck.
After reaching Fort Augustus, we decided to head for another 7 miles towards Invergarry. It was at this point that I found the going really tiring and my knees started to give me some difficulties. However, with the encouragement of witnessing a swing bridge in motion (encouragement can come from the smallest of things) we soon made it to Invergarry. We then found the campsite which Gareth had booked for us earlier today. What we hadn't been told was that it was the other side of the village up a massive hill. After a slog of 15 minutes we made it and checked in with a lovely chap (Duncan?) who charged us £12 for pitching our tent and then gave us £10 towards Macmillan. A hugely generous donation from someone we had only just met. After cycling back into the village with just our bikes - unloaded, which was an absolute luxury - we had a quick pint and a meal at the local before trudging back towards the campsite.
The sunset was beginning to look pretty spectacular, but then you have to consider whether you'd rather watch a spectacular sunset or have your face destroyed by midges. So here I finish the blog in the refuge of the tent. The campsite owner also provided a very good shower so it isn't too smelly. But it is a tired tent. So we should sleep and wonder what tomorrow shall bring. Probably more biking.
Total distance - 202 miles
Average speed - 11.9 mph
Time - 7 hrs
Another good day on the bike. Generally the terrain was easier going than yesterday. However, I'm still shattered.
After another 7am alarm call we managed to stock up on a full English breakfast, before leaving the B&B around 8.45am. We made good time straight away, managing 14 miles in the first hour.
Then a few hours later and about 10 miles short of Inverness we took our first wrong turning of the trip, in an attempt to avoid the dual carriageway. It cost us a few extra miles but was quite a laugh. Then we navigated into Inverness and ate lunch outside the rail station where we transferred trains a couple of days ago. Initially I thought this would be a nice mileatone, but it ended up feeling like I hadn't really made it anywhere!
Anyway, after lunch we made towards the Great Glen and our destination for the day, along the A82. It was a fairly busy road at times, but nothing too bad. We cycled beside Loch Ness for 30 miles, but unfortunately didn't see the monster. Of course I'm sure he was there somewhere. Maybe the bus loads of tourists may have had more luck.
After reaching Fort Augustus, we decided to head for another 7 miles towards Invergarry. It was at this point that I found the going really tiring and my knees started to give me some difficulties. However, with the encouragement of witnessing a swing bridge in motion (encouragement can come from the smallest of things) we soon made it to Invergarry. We then found the campsite which Gareth had booked for us earlier today. What we hadn't been told was that it was the other side of the village up a massive hill. After a slog of 15 minutes we made it and checked in with a lovely chap (Duncan?) who charged us £12 for pitching our tent and then gave us £10 towards Macmillan. A hugely generous donation from someone we had only just met. After cycling back into the village with just our bikes - unloaded, which was an absolute luxury - we had a quick pint and a meal at the local before trudging back towards the campsite.
The sunset was beginning to look pretty spectacular, but then you have to consider whether you'd rather watch a spectacular sunset or have your face destroyed by midges. So here I finish the blog in the refuge of the tent. The campsite owner also provided a very good shower so it isn't too smelly. But it is a tired tent. So we should sleep and wonder what tomorrow shall bring. Probably more biking.
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Day 1 - John O'Groats to Tain - Hills
Distance - 87 miles
Total distance - 119 miles
Average speed - 12.1 mph
Maximum speed - 33.6 mph
Time - 7 hrs 10 mins
Apparently we don't really do hills in Suffolk. Not Scottish hills anyway. I love Suffolk, but it really hasn't honed my muscles for the type of hills we took today. After a 7am alarm call, we set off from our hostel at 8.30am. The first 30 minutes were fairly quiet. And then it started to rain. A quick stop to pull the rain covers over the panniers, before heading off to Wick.
With Wick behind us it then began to rain heavier. Normally this would be a pain, but it actually coincided with our fastest section of the day. To explain, obviously wind is the main factor in determining speed. Despite having a headwind today, it was mostly light and caused little frustration. In this section a combination of a recently tarmaced road and some slick conditions created by the rain allowed for an average speed of 15 mph for near on an hour. A freshly tarmaced road is so much easier than a pot-holed worn road.
The rain did actually ease, before 40 miles in we hit major hills. 15% hills. We were pre-warned by a local, who seemed to take great please in telling us we had a hard section head of us! While it was lovely cruising down the hills at 30 mph, it was a nightmare getting up them. It's also moral-crushing how you lose 30 mph of moment in a matter of seconds upon hitting the uphill.
Anyway, after this section things got a little easier and we pushed onwards towards Dornoch with just occasional showers to contend with. Lesser hills than previously got increasingly difficult, but generally the terrain was undulating rather than hilly. After making it to Dornoch we decided to push in for just a few more miles, to Tain, in Ross and Cromarty. It's a very pretty little town. After finding a B&B we then made an even better find in the local chippy. We're currently having a quick drink in one of the pubs. Therefore, I should go because my pint is waiting and I'm being unsociable.
