Day 4 Cholet to Rochefort Sur Mer - 103.79 miles

So we rolled out of Cholet, Oscar felt better after a night of icing and resting his knees and some large doses of anti inflammatories from our mobile pharmacy.

The villages were a constant delight and the countryside really was stunning. We loved these rides and the lack of traffic and good road surfaces made them a perfect spot for a bike ride. We cruised along gently not wanting to put too much strain on Oscar who was by now suffering again. By morning coffee it was clear that for him to continue would jeopardise his whole trip and possibly his knees in the future so we made the unenviable decision to put him in the car. Thank heavens for our superb support crew who were soon at the rendevouz point and taking care of loading Oscars bike on the roof of the car. We all hoped that with a day or two of rest he would be able to continue the trip, it was a long shot but worth a try. Anterior knee pain is not fun and with legs that are as long as Oscars the joint forces in his knees are alot higher than most so he was always likely to be predisposed. Seeing the bike on the roof was a sad sight. However he is a young man and needs his knees. Some decisions in life are hard but have to be taken for the longer term good. He had ridden a fantastic distance already. |We waited to see what difference a rest would do.



The afternoon we sped up a little as we were making slow progress had still had a long way to go to get to Rochefort on the Atlantic coast. We were just too late by a few weeks it seems to see the now regular fields of sunflowers in the fields who all hung their heads solemly as we rode past. The yellow faded and the sun apparently all gone from their wilted bodies. Occasionally though we found a field where they were still at full strength and they were at those times a real sight to behold.

We crossed various canals and streams and as the late afternoon sun started to set eventually made it to Rochefort Sur Mer where our hotel was in the Ramparts of the old city. It was on the other side of an open bridge into the enclosed harbour so our final hurdle of the day for Jeff was to navigate us around the harbour to the hotel on the other side. Sadly there was no time left to use the facilities and try the thermal baths attached to the hotel. we were far too focussed on food and sleep.

Of course the trouble with writing these blog posts so many days after the event is that you forget some of the important things that happen along the way. I did grill the team the other night to prompt me for the things we should be including and yet I have managed to forget the fact that on our way to Rochefort we stopped for our now customary picnic lunch in a quiet spot and it was hosted by Mr & Mrs Cleminson (Kate's mum and dad) who live in France. We have really enjoyed the family aspects of this trip, meeting so many family members and having a support crew that contains people of all ages. It really has been one of the major highlights of the trip and has made it more than just a team event. Its made it much more personal and in true Healix tradition it we all feel part of a wider family.  

Day 3 Mayenne to Cholet - 106 miles

The day started with the first of many 'faffing' sessions. It was the first morning with access to all of our bags and bike kit so there was much organising and no established routine yet.

We ate breakfast in the hotel then set off out of town. This is a luxury we have rarely experienced since, generally leaving before breakfast has even been thought about.

Leaving Mayenne meant leaving Gary Edmondson behind so the day started off very quietly without the usual quips emanating from the peloton in a thick yorkshire accent. We missed his company but our peloton was now 7 and we rolled through beautiful lush green farmlands of the western Loire region and the beauty of the scenery was a welcome distraction from the relentless number of miles we had to pedal until that nights stop in Cholet.

One routine we had quickly established though was our morning coffee stop and no matter how quiet rural France is there is generally always a little tabac or coffee stop in a village or town so this morning was no exception.

A long day on the road of 100 miles or more is much more easily achieved in the mind when its broken into sections. It does of course also break up the physical effort to stop for breaks and so morning coffee and afternoon ice creams have become some of the highlights of our days.

If the peloton were larger we could be mistaken for a plague of locusts, arriving into towns, eating everything in site then moving swiftly on.

The lunchstop on this day was a memorable one. We sat on the steps of what looked like a local government building in a pretty square and ate our picnic. An interested french man and his wife came to interrogate us over lunch on our trip and with full mouths we were able to point at the support vehicles to offer him most of the answers to his questions.

This was the day that Oscar's knees started to become a real issue for him, the pain was increasing as was the size of the effusions of the knees although he rode on not wanting to get off his bike. The gradients were fairly gentle as were the size of the hills so we all moved on aware that we were really in the heart of some of the nicest wine regions in France. I was really looking forward to a glass of a local dry white wine that evening as a treat at the end of the day.

We reached the Loire river and stopped at a little picnic spot for an ice cream. The weather had noticeably imprpoved and each day was getting warmer. Ice cream suddenly seemed like a perfect snack not something anyone of the first leg to Portsmouth would have been looking for I am sure. The road turned to cycle path for a few kilometres before we crossed the Loire river and headed onto Cholet.

The last few miles Oscar was suffering and he Chris and I rode a little way back at a more gently pace. Oscar was determined to finish the day and I was torn between helping him achieve his goal and worrying about the state of his young and precious knees. Eventually we made it to the hotel which was a fabulous little place and where they couldnt have been more helpful. We took our bikes into our hotel rooms for safe keeping and Oscar put some ice on his rather sore knees before we all tucked into some take away pizzas.

We had finished quite late in the day and the onus was on eating and preparing for the next day. So we were quick to bed to be ready for an early start to Rochefort and our second day of more than 100 miles.



We are alive and well!

OK so there have been no blog posts of late. Sorry, I had been hoping to catch up with myself but have failed miserably.

Suffice to say it's because we have been busy. Still cycling, eating and sleeping everyday for more than a week (well except the recent rest day in Biarritz).

I have been taking photos along the way and of course there are all sorts of stories to tell which I will eventually update but for now I am simply going to tell you of today.

It's after 11 and I have to be up for breakfast at 06.00hrs. So it will be quick.

This morning we left a beautiful 'Parador' hotel in Sos del Rey del Catolico. Sadly we had to leave before Dawn and also we waved goodbye to our second support car containing Kate and Lucy. We left before Dawn and headed straight up our first climb of the day. About 3-4 km up to a summit in the dark.

As we reached the top the sun was up for the descent down the other side and thankfully the day was mostly overcast so we were spared the full brunt of the Spanish heat. We seem to have the perfect ability to climb the biggest hills at midday.

Our new support team quickly got into the swing of things though and were passing out cold water bottles as we climbed. Earlier in the day we had got a waterbottle refill from a fireman when we couldn't find a shop open.

3 more punctures took our total to 10 so far.

The landscape in Spain has changed to a more semi arid one and we passed many olive groves and vineyards. Its no surprise that the temperature appears to ride daily too. its like riding directly at a hand dryer all day blowing warm wind in your face.

A quick stop in the shade to refuel and meet the support team at lunchtime is a welcome ritual now. The logistics of keeping 6 hungry cyclists happy is not easy.

The last few miles of the day rolled gently through an almost deserted but stunningly beautiful gorge where the only other people we saw were the fruit pickers and a man cutting his lawn in his speedos! He was also using a hand scythe to cut it. Jef says he will take the image of that man to his grave it was such a vivid and unexpected one. ;-)

I didn't manage to write as much as I would have liked last night before I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I am trying to finish this as I shovel in more calories in the form of breakfast. Today's ride profile doesn't appear to have any large climbs (more than 3-4 miles at a time) but it goes up and down all day. It's only 94 miles too...! That's exiting and feels like a holiday to do less than 100. It's been more than a week. The forecast is showing 81 degrees by midday. Ouch so I had best head off so we can get on the road.

