Lands End to John O'Groats on Two Wheels

The End

2006-06-08T10:51:00.000+01:00

Well the rest is history, as I posted earlier I completed the ride on the Sunday morning. It was a glorious feeling.

It’s been a painful, hard slog, although I did start to enjoy it once I was finally headed north-east, through the beautiful lochs, the highlands, with the sun on my back and a wind which chose mostly to blow across my path rather than at me.

Would I do it again? No! Shoot me if I ever suggest it. I may do a coast to coast, but end to end? That’s a long way. You cycle 500miles & realise you’re barely half way; if you thought Newcastle was far north, think again. On the plane flying home, through a break in the clouds I could see the fields below, the tiny motorway meandering through the countryside from 30,000 feet, and as I looked from hazy horizon to hazy horizon, I thought to myself, “you cycled across that, and more”.

Bonkers, absolutely bonkers, and best left for those addicted to doing 120miles on their two-wheeled machines every week-end. Me? I think I’ll stick to 4 wheels & track days, but I must admit, it’s been a fantastic experience, I learned a thing or two & managed to lose a stone to boot….

Day 17

2006-06-08T10:48:00.000+01:00

Saturday 3rd June

Had planned on stopping over at Lybster today, some 27miles from JOG; figured I wouldn’t have the legs to make it all the way (hilly section today) & was intent on enjoying the last few miles, so decided I would leave them for a nonchalant ride in on Sunday.

Today was my last obstacle; the climb up Helmsdale coming some 30miles into the ride, 800feet odd, followed immediately by the Berriedale Braes, a series of sharp hairpin bends climbing again to 550feet.

The weather was gorgeous, as was the coastline, and I got up to 74kph (46mph) blasting downhill from Helmsdale towards Berriedale… my brake pads had worn down completely on both front & rear, so it was a tense moment when I decided to employ them for the hairpin at the bottom! Unfortunately these hairpins mean you can’t use the downhill momentum from Helmsdale to carry you up the Berriedale Braese, but I’m so close to the end I just don’t care anymore. I’ll take it all on!

Got to Lybster & figured I had the legs for Wick (which is really JOG; it’s the closest railway station & only 15miles away from the finish). Got in to Wick just after six, and felt like I was overlooking the finish line, which I guess I was!

65 miles, for a total of 940m.

Day 16

2006-06-08T10:42:00.000+01:00

Friday 2nd June

A day that started & ended with fine weather, and began with a good run along Loch Ness. Didn’t see the monster but the Loch was beautiful… in fact, all of Scotland has been stunning, by far the most beautiful part of the ride so far. I love it up here & will have to return (with the car!!) to enjoy it properly.

Followed the canal towpath from the end of Loch Ness to Inverness, but got on the wrong side & it got a little bumpy! Beautiful fresh path on the other side of the canal but what could I do… as the weather was fantastic I simply took my time & enjoyed it.

Made the ferry to Trigg from Cromarty. It’s a tiny 2-car ferry, the funniest thing you’ve ever seen! It’s only operational 5mths of the year, but it was a good service. (All the ferries in Scotland have been fantastic, although I understand they are heavily subsidised.) As it approached, the ferry lowered the loading bay door while still a good 50 feet from the slip-way! It was windy & the water choppy, but they appeared unconcerned. The ferry didn’t tie up; they simply held it against the slip-way on the throttle, as the current tugged at the boat & gradually began edging it along the slip-way & towards the great deep… the van on board dashed off, the stunned tourists were ushered on in their rental car & I rode on not wasting any time either.

Once on board, the car swiveled on a turn-table so it would be facing the right way once we got to the other side; the choppy water was sloshing all over the deck & I found myself wondering how much higher a wave would need to be to totally submerge the deck in water! What a fantastic experience, a bit of a detour today but well worth it for the Cromarty-Trigg ferry, hilarious…

A good ride today but hard in parts with various hills I wasn’t expecting, although the blast downhill into Cromarty was excellent. My legs died towards the end though, & I almost found myself homeless as I staggered into the reception of a hotel in Dornoch. None of the B&B’s were indicating that they had vacancies, & it turned out there was a wedding & a conference in the small village this week-end. No room at the inn! I seriously didn’t have the legs to crack on to the next village in search of a bed, & I was so thankful when the duty manager managed to find me a room…

I’m so close now, John O’Groats is almost within touching distance… a wee 80-odd miles!

