Back in Manchester

It was getting hot as we left Mousehole yesterday morning for the 110 mile drive back to Exeter where I caught the train back to Manchester getting home around 8pm. It was good to be home. I'm still contemplating the adventure. Some photos below perhaps give an idea of the sense of joy we all had at reaching Lands End.

Of course we can't forget Sandra and Ruby who were also an important part of the team....

... or the 4 guys who set off 30 minutes before us 12 days ago and arrived 30 minutes before us at Land End via a different route.   The guy to my left (below) had a full bone marrow transplant 12 months ago - an amazing achievement considering the many months he had to spend in an isolation ward.   

We were wearing the cycling shirts provided by the Prostate Cancer Charity, one of the 5 charities we were sponsoring. I was sponsoring the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the other 3 charities were Starlight (for children with terminal diseases), Cancer Research UK and the Samantha Dickson Charity for children with brain tumours. In total we have raised well over £10000 and I know we are all very grateful for the generous contributions everyone has made.

In total we rode 960 miles, at an average moving speed of 13.7 mph over 70 hours of cycling (typically a further 2 - 2.5 hours a day was spent resting and eating) climbed around 50000 feet and burnt 30000 calories. However it wasn't all pain; I came back 5 pounds heavier which I put down to the Cornish Pastie we had for lunch on the final day.

Many, many thanks. It has been a worthwhile adventure.

Finished! One trusty bike for sale.

8pm 25 June
Ship Inn, Mousehole, Cornwall.

I'm sure there are some people who on completing an adventure like this say that they want to do it all again. My reaction was different, a mixture of joy, surprise, achievement and more than anything, relief that tomorrow, and for some time to come, I don't have to ride a bike up hills with the wind blowing me backwards.

At the finish line we met up with the guys we started with in John O'Groats 12 days ago. They did over a thousand miles - it was great to meet them again and we shared a drink.

We also got talking to another group who we recognised; they had cheered us on a couple of times from the side of the road as we struggled up a main road. They had also cheered us from their cars as they passed us by moving nearer Lands End. They were friends and family of another group of MAMIL's (middle aged men in lycra) who were due to arrive after doing the trip in 10 days. They were raising for another cancer charity as the organiser had a kidney removed just 12 months ago. There were lots of tears when this group arrived. It was easy to empathise with them and helped to put our ride into perpective.

There were other events going on at Lands End; a wedding (high risk with regards to wedding photos given the potential for strong winds) and the finish line for a 44 mile cliff run that started at Lizard Point. Some guys had been running for 10 hours on a narrow cliff trail. All in all there was a lot of emotion in a small space at the end of the country.

The ride itself was not easy again. 57 miles at 12.5mph, climbing over 4700 feet. I was feeling twinges in various parts of the body and am very glad to give it a rest for a few days.

I'm putting together some photos for a final blog tomorrow. Thanks to everyone, once again, for their support. Now I'm off for a celebration meal.
  

Almost there

24 June 2011 7pm

A very good night’s sleep was had by all. This was not surprising as we are winding down and had that extra glass of wine, soaking up the atmosphere in the excellent Lamb Inn at Sandford. After a relatively light breakfast (no eggs) we were joined by Alan’s family (Sarah, James & Emma) who had set off early from London, before heading off into the lanes.

The lanes were narrow, winding, steep and flanked by tall hedges. The climbs up were not compensated by fast downhills as there was no way of knowing what was around the next bend (tractor, road junction, gate, cows etc). But the sun was out and we slowly worked our way through the four relatively big climbs before we reached Okehampton after 20 miles. After a quick cup of tea by the Motorway we then skirted Dartmoor and ended up in Launceston where I thought I had finally met the hill that I would have to walk up. It’s called St Stephen’s Hill and is a busy, narrow exit road from the town at the top of which is the Church of St Stephen the Martyr. I can only imagine he was the first guy to try and cycle the hill and failed fatally in the process. Three times I had to veer into a drive just to get 2 or 3 seconds respite from the incline and to keep my heart from exploding out of my chest. One or two degrees steeper and I would have had to push,

From Launceston we went over the top of the hills to the north of Bodmin Moor, peaking at around 1000 feet. We met with Sandra, Sarah and kids for lunch at Hallworthy before a final 15 mile descent into Wadebridge – fast but in a busy tight road and by now it was raining. In total 63 miles at 13mph with 5200 feet of climbing. Steve King was magnificent in keeping up with us – we’re getting used to all this climbing stuff and have trained for months – he joined us yesterday and I think he’s glad his two days are over.

We still have work to do tomorrow but we’re now confident of finishing. Mark’s bike still has gear problems but we are all OK physically and mentally (although some people would differ on that). I think we might have that extra glass of wine again tonight at our hotel, the Molesworth Arms.      

Welcome to Devon

Thursday 22 June 6.30pm

Axbridge is lovely but we had to leave.