Lastly, it didn't seem to get dark in John O'Groats last night...that's when you know you're in the North.
Total distance - 119 miles
Average speed - 12.1 mph
Maximum speed - 33.6 mph
Time - 7 hrs 10 mins
Apparently we don't really do hills in Suffolk. Not Scottish hills anyway. I love Suffolk, but it really hasn't honed my muscles for the type of hills we took today. After a 7am alarm call, we set off from our hostel at 8.30am. The first 30 minutes were fairly quiet. And then it started to rain. A quick stop to pull the rain covers over the panniers, before heading off to Wick.
With Wick behind us it then began to rain heavier. Normally this would be a pain, but it actually coincided with our fastest section of the day. To explain, obviously wind is the main factor in determining speed. Despite having a headwind today, it was mostly light and caused little frustration. In this section a combination of a recently tarmaced road and some slick conditions created by the rain allowed for an average speed of 15 mph for near on an hour. A freshly tarmaced road is so much easier than a pot-holed worn road.
The rain did actually ease, before 40 miles in we hit major hills. 15% hills. We were pre-warned by a local, who seemed to take great please in telling us we had a hard section head of us! While it was lovely cruising down the hills at 30 mph, it was a nightmare getting up them. It's also moral-crushing how you lose 30 mph of moment in a matter of seconds upon hitting the uphill.
Anyway, after this section things got a little easier and we pushed onwards towards Dornoch with just occasional showers to contend with. Lesser hills than previously got increasingly difficult, but generally the terrain was undulating rather than hilly. After making it to Dornoch we decided to push in for just a few more miles, to Tain, in Ross and Cromarty. It's a very pretty little town. After finding a B&B we then made an even better find in the local chippy. We're currently having a quick drink in one of the pubs. Therefore, I should go because my pint is waiting and I'm being unsociable.
Lastly, it didn't seem to get dark in John O'Groats last night...that's when you know you're in the North.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Day 0 - Free food
Distance - 32 miles
Average speed - 10.9 mph
Maximum speed - 26.8 mph
Time - 2 hr 56 min
Ok, so it wasn't the most official of days, mainly because we weren't at our starting point until 3pm. The overnight train to Inverness was without drama. However, sleep was difficult to come by. Several times in the night I entered a state of rest during which you drift off for what seems like 20 minutes but actually turns out to be 2 hours. I hasten to use the term sleep though, just because I always seemed semi-conscious of noise and movement around me.
After a one hour wait in Inverness we boarded our bikes, then ourselves, onto the 10.38 to Wick. After a quite astonishing 23 stops at some of the smallest stations imaginable we arrived at Thurso. At this point, despite being exhausted from the travelling, we were quite keen to get going. So after quickly loading our bikes we made towards John O'Groats. We stopped en route at Dunnet Head, a nice 100m climb to the most northerly point on the British mainland. Annoyingly we spent most of the time heading east and the wind was an easterly. In other words a head wind. Not a fun start to the trip. But you should start as you mean to continue.
After taking in John O'Groats and officially 'starting' we retired to our nearby hostel, spent after a relatively gentle 32 miles. We then ate the moat interesting meal ever thought of, courtesy of Jonny. From the free food left at the hostel we had an interesting mix of pasta, soya mince, chicken gravy and tomato ketchup. And lest I forget the genius that Gareth brought to the table in the form of oregano. Either way there were plenty of carbs and carbs are good.
Now I must sleep for I am shattered and apparently already lagging behind the boys.
Night all.
Average speed - 10.9 mph
Maximum speed - 26.8 mph
Time - 2 hr 56 min
Ok, so it wasn't the most official of days, mainly because we weren't at our starting point until 3pm. The overnight train to Inverness was without drama. However, sleep was difficult to come by. Several times in the night I entered a state of rest during which you drift off for what seems like 20 minutes but actually turns out to be 2 hours. I hasten to use the term sleep though, just because I always seemed semi-conscious of noise and movement around me.
After a one hour wait in Inverness we boarded our bikes, then ourselves, onto the 10.38 to Wick. After a quite astonishing 23 stops at some of the smallest stations imaginable we arrived at Thurso. At this point, despite being exhausted from the travelling, we were quite keen to get going. So after quickly loading our bikes we made towards John O'Groats. We stopped en route at Dunnet Head, a nice 100m climb to the most northerly point on the British mainland. Annoyingly we spent most of the time heading east and the wind was an easterly. In other words a head wind. Not a fun start to the trip. But you should start as you mean to continue.
After taking in John O'Groats and officially 'starting' we retired to our nearby hostel, spent after a relatively gentle 32 miles. We then ate the moat interesting meal ever thought of, courtesy of Jonny. From the free food left at the hostel we had an interesting mix of pasta, soya mince, chicken gravy and tomato ketchup. And lest I forget the genius that Gareth brought to the table in the form of oregano. Either way there were plenty of carbs and carbs are good.