Adios Amigos...

Photos won't upload so I have had to remove them but will add them later on another connection.

Location:Paseo de San Nicolás de Francia,Calatayud,Spain

Day 2 Caen to Mayenne - 90.6 miles

I know we are almost through France but today is a rest day, so I finally have time to try and catch up with where we have been. I can also show you some of what we have been up to.

Jill is asleep next to me. Today there were no alarms to wake us in the darkness of pre dawn. When I awoke this morning it was light already. I think that's the first time in more than 2 weeks.

So we left Blighty on the ferry from Portsmouth and by the time the ferry was loaded and we had found cabins it was close to midnight. Then we were all gently awoken by music from the ships intercom at about 5.45. It was at that point I was glad the ferry wasn't run by Ryanair. Can you imagine that horrible trumpet sound telling you the ferry has arrived early?

We unpacked in the car park of the ferry and faffed around quite a bit with bikes and water bottles and chain lube etc. At this point we still hadn't got into a routine and had some trouble locating kit. Some bike clothes were still damp and most of us had the pleasure of cold wet bike shoes to wear.

So 8 of us rolled off into the early morning light. The rain had made way for light clouds and blue skies. When it eventually came up, the sun was shining on us.

The peloton was now down to Paul Beven, Matthew Beven, Kiwi Jill, Chris Vaughan, Oscar Geen, Jeff Cleminson, myself and Gary Edmondson of the Avid All Stars. Gary had joined us from London and has been a veteran of many a Healix road trip in the past. He couldn't come all the way to Gibraltar but wasn't going to miss the opportunity to ride to Mayenne, (where his parents live) with us.

We were delighted to have him as he definitely makes the peloton a more lively place and keeps morale high. There's never a dull moment with Gary around. We have to thank him too for taking more than his far share on time on the front and pulling us along as much as he could to help save our legs. A real team player. Thanks Gary.

Having avoided the breakfast scrum on the boat in favour of sleep we were pretty hungry after just a few kilometres and with about 90 miles to ride needed to make sure we had fuel on board.

The support cars found the first of many Boulangeries and stocked up on the first of many croissants and pain au chocolat.

They caught up with us for breakfast on a small tree lined avenue and we all ate swiftly. We had very definitely arrived in France.



The other fabulous thing about France is the distinct lack of potholes and traffic. We made quick progress across flat arable land, weaving between the crop fields.

Later the ground started to undulate gently, only improving the scenery and not even disrupting our rhythm. We were all suffering from a lack of sleep though and there was a feeling of just wanting to get to the hotel and catch up on some sleep. I personally was shattered. The week before the trip had been so busy that, I was worrying about the physical effects of mounting fatigue on muscles and nervous that the leg pain I had got at the end of Land's End John O'Groats may return. I need not have worried as it's been fine thankfully.

Jeff continued to lead us as he had done to Portsmouth with his preprogrammed Garmin. It's a fantastic device that removes the need for many head scratching sessions at junctions wondering which way to turn.



We just followed Jeff and I was more than happy to hand over the responsibility of navigation to someone else and enjoy the view. Heaven. I started to think about all of our sponsors, the man who gave me the 50p in his pocket, all the people at Pimlico tube station and all the other events that have consumed this year and all the other faces and people we have met and who have supported us to get this far.

The route Jeff had programmed was given to us as the recommended route by the BHF. It was originally recc'ed 6 months ago so we knew it had potential to be out of date and we tinkered with it too to adapt to our hotel choices etc. So we weren't too surprised when it led us down a rough gravel path (the first of a couple to date). We seemed to be running out of road. "Why don't we just use that new motorway?" shouts Gary. To our right was a new road being built, not yet open and (like most of France so far) deserted. The chance to ride the wrong way down the fast lane of a motorway on a bike was too tempting an offer so we carried our bikes across and climbed the crash barrier to the new Tarmac.








After a few minutes of picking mud out of our cleats we were ready to conquer new French territory.




After all that excitement we needed a coffee and the next village had a small tabac serving strong coffee. We stopped for what has now become our ritual morning coffee stop. Also a chance to clean more dirt from our cleats.








We rolled on and on and eventually met up with our support cars again for a late lunch. They had been to the supermarket and bought what Healix folk will know as a 'Sainsburys lunch': bread, cheese and all sorts of other goodies. They also found a fabulous lunch spot beside a lake although sadly the weather had closed in on us and having a couple of 'northerners' in the team meant the rain clouds followed us all day. We seemed to be riding in the rain with blue clouds visible on every horizon.








That lunch was truly memorable though, it was like an oasis of food appearing in our desert of Tarmac. We did it justice by stuffing as much as possible before getting too cold and moving on towards Mayenne and the finish at the Campanile hotel. The last few miles of the day rolled through pretty French villages and we couldn't help notice the large number of decorated bicycles.



Perhaps this was on the route of the Tour de France?

Once we had settled into the hotel we had the delight of a night at Chez Edmondson. Gary left us here at his parents house and they very kindly laid on a BBQ with the best burnt sausages (just how we like them) followed by cakes and cheese and every other home comfort imaginable. They even let us make use of their Internet to sort out some route issues I had with my Garmin and use the washing machine for all the soggy, and now smelly, damp clothes from our ride to Portsmouth. We could have stayed and enjoyed the hospitality longer but mindful of the need for an early start and lack of sleep we left early. It wasn't just little Lucy Cleminson who was fading fast.

It was a shame to say goodbye to Gary but we wish him and the Avid All Stars well for their 'Race the Sun' event this weekend. Hopefully the training helped and he might finish the event and make it to the bar at the end this time. We certainly hope to see him in the bar in Gibraltar.


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To be continued....

Here we are on the Royan ferry crossing the Gironde estuary. It's day 5 and France is passing rapidly beneath our wheels. The going has been flat and fast for the last few days although despite that it's still taking us most of 8-9 hours with rest stops to complete a day. We are getting into a routine though and working together on the road to ease things along.

We have one casualty so far, Oscar has sadly got anterior knee pain and the biggest joint effusions I think I have ever seen so he has been off the bike since yesterday morning. We miss him on the road and it's breaking my heart to see him sat in the support car. However he is young and needs healthy knees more than he needs to get to Gibraltar and therefore rest is the order of the day.

As for the rest of us, our muscles are reminding us of the miles they have done and finding a comfortable position on the saddle is becoming increasingly difficult. Morale is high though and we can all laugh at how ragged we are beginning to look. We may not have saddle bags but we all have some serious baggage in the eye area.

The support teams have been amazing with picnics to die for each day. We don't want for anything. They are working tirelessly to keep us fed and watered and that's no mean feat when we are burning more than 5000 calories a day.