72 miles for a grand total of 875m.

Day 15

2006-06-08T10:37:00.000+01:00

Thursday 1 June

Ok, now we’re starting to get somewhere. What can I say, I’m this close to the end now… I had a few moments today, when the road eased by & the sun shone on my back, when I allowed myself a smile & caught my thoughts wandering to my last day…

I’m not there yet but a fair wind & legs that held up well carried me near-on 80miles today. By far my best distance, albeit not the longest day by any shout (showing the difference a bit of sun & a helpful wind can make) and when I got to my intended waypoint, I felt fresh enough to push on past it to ease tomorrow’s mileage. From this point on, each day is fewer miles than the previous day, all the way to the end…

Cycled along several Lochs today, skirting around the foot of Ben Nevis & the Pictish giants, along the Caledonian Canal towpath (what bliss!) and from Fort William through Fort Augustus to Glenmoriston, where I found the most delightful hotel (The Glenmoriston Arms hotel) which, while not cheap, was a well-earned & much needed bit of luxury after two weeks of B&B’s.

79 miles today, brining the total up to 803m.

Day 14

2006-06-08T10:32:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 31 May

It seemed like my prayers were answered today, I had a much better day. Sunny all day (shock! Horror!) which was a bit of a result, even if I’d given up on the idea in Wigan & ditched my sun cream then.

Tough run today, hilly, but I needed to crack it to bring a week-end finish within reach. The pub-hotel I stopped in this afternoon for a coffee had a real fire on, and we’re still in May! It was cold, and houses I passed had smoke issuing from their chimneys. I am quite far north now, further north than Glasgow & Edinburgh. I saw my first live deer in the wild today as well, which made a nice change from the dead deer, rabbits, foxes and badgers I’ve been seeing on the side of the road…. She was beautiful, looked at me startled for a second, and then bounded off into the forest.

66 miles, total so far 724m.

Day 13

2006-06-08T10:29:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 30th May

Ok, so I promised to write about how I was feeling as well as anything interesting I saw along the way (sorry if I’ve let you down on the latter so far, I shall endeavour to try harder going fwds). If you are squeamish or think I’m made of steel skip this part & go to tomorrow, otherwise, here goes, straight from the diary, as I sat at the roadside at eleven in the morning…

“What an absolute nightmare. The wind is hard against me; it’s meant to be a prevailing south westerly on this ride but I’m not getting that. It started that way in Cornwall but as I have changed my heading increasingly to the north & then towards the north west, the wind has gradually shifted to blow increasingly into my face, from the Severn crossing in Bristol onwards. It’s blowing hard too, 15-20mph, none of these 4-5mph breezes we get back home. Tomorrow I will hopefully start finally heading north-east, towards Inverness & JOG; doubtless the wind will continue to shift & will be blowing from that direction in a strong north-easterly.

Every plunge on the pedals results in a protest from the tendons in my ankles & shins; every bump in the road reminds me of my sore behind; my rear hasn’t gotten used to the saddle 11 days in, despite what I was told by a variety of people. If my fitness is improving I’m not getting the benefit of it, as the wind is hard against me, which is typical as the roads today have been very benign, a good opportunity to make some miles wasted.

The country is experiencing drought conditions, and yet I managed to set out for this ride in what has turned out to be the wettest May in 27yrs. This ride has turned into a cauldron of pain & frustration; I ache all over & I’m exhausted. It’s all I can do to get up every morning & get on the bike, with all the pain that brings; and my reward is a hard battle into the wind, falling behind on the mileage and the sure knowledge that I have another week of this to go. I can’t face the thought of having another week to go, God help me, I have to make some miles, I need a break, I need my luck to change”

57 miles today, to bring the total to 658m.

Day 12

2006-06-08T10:26:00.000+01:00

Monday 29th May

My legs felt tired as I set off today despite the day off, & it was spitting at me too. I was able to keep largely dry though which was a plus, but the main problem today was the wind, which was blowing against me the whole way. It’s hard to make a non-cyclist understand the effect this has, especially over extended distances, but to try & put it into some perspective I was averaging 10mph into the wind on the flat, whereas when there is no wind on the flat I can average 15mph without too much difficulty. That’s 50% more speed, and in addition to that you get the extra speed (and therefore distance) with far less effort.