Now I must sleep for I am shattered and apparently already lagging behind the boys.
Night all.
Pre-bike nerves
I'm currently on an overnight train from London Euston to Inverness. I set off with Jonny from London and Gareth is about to join us (logically) in Crewe. In itself, this is quite an adventure. I've never been on a sleeper train before and I'm a sucker for this sort of thing. Of course it's just an average train, but it goes through the night. That's cool right? Anyway, as usual I'm struggling to sleep on public transport. I'm at the end of a carriage and looking up it seems as if everyone else, including Jonny opposite me, is deep in sleep. After this I will try to get some rest. After all I do have the encouragement that my seat reclines to a full 45 degrees. We are due into Inverness at 8.30am.
Nothing of too much excitement has happened in the past week or so. I went for one more longish bike ride on Monday, before using my parents' house as a base camp after finishing work on Wednesday. It seemed a practical measure seeing as I have had various items mailed to their house over the past weeks. Also, it meant I got Shepherd's Pie and copious amounts of Mother's chocolate cake, which is pretty unbeatable. After packing up my panniers and loading up my bike I set out to Diss train station yesterday afternoon, destination London.
Apparently travelling through London with a heavily-laden bike, during rush-hour, isn't too much fun. I was rather surprised just how heavy it was fully loaded. But after a struggle and having annoyed numerous Londoners I arrived at the girlfriends.
Then, after a relaxed day today, with further needless packing and re-packing squeezed in, I headed to Euston for my train. As I said, nothing of too much excitement. That will probably come tomorrow, when one of us with doubtless fall off our bikes or something. For now though, I should sleep. But first, we're arriving in Crewe, so it's time to greet Gareth.
Night.
Nothing of too much excitement has happened in the past week or so. I went for one more longish bike ride on Monday, before using my parents' house as a base camp after finishing work on Wednesday. It seemed a practical measure seeing as I have had various items mailed to their house over the past weeks. Also, it meant I got Shepherd's Pie and copious amounts of Mother's chocolate cake, which is pretty unbeatable. After packing up my panniers and loading up my bike I set out to Diss train station yesterday afternoon, destination London.
Apparently travelling through London with a heavily-laden bike, during rush-hour, isn't too much fun. I was rather surprised just how heavy it was fully loaded. But after a struggle and having annoyed numerous Londoners I arrived at the girlfriends.
Then, after a relaxed day today, with further needless packing and re-packing squeezed in, I headed to Euston for my train. As I said, nothing of too much excitement. That will probably come tomorrow, when one of us with doubtless fall off our bikes or something. For now though, I should sleep. But first, we're arriving in Crewe, so it's time to greet Gareth.
Night.
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Keep your mouth shut
I’m writing this, one again, on a train. You know how the saying goes – you write all your best stuff on the train – or did I just make that up? Personally, I quite enjoy train rides. Admittedly, I could see how they could get very tedious if you rode one every day of the week, particularly if your destination is London! Anyway, the point is that I like train journeys and there’s something quite romantic about writing a piece for a blog while occasionally glancing wistfully out of a window. Or maybe all this cycling has gone to my head...
So, myself and the boys travel up to John O’Groats next Friday (24th). Without wanting to sound as if I’m harping on about trains, this really is going to be the mother of all train journeys – we’re getting an overnight train from London Euston to Inverness (11 hours in total). And, being as tight as we are, instead of paying for a sleeper cabin, we’re travelling up in the luxury of a reclining chair. It should be fine though, I’m reassured it reclines to a full 45 degrees. If you’re an optimist you could view that as half-way to a bed. If you’re a pessimist you could suggest that we’re not exactly starting our trip in the best way. Either way, it’s something I’ve never done before so it adds to the sense of adventure. We then travel from Inverness to Thurso on the Saturday. Thurso, I’m reliably informed by my Granddad, is the most northerly train station in Britain. This is comforting, seeing as our next destination, via bicycle, is Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland. From there we will make our way to John O’Groats and check into a hostel, ready for an early start on Sunday.
I went on a bike ride yesterday and it went alright. Not good. Not bad. Alright. I carried some weight and managed 55 miles. As always, I thought a lot, simply because there isn’t much else to do besides checking for traffic. These thoughts I grouped mainly into optimistic and pessimistic ones. Here are a few.
Optimistic thoughts:
My knees weren’t too bad. Certainly not as bad as they have been. Not ideal, but manageable. To summarise, I now feel I have the knees of a 50-year-old as opposed to an 80-year-old.
I like my bike. It’s comfortable and it rides well. If it goes the distance I will love it. Maybe I should name it...
Pessimistic thoughts:
I haven’t had a puncture yet while training. Surely this means I will be riddled by them in 10 days time?
It’s barely rained while training. I had one light shower to contend with, which lasted all of five minutes. I’m not totally certain that has prepared my for the range of meteorological conditions I could face.