Must go the ferry is almost across and we will write more of the route and add photos and video soon. Perhaps Biarritz will be the best place to catch up. In the interim we are focussing on riding and recovering each day. We haven't managed more than 6 hours sleep a night yet so it has to take priority

Bye for now, back later with more news and updates.


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Location:Rue de la Galiote,Royan,France

The story so far....

Gosh where do we start....? Friday seems like such a long time ago and so much has happened since then. We have barely stopped moving since and things are on the whole going well I am pleased to report.

Friday was an amazing day. Starting with Oscar and I riding to Westminster to meet everyone at the start. We arrived at about 06.30hrs and were soon joined by the support cars and all the other riders. There were quite a few of us too. Family, friends and Healix colleagues joined us. Tacye from the BHF came with a start flag for us and other BHF representatives to wave us on our way. Mum and Dad came on the train from Saffron Walden and suddenly all the months and weeks of planning suddenly came to fruition. We were there under Big Ben and ready to go......

We managed to avoid most of the rain and rode along the embankment towards the Kings road where Jussie was the first to wave goodbye and leave us. Then we went over Putney Bridge where Harry had the first puncture of the day. It was to be the first of 6 punctures! My thumbs were aching by the end of the day putting so many tyres back on the wheel rims. Then on to Richmond Park, Ham Common and Teddington Locks before finally crossing Bushey Park and the Healix office in Hampton.

By the time we arrived there was a fantastic spread of breakfast laid on by Dan, Vanessa and Niamh. It was an fabulous sight and most people were tucking into bacon sandwiches and croissants by the time we made it there post puncture repairs. It was for me, a fantastic part of the ride and I was delighted to see people of all abilities riding together. Everyone was riding along and chatting to each other. I did manage a moment at the back to look up and see everyone having a good time and it felt fantastic. Thanks for coming everyone. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

We left Healix to a fine send off from all and headed south in the rain down to just 12 cyclists. We rode south to Chiddingfold and the Crown Inn on the green for some fantastic Doorstep sandwiches with bowls of hot chips which was perfect as we were all soaked by then and ready for a refuel in a warm pub. 20 miles on from Chiddingfold we met Charlie Butcher for one of the worlds best tea stops. It was an idyllic spot on top of a big hill which Scott was particulalry pleased about ;-). Belinda had cooked 2 of the worlds best Lemon Drizzle cakes and Charlie had flasks of hot tea and coffee. We were still damp and soggy from the earlier rain but the sun came out and his make shift aid station on the cricket pitch was a sight to behold for us weary travellers. There's not much that keeps a weary cyclist going further than tea and cake.

Lemon Drizzle cake

Elizabeth and Nicolas Beven making tea.

John Pugh left us here, the lure of Lemon Drizzle cake clearly too much for him. I expect he is currently at Charlies house waiting for the next cake to emerge from the oven. So then there were 11 of us for the last 15 miles to Portsmouth.

The sun stayed out and dried us off and soon we could see the sea and Portsmouth in the distance. The last few miles rolled by and we arrived in Portsmouth at the Nuffield Leisure Centre where we welcomed in for hot showers before dinner in town and then onto the ferry for the crossing to Caen. Our ship sailed at 22.45hrs and by the time we were all tucked up in the cabin it was close to midnight and we were ready for a few hours sleep.

It had been a fantastic day and start to the trip. I for one didnt quite have the legs as it had been a long week in the build up to the event but everyone else seemed to manage fine and we arrived in Portsmouth without incident.

Its now Sunday night and we are in Cholet, France. All safe but not enough time to finish writing the rest of the days blogs tonight. Sorry we are behind with news but I am going to catch up as soon as I can.

Thank you for all your messages of support. We really appreciate it. Time now for bed and recovery, 110 miles tomorrow to Rochefort Sur Mer.

We are underway.....

Hello, very sorry that we are almost on day 3 and no blog posts yet.  Its been rather busy. Tomorrow evening I am aiming to write about our first three days in more detail with photos and hopefully some video but for now we are all concerned with getting some sleep. Until this very moment we have been on the move since leaving from home and Big Ben on Friday morning. The ferry crossing and an invitation for dinner at a friends tonight it would have been very rude to write the blog during dinner. I think we abused the hospitality of our hosts as it was turning up with dirty washing! So tomorrow is the day to try and catch up.

Suffice to say we are all ok and doing well. From tomorrow there will be 7 of the original crowd who left Big Ben on Friday and we are all hoping to be the ones to finish in Gibraltar.So far so good. Tomorrow will be our longest day of the 3 so far with 105 miles so it will be late in the day before we can write much.

So for now i must sleep and make the most of our recovery time. Until tomorrow....Bon Nuit.

Good night from Mayenne, France.

Jane & Team Healix.

Scared....!!!

Well we are down to a few hours no until the start and this week has been a week full of frenetic activity trying to sort all the last minute things and also put all the work stuff to bed for a couple of weeks. I think we have all been feeling somewhat weary before we even start. A combination of much to do and too much excitement and nerves to sleep well. I was up at 05.00hrs this morning cleaning my bike and finishing packing. We all brought out kit to work today and have loaded up the support vehicles with enough stuff to keep a polar expedition going until the next ice age.

The cars are looking very professional too now with their fresh livery and stickers along the side of the cars. I will get some decent photos of the start tomorrow to post on the blog so that you can see how good it all looks. "All the gear, no idea..." yep thats us.. ;-)

We are set for a 07.00hrs start in the morning from Big Ben and we have a good crowd of people coming to see us off and ride with us as far as Healix. Then we slim down slightly and head to Chiddingfold for lunch before a last rendezvous with Charlie Butcher, Healix's FD at 70 miles then on to Portsmouth. We have a grand send off with some of our more hardy friends joining us for the ride so we shall take every opportunity to sit on their wheels and enjoy the energy saving.

I am actually excited I think, I have terrible butterflies in my stomach which are either excitement or nerves but hopefully the former.

Anyway off to bed for some much needed sleep.

We will be aiming to post en route each day and have a fantastic present from Phil and Jess in the shape of a small video camera so we will be trying to post some footage of the ride too.

Bon Voyage all see you at Big Ben Bright and early.

Jane

£12,000.......we did it!

Just a quick post to let you know that we have reached our fund raising total of £12,000. Thats not to say we are shutting up shop, donations will still be very gratefully received. BUT YAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY................................ :-)

There was a time back in February when the thought of raising that amount of money was keeping us awake at night and I seriously wondered if this time I had set a goal alittle too big to handle.

Here is what I have learnt. I have some amazing friends, family and colleagues who given the opportunity not only 'stepped up to the plate' but pounded it into the ground with their commitment, drive and determination to help us get this far.

If you focus, plan and stick with it you can achieve things that sometimes appear to be impossible. With that in mind we leave on Friday for Gibraltar. Its a valuable lesson learnt and one I aim to put to good use on the ride. Gibraltar here we come.

THANK YOU for your contributions.

A few words from Paul...