Moved into Scotland today which was definitely a good thing, and cycled past a pub that has been carrying out weddings for over a hundred years. In Scotland you don’t need parental consent to get married at the age of 16, and so numerous amorous English couples would cross the border, a few feet from which they could get married in this place…

Cycled through the beautiful Nith valley, and stopped in a service station for an energy drink when a man pulled up in 2yr old Vauxhall Astra. He opened the dirver’s door, stepped out, left the engine running & the door open, & wandered into the shop for a natter with the shop keeper. I think he bought something, I can’t be sure, I was too busy being stunned that he would leave his motor running like that. Haven’t seen anything like it for a long time, and it was heart warming to see, although I must admit I allowed myself a wry smile as I contemplated the size of his boot & how far I could get before they’d catch me… ; - )

Made New Cumnock, a nothing of a place where I was lucky to find somewhere to stay. As it happened, I was the only guest in this hotel (if one can call it that, I cycled past it a couple of times before I realized it was actually a hotel, it looked so run down & all the lights were dimmed or off to save electricity). The place was cavernous inside, and I was the only guest! Came down for “dinner” to find everything I asked for off the “menu” wasn’t available, until eventually I asked what they had – burgers. Well on the plus side it was a damn good burger, home-made beef pattie, nice & thick & very tasty, none of this frozen malarkey.

I also met a “Chookie” in the bar as I was waiting for my food. For those of you who don’t know what a Chookie is, fear not, neither did I & I am still here to tell the tale… Chookie had been propping up the bar since it had opened at 11am, and as I walked in he insisted on discussing the subtle differences between a p***y & a c**t. He managed to expand on the subject for ten minutes before I could distract him & get him to talk about something else; by that stage his taxi had arrived to take him home, and he shouted over to the cabbie “Mack, kom tee-ache a luke at mah chyclisht! I’ve goat a chyclisht”. My new friend in town, Chookie….

74miles today out of a total of 601m, despite the wind.

Day 11

2006-06-07T18:40:00.000+01:00

Sunday 28th May

My second day off; need it too, as much for the soul as for the body. Watched the Monaco Grand Prix, and then went to the cinema to watch the Da Vinci code. The movie follows the book quite closely, which is a good thing in a way but does make it rather predictable. Schumacher parked his car on a qualifying lap & got sent to the back of the grid; absolutely storming drive to get to 5th from the back, overtaking cars at Monaco where overtaking is 'impossible', but it wasn't the result I was looking for and it was a disappointed Fred who went to bed on Sunday evening to face another day in the saddle...

Day 10

2006-06-07T18:32:00.000+01:00

Saturday 27th May

Well I had my Italian last night, which resulted in several visits to the bathroom for repeated entreaties and prayers to the porcelaine gods. If I'm honest I think I overdid it, with a starter, main course & desert, all of which were a little on the rich side, and two large glasses of red to boot... did really want to relax a little & enjoy being at the half way mark, but after ten days of hard physical exertion & eating properly, my body just wasn't interested!

I was aiming for the Scottish border today, but after the lack of sleep (& prayers) it was always going to be a challenge, given what was facing me for breakfast: Shap. 1,400 feet of the Lake District's best, and a strong wind to boot. I made it up Shap relatively painlessly, but that pretty much did for my legs & I spent the rest of the day struggling against a wind which was turning decidedly into a northerly.

Only made Carlisle & 55 miles; have the day off tomorrow to watch the Monaco Grand Prix, which I have really been looking forward to. If only the weather were a little more pleasant, I could relax & enjoy the trip a little more.

Day 9

2006-06-07T18:21:00.000+01:00

Friday 26th May

A late start to the day today, as it was raining all night & forecast to continue in the day, clearing to the North. Had to set off eventually and so, by 0930, I was once again soaked from head to foot & my feet were squelching in the pedals... did someone say I needed a shower?!