Norfolk and Suffolk aren’t very hilly. This is quite obvious. For those of you who know Norwich, is the hill up The Avenues really going to prepare me for the Scottish Highlands?
The pessimistic thoughts list could continue, but I feel I should stop it there. I’m in the process of winding down on the training. I’m hoping to do one more large(ish) bike ride on my day off on Monday. And then I’ll rest up until I begin the following weekend. The kit is pretty much there, I’ve ticked virtually everything off my kit list. The few things that aren’t ticked off are all minor and not necessities. I’m conscious that once more this is quite long and equally as boring. Therefore, I will tie it up, but not before leaving you with a few other thoughts I’ve had on the bike:
CYCLING SHORTS? I bought two pairs with the plan of saving my nether regions from considerable abuse. Yet they seem to cause more pain than they prevent.
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. Where have all these bugs and insects come from in the last week? Apparently I cycle with my mouth open because, wherever they came from, most have met their end at the back of my throat. Failing that, in my eyes.
GET A HAIR CUT. I still haven’t and my hair still falls across my eyes...
So, myself and the boys travel up to John O’Groats next Friday (24th). Without wanting to sound as if I’m harping on about trains, this really is going to be the mother of all train journeys – we’re getting an overnight train from London Euston to Inverness (11 hours in total). And, being as tight as we are, instead of paying for a sleeper cabin, we’re travelling up in the luxury of a reclining chair. It should be fine though, I’m reassured it reclines to a full 45 degrees. If you’re an optimist you could view that as half-way to a bed. If you’re a pessimist you could suggest that we’re not exactly starting our trip in the best way. Either way, it’s something I’ve never done before so it adds to the sense of adventure. We then travel from Inverness to Thurso on the Saturday. Thurso, I’m reliably informed by my Granddad, is the most northerly train station in Britain. This is comforting, seeing as our next destination, via bicycle, is Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland. From there we will make our way to John O’Groats and check into a hostel, ready for an early start on Sunday.
I went on a bike ride yesterday and it went alright. Not good. Not bad. Alright. I carried some weight and managed 55 miles. As always, I thought a lot, simply because there isn’t much else to do besides checking for traffic. These thoughts I grouped mainly into optimistic and pessimistic ones. Here are a few.
Optimistic thoughts:
My knees weren’t too bad. Certainly not as bad as they have been. Not ideal, but manageable. To summarise, I now feel I have the knees of a 50-year-old as opposed to an 80-year-old.
I like my bike. It’s comfortable and it rides well. If it goes the distance I will love it. Maybe I should name it...
Pessimistic thoughts:
I haven’t had a puncture yet while training. Surely this means I will be riddled by them in 10 days time?
It’s barely rained while training. I had one light shower to contend with, which lasted all of five minutes. I’m not totally certain that has prepared my for the range of meteorological conditions I could face.
Norfolk and Suffolk aren’t very hilly. This is quite obvious. For those of you who know Norwich, is the hill up The Avenues really going to prepare me for the Scottish Highlands?
The pessimistic thoughts list could continue, but I feel I should stop it there. I’m in the process of winding down on the training. I’m hoping to do one more large(ish) bike ride on my day off on Monday. And then I’ll rest up until I begin the following weekend. The kit is pretty much there, I’ve ticked virtually everything off my kit list. The few things that aren’t ticked off are all minor and not necessities. I’m conscious that once more this is quite long and equally as boring. Therefore, I will tie it up, but not before leaving you with a few other thoughts I’ve had on the bike:
CYCLING SHORTS? I bought two pairs with the plan of saving my nether regions from considerable abuse. Yet they seem to cause more pain than they prevent.
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. Where have all these bugs and insects come from in the last week? Apparently I cycle with my mouth open because, wherever they came from, most have met their end at the back of my throat. Failing that, in my eyes.
GET A HAIR CUT. I still haven’t and my hair still falls across my eyes...
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Cheer and worry
It's been a little while now since I last updated my blog. This has mostly been due to the fact that I haven't had too much of interest to write about. After the fatigue which greeted my bike ride a few Fridays back I decided to totally rest up for a few days. This was made easier by the fact that I had a few days off work, days that I spent in Exeter with the girlfriend.
So after a few days off I got back on the bike last Wednesday and it was unbelievable how good I felt for the break. Initially this was, again, because I had the wind on my back, but generally I did feel very refreshed. It got me thinking whether it would be feasible to cycle the length of Britain with three days of rest after each day of pedal. Of course it wouldn't be and it also means I may end up stuck in Glasgow (a randomly chosen city of course - I'm sure it's lovely) for a few days without much to do. Also, my employers wouldn't be massively keen on this idea.