My first post for a long time, and last one before we set off on Friday. Unfortunately this lack of communication hasn't been as a result of long hours training, more a case of lots of other stuff going on including a holiday (I like to think of it as warm-weather training). So in comparison to Jane (Land's End to John O'Groats), Chris (2 weeks hard core biking & mountain-biking in Switzerland) and Jeff (a chunk of the Tour de France as far as I can make out) I am seriously undercooked. Mind you Matthew, my 18-year old son, has done even less but does have youth on his side. And at least I haven't peaked too early.

I think most of the planning has been done. Fund-raising has been a great success thanks largely to Jane, and we are on schedule for a 7am departure from the north end of Westminster Bridge on Friday - say hello/goodbye if you are in the area. The liveried cars will be there, proudly festooned with bike racks and roofboxes, and we are hoping for 20+ outriders for the first 1% of the trip, as far as the office in Hampton for a bacon sarnie. From there we will thin down to about a dozen for the rest of Day 1 to Portsmouth, via a pub in Chiddingfold for lunch. Only the intrepid few catch the ferry to Caen......

I am really looking forward to this now. My worries are, in no particular order, my knee (giving me a bit of gip), hills, headwinds, and chafing. And did I mention chafing? Buy shares in Assos cream now.

There is no 'i' in TEAM.

Yes I can hear you shouting "..but there is a ME in TEAM" . Well you are right and this 'me' is very proud to say that I am part of a fantastic team. More of whom later....

We are now really getting close to our departure date and the days in the calendar are rapidly running out in terms of ordering equipment, bike mechanics and servicing that still need to be done. There is much to do and think about.

There is a mixture of excitement and trepidation if I am honest. Mostly the former though.

So what's happened since the end of LEJoG? In terms of cycling not a huge amount.

I got back with fear and worry that I might have developed a tendonitis in my peroneal tendon of my right ankle. I went into preservation and rehab mode. We cycled back from Euston but only as far as Victoria so that I could take the train to Balham and then ride 1 mile home. I didn't want to ride anymore than I had to until I knew what might be happening. It was still sore riding across town and when we got to Victoria Gary realised he had left his glasses on the sleeper train. It's amazing he managed 2 weeks without losing anything but broke his record at the last opportunity.

Not wanting to ride anymore than I had too and with a dentist appointment to attend I took the train and rode home across Tooting Common. It felt odd to be back on familiar roads. Gary headed back to Euston and retrieved his glasses just before the train left the station.

After 2 weeks of eating and snacking on simple sugars, using a manual toothbrush (as opposed to my usual electic one) my teeth and gums had taken a hammering. The hygienist needed some rapid explanation before she scraped her jaw from the floor with the horrors she found lurking. I was partially reprieved as long as I promised to use Corsdyl for 2 weeks, once I explained what I had been up to. It did make me wonder if my energy food strategy was the right one. I ditched the impossible to eat, cardboard bars and jam like gels in favour of real food.

During the two weeks my new best friends had been fruit pastilles, crumbly fudge, rice krispie marshmallow cakes and Tunnocks wafers. It's no surprise really is it?

So I think I need to add dental gum to my bag for in between snacks and remember to pack the Corsdyl.

I spent the weekend with my family then returned to London for a rendevouz with the Bike Whisperer on Monday evening.

Sherrit is the bike whisperer and works as a cycle fit guru from his house in Ealing. I spent 4 hours with him while he talked, measured, watched and adjusted. He made some minor adjustments mostly simple millimetres to the bike but by the end of the session the pedal stroke felt and sounded a whole lot smoother on the turbo trainer. So we shall see, will it be what I need to make sure my right ankle pain doesn't rear it's ugly head again? I hope so.

Tuesday was an appointment with Andrea Havill at Pure Sports Medicine in Raynes Park to try and work out whether I had got a tendonitis or other injury. After 4 days of rest and no exercise the pain had resolved and thankfully despite an hour of trying to bring it on we couldnt. Andrea is confident that there is therefore no serious tendonitis and thankfully more likely to have been some serious fatigue in the muscle and cramping. Hooraahhhhhh...... So the next day I cycled to work and it felt fine. Last weekend we did a gentle 40 miles and it felt good so I am keeping my fingers crossed that we have it all under control. There are no guarantees its wont come back but Andrea has given me some advice about what to do and also I have her email and phone number for a telephone or email consultation should we need it. Thanks Andrea you are a star. I feel slightly nervous about it rearing up again but at least it seems less likely now.

Last weekend was the Surrey Cycle challenge or otherwise known as the Olympic test event. We watched it in a couple of places and there was a fabulous atmosphere. Oscar my nephew came down with his lovely friends Harry and Joe and we all had a nice day finished off in the pub for lunch along the river. Oh and Mark Cavendish won the race. Thats what I call a weekend.

This week I have given myself a week off and have been driving to work making use of the time to do some chores on the way home and rest a little. I am happy now after LEJ0G that I can do the distance and I can do it day in day out. So I want to rest and recover before we leave next week.

Today I picked my bike up from Adam at Birdie Bikes. He runs the shop both here in Hampton and at Chertsey and a better Local Bike Shop (LBS) you could not hope to find. They are brilliant and Adam has done a fine job with a service for me as time is too short for me to have the luxury of time to do it and also he is giving us a box of spare parts on sale or return in case of emergency. Fabulous.

Its currently 1 week to go and the whole team have been dotting the 'I's and crossing the 'T's to  all of the preparations.

Monday was also a day when we almost all got together to chat about the final preparations (we missed you Oscar). We have flights, ferries and accommodation bookings to check and confirm; Kate has organised some fantastic signs which are going on the car next week courtesy of Signarama at a VERY reasonable cost; Jeff is polishing the route details; Niamh and Vanessa are sorting breakfast for the Grand Depart; Jill is making first aid kits for the cars and Dan is sorting phones and internet access. Paul is being chief banker and collecting kitty money for accommodation and food payments from us riders as well as countless other tasks.

We are very lucky to have two support cars for much of the ride. Elizabeth Beven will drive Pauls Land Rover as far as Biarritz for us where Niamh will take over and Kate Cleminson will be in her car as far as Sos in Spain where she will then sadly have to return to the UK. Its makes such a difference on long rides like this to have cars along the route with food and sustenance at regular intervals not to mention not having to carry panniers and kit on your bike. We are very lucky in that regard and we have a fantastic team of support crew. 'Team Healix' consists of:

Lara Suttie-Sims who has been our right hand man from the start of this project. She has been totally amazing and I have no idea how we would have got this far without her. We won't see Lara until Alcazar de San Juan now as she has other holiday commitments but as soon as she returns she will be headed to join us and we shall be delighted to see her. I am so glad she will be there for the finish.It would not have been right to finish without her (provided of course we get that far).

Then there is Niamh Coffey one of Healix's nurses and general all round totally organised and efficient people. Niamh did the moonwalk recently so knows what a physical challenge is about.

Vanessa Price and Daniel Grigg are support drivers who arent driving! They are however both great fun and will help keep morale high amongst the team. Dan is our techincal guru to help keep the blogs and tweets coming and has built the mapping website you can use to see our latest position with (see link at the top of the page). Vanessa is fabuous at organising food and cake fiestas at work. Definately a good skill to have in your support team.