Today was a relatively easy day, ‘only’ 67 miles and 3500 feet of climbing at an average moving speed of 13.9 mph.  It was fairly cold this morning, overcast and quite dull for the first 40 miles or so as we ground out the miles on the busy A38 through Bridgewater and Taunton.  A hot chocolate and slice of carrot cake at a Costa Coffee by the side of the M5 relieved the boredom followed by a few minutes sleep. Then Mark developed a problem with his gear switcher and we diverted to Tiverton town centre bike shop where it was fixed by someone who understood how these things work. Whilst waiting outside it was noticeable how many younger people wore studs in their faces. Perhaps I am maligning the fine people of Tiverton and there was a face piercing convention in town. Alternatively perhaps it reflects a lack of things to do in winter.

The novelty of cycling is wearing off and I am tired one minute and then mysteriously rediscover my cycling legs. There is no consistency in my ability to climb; I struggle on some hills that look easy and make steady progress on hills that are harder. This inconsistency makes every hill we approach quite daunting and we have a lot of hills again tomorrow.   

I was keen to get to our destination quickly. We left the A38 shortly after Tiverton onto the A361, and then, following a route we found on the internet, a network of back lanes that we navigated using the Garmin sat nav. This was the first time the Garmin has proved useful on the trip and it guided us through the rolling countryside we associate with Devon, via single track lanes and avoiding the worst of the hills.

The sun came out and after a final stiff climb out of Crediton we arrived at our destination at the Lamb Inn in Sandford.  Again we have been very lucky in our choice of accommodation – another 16^th century Inn with excellent rooms and wifi. If the food tonight is as promising as the Inn looks then we are in for a good night.

Thank you to everyone who continues to read this blurb and who has donated to the MNDA. I understand some people have had difficulties adding comments to the blog – please send me an email if you would like to add a comment and I will try to fix the problem.

For those who are interested in our route tomorrow, details can be seen on:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/31079476

Yesterday's route is at:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/31079400

Today's route is at:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/31079442

We have 2 days to go. Tomorrow will only be 65 miles but almost 6000 feet of climbing. I am already feeling out of breath. Al’s family are joining us tomorrow night in Wadebridge and I’m looking forward to a pre final day celebration.
Highlight of the day: Arriving at the Lamb Inn – great rooms and shower.

Surprise of the day: Maximum speed of only 34mph on the A38 – I was going flat out downhill but again we had the wind in our face all day and this cost at least 5mph on this stretch of road.

Body report: Calf twinge this morning which was worrying but everything back working this afternoon.

Expectations for tomorrow: Short, sharp pains repeated every hour or so. 

Day 9 - the best and worst day

Thursday 22 June 7.45am

Alan had a good night’s sleep the last two nights courtesy of the ear plugs Sandra bought him on Tuesday. The ear plugs also had the mysterious effect of making Alan snore; so not only could he not hear me snoring, he also couldn’t hear me complaining about the noises he was making. Oh did he laugh as we enjoyed a lovely breakfast in an open sunny dining area yesterday. The Steppes bed and breakfast in Lugwardine is to be recommended.

However I was nervous; from the day we planned our route, day 9 was the day I was most worried about. I know the area reasonably well and the routing software told us we would need to climb over 6000 feet with 8 climbs worth mentioning.

The software was correct – we ended up climbing 6200 feet over 76 miles (at a low average of 12.5 mph even including a maximum 39 mph). I was mostly bringing up the rear, especially in the morning when the climbs were toughest coming over the Hereford hills, into Monmouth and then into Chepstow via Tintern.  These roads were difficult (for me) but the weather was good and the scenery along the Wye Valley was simply stunning. 

We had a couple of stops; first to inspect some poppy fields which have been planted to provide opium for licenced drug making– masses of red poppies with a background of rolling green hills. Unfortunately Mark left his sunglasses up here which he only discovered after cycling down the hill from the fields to the road so he had to cycle back up again – he was very annoyed so cycled quickly. Soon we stopped at the Tump Inn at Wormelow where Alan and I spent many hours some 25 years ago when we used to come to Hereford for fancy dress and cricket parties. This brought back many memories.

During a fuel stop in Chepstow (in the form of a large chip butty) a lens fell out of my sunglasses while we sat outside the fish and chip shop.  Alan spotted it on the pavement but I didn’t think it was mine and proved this by poking myself in the eye through the frame where the lens should have been.  Fortunately an optician was no more than 50 yards away and it was fixed in 10 minutes. 

Next stop was the Severn Bridge and this experience made the route worthwhile.  There’s a cycle path by the side of the road and we stopped at the middle of the bridge. It is huge, as is the expanse of water below. The currents below, wind blasts and the vibrations on the bridge as heavy trucks pass by make it a very physical experience.

Over the bridge we started on busy, dangerous roads but soon found back roads into Bristol. Alan took an instant dislike to Bristol and its steep hills. His response was to make up a very poor, abusive song about the place which he sang for the next 30 minutes until we reached Clifton suspension bridge. This was another fantastic experience – the Avon gorge below is a long way down and the views are spectacular (although we couldn’t stop for pictures).