Sunglasses recovered their dual functionality today & served well to keep the rain & spray out of my eyes, as I followed the rain in it's northward trajectory. Also nearly got run over by a 40-tonne artic, while I was cycling in a marked, differently-coloured cycle lane... A car in front was slowing down to turn right, and as the lorry passed me he decided to avoid the car rather than have to slow down, and so swung into the cycle lane. I anchored on the brakes with both the front & rear wheels locking up, as I virtually fell onto the pavement. Stuck a leg out to cushion the blow & by then he had passed me, missing by inches.... a cyclist behind me asked if I was alright, said it happened all the time & carried along his merry way. Mad.

Stopped for a late lunch in a pub (baked potato & coffee, before you ask!!) & when I left after two, it was still raining. I figured the rain, which had been forecast to "clear to the north by lunchtime" had probably done just that, but I had moved north and so... I was very cold at this stage, as it wasn't warm anyway & I was soaked to boot. It took a good quarter of an hour for the warmth to come back, as I sweated into my already wet togs... Boy am I enjoying this ride! lol

Fought for each of the 64 cold, wet miles I made today & once again stuck to main roads, so now back on schedule despite having had a day off. Made Kendal and it's nice to feel like I'm finally getting somewhere, I'm now officially just over the half way mark... to celebrate I'm off out for some Italian cooking!

Day 8

2006-06-07T18:01:00.000+01:00

Thursday 25th May

Bumped into a few more End to Enders today, they were staying at the same Travelodge as I was in Shrewsbury. They were all middle-aged and supported by a car that carried all their gear, but they looked to be suffering. Met one of them walking down the corridor with his bike in the morning; strangest of bedfellows I said, to which he replied, we don't like to talk about it, please don't tell anyone! Lol. Came across them on the road a couple of times, they were planning on doing 20miles more than I was for the day but didn't seem to be making tracks, considering my lack of fitness and additional gear. I wonder how far they got.

I was able to wear my sunglasses for all the right reasons today (ie, keeping out the sunlight rather than the rain & road spray!) It was sunny all day & not too windy. My gloves only cover half my fingers, and they have developed a wonderfull tan-line that makes me look like I've applied fake sun tan lotion, badly!

Overall, a good day today with the roads as kind to me as the wind & weather were. Despite my legs being tired after a long day yesterday, I made Standish, just north of Wigan and covered 68 miles.

Day 7

2006-06-07T17:50:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 22nd May

After a relaxing day off (much needed) I set off from Monmouth "in between showers". Took great delight in telling the Dutch couple staying at the same B&B, when they mentioned how poor the weather looked, that I was really looking forward to the day's ride, that rain was nature's beauty as much as the sunshine was, and besides it would serve to keep me cool. They looked at me like I was bonkers, which I probably am, but just thinking about it kept a smile on my face until well after eleven in the morning...

Having made my first 5 organised B&B's, I now had none planned & so, having had a day off, I settled on Shrewsbury as my target for the day, some 70 miles up the road. The road was mainly flat & I only had to duck for cover under the trees three times from rain today, so a good day all in all. Also bumped into a couple more End to Enders, in their 40's, with similar bikes to mine & also carrying their own gear. They were steaming along at 100 miles a day, but I can tell you they had legs like tree trunks! Told them about my route in Cornwall (ie 'scenic', sticking to the coast) & they chuckled in mild amusement. One of the two had done it himself a few years previously, & he only commented that it was the most painful ride he'd ever been on, and wouldn't be repeating the experience any time soon...

Sticking to main roads & making Shrewsbury, I cycled 74miles today and finished the day only 20miles behind my original waypoint for the day, despite a day off. The thigh muscle & knees have stopped complaining, and I've gotten used to the pain in my achilles tendons, which is now everpresent in both feet (oh, and my sore bottom too, although that I am unable to get used to...)

I've made it!

2006-06-05T10:54:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post to say, I've made it to John O'Groats. 955 miles in 17 days (and an hr!), which equates to a daily average of 64miles if you exclude my two rest days. I arrived in Wick (15miles from the end) on Saturday afternoon, and decided to stop over so I could have a relaxed, nonchalant ride in on Sunday morning!