Kate Cleminson is Jeff's wife and is our Healix HR guru. She is again a fantastically organised person whos talents are seemingly without end. It will a sad day in Sos when we lose Kate and we are hoping that some miracle will occur to allow her to make it to Gibraltar to see Jeff and the rest of us roll in with luck. If anyone out there wins the lottery this week please can you buy her a ticket to Gibralar? Thanks I appreciate it.

So you see apart from the bike riders we have a massive team of help from people all prepared to give their time and help for us to achieve our goal and without whose help we would really be struggling before we have even started so to them in advance and for all they have done so far with fund raising and getting us to the start line.

THANK YOU....

Oh and before I forget we made a fantastic profit on the summer ball now the costs are all in. We made £1914. and that means that our total has gone to 94%. Its quite incredible really, at the beginning of the year that seemed like an insurmountable sum. I can remember celebrating passing the 10% mark and now here we are so close to our target its going to be impossible to bear not achieveing it. So if you havent yet donated but can spare a few pounds please do so. We would so love to see that counter hit the 100% so please join our growing team and help us move it on the last 6% to achieve our goal. We promise we wont make you cycle anywhere.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location: Tooting,United Kingdom

LEJoG route notes and planning tips - August 2011

Yesterday was officially 2 weeks until the start of London to Gibraltar. We are on the final countdown. Paul is currently Carbo Loading in Spain, checking out the soaring temperatures and areas around the finish I believe. I have heard that he has been out on a bike with Simon to make sure he can remember how to ride, mostly he has been selecting wine for the finish party and making sure he has reserves of carbo hydrate for the journey. Matthew is assisting. Jeff is out riding the Surrey hills and making sure all is safe for Mark Cavendish and the others for tomorrows Olympic test event on Box hill in Surrey. Oscar is headed to town tonight for us to ride out tomorrow and catch some of the test event and notch up a few miles. I have no idea where Chris is or what he is up to but no fear, he will be fit whatever he is doing. He was last seen tying his bike into the boot of a car on Coombe Hill in Kingston!

I am fairly relaxed about doing too many miles now having completed Land's End John O'Groats (LEJoG) last week that was a big block of training for me and I can consider myself to be in a tapering period now. I may take up Paul's idea and do a bit of carbo loading even.

My bike is off for a service on Thursday next week with Adam at Birdie Bikes in Hampton. I am here trying to look at paperwork and what else needs to be done on the logisitics front.

Before I put to bed the LEJOG trip I have as promised written a post to help anyone else who may be interested in riding it.

The remainder of this blogpost is really meant as a helper to anyone planning or contemplating riding LEJoG and who may want to know some of the details of the logistics, route and accommodation of our trip. There are no pictures so dont bother reading on unless you want the hard facts and logistics!  

I have written a few notes about each days ride we did and there is a link to the gpx data on Garmin Connect if you are interested or want to download it. I havent corrected the few areas where we might have made small errors or the getting lost in Warrington figure of 8. So its a case of 'caveat emptor'.

Our planning was pretty easy to be honest. I was given a Garmin 705 for Christmas a year or two ago and despite having used it regularly to record my rides I hadnt worked out too much about using it as a guidance system. Life has been busy this year and time to dedicate to planning this ride was minimal. However it came together pretty easily and didnt take too much at all.

I am a member of the CTC and had access to their PDF document with their recommended 3 different routes. We knew we didnt want to do the fast A roads route. We wanted to stay in B&B's or with friends so we opted for the B&B route and we had three main detours really. We had friends East of Shrewsbury, North of Preston and in the centre of Edinburgh. So minor amendments were made to detour off the route to accommodate these stops and mileage was dictated to a certain extent by these too. The day 7 route from Shrewsbury to Preston was totally off the B&B route but actually to my surprise was remarkably good even if I say so myself. It would have been perfect if we could have avoided Warrington. for reasons which I wont go into I didnt have this day programmed into the Garmin either so it involved more stops to check maps and iphones etc but we made it ok.

We sat down one night and looked at the CTC route and decided roughly how many miles we would do each day then looked for appropriate places on the route to stop so that we could fit in with our timetable.

We had to go to Penzance on the Saturday as we had to accompany my stepchildren to Plymouth that day. It was the first day of the summer holidays and although the CTC recommends a trip earlier in the year we didnt have any problem with accommodation during the peak of the holiday season. We booked the accommodation in about March time I think. I used the recommended listings or found places on the usual room booking websites. It took two evenings to sit and book them all until we had the whole route accommodation planned for. I made sure they all could accommodate bikes and that there was a way to access an evening meal close by or easy transport to food. I knew we wouldnt want to ride anywhere else after a shower. NB In Scotland especially we found that places stop serving food early. Often its finished by 20.30hrs so plan accordingly. The further north we went the earlier they shut.

I also set calendar dates for the train companues to call them on the dot of 12 weeks before the date we wanted to travel. Bike spaces are limited and I had to get the tickets for all of us and the places for the bikes. It was the most stressful part. Having booked travel to Cornwall having to wait 2 weeks for Scotrail to start selling. Their website makes tickets available exactly 12 weeks away to the hour. You have to book then call for the bike places. I got them fine though and the sleeper tickets cost us £90 each. I didnt see any sign of the cheap £16 tickets that are meant to be available. Cabins can interconnect so if there are more than 2 of you its possible to get interconnecting cabins. There is no power socket in them though so you cant charge mobiles etc. only a shaver socket. They were very comfortable though and I was pleasantly surprised. I would definately do this again.

So thats all we did for weeks until about 2 weeks before we were due to leave when I sat down and decided it was time to work out how to use the Garmin as a guidance system. There is nothing worse than having to constantly stop to check maps at every turn and using lots of small roads that would have been necessary.

I signed up for a Mapmyride.com account and sat and created routes for each day following the CTC written instructions. They dont seem to publish easily available gpx files that contain any meaningful data so I decided actually this was just the steep learning curve I needed to learn to use this gadget properly. I dont have anything but the basic pc map on it. Actually this was plenty.

I tell a lie there. We rode to Paris in early July and I used that as a first test bed having created routes in mapmyride I then exported the data files as .gpx or .kml files and used gpsies.com to convert them to course files (.crs). I then uploaded the .crs files to my Garmin and navigated to them in the menus each day to follow the course. It displays as a simple pink line on a map. If you go off course it alerts you and you can zoom in or out for more or less detail or orientation of the actual turns. I have to say on the whole it worked fabulously well and the there were a few minor glitches as all sat navs have where they think there is a road and its not its a track or no through road but it was pretty easy to navigate around the obstruction by scaling out and then using the compass or the map screen to guide us back on course. It probably saved us hours in terms of stops and map referencing not to mention having to carry all the maps required in enough detail. The iphone is great but battery power didnt meant it would never have lasted and I found I could read the screen on the Garmin easily in all light conditions. The odd file from map my ride gave errors in conversion but when it did I exported it as an alternative file format and tried again and it generally worked. hence the two file types .gpx or .kml. As long as you end up with a .crs it works fine. I also had the app for mapmyride on my iphone as a second reference guide which was useful at times. Its only irritation is that it only shows you the last 10 routes in the app. anything earlier and you have to use a standard browser to the website.

