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.
Thursday 30 June 2011
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 :)
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