A great ride down through a park took us into Somerset. Another few miles and we met up with Steve King at Barrow Gurney. Steve is joining us for the next 2 days and I last saw him 29 years ago when he recruited me at Schlumberger – I think I’ve changed more than he has in the meantime. He subsequently went on to work at Inchcape where he met Alan and they have remained good friends since.

The final ride to Axbridge was along the A38 which goes up and comes down, many times. Mark got to 41mph which is fast when you’re pedalling.  The arrival in Axbridge was superb. This is a wonderful 15^th century village mostly untouched over the centuries. We arrived at the Oak House Hotel in glorious sunshine and sat in the sun enjoying a beer overlooking the old market square and the 1450 ‘bistro house’. It is at times like this when you don’t want to be anywhere else in the world. Many of the old houses look like tyhey were built for Hobbits and are totally unsuitable for today's larger sized people. It really is a quaint village and I would like to spend more time here.

Sally was at Wimbledon today and got a bit of rain and it’s been raining at Glastonbury which is close by, but for us the weather has almost been perfect today. We have been lucky and the day has been memorable. We’re on the last stretch now. The sun is still shining as I'm waiting for breakfast to be served.

Farewell Cheshire & Shropshire, hello Herefordshire

Tuesday 21 June 11 pm

Themes for today:

1.       The further we go the prettier it gets and the less I care about it. We travelled through stunning countryside, back lanes, hidden valleys, ancient hamlets and villages and arrived at a lovely picturesque thatched cottage with a modern comfortable annex. I noticed it all but when you’re hurting it is hard to appreciate fully.

2.       Cycling from south to north is easier; cycling into a strong southerly wind for 87 miles is hard. When a gust hits you it is like the brakes are being applied and there were times when we did have to pedal downhill. The wind and hills brought our average mph down to 13.4 (6 hours 30 of cycling) and my average heart rate up.

3.       There are some big hills in this country which are not well known, probably because no-one is stupid enough to go up them. We found lanes on hills that have probably not been travelled since the time of Dick Turpin.  None of us know the names of these hills to the south and east of Shrewsbury; I did think up a few appropriate names, none of which I can divulge for risk of offending anyone reading this.

4.       Punctures happen. Not one of us had ever fixed a puncture for real and we all assumed that if we did get a puncture one of the others would have the necessary skills. We all knew this was a fiction. So when Alan got a puncture this morning, the moment of truth arrived. The truth was that we were far away from being Formula 1 pit stop efficient. The truth is that it took the 3 of us an hour to fix the puncture (and the puncture that immediately followed because we didn’t fit the first replacement inner tube correctly).  Our punishment for such ineptitude was to be denied lunch. Next time our target is 30 minutes.

5.       Sleep is important. Waking up at 5.20 am, blogging, breakfasting, applying heat rub (apologies to next occupant in my room at Crown Hotel in Nantwich), setting off at 8.30, arrive at destination at 6.30, knackered and in need of a leg massage (supplied by the fantastic Sandra) is likely to have repercussions. Today my legs felt like they were filled with lead.

Highlight of the day:  The fresh berry frozen slushy drink served up at Coast Coffee in Ludlow, just heavenly and put me into a 15 minute slumber from which I could easily remained for several hours if we didn’t have another 25 miles to go.

Surprise / (lowlights) of the day: Where to start?

1.       The route I mapped into my Garmin (GPS) disappeared so we had to rely on Alan’s maps ripped from a road atlas. I could live with the humiliation of a £10 atlas winning out against a £400 GPS. What made it totally demoralising was that Alan’s road map, unless I am mistaken, wrongly directed us up the road from hell – see below.

2.       The road from hell. My map showed only 2 ‘serious’ hills on our ride today. They both occurred within a 5 mile stretch and peaked out at 700 feet. Our route carried on to well over 1000 feet up a very steep, wet track which caused the wheels to skid and slip when you got out of the seat.  I was a feeble, panting wreck bringing up the rear. This track must have been built by ancient folk as a walking track because I’m fairly sure no horse ever had the energy to drag a cart up there.

3.       The other hills we didn’t anticipate; we ended up on the A49 on the basis that there was more certainty that the road planners go out of their way to avoid having major roads running up big hills. This theory worked well until we reached Hope under Dunmore just north of Hereford.  Some daft bugger cocked up and built a main road over a big hill when a tunnel would have been much more sensible. 

Body report: Sore, leaden, tired legs.

Expectations for tomorrow: Hilly!! Haha! Rain preferred to wind.

Anyway sleep is important so must finish now. Sandra had a stroke of genius today and bought some ear plugs for Alan so hopefully I’ll survive the night without him smothering me with a pillow. Anyway I’m more worried about the hills around Monmouth tomorrow.