Apologies for the lack of updates, none of the places I've stayed at had a computer and I've relied on libraries for this and my previous post. Needless to say, when you have a long way to go the last thing you want to be doing is hanging about in a library or searching for an internet cafe...

I will post my daily journal for those that are interested, along with a few photos, tomorrow. I fly back this afternoon; yesterday there was only 1 train out of Wick (!) and no flights, on a weekday such as today there are three times as many trains (no kidding) and two flights. The train takes 4hrs to Inverness, where you change for Edinburgh; that's another 4hrs and then you change for a GNER train to London, which I think is about 4.5hrs. Hadn't realised how remote this place really is.

Scotland and the Highlands have been stunning, the most beautiful part of the trip and the friendliest people of the lot (sorry!). I'm so very glad to have finished, I couldn't stand another moment in the saddle (my rear does have sore spots...) but the sense of achievement I felt when I topped the final hill, saw the Orkneys and clear blue sea in between, was awesome. I got my photo taken at the end, signed the book, had a couple of pints of Guinness and got a taxi back to my hotel in Wick, where I promptly fell asleep...

Thanks for the messages of support & all the texts, I may have been cycling alone but I never felt alone. More anon...

Fred.

Day 6

2006-05-23T12:06:00.000+01:00

A day of rest today... staying in Casita Alta in Monmouth, the loveliest people you could hope to encounter on such a journey. They took pity on me last night & fed me so I didn't have to go foraging! Have decided that, as I'm not an amatuer cyclist & therefore haven't got the required level of fitness, I'm giving my body a day off. Had said I would do this if necessary & I think it's needed if I'm to get to the end. I know I keep repeating myself but the extra weight on the bike makes a huge difference.

The mileage was due to start ramping up as well, to get to an average of around 60miles a day despite a slow start in the Cornish hills, with the whole trip taking 16 days. I will need to revise this, think I will need at least one other day off (Monaco Grand Prix!!!) & some of the daily mileages I had hoped to achieve may be looking a little ambitious.

Still well on track for doing it within 21 days however, assuming I don't break anything! I have to say thanks for all the well-wishing texts, it's very encouraging to get them & to know I'm not doing this alone. Keep it coming....

That's me over & out until I next get the opportunity to post; going to wander in to Monmouth, find the library & a good book & while away the time gently!

Cheers,

Fred.

Day 5

2006-05-23T11:46:00.000+01:00

Today I made Bristol & the Clifton suspension bridge. Went on from there to follow the river Avon to it's mouth, a lovely ride with the sun out but a strong wind in my face...

I tried to follow a "cycle path which threads it's way through the Mendips like the eye of a needle" but got terribly lost & found myself dragging the bike through muddy fields... luckily I didn't get shot by some irate farmer & was able to crack on, but having covered about 3miles in the first hour, I decided once again to shgort-circuit my route a little & headed straight for Bristol on main roads. Of course, this meant I didn't get to "thread" my way through the Mendips but had to climb them, & that was tough. Even pushing the bike the tendon was crying foul & with the extra load I was putting through the left one it too was now complaining. I'm only 29 & falling apart already! lol..

There is a cycle way across the second severn bridge which is basically the service road; they will have been considering closing it due to the high winds & I can tell you, I was barely able to manage 7mph cycling into the wind... I was feeling the strain of five hard days' cycling by this stage & following a mis-shift the other side of the bridge going up a steep hill, I pulled a small muscle in my right thigh. I was able to carry on but at much reduced pace, trying not to put any load through on the right hand side.

Up until now I have only had to face myself, given the wind, the rain, the hills & the weight on the bike. My greatest fear now is not that I will give up (was never going to do that) but that my body will give up. I can understand now why people don't carry their gear & have someone follow them in a van, and I think I also appreciate the importance of not pushing yourself too hard....

55miles today, made Wales & Monmouth.

Day 4

2006-05-23T11:32:00.000+01:00

Early start today (Sunday 21 May), breakfast at 0730 & on the road at 0815. My feet were once again squelching in the peddals by 0915, & the wind & rain lashed at me as I made my way up the long hills the other side of Crediton. A hard start to the day but I made Tiverton by 1015, so the early start was worthwhile. Sheltered at a BP garage & warmed myself up with a cuppa before cracking on, thankfully along a towpath this time.