Anyway, since Wednesday I have alternated between a bike day and a rest day. The biggest of these bike rides was on Sunday evening when I proceeded to get very lost in the Norfolk countryside, somewhere between Norwich and Dereham. Give me Suffolk countryside any day. Despite navigational difficulties it was a thoroughly enjoyable cycle. I love exercising outdoors in the evening. I've never been a fan of morning exercise, my body takes most of the day to wake up. And I sleep so much better after strenuous evening exercise. I also love exercise on a Sunday evening - during the malaise when it seems the world hasn't decided whether to squeeze the last out of the weekend or settle down for another working week. Somehow, by exercising you escape such decisions.
Having had a successful cycle and seemingly been back on track, Monday was when the problems arose. They arose in the form of very sudden, very sharp knee pains. My knees have been a bit dodgy ever since puberty struck and I grew about eight inches in a year. Obviously they take quite a pounding on the bike so this has caused some concern. Regardless of whether I'm exercising on a particular day I have been stretching for about 30 minutes. I have increased this further in recent days and my fears have been eased by a trouble-free day today.
The knees are a real concern, if something physically stops me from completing our challenge I fear they may be to blame. I'm currently in that horrible nervous phase before you begin a big challenge. I just want to get going. I'm bored of thinking. I want to do. I want to feel the pain.
My fellow cyclist Jonny is in France right now, currently preparing for a Mt Blanc summit attempt. I heard from him earlier after he had climbed to 3500m, including a 100m scramble with crampons and an ice axe. This pretty excessive training regime is a great reason to give towards our effort. If you have even the smallest amount of change, you can donate to Macmillan on our JustGiving page at http://www.justgiving.com/GarethJonnyJoe
Thanks for reading :)
So after a few days off I got back on the bike last Wednesday and it was unbelievable how good I felt for the break. Initially this was, again, because I had the wind on my back, but generally I did feel very refreshed. It got me thinking whether it would be feasible to cycle the length of Britain with three days of rest after each day of pedal. Of course it wouldn't be and it also means I may end up stuck in Glasgow (a randomly chosen city of course - I'm sure it's lovely) for a few days without much to do. Also, my employers wouldn't be massively keen on this idea.
Anyway, since Wednesday I have alternated between a bike day and a rest day. The biggest of these bike rides was on Sunday evening when I proceeded to get very lost in the Norfolk countryside, somewhere between Norwich and Dereham. Give me Suffolk countryside any day. Despite navigational difficulties it was a thoroughly enjoyable cycle. I love exercising outdoors in the evening. I've never been a fan of morning exercise, my body takes most of the day to wake up. And I sleep so much better after strenuous evening exercise. I also love exercise on a Sunday evening - during the malaise when it seems the world hasn't decided whether to squeeze the last out of the weekend or settle down for another working week. Somehow, by exercising you escape such decisions.
Having had a successful cycle and seemingly been back on track, Monday was when the problems arose. They arose in the form of very sudden, very sharp knee pains. My knees have been a bit dodgy ever since puberty struck and I grew about eight inches in a year. Obviously they take quite a pounding on the bike so this has caused some concern. Regardless of whether I'm exercising on a particular day I have been stretching for about 30 minutes. I have increased this further in recent days and my fears have been eased by a trouble-free day today.
The knees are a real concern, if something physically stops me from completing our challenge I fear they may be to blame. I'm currently in that horrible nervous phase before you begin a big challenge. I just want to get going. I'm bored of thinking. I want to do. I want to feel the pain.
My fellow cyclist Jonny is in France right now, currently preparing for a Mt Blanc summit attempt. I heard from him earlier after he had climbed to 3500m, including a 100m scramble with crampons and an ice axe. This pretty excessive training regime is a great reason to give towards our effort. If you have even the smallest amount of change, you can donate to Macmillan on our JustGiving page at http://www.justgiving.com/GarethJonnyJoe
Thanks for reading :)
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Frustration
Sometimes it just doesn't happen. Yesterday was one of those days. Sport, more generally exercise, can be a strange thing. Every now and again you inexplicably fail to produce. Occasionally it's difficult to explain why. In the case of yesterday the answer probably lies in Monday and Tuesday when I did back-to-back bike rides. Of course this shouldn't qualify as an excuse seeing as I will have to do 12ish consecutive days soon, but when you throw in a subsequent early shift and a sore throat it doesn't really offer the R&R that is needed. Alternatively, it may just be because I'm not made of the hard stuff!
Either way I woke up in the morning not feeling like P Daddy (for those familiar with the 'genius of Kesha), but particularly lethargic. Then, due to a number of reasons, the primary one being procrastination, I didn't actually get on to my bike until 2pm. For the first 10 minutes I felt fine - again because the wind was on my back - but then I hit my first hill. Immediately my legs felt as if they'd done 50+ miles.
From this point onwards I was physically and mentally in the wrong place. Usually I just get on with it. Yesterday I was very suddenly aware of how much further I had to go and how tedious it was going to be. Additionally weather-wise it was what I like to call a nothing day. I began to get very tetchy. I started wearing a fleece top. In itself this was a bad sign as it contradicted my policy of 'be bold, start cold'. So, naturally, I overheated. But within minutes of stripping down to my base layer I was getting cold. I then reinstated the fleece. This cycle continued.