Another long ride

Tuesday 21 June 06.30

My legs are now getting sore. Yesterday was another hard day, 94 miles at 15mph. We set off around 9 after a good breakfast and singing happy birthday to Alan's wife, Sarah. The Longlands Inn was a great stop and was very generous in donating to our charities. Chris joined us in the ride down to Preston and he set off like a man on a mission. The sun was shining, at last, and the 32 miles was covered in just over 2 hours via Lancaster. We had more bacon sandwiches and tea at Chris’s care home business (which was very impressive). We did think about checking in. Continuing down the A6 via Chorley and past Wingates where I worked for many years; on through Westhoughton, Leigh, Culceth, over the Manchester Ship Canal at Warbuton, Glazebrook, through Lymm, High Legh, Northwich, Winsford and finally to our destination at Nantwich.

The ride was a slog, being our third consecutive 90+ miler and we just wanted to get it over with so not much scenery was absorbed. It was heads down, watch out for the holes and count the different varieties of road kill (lots yesterday – hedgehogs need to walk faster).

Nantwich is a lovely place. We’re staying at the Crown Hotel in the centre which was rebuilt after the great fire of Nantwich in 1584. Everything is crooked including the stairs which lean to the left. Our bikes are stored on the first floor and we had to carry them up the stairs which required some balancing skills.  My legs were black from dirt picked up off the road so I had a quick shower before meeting up with my cousin Tony around 6 for a quick drink. He also resupplied me with jelly babies – thanks Tony.

Sally, Penny and Alex arrived at 7. We’re an hour’s drive south of Manchester and it was good to see them and recount some of the stories than can’t be published in the blog.  Sally brought some old pictures of Alan from university days; he bears a remarkable resemblance to his son James.  Alan expressed the view that I bear a remarkable resemblance to someone he knew at university, who snored like a rutting warthog and since the hotel had a spare room he had availed himself of it to get some sleep.  My children were sympathetic to his plight (thanks kids).

I had technical difficulties all day with my Garmin, PC and internet connectivity. Somehow I can connect this morning despite spending 30 minutes last night failing to do so. Technology!

Highlight of the day:  Arriving in Nantwich

Surprise of the day: How black my legs were from road dirt.
Body report: Sore legs and feet
Expectations for tomorrow: A bit easier (please). 

Farewell Scotland

Sunday 19 June midnight

There were noises to be heard in the early hours last night. However the noises of drunken merrymakers departing a 21^st century lesbian wedding are not confused easily with the ghostly murmurings of celibate medieval monks. So no excitement, only annoyance.

There was confusion again about whether we would get breakfast after the landlord was kept up so late trying to organise taxis for city dwellers in the middle of rural Scotland.  Apparently taxi drivers don’t like travelling 10 miles out of Dumfries. In the end the landlord did a good breakfast at the expense of us leaving an hour later than expected.  We made good this delay by covering the first 33 miles in just over 2 hours in the rain. We were helped by there being no traffic on the A roads but also because we were very disciplined as a team swapping the lead every mile – this gives everyone a big advantage by being pulled along by the leader.   

At last we emerged from Scotland after 5 and a bit days. Time for a photo.

We stopped after 44 miles at Carlisle for our second cooked breakfast of the morning courtesy of Chris and Mandy, friends of Alan. While we were tucking in to our 3^rd sausage and 6^th rasher of bacon for the day, Mandy was tumble drying our soaked clothes (it rained all morning). Chris and two other friends of his then joined us for a 6 man ride through Penrith at which point the other 2 rode the 25 miles back to Carlisle leaving the 4 of us to climb to the 1400 foot summit at Shap. This was one of those ‘I’ve done it once and never again experiences’. A hard slog up but I was looking forward to breaking my 40 mph speed record on the way down. This was not to be – the wind was strong and inpenetrable and I could only manage 38mph. With the wind behind who knows…

We rolled on with the Lake District to our right and eventually behind us.  We stopped for tea at Kendal (without the tea) - Sandra met us and we feasted on Sarah’s home made fruit cake, oat cakes, power gels, pringles and anything else edible in the car before we set off for the last 15 miles.   

The last 10 miles were tough. Both Al and I had moments when we thought the energy supply was running out. But we made it – 102 miles at 14.5 mph and covering around 5300 feet of climbing. I wish I could report exact numbers but annoyingly my Garmin’s battery expired at 99 miles. We arrived at our lodging (Longlands Hotel) around 6.15, had a celebratory shandy and recharged all our batteries (iphone, garmin, pc, camera), showered, washed our clothes (amazing how much dirt you pick up off wet roads), looked for somewhere to dry them (amazing how many hotels turn off towel rails and radiators when fuel prices go up) and went off for a great meal; potted shrimps and lamb Henry (or Henry lamb as Al calls it). Fanstastic. All that was missing from the night was being able to watch Rory McIlroy win the US Open and being with Penny and Alex so that they I could share father’s day with them – but I will be seeing them tomorrow night.