The canal was lovely to cycle along although it would doubtless have been much nicer in the absence of continuous rain! Kept passing people who must have been on some sort of organised walk, as it was a) Sunday b) chucking it down c) freezing cold, & yet there were masses of them along the canal.

A-ha! They must have heard of me coming & were lining up to shout encouragement... ; - )

So I made Taunton, & thereafter (thankfully) it was the levels for me, which for those that don't know, was an area of freshwater swamp, which was drained (initially by monks in the 12th century) from the 1770's on. The area now produces mainly thatch for cottages but what really got me going was not the history, but the fact that it was flat, and the sun came out... this was a thoroughly enjoyable part of the ride, passing through quiet old English villages, the sun on my back, no wind to speak of & eating up the miles.

The tendon in my right ankle, going up to the calf started to cry mercy at me towards the end of the day, while both knees have now been reminding me of their limited capabilities for a day already. I made the Cheddar gorge by five, a full day in the saddle & 70miles on the clock, but worried about my right foot.

Day 3

2006-05-23T11:13:00.000+01:00

Had a climb out of Launceston back on to the A30 this morning; only 2 miles but a decent climb nonetheless. Had just got on the A30 when roadworks directed me off it... back in to the center of Launceston! Got to fly back down hill but was a little gutted, half an hour in & I was back where I started & it started to rain.

The hills continued as I travelled in to Devon from Cornwall, well past Okehampton. So did the rain (!) I took shelter under various trees (took this picture from under one of them, the hills being lashed by rain) but a pigeon asked me politely to move on (by leaving a calling card on my knee!) so I decided to jsut get on with it. After being wet for a couple of days I had hoped to avoid the rain but that's not going to be possible methinks... I was rewarded with sunny spells & moments of cruising along flat or gently undulating country roads, reminding me of how I had expected the ride to be!

My stop for the night was at The Taw Vale B&B in Crediton; 40miles today, although once again I short-circuited parts of the route so still on track. I have bumped in to one or two other end to enders, including an old gent who whipped past me on his shed of a bike. I have a big day tomorrow so glad today was short anyhow, and the B&B was very welcoming & comfortable...

Day 2

2006-05-23T11:01:00.000+01:00

Stayed in a B&B called Penkerris in St Agnes; run by a lovely old dear called Dorothy. All of 90 & just had "another" tumour removed, kept excusing herself for not running around but she still seemed more energetic than I felt...

Day 2 was hard work, starting when I first sat in the saddle - ouch! - alot of hills, lots of coves & valleys which I was dipping in & out of. This scenic route is beautiful but not the easiest. Booked out of the scenic route about half way through the day & boosted along the A30 (well, boosted relatively speaking). My legs were like jelly after only 20miles but what can you do but keep pushing on. The rain then made an appearance about 25miles in & from then on, it was foot-squelching stuff all the way!

I made it to Launceston, where I didn't have anywhere to stay, & thankfully found a cheap hotel that took pitty on the sodden cyclist who stumbled through reception... they warned me there might be some noise, it turned out it was the annual Regional Skittles Conference (!) & there would be a disco until 2am. I didn't hear a thing & was out like a light...

Covered 56 hard miles today.

Day 1

2006-05-23T10:54:00.000+01:00

Here's a picture of me at the start of my ride. I was pleased to finally get going, after a long journey down on the train and a an uphill struggle from Penzance to St Just, where I spent Wednesday night in a Youth Hostel. The bike is so much heavier with the gear on board, even the slightest incline requires hard work on the pedals.

I had a good first day, with the wind behind me and sunny spells, only a few spots of rain to keep me cool. The Cornish countryside is beautiful, but boy is it hilly... Finally gave in at Zennor, a tall hill about 30miles in, & decided to push the bike the rest of the way up. Would you believe it, I heard the sound of bagpipes carried to me on the wind... I paused & listened intently, there was no mistaking it: definitely bagpipes! Scotland calling as I struggled up the hill... lol.

Following a pause in St Ives on the pier (enjoying a Flake 99 & a hot latte!) I pushed on to finish in St Agnes for the day. A good first day but the hills are tough, and I only managed 45miles.