I was stopping regularly. Even a cheese sandwich and packet of crisps didn't bring me rhythm or any life to my legs. It's at this point you have to decide whether to struggle on or stop short of your target. Usually my stubbornness forces the more difficult option, but in this case commonsense prevailed. I decided that it wasn't worth impacting on my training for a prolonged period so called it a day after 20 miles.
Although I felt I had made the right decision, I still ended the day rather grumpy. Somehow I managed to lift my spirits to tell the good people of East Anglia that the Bank Holiday weather was going to be rather uninspiring and the good farmers of East Anglia that they weren't going to see appreciable amounts of rain. All this after a 4am start.
I'm currently on the way to London. My legs and throat still ache. The sun isn't shining. But it will.
Either way I woke up in the morning not feeling like P Daddy (for those familiar with the 'genius of Kesha), but particularly lethargic. Then, due to a number of reasons, the primary one being procrastination, I didn't actually get on to my bike until 2pm. For the first 10 minutes I felt fine - again because the wind was on my back - but then I hit my first hill. Immediately my legs felt as if they'd done 50+ miles.
From this point onwards I was physically and mentally in the wrong place. Usually I just get on with it. Yesterday I was very suddenly aware of how much further I had to go and how tedious it was going to be. Additionally weather-wise it was what I like to call a nothing day. I began to get very tetchy. I started wearing a fleece top. In itself this was a bad sign as it contradicted my policy of 'be bold, start cold'. So, naturally, I overheated. But within minutes of stripping down to my base layer I was getting cold. I then reinstated the fleece. This cycle continued.
I was stopping regularly. Even a cheese sandwich and packet of crisps didn't bring me rhythm or any life to my legs. It's at this point you have to decide whether to struggle on or stop short of your target. Usually my stubbornness forces the more difficult option, but in this case commonsense prevailed. I decided that it wasn't worth impacting on my training for a prolonged period so called it a day after 20 miles.
Although I felt I had made the right decision, I still ended the day rather grumpy. Somehow I managed to lift my spirits to tell the good people of East Anglia that the Bank Holiday weather was going to be rather uninspiring and the good farmers of East Anglia that they weren't going to see appreciable amounts of rain. All this after a 4am start.
I'm currently on the way to London. My legs and throat still ache. The sun isn't shining. But it will.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Back to work
I have been back at work today. And despite two consecutive strenuous days on the bike, a third would have been more appealing than a 3am alarm call.
Generally I was a little surprised at how (relatively) fresh I felt when I began the bike yesterday. In order to mix the training up a bit I decided to experiment with some interval training. I selected a route around my 'home-patch' of Stradbroke, Hoxne and Eye, which was 13.5 miles in length (about half-marathon distance). I estimated each lap would take me around an hour, with a 15 minute(ish) break between each lap.
It was still pretty windy if honest, in fact I noticed little difference to the previous day. And yes, this meant sore eyes again! Here's how it went:
Lap 1 - 61 mins 07 secs - Fairly uneventful, eased into it. Much of the second half of the lap was into the wind. I swore a little.
Lap 2 - 57 mins 35 secs - Stepped it up a bit, particularly at the beginning with the wind on my back. Was pretty relieved to dip under an hour. Was nearly undone by resurfacing works outside of Stradbroke...winced several times as loose chipping smashed against my shiny new frame. Over my subsequent lunch break I selected a new route of equal length through Redlingfield and Occold.
Lap 3 - 64 mins 22 secs - The least enjoyable lap. From my swimming days I learnt that the third part of any race was always the hardest and slowest (before the adrenaline truly kicked in). This was further compounded by a hastily prepared and eaten lunch and subsequent cramps. A brief minute or two to investigate my clicking chain also slowed me.
Lap 4 - 55 mins 58 secs - Anyone who knows me will know that I'm mildly competitive, at the least. I can even get very competitive with myself. I knew that if I didn't set my fastest time of the day I would consider that last couple of days a total waste of time. So with gritted teeth, a bit of pain and multiple cursing as a seemingly never-ending headwind slowed me to a crawl at times, I hit my target.
Interval training made the cycle a little more interesting, but I came to realise that there is only so much biking you can do by yourself before getting bored. Additionally, I realised that I really dislike the wind. This could be a problem.
Further, it didn't help that the wind had eased a little more today, the day I spend 12 hours indoors working...with John Law and Chris Bell! Maybe I would rather be biking...
Generally I was a little surprised at how (relatively) fresh I felt when I began the bike yesterday. In order to mix the training up a bit I decided to experiment with some interval training. I selected a route around my 'home-patch' of Stradbroke, Hoxne and Eye, which was 13.5 miles in length (about half-marathon distance). I estimated each lap would take me around an hour, with a 15 minute(ish) break between each lap.