Highlight(s) of the day:  (i) leaving Scotland after 5+ days (ii) coming down from the top of Shap into Kendal (iii) tonight’s meal.

Surprise of the day:  Meeting the other 4 guys who set off at the same time as us from JOG; we crossed each other at 90 degrees across an A road outside Gretna not having seen each other since yesterday at a café stop, 80 miles back. 20 seconds either way we would have missed each other. They acquired some great ginger wigs to go over their helmets – check out their website.    

Body report:  OK but a bit nervous about tomorrow.

Expectations for tomorrow:  90 miles, hopefully fry in morning followed by family dinner at night as Sally and my kids together with Mark’s brother and family join us in Nantwich. Another full day.

Link to naked cycling video

Here's the link to the other guys' video of them cycling the same route we did today. It gives a good idea of the conditions. The last guy must have been very cold. 

http://www.youtube.com/UKEndtoEnd?gl=GB&user=UKEndtoEnd

Almost back in England

8.30pm Saturday 18 June

Another wet day – drizzle and heavy showers. The first 30 miles were done at pace down the coast past Troon on the A78 which at times resembled a motorway; we were very lucky this wasn’t a weekday and the traffic was quiet or I think we would have come off it. Passed through Ayr and started to climb to 1000 feet in the Ayrshire hills just as the heavy showers started. After 50 miles we stopped at a café for tea and soup. I didn’t bother changing any clothes as I reckoned I’d stay warmer keeping them on and putting on wet cold clothes is unpleasant.

On the way out we met the 4 guys who set off from John O’Groats at the same time we did – we keep leapfrogging each other. They’d taken a harder route via Oban and Arran. They were also trying to spice up their blog (see www.ukendtoend.co.uk ) and one of them decided to ride naked through the hills we’d just gone through. We saw a clip of the video they’d taken and look forward to seeing it when it gets posted. We will not be doing the same but we will be meeting up with them when they get to Lands End next Saturday.

After another climb on the B729 (great track close to the Galloway Forest) we zoomed downhill for a few miles - no brakes and as fast as you wanted around shallow bends. Great fun and this pushed up our average mph for the day to 14.7 (over 82 miles); we are getting faster by the day.

Arriving at the Auldgirth Inn around 4, we were told we had to order dinner and eat at 6 as a wedding had booked the pub and the chef was busy attending the wedding party. Like it or lump it. The wedding was between two ladies who got married at Gretna Green and arrived at the pub around 7pm to the earthy groans of a kilted piper. Some guests ordered a pre meal drink at the bar behind us and I heard one lady asking for a vodka and diet iron bru. I did not turn around to see what sort of person might drink this monstrous concoction so it is left to my imagination.

The Inn itself dates back to 1500’s and was a sanctuary for travelling monks.  It’s meant to be haunted. The bar lady nervously told us that Alan and my room is the haunted room. So when Alan hears noises (as he did last night) he will have to decide whether it’s the medieval ghosts or my snoring.  There is a lot of scope for having fun in such a situation if I can just find a spare white sheet….  

Highlight of the day:  B729 from Carsphairn to Montaive – 13 miles of fantastic road and scenery even in the rain.

Surprise of the day:  Vodka and diet iron bru – add it to the long list of Scottish delicacies such as deep fried Mars bars.  

Body report:  Great – perhaps the 2 ibuprofen tablets I am taking each day ‘in anticipation of things hurting’ is actually working.

Expectations for tomorrow:  A long 102 mile ride, wet in morning and dry in afternoon. We’re stopping to pick up 3 riders in Carlisle so 6 of us will be heading down through the Lake District on the A6. I just hope the wedding party doesn’t turn into a lock in and wakes up the ghosts or we will be very tired.    

Day 4 - a wet day in west Scotland

Friday 17 June 11.30pm

Yesterday’s expectations for today (unavoidable rain and lunch with Val and Clive whilst wet to the core) were met.  It started raining after 2 miles and continued until we got to Largs at 5.15pm. I’m sure the countryside we passed through was stunning but I couldn’t see much of it through the cold rain. 6 hours in the saddle at 14mph. 84 miles staring at the road picking up the spray from the bikes in front, passing cars and lorries and trying to spot the holes in the road. I believe cycling today’s route around the lochs in good weather has a price to pay in midge bites so it wasn’t all bad news. Also this is my first day of cycling in the rain so it was an interesting challenge to meet.  However none of us want too many days like today.

After 50 miles we arrived at the Creggan Arms at Strachur for lunch with Val & Clive Bowen, friends from Bramhall. The ride from Inverary was especially wet and passing lorries threw up a lot of water. We arrived sodden and spent 10 minutes squeezing out our socks, gloves, changing some clothes and hanging others over a radiator to dry. The pub was empty so we took up a fair bit of space. Fortunately the funeral party arrived after we did or they might have taken our drying tables. The food was delicious (Cullen Skunk) and I told the Kiwi barmaid how to make a ‘hot toddy’ which took away of the cold and set us up for the final 35 miles (including a ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock). We arrived at our bed and breakfast at Largs where the landlady took our wet clothes, washed them and set them out to dry while we ate in town. Largs itself is a pretty location but not exciting and there is a distinct difference in atmosphere compared to the barren and unpopulated countryside we have been cycling through the last few days.      