Anyway enough technical talk. What's else is there to tell you that may be of some use...?

Here are the route notes for each day and a link to our ride data. The speeds are slow as they include time for eating, photos, toilet stops etc and general faffing. Also not to mention the average speed was slow with all those hills!

LEJoG Route Notes

Day 1 – Lands End to Penzance.

We took the early train from Paddington, cycle reservations were a must. People were turned away for not having them. Arrived into Penzance for 13.30hrs roughly and rode ½ mile to the hotel where we dropped our stuff and then headed out to Land’s End. Its less than 10 miles. Noticeable headwinds riding there are it’s the first of the west country hills! Land’s End is full of the usual tourist tat and you don’t have to pay car park or entry arrving by bike. There are cafes and places to sit and eat and drink while you have bikes with you.  You have to take your photo of the sign carefully as they get cross if you don’t pay for it. We did the one at John O’Groats but not Lands End. That cost us a tenner but he also took photos for us on our mobiles.

Day 2 – Penzance to Boscastle

This was our first real day of cycling. It winds along the coast with fabulous views of St.Michaels Mount before turning inland and taking the undulating hills across on small roads to Boscastle. You pass through plenty of small towns and villages and also Truro a larger town with all facilities. Its up and down all day long but a very pretty ride and avoids most of the main roads. We stayed on a farm outside of Boscastle up the hill. They gave us a lift into town to eat in the evening.

Day 3 – Boscastle to South Molton

It was a very steep and narrow road into Boscastle and a steep one coming out on a busier road along the coast. A really pretty town worth visiting though. This part of Cornwall often suffers with sea mist and visibility can be poor for all or part of the day. The roads are narrow and the coastal road section is up and down with many slopes of 15-30% gradients. We walked numerous hills and made slow progress but it was a beautiful ride again. Turning in land the gradients lessen but the hills still come thick and fast. Great Torrington has a very steep hill into the town centre but there are cafes, banks and shops there and it’s a good stop for tea. Before South Molton you join a busy road with at least 2 monster hills of 25% and fast moving traffic so beware on that section.

Day 4 – South Molton to Cheddar

In the morning theres a long gradual climb up to Exmoor and several hills during the day that are short and steep. However you then head east and ride along the ridge of Exmoor with views across to south Wales before a long gradual descent down and then the climb back up the Quantocks. These are long gradual climbs mostly and the views are fantastic. This was one of my favourite rides of the trip for scenery I think. Nice pub next to the church in Bishops Lydeard and Bridgewater is a large town for supplies etc. The last part crosses flat land is and is easy going on good tarmac.

Day 5 – Cheddar to Ross-on-Wye

This day started by climbing up out of the gorge which is perfectly manageable it’s mostly less than 10% and is a pretty road up through the gorge. Best done early before all the buses arrive, then the roads are easy and quiet skirting around Bristol. The section on the railway path is worth doing as there is the opportunity to see the steam train which runs in parallel along the well used cycle path. There are cafes and toilets etc along the path too. Then you cross the Severn bridge which is worth doing and the bike path is well signposted. The road after the bridge through Chepstow and on to Ross on Wye is quite busy and there are some sections of bike path. Its not the nicest bit but it then moves up the Wye Valley and becomes a lot prettier although still quite a busy road. The CTC route turns off onto smaller roads and goes up to St Briavels where there is the biggest and longest hill for seemingly no reason other than to climb a very long hill with lots of bends in it so you think you are near the top but it just kicks up and keeps on kicking! So you have been warned. There is a fabulous Gurka Restaurant in Ross on Wye. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Day 6 – Ross-on-Wye to Shrewsbury

This day follows the Wye valley at the start. Stunning scenery and a really lovely first few miles. There are a couple of steep hills again but hey you will be used to them by now and this route takes you up over the Long Mynd. Again fabulous scenery and views but you have to put the work in to enjoy them. There’s no such thing as a free lunch on the CTC B&B route. Where it says ‘scenic’ read ‘hilly’.  Leominster and Ludlow are both really lovely and sizeable towns with supplies of most high st shops etc.  Lots of quiet roads too of good quality mostly too.

Day 7 – Shrewsbury to Preston

This is a pretty easy flat ride and it skirts around most of the industrial areas that this area is heavy with. It does go through Warrington on the main roads so beware and we got a bit lost here turning to early so you will need to amend the gpx file to remove our detour. We stopped for lunch at the Hare & Hounds in Crowton. That was a real find. Fabulous food and they let me charge my mobile for free but I put a donation in the charity pot. They were really lovely. We sat outside with the bikes to eat. NB The gpx for this ride is split in two (my fault so the last part is here and we were staying north of Preston and just hammered around the by pass in favour of speed and time but you can navigate quieter roads through Leyland and Lostock hall if you want to.

Day 8 – Preston to Carlisle

This route will take you initially down what is actually a farm access road en route across the M6, rather than double back we walked along the public footpath with bikes to get to the road on the other side. You will have to carry bikes over a couple of stiles though. However pressing on saved us a few miles detour and soon we were back on quiet roads through the forest of Bowland. It’s a really pretty ride but it does then kick up and go over moorland before dropping down to Higher Bentham. I loved this ride for the scenery but It was the day that nearly broke Gary and actually I notice that we climbed almost twice as much this day as any other day on the trip including the Cairngorms and the ski station passes so bewarned. It was a very long day and you will be weary by the end. The are climbs right up until the end,  a really pretty ride though and on mostly very quiet roads or less used main ones. If you have more time perhaps consider reducing the mileage on this section rather than cutting out the forest of Bowland as this was so pretty (in good weather). If its cloudy its best avoided to reduce the climbs. Fewer towns on this route too so carry supplies.

Day 9 – Carlisle to Edinburgh

We left the CTC route to give Gary a break from climbing and decided to stick to the A7. It was such a fast road and quiet (it was a Sunday that we rode it), that we stayed on it all the way to Edinburgh. I don’t know that we compromised on Scenery in any way as I thought it was stunning riding up the valleys. A really fast ride in the city and relatively little traffic, nothing to make you tense and nothing like an A road in the home counties. There was a great cake shop called the cloudhouse café in Stow. You could sit inside and leave bikes in view if the weather is bad. Highly recommended.

Day 10 – Edinburgh to Glenshee

It can be busy leaving Edinburgh and this route avoids most of the worst of the traffic. There is a hairy right turn off the main road onto the cycle path which heads into the Dalmeny estate. The cycle path is very rough in places and not best suited to carbon road bikes if you are precious about that or your paintwork. Its better suited to mountain bikes but we survived ok on our road bikes. Its certainly not impassable but just not ideal. This is a lovely route through parkland coming out under the Forth Bridge. There are lots of cobbles in Queensferry so beware if it’s wet.  After the bridge there is a bike shop in Inverkeithing, very friendly and they have a pub they are happy for you to use if you need a top up of air. From Blairgowrie it climbs steadily up to Glenshee. Gradients are gentle but it’s a climb at the end of a long day. I am glad we did it though to reduce the next days climbing. Glenshee is remote and the weather can be harsh so be prepared. There isn’t much there though so also have stocks of food and drink from Blairgowrie. The road surface gets quite harsh and is draining as it sucks the energy out of you and the roads are sloping up so you will make slow progress here.