It was still pretty windy if honest, in fact I noticed little difference to the previous day. And yes, this meant sore eyes again! Here's how it went:
Lap 1 - 61 mins 07 secs - Fairly uneventful, eased into it. Much of the second half of the lap was into the wind. I swore a little.
Lap 2 - 57 mins 35 secs - Stepped it up a bit, particularly at the beginning with the wind on my back. Was pretty relieved to dip under an hour. Was nearly undone by resurfacing works outside of Stradbroke...winced several times as loose chipping smashed against my shiny new frame. Over my subsequent lunch break I selected a new route of equal length through Redlingfield and Occold.
Lap 3 - 64 mins 22 secs - The least enjoyable lap. From my swimming days I learnt that the third part of any race was always the hardest and slowest (before the adrenaline truly kicked in). This was further compounded by a hastily prepared and eaten lunch and subsequent cramps. A brief minute or two to investigate my clicking chain also slowed me.
Lap 4 - 55 mins 58 secs - Anyone who knows me will know that I'm mildly competitive, at the least. I can even get very competitive with myself. I knew that if I didn't set my fastest time of the day I would consider that last couple of days a total waste of time. So with gritted teeth, a bit of pain and multiple cursing as a seemingly never-ending headwind slowed me to a crawl at times, I hit my target.
Interval training made the cycle a little more interesting, but I came to realise that there is only so much biking you can do by yourself before getting bored. Additionally, I realised that I really dislike the wind. This could be a problem.
Further, it didn't help that the wind had eased a little more today, the day I spend 12 hours indoors working...with John Law and Chris Bell! Maybe I would rather be biking...
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Still windy
I managed to cycle for 4 hours yesterday and it was very tough. By far the windiest conditions I have ever biked in. The one comforting thought that kept passing through my head was that this was rural Suffolk, not the Scottish Highlands, where it was blowing a gale. Of course the real deal will be through the Scottish Highlands...
When you're on the bike for hours at a time you get plenty of time to think. Here are some thoughts and observations I had/made yesterday:
I need to get a haircut...
My hair isn't long but a little scruffy. The first time your hair flops into your eyes it's a little annoying, after the thousandth time it's VERY annoying. Therefore, I plan to get a good haircut before heading to Scotland.
Secure all straps on the helemt...
Similar to above. Loose straps can be painful when flapping about in the wind and against your face. Secure them.
Don't forget sunglasses...
Sunglasses are not only good at blocking UV rays. They save your eyes from insects, bugs and debris. With yesterdays wind there was a lot of vegetation flying about and quite a lot of it ended up in my eyes, which is quite painful.
Wind nullifies gravity...
Generally the only bit I look forward to on my travels is the downhill. I can't describe how frustrating it is when you're trickling down a steep (by Suffolk terms) hill because the wind is howling into your face. And of course, the more you go downhill the more you go uphill - I'm sure there was a point yesterday I was actually going backwards.
Don't get ahead of yourself...
Thoughts of 'This isn't to bad' or 'This wind was over-hyped' shouldn't be had. Invariably it's because the wind is on your back and you truly discover how windy it is as soon as you turn the next corner.
These were just a few thoughts I had yesterday. Today, I'm off work again. That means it's time to jump back on the bike. It isn't windy today, it's breezy. That means it should be easier. But I still don't have my sunglasses...
When you're on the bike for hours at a time you get plenty of time to think. Here are some thoughts and observations I had/made yesterday:
I need to get a haircut...
My hair isn't long but a little scruffy. The first time your hair flops into your eyes it's a little annoying, after the thousandth time it's VERY annoying. Therefore, I plan to get a good haircut before heading to Scotland.
Secure all straps on the helemt...
Similar to above. Loose straps can be painful when flapping about in the wind and against your face. Secure them.
Don't forget sunglasses...
Sunglasses are not only good at blocking UV rays. They save your eyes from insects, bugs and debris. With yesterdays wind there was a lot of vegetation flying about and quite a lot of it ended up in my eyes, which is quite painful.
Wind nullifies gravity...
Generally the only bit I look forward to on my travels is the downhill. I can't describe how frustrating it is when you're trickling down a steep (by Suffolk terms) hill because the wind is howling into your face. And of course, the more you go downhill the more you go uphill - I'm sure there was a point yesterday I was actually going backwards.
Don't get ahead of yourself...
Thoughts of 'This isn't to bad' or 'This wind was over-hyped' shouldn't be had. Invariably it's because the wind is on your back and you truly discover how windy it is as soon as you turn the next corner.
These were just a few thoughts I had yesterday. Today, I'm off work again. That means it's time to jump back on the bike. It isn't windy today, it's breezy. That means it should be easier. But I still don't have my sunglasses...
Monday, 23 May 2011
Wind
I've never really attempted any blogging before but have decided to take the plunge. The main reason for this is so it can act as a nice memoir to my forthcoming John O'Groats to Land's End attempt, while keeping friends and family up-to-date with progress.