Highlight of the day: Lunch.

Surprise of the day: Being able to cycle 6 hours in cold rain without getting despondent.

Body report:  Nothing to add.
Expectations for tomorrow:  None – just get on with it.

Day 3 to the West coast of Scotland.

Thursday 16 June 10.30pm

This blog should have been completed by now but blogging has been banned at the table; apparently only teenagers are allowed to use electronic equipment while eating and it’s bad manners to eat moules marinieres and read emails at the same time.  So says our tour photographer and lunch organiser, Sandra, who is going stir crazy with 3 guys blogging and talking cycle statistics when all she wants is a bit of conversation at the end of the day.

The day started with a good breakfast, made better for the absence of porridge. The owner came out to wish us well which was kind of him. He encouraged us not to take the A82 main road from Inverness to Fort William and having read the cycling reviews I was a little worried.  The timber trucks have ferry timetables to meet and there are many blind bends. The road can only take one car each way and even overtaking a cyclist means waiting for the other side to be clear – not good if you’re carrying 40 tons of wood uphill and you have to slow down for 3 cyclists.  The trucks also create a lot of draft as they pass. So the first 20 miles or so were quick (15 mph) but the views of Loch Ness didn’t really register as we were concentrating more on the traffic. This is not a road for children.

The road crossed the Caledonian Canal at Fort Augustus and carried on across the Bridge of Oich which is where Loch Ness meets Loch Lochie and is very pretty. We met up with Sandra for a banana refill after 30 miles and then had a slight difference of views on the route to take next. I was expecting to go off road as planned but an alternative view was that we should stay on the A82. Unfortunately my views prevailed and we spent the next 10 miles putting our road bikes on an unsurfaced forest trail. We had to walk a few uphill rocky sections. Many angry words and curses were on the tips of Alan and Mark’s tongues but remained unspoken for the benefit of the team. Not many words were spoken for the next hour or so but they remain and at the appropriate moment they will come out (they may already have come out on their blogs).  I will take them on the chin.

From our forest track we could see the A82 on the other side of Loch Lochie and had we taken it we would have got to Fort William about an hour earlier than we did – had we survived the traffic. Another high calorie lunch was followed by oiling of chains and gears another tense 10 miles on the A82 before we crossed a bridge at the end of Loch Lochie and said goodbye to that damnable road and said hello to the A382 which in contrast provided 30 miles of good road and increasingly better views as the central lochs gave way to the western sea.

It also got better as we were approaching the end of the longest ride that any of us had done before; 91 miles with 6.5 hours in the saddle at an average of 13.9 mph. As my compatriots are telling me this should have been better but someone took their road machines through a forest.

The final destination is the Oyster Inn at Connel.  I recommend it. Food is excellent and the Deuchars IPA beats anything with 70 or 80 shillings in its name. The pub is 50 yards by the sea where there’s a seal basking as the sun gradually sets over the hills. Sandra got bitten by midges on her nose taking a photo of the seal.

Highlight of the day: The A382 coastal road to Connel .

Surprise of the day: How long it takes to ride a road bike through a 10 mile forest trail.

Body report:  Much, much better than expected.

Expectations for tomorrow:   Unavoidable rain. Lunch with Val and Clive whilst wet to the core.

Day 2 Crask Inn to Drumnadrochit

Wednesday 15 June 11pm

I slept very well last night with a nest of swallows above my head who were twittering when I awoke at 5am (it didn’t go dark until 11.30). Breakfast was planned at 7.30 but I think it was delayed while they baked the bread. Porridge was served with salt and unfortunately I could not finish it. This really was gruel – oats in a salty water with a very unpleasant texture; very Charles Dickens and 19^th century workhouse food.  

Whilst waiting for breakfast Mark exclaimed that he’s just seen a foal run across the road. I looked out of the window and couldn’t see it. Where is it I asked? Behind the stone wall he said. I thought it must have been a very small horse because the wall was only a couple of feet high and it didn’t reappear but I didn’t pursue the matter until recounting the story this evening. Apparently it wasn’t a foal that ran across the road but a vole. This caused much hilarity.

The ride started off with a 30 mile slow descent into Bonar Bridge which was the first town we had seen since Thurso some 90 miles back. Then followed a steep climb of 500 feet over a couple of miles which we all took at our own pace.  If the climb ratings are to be believed this is the hardest climb on our trip. At the top we got good views over Dornoch Firth followed by next descent down into Dingwall for a fish and chips lunch. We’d just done 50 miles at lover 14 miles per hour which was good going compared to yesterday and only left 23 miles for the afternoon.  By the end of the day we’d done 73 miles at 13.8mph including another steep hill which was very steep coming down so we were on brakes all the way.