Day 11 – Glenshee to Grantown on Spey

This day’s ride is remote! You are high and can be exposed to a lot of cold or wind. The climb over Glenshee isn’t bad averages about 10% or less and goes on for about 2km. it’s a wide road with some traffic, mostly trucks actually. Over the other side there is a long gradual descent so wrap up on the top before you head down as it goes on for miles and you will be cold by the time you reach the bottom.  You then have a few miles of flat along through Braemar and to Balmoral where this road turns left and climbs again. These are mostly gently but the the climbs up to the ski station at Lecht is very steep in places >20%. They aren’t too long so its fine to walk them although actually that was a struggle too in some areas as they are so steep. The ski station at the top is not very friendly looking with signs everywhere warding you off the toilets should you dare try and use them without buying something. We planned to stop for tea but there didn’t appear to be places to leave the bikes securely and it was not very appealing and welcoming so we pressed on.  Tomintul has a lovely little cake and tea stop where they are very welcoming. Its an old fire station. They didn’t even mind us being soaking wet and dripping on the floor. They just put the wet floor sign up (which I then promptly tripped over!). we could sit inside and see our bikes on the other side of the window. It was an easy ride from there to Grantown upon Spey with only one hill that I recall. Grantown on Spey, surprisingly has a lack of nice places to eat. The two main hotels that we could see wanted to charge a lot for what I suspect would have been crap service. We stopped for a drink in the bar of one and it was pitiful. There is an Indian restaurant the Sylet Brasserie or something I think and in desperation we went there. It was fantastic food. Totally delicious fresh cooked curry with fresh herbs and spices. Excellent.

Day 12 – Grantown-on-Spey to Bonar Bridge

OK. This was a day not be forgotten. We arranged to meet a friend in Nairn for coffee so veered off the CTC route and took the main road to Nairn. That was fine it was quiet and easy riding. However Nairn to Inverness is the busy A96. It was heavy with traffic and they were in a hurry. It was the most unpleasant road of the whole trip and best avoided by sticking to the CTC route which avoids all but half a mile of it. There is a large Tesco here before Inverness for supplies and toilets. Then the road continues over the Kessock bridge where there is at least a cycle route. Its worth dropping down to North Kessock on the cycle route and stopping to spy Dolphins. We saw them almost instantly frolicking in the water. We then decided to take the CTC route across the Black Isle and to the Cromarty Ferry for the crossing to Nigg. I checked it was running on the website and did wonder what a pain it would be if it wasn’t running as we road past the road bridge. It wasn’t running it had broken down and they were totally useless at keeping every one informed about what was happening. Having told us they would leave in an hour or so they didn’t bother and didn’t tell anyone until we went to ask why they missed the departure time they stated. We had no choice but to double back to the A9 road bridge and then take the B9176 road across to Bonar Bridge. Its actually a good road and the was one gentle climb nothing too bad and then it drops in a great descent into Bonar Bridge. The Land lady of the B&B there (Sheila at Kyle House) told us they are hopelessly unreliable on the ferry and they use the same excuses for not running all the time even though it’s a new ferry boat apparently. She would advise everyone to avoid it. It’s a shame but it was very painful  that it didn’t run. I wouldn’t trust it again. Best avoided. PS The Crannag Bistro in Bonar Bridge is a must for a great meal.

Day 13 – Bonar Bridge to Wick

Lots of people told us how lovely the road north up through Bettyhill is and I would have loved to have gone that way but time and hotel bookings etc were against us so we had to stick with the A9. It’s a busy road and does carry a lot of traffic. Its quite narrow in places and the day we rode it there was thick fog and wet roads so it wasn’t too pleasant. We couldn’t see what a beautiful coastline it was sadly. However the train back the next day takes a lot of the same route and we saw seal colonies on the beaches and all sorts so perhaps in fine weather it would be better. We faced tough headwinds too all the way to Wick. After Helmsdale there are two long ascents. Helmsdale is ok, long and about 10% gradual long climb in wide new tarmac but Berriedale a few miles on is steeper 15-20% and has hairpins on narrow roads so beware. After that its flatter and easier if the wind and rain aren’t against you. Wick is a fair sized town with all the amenities you need.

Day 14 – Wick to John O’Groats

This was a short ride of 18 miles but we faced gusting winds of up to 30-40 mph I would estimate and it made it tough going. I overheard someone say they had seen a small child blown over before we left Wick so we were prepared but we had left bags behind so had lighter bikes more prone to being blown around. the visibility was better and there is less traffic especially after the Thurso turn off. When you get to John O’Groats village turn right to go 2 miles to Duncansby head the furthest road point from Lands End or straight on for the signpost and usual tourist tat. The man doing photos at the sign was a nice man and we paid here for a photo £9 and he took some on our mobiles too for us (his idea). He also gave us the number for a taxi. We got a lift back to Wick and the taxi man had no bother in his large saloon getting two road bikes in the back. I had a sore leg and it was so windy we opted out of the ride back. We signed the ‘End to End’ register in the coffee shop opposite the sign and then left after 20 mins as the weather was terrible and we had a train to catch so I didn’t see much more of John O’Groats sadly. There were rumours that it has been bought recently and is being developed more. Its about the same as Lands End but somehow more relaxed I think.

There’s a big Tesco in Wick to get supplies for the train back. I booked the trains as soon as the tickets were on sale 12 weeks before. Wick to Inverness is a small 2 carriage train and we had bike reservations. They ride in the carriage and we saw at least 6 bikes on that train at various stages. The guards didn’t seem to mind even though there were only meant to be 2 bikes per train. The same train called via Thurso too on its way to Inverness. At Inverness we had 45 mins before our train departed by the Caledonian sleeper was already there and ready for boarding. Despite being told there were only 2 bike bookings per train which I was sure I had secured the first 2 as I called 2 mins after the tickets were on sale. The guards van already had 3 bikes in it so we were shown to a disabled sleeper berth where they locked our bikes into. The next morning when we removed them it was clear another bike had been added as mine had been wedged with the tyre under the sink. Thankfully no damage but I wasn’t too impressed to be honest. The train itself was great though and it worked really well. Top tip, board the train, put your bags in the cabin. You can ask them to lock the cabin I believe and then take a seat in the buffet car to watch the scenery as you leave and the sun sets over the Cairngorms. The seats are limited and its first come first served.

Next is the accommodation - OK here is where we stayed. I am going to list them and I think you can find them all with this amount of info in any web browser. Costs are for the room unless stated.

Penzance - The Lugger Inn - £65

This hotel is on the sea front half a mile from the train station. The room was lovely and I think we got an upgrade for free as they were busy to a seaview room. They stored our bikes in their function room overnight and we ate in the hotel. It was fine and they were friendly. We were able to check in about 14.0hrs and leave our bags to cycle to Lands End unencumbered.