For those of you who don't know, myself and two friends, Gareth and Jonny, have decided to attempt to cycle from John O'Groats to Land's End. The three of us met while studying Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Since graduating in 2009 Jonny has been working in Bristol, Gareth has been studying/working in the Bedford area and I've been working in Norwich.
It kind of goes with the territory of being 'ENVers' but we've always been the outdoors type, travelling (sometimes together), participating in triathlons, running half-marathons and hiking - to name but a few.
So why are we attempting this? This is one question I have difficulty answering. In my head I always think of the famous George Mallory quote 'because it's there'. And without wanting to sound pretentious this really does sum it up quite nicely. It's just a challenge, an experience and hopefully (ultimately) good fun. I know it's going to be painful, sometimes miserable and use up two weeks of annual leave, but there is no substitute for that feeling of absolute elation when you finish something like this. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, IF we finish!
While it's something we've mentioned between us before, we hastily decided to jump in and have a go at it a couple of months back. While I won't bore you with the details we quickly realised that a lot of organisation was required before heading off - booking trains, planning routes, finding places to stay/camp etc. In my case I needed to start by buying a suitable bike...there was little chance that my piece of rust with two wheels attached to it was going to make the grade.
While I still need to buy more bits and bobs, the most pressing concern has been putting in the miles to get myself in the best shape possible. I think I'm aided by a decent underlying level of fitness, but I soon discovered that shift-work isn't too conducive towards extensive training. After a 3am alarm call and an 11 hour shift the sofa is far more appealing than a couple of hours on the bike. Basically this means I have to make the most of my days off. While this sounds like a great opportunity to get in some miles, it invariably means that most of my life at present is spent at work or cycling!
So today and tomorrow are days off and I'm currently on a train home from visiting my girlfriend in London. As soon as I get home I plan to get in a 4-5 hour bike ride, followed by something of a similar length tomorrow. Today is one of my first real tests because there is a fresh southwesterly wind. Wind is by far the biggest annoyance on the bicycle and despite thinking of cunning ways to avoid it I've decided its probably best to tackle it head on, quite literally. After all I can't really expect to avoid a head wind for two whole weeks across Britain!
It's probably best to sign out now as I'm sure this became unreadable after a couple of lines. Before I leave, we have also decided to raise money for Macmillan. I'm sure you're all aware of the work they do and any support would be gratefully received. To give please visit our Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/GarethJonnyJoe
Thanks for reading!
For those of you who don't know, myself and two friends, Gareth and Jonny, have decided to attempt to cycle from John O'Groats to Land's End. The three of us met while studying Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Since graduating in 2009 Jonny has been working in Bristol, Gareth has been studying/working in the Bedford area and I've been working in Norwich.
It kind of goes with the territory of being 'ENVers' but we've always been the outdoors type, travelling (sometimes together), participating in triathlons, running half-marathons and hiking - to name but a few.
So why are we attempting this? This is one question I have difficulty answering. In my head I always think of the famous George Mallory quote 'because it's there'. And without wanting to sound pretentious this really does sum it up quite nicely. It's just a challenge, an experience and hopefully (ultimately) good fun. I know it's going to be painful, sometimes miserable and use up two weeks of annual leave, but there is no substitute for that feeling of absolute elation when you finish something like this. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, IF we finish!
While it's something we've mentioned between us before, we hastily decided to jump in and have a go at it a couple of months back. While I won't bore you with the details we quickly realised that a lot of organisation was required before heading off - booking trains, planning routes, finding places to stay/camp etc. In my case I needed to start by buying a suitable bike...there was little chance that my piece of rust with two wheels attached to it was going to make the grade.
While I still need to buy more bits and bobs, the most pressing concern has been putting in the miles to get myself in the best shape possible. I think I'm aided by a decent underlying level of fitness, but I soon discovered that shift-work isn't too conducive towards extensive training. After a 3am alarm call and an 11 hour shift the sofa is far more appealing than a couple of hours on the bike. Basically this means I have to make the most of my days off. While this sounds like a great opportunity to get in some miles, it invariably means that most of my life at present is spent at work or cycling!
So today and tomorrow are days off and I'm currently on a train home from visiting my girlfriend in London. As soon as I get home I plan to get in a 4-5 hour bike ride, followed by something of a similar length tomorrow. Today is one of my first real tests because there is a fresh southwesterly wind. Wind is by far the biggest annoyance on the bicycle and despite thinking of cunning ways to avoid it I've decided its probably best to tackle it head on, quite literally. After all I can't really expect to avoid a head wind for two whole weeks across Britain!
It's probably best to sign out now as I'm sure this became unreadable after a couple of lines. Before I leave, we have also decided to raise money for Macmillan. I'm sure you're all aware of the work they do and any support would be gratefully received. To give please visit our Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/GarethJonnyJoe
Thanks for reading!
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