The day would otherwise have been incident free if (i) an old lady had not turned right directly in front of me in the small town of Muir of Ord – I stopped in time but it could have been different and I was sufficiently annoyed to have uttered a few loud words; it certainly pumped up my adrenaline and I shot away from the other guys for a couple of miles and (ii) I had remembered to uncleat myself  when stopping to talk with 8 end to enders going the other way – fortunately Mark was there to stop me falling over and making people laugh (again).

The hotel itself at Polmaily is again deserving of a book.  Unfortunately I don’t have time to cover it fully tonight.  Fawlty Towers with bats comes to mind or the Doolally Hotel as the resident Major calls it. Patrick and Jane Bradley came over from Inverness to have dinner with us and we were able to share our experiences over 6 large plates of Spaghetti Bolognese which had been specially prepared for us - once we established the restaurant would be open (it wasn’t, then it was), that standard menu of Beef Wellington etc wasn’t quite what we had in mind and we would go into town as we wanted pasta.  No draught beer (or lime or lemonade) so nothing to report.  The hotel is the place where J M Barrie wrote Peter Pan and the Queen Mother was a regular visitor. It is also home to Highland Bats as Alan discovered when he went back to our room and found one flying around – I wish I had seen him crawling around the floor to take evasive action. Having said all of this the hotel is very welcoming and the rooms are very comfortable.   

Highlight of the day: The home made black pudding for breakfast devoured while trying to forget the porridge and wondering where the foal went.

Surprise of the day: Old lady pulling out in front of me.

Body report: Still holding out better than expected although lump has appeared on my little toe.

Expectations for tomorrow:   Flat 85 mile ride by side of Loch Ness and Loch Lochie.

Day 1 John O'Groats to Crask Inn

6 am Tuesday 14 June 2011

I’ve been awake since 4.30 due to combination of wind noise and vivid dreams (probably generated by last night’s deep fried haggis and the landlord’s jovial threats). Only woke Al up once snoring.

10pm Tuesday 14 June 2011

After a hearty breakfast of porridge and beans we set off for the 4 mile ride to JOG and the obligatory photoshoot. It was very windy – judging by the white tops on the sea probably a Force 6 (25-30mph) coming straight from the west.  But there were blue skies, the Orkneys were visible to the north and spirits were good. We started the ride at 9am; the first 50 miles were due west, straight into the wind, across the north coast to Bettyhill.  The first 20 miles were very tough – even though we were on the flat we could manage no more than 11mph and it felt like we were on a continuous climb. We went through Thurso (not very interesting) before stopping for tea at Melvich (not a town, just a bar) where Sandra met up with us.

The difficult conditions were offset by beautiful views. Some of the sandy northern beaches were spectacular but only suitable for those who like to brave cold seas.  A few hills appeared before Bettyhill where we stopped for lunch, Sandra driving ahead to make sure we could get food before they closed.

We met up with 4 other guys doing JOGLE over 12 days who set off before us earlier but who had already had 2 punctures. We spent the next hour or so cycling with them from Bettyhill along the River Naver to Loch Naver. What a fantastic road (for cyclists) – single track with passing places. We saw hardly any traffic for next couple of hours. The scenery was stunning and apart from a church, the odd farm and a few fly fishers there was little sign of civilisation. The sun was out and the wind abated – almost perfect cycling weather. The road gradually took us up to Altnaharra (another tea break).  600 cyclists had passed through here on the Deloitte ride across Britain a couple of days ago (they plan the ride over 9 days) and they left behind buckets of power jells and bars which the barmaid kindly gave to us.  The power gel worked as the next 10 miles was a 500 foot climb to our destination, the Crask Inn, which is the most remote Inn in Britain.

We could write a book about the Crask Inn. There is no other building to be seen for miles around, just open moorland, mountains and forests. We had the cottage attached to it by ourselves although it could take 12 people sleeping head to toe. One toilet and 2 showers had clearly seen much use over the years but for some reason lacked any appeal for Sandra who decided to wait another day before doing her hair. The landlord of the Inn had been busy during the day (see surprise of the day) and he had probably not had the time to get ready for serving dinner. The other guests consisted of half a dozen very large Belgian and Dutch people who didn’t understand the local dishes (steak pie and rhubarb crumble) on offer. Somehow I got offered the last venison chops from a stag shot on the landlords land last October – they were delicious. The food was excellent old fashioned home cooking.  Beer was McKewans 70 Shillings which was better than the 80 shillings the night before.  I must find out what the shillings refer to.

Highlight of day:  The road from Bettyhill to Crask Inn.

Surprise of day: The Crask Inn landlord bought a Highland Cow at auction a couple of months ago and suspected it might be pregnant so he stuck his hand ‘up her’ to see if she was. She was, and the cow gave birth to a calf 5 hours before we arrived. Both mother and calf were in a yard no more than 30 feet from the window by our restaurant table, calf still with umbilical cord attached.  Judging from his appearance the landlord had obviously helped with the delivery.