Boscastle - Tregatherall Farm - £65

This farm is on top of the hill outside of Boscastle. Its remote but they will happily take you to town for food and collect you (£5). The rooms were lovely and there is a lounge for guests. Very comfortable and lovely hosts. They stored the bikes in the barn for us. Phone reception upstairs.

South Molton - Jasmine B&B - £55

Our room was in a converted chapel opposite the house, its just east of South Molton on the route and there is a quiet pub a few hundred yards away that serves food. It was a very comfortable room. Brakfast is served in the conservatory where there is Wifi.  Lock bikes in secure garage.

Cheddar - Constantine Guest House - (01934 741339) £55

Lovely spot, all facilities. Secure bike parking. We ate at the Riverside Inn which was awful. It thinks its a fantastic gourmet place and is total rubbish. I had pasta that was overcooked and swimming in a gallon of cream. They brought us plates of hot food to our garden table then said "The cutlery is inside" Mmm Thanks, thats helpful when I need it here! Avoid it at all costs, it was one of the most expensive meals we have had and definately the worst food. Its about a mile walk to the town centre perhaps less. The town is a bit of a dump to be honest not very pleasant. This Guest house was lovely though and recommended

Ross-on-Wye - Sunnymount Guest House - £65

This was a charming spot. Secure bike storage. We were recommended the Gurka restaurant in town which was fabulous. Amazing food and a revelation after Cheddar's offering. Lovely host and a good breakfast. Its close to a Morrisons too for provisions.

Shrewsbury - Private with friends

Preston - Private with friends

Carlisle (Warwick Bridge) - Brookside B&B (0843 208 6513) - £60

We were originally booked to stay at the Corby Bridge Inn who cancelled us due to a flood (looked fine when we went past!) and rebooked us into the Brookside B&B. Our win. Deboarah was fantastic here and when we arrived late in the day she gave us a lift to find food. fantastic house. Immaculate and all details attended too. I cant recommned this one highly enough. Secure Bike parking and host who went out of her way to ensure our comfort. Brilliant. 10/10.

Edinburgh - Private with friends

Glenshee - Dalhenzean Lodge - £65

Mike (AKA The Wing Commander) and Joyce Purdie run a fine establishment and reserve the room with the bath for walkers and cyclists! Heaven. Their home is beautiful and there is a conservatory for guests use. They will give you a lift to the hotel in the Spittal of Glenshee (dont expect much here!) to eat. Wifi is available and Joyce makes homemade jams and preserves for breakfast. Wonderful and hard to leave. Secure bike storage and a lovely wave and send off in the morning. I want to go back. It was like staying with your parents. :-)

Grantown-on-Spey - Dunallan House - £82

We booked this at the last minute as the Willowbank Guest house retracked our confirmed reservation a few weeks before.We paid slightly more for the superior room but it was worth it. We arrived on a wet day and were soaking and cold. This room was at the top of the house and had a massive ensuite bathroom as big as the bedroom with a roll top bath. It was gorgeous even if Gary did persist in bumping his head on the eaves of the room. Lovely hosts and they make fresh waffles for breakfast as well as yummy yoghurt, fruit and Dorset cereals for breakfast. A real treat this one. Seucre bike storage too and wifi. Eat at the Sylet Bangladeshi restaurant for a delicious freshly prepared and tasty curry.

Bonar Bridge - Kyle House - £60

Sheila is the host at Kyle House and is fabulous, very accommodating. We had a room with a bath and she rang and arranged for the Crannag Bistro to stay open late so we could make it for dinner as we were so late arriving after the ferry debarcle. If you are ever north of Inverness you must stop here for a meal. You will not regret it. :-) Gorgeous food and hosts. Their is secure storage for bikes and large rooms.

Wick - Mackays Hotel - £130

We splashed out on a superior room here as it was the last stop and a celebration of a significant birthday and the end of our UK tour. It was worth it. After another day of riding in the wind and rain and mist we arrived to a stunning large room overlooking the estuary and a bathroom with a spa bath.. Need I say more? Heaven. The hotel were lovely and its a small hotel that feels very friendly and sociable. They stored our bikes in their function room and looked afte the bags when we rode up the next day to John O'Groats. We came back and they let us change before we had lunch in the Bistro and took the train home at 16.00hrs. The bistro serves great food and I had the best Asparagus tart ever (sorry mum). When the weather is bad its the perfect bolthole. The train station is right opposite too although far enough away that you dont hear any trains.

Lastly the Kit.

On the bike i replaced my Veloce standard double groupset with SRAM Apex (it has the spread of a triple crankset over a double). It was pretty good but tended to slip off the 32 sprocket when it was really needed. Bit irritating and Gary found the same but it worked well on the whole and I am glad I had it.

I had two bottle holders for obvious reasons and a Handle bar bag (Carradice) with map cover. This was reat and the fixing mechanism excellent but as per other reviewers for this product one of the poppers on the map cover broke after a week despite me being very careful knowing it was likely. It was useful to have the written route notes as well as the Garmin. I am a map and direction nerd (self confessed).

I was pleasantly surprised at how little it affected the handling even when quite full or how easily I got used to it (more likely). I carried in here food, glasses, rainjacket. pen knives, arm warmers, bike lock (basic coil token effort) pen, emergency energy gels (didnt use them). train tickets. Waterproof cover for the bag. Zip vit tabs.

Then I had a rear mounted seatpost clamp rack (Topeak) I had to swap my carbon seatpost for a metal one.
on this I used the Topeak RX Trunkbag DXP with side panniers. Its not huge but I chose it for a reason, The bigger the bag the more you put in it and I wanted to travel light.

The strap is detachable but was really useful when carrying everything including water bottles to rooms in the evenings. I attached my saddlebag with tools, tubes, air cannisters etc under the rack.

I was pretty pleased with what I carried and didnt miss anything and didnt feel I carried anything I didnt use either. We rode in all weather conditions and had the right kit for these too.

It was a bit of a standing joke that we wore the same outfit almost each night but we only wore it long enough to eat and then were generally in bed early anyway so we didnt smell too bad at the end!

Here's a summary:

1 x bibshorts

1x bib 3/4 lengths

1 x cycle shirt

1 x longsleeve windproof

1x Gore lightweight rain/wind jacket

armwarmers

neoprene overshoes

1 pair lightweight socks

1 pair wool socks

Bike Helmet

Bike shoes (specialized) SPD Pedal system with recessed cleats

Tifosi reactalight lenses

fingerless gloves

Chamois cream

Toiletries

painkillers

Glasses

Nightshirt

underwear

1 x pair leggings

1 x pair flipflops

1 x long sleeved t shirt

2 x long shirt/tops

1 x cardigan

1 x vest

1 nightshirt

1 x gear cable

1 x brake cable

1 x inner tube

we bought a folding tyre in Scotland to carry through remote areas.

1 x tube zipvit tablets.

OK thats it for now. too much info for some of you but if you are planning a trip like this its useful to know so hopefully it might help others. Bon Voyage. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.