Body report:  Better than expected probably due to leg massage given by the multi-talented Sandra. 

Expectations for tomorrow:  More downhill than uphill.

Arriving at John O'Groats

10.30pm Monday 13 June 2011

Our 10 hour car ride should have ended at John O’Groats but Al and Mark persuaded themselves that the real starting point was at Duncansby Head lighthouse, 4 miles east of JOG, and that we should reconnoitre it before cycling there tomorrow morning. So we headed down there in a very strong, very cold and wet ‘breeze’ otherwise known as a gale. We were out of the car for no more than 2 minutes before the gale forced us back inside. God help anyone riding in this today.  We then agreed that the start point for JOG to Land End was in fact at JOG and not Duncansby Head Lighthouse as if this were the case the ride would be called something else. This was further evidenced by finding the official starting point in JOG (which to be fair to Al and Mark does look like a very small lighthouse without the lights). We shall head there at 8am tomorrow.

We found our ‘bed and breakfast’ after a few U-turns in the local lanes before heading to the place recommended to us for food, the Northern Sands Hotel at Dunnet. So far as I could see we were the only people eating which probably reflects the foul weather rather than the food which was good.  The highlight was the deep fried haggis, neeps and potato starter which was excellent. The beer, McKewan 80 Shillings, was OK. We got back to the B&B and for some reason the landlord, a jovial 80 year old threatened to shoot me with his shotgun if I didn’t hurry up and order my breakfast.

It is now after 10.30 and it is still light but blowing hard outside. Despite having the wind in our faces for most of next 2 weeks, if the prevailing winds blow, I am glad we are doing it this way around because it would have been very miserable to have arrived in JOG in conditions like today. This is not somewhere you would want to loiter for long (or spend a winter in).

Highlight of day: The gale at Duncansby Lighthouse.

Surprise of day: Meeting Patrick and Jane Bradley at a filling station some 100 miles south of Inverness.

Body report:  Everything in working order given normal wear and tear for a 53 year old.

Expectations for tomorrow: Much better weather and a good ride.

11am Monday 13 June 2011

We’ve just crossed the border and Al’s Scottish genes have auto-activated. He’s turned into Robert the Bruce and there’s nothing to do but grin and bear it for next 6 days until we return to England and he becomes intelligible again.

We’re making the most of the comfortable leather seats in the Audi estate on a 500 miles drive to our starting point.  The car is crammed full. Ruby, our canine observer (she’s a miniature schnauzer) is sitting on Mark’s lap at the front keeping an eye on Al’s driving. Sandra and I are at the back in front of a boot full of padded lycra, helmets, sponsors’ T Shirts, assorted creams, energy drinks and Jelly Babies.  The 3 bikes are on a rack behind. Weather is damp and cold but should brighten up over next few days.  Mark seems to have overcome his back spasms which caused a bit of nervousness yesterday and we’re ready to go.

Monday 6 June 2011.

This time next week four of us, the three riders and Sandra, Mark's wife who will be supporting us for the trip, should be heading up the M6. It will be a long day, eight hours by car to John O'Groats (JOG) and we need to get there by late afternoon as we plan on starting early on Tuesday morning for our ride. It's an odd feeling - part curiosity (what's going to happen?) and part amusement (how did I get myself into this?).

I have not been a cyclist previously, aside from the usual kid's experience on a 3 gear bike that got ridden around the neighbourhood when there was nothing else to do on a Sunday. I had to buy a bike and all the accessories for this ride and I've had a number of embarrassing moments familiarising myself with it. Lessons learned so far:

1. Gear selection, especially going up hills, is very important. Get it wrong and you stop, either because you run out of energy or the wheels don't go around fast enough to stay on. The bike may have 27 gears but this not a car and they don't run from gear 1 through gear 27. There are 3 overlapping sets of gears and only about 14 different ratios. I do not spend any time thinking about gears in my automatic car but spend a significant proportion of time thinking about gears when I'm cycling.

2. Cleated shoes need to be uncleated on the side you intend to step off the bike. If you uncleat your left shoe do not attempt to step off on the right side unless you want to make people laugh.

3. After putting your wheel back on, remember to reattach the brake cables or your brakes will not work. Especially important if your first ride after reattaching the wheel is down Pinner Hill.

4. If your wheel is firmly trapped between brake pads, before changing all the brake adjustment screws, check that the wheel itself hasn't come off the forks. Especially if this happens immediately after a fall while learning lessons 1 and 2.

Many other lessons learned will be documented as the trip progresses. Mark has also started a blog at mark-alan-stevesbiking.blogspot.com and this covers some of our training so far including an interesting weekend in the Cotswolds.

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far - I am very grateful. As a reminder my sponsorship page is at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StephenPJones