Day Zero

2006-05-17T10:30:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 17th May, 2006

Today is day zero. Got back from France late on Monday & spent yesterday running around nervously trying to get everything done in time for my trip. On the one I hand I am really looking forward to it, and on the other I feel ill prepared, which is an annoyance.

Going to get the train from Balham to Victoria, & then cycle to Paddington. Have booked myself & bike on to the 1405 from Paddington to Penzance... & booked in to the YHA at St Just this evening, about 4 or 5 miles from Lands' End (ironically, in the wrong direction). The first 5 nights accomodation are sorted, which also helps.

The weather is cool, which is nice, but it has been threatening rain & the forecast for this afternoon / evening in Penzance is heavy rain. First stop is in St Agnes tomorrow evening; I'll post an update the next time I come across an internet terminal but until then, au revoir et a bientot mes amis...

Public Post

2006-05-12T11:25:00.000+01:00

You can post messages of support, or generally extract the michael on this posting. I will try to respond / answer any questions, and if you want me to perform a specific task along the way (as if riding 960miles wasn't enough!) in order to qualify for sponsorship, then let me know & I will do my best to oblige.

(And before you ask, no, I won't do anything that involves the tub of vaseline generously donated to me by my friends at the Royal Bank...)

Cheers

Fred.

The Training

2006-05-01T14:10:00.000+01:00

Ah, yes, the training. Well I'm not particulalry good at practising for stuff, I'd rather just get on with it & get stuck in you see. On this occasion, as I was probably not very fit (could run 2miles in 18mins, so not unfit, but not exactly the picture of physical fitness either) and had not been out on a bike in about 3yrs I decided a bit of practice was in order.

Day One, Saturday 8 April

Balham-Richmond Park (1 lap) -Balham
25 miles, 2hrs11mins, 11.42mph average speed

Overslept today, but it was such a lovely day I decided to finally start doing what I have been dreading all along... Having had my Trek bike for two months now, and not having been out on a bike properly in 3yrs, it was about time I started riding the thing: after all, I'm planning on taking off on a 1,000 mile trek only 6 weeks from now! The aim was for a bedding-in run, to find out what my true level of fitness currently is, and check out the bike for any loose items & niggles. Had tightened everything up when I first got the bike & ridden it around the block, but they have a habit of working the odd item loose on longer runs so this needed to be a mixture of surfaces & gradients, to make sure it got a good rattle and bump, and all the gears enjoyed a good pasting.

I chose a known route, from my London to Brighton (L2B) days: Richmond Park & back, via Tooting, Garrett lane, up through Wimbledon Village (avoided the main street at first) & then along the common, briefly along the A3 and then in to Roehampton before heading up to Roehampton gate. I was quite tired this week & didn't feel particulalry energetic, so decided there & back would be enough for a first run (about 18 miles). I read somewhere that to be fit for the E2E, you need to be able to maintain a 14mph average for 2hrs. I reckon I have 15% extra performance in me as an easy win, but getting more than that in 6 weeks simply won't be possible, so I'm hoping I will be near enough the benchmark that I can make up my fitness to the required level as I go along (it is 3 weeks of non-stop riding, after all!)

The ride was tough; I don't know that it was any tougher than I expected, I haven't really thought about it up to this point. I have simply been fixated on the goal, getting from Lands' End to John O'Groats, and bugger the time it takes or how hard it is. My thinking thus far has been "I will grit my teeth & see it through". I am going to do it, End Of. It's a stubborn streak which has helped me through life as many times as it has gotten me into trouble; I have yet to figure out which category this little adventure will fall into!

The wind was against me riding towards the park, which I found encouraging - my direction was south-westerly and so maybe there's some truth to what I've read about the prevailing winds being north-easterly, & plumping for Lands End as the starting point increasingly seems like the right decision. With the wind against me it made life much more difficult though; even just the odd gust felt like someone tugging on the brakes. I used my dipped bars when the wind got up; also tried standing in the pedals occasionally when my arse got sore. Helped the arse but I couldn't do it for very long, didn't have the legs. Tried sitting on one cheek at a time as well, that helped too but I kind of get the feeling there might be areas of difficulty & pain to this ride I hadn't fully appreciated when I decided to take it on!

I covered 25miles today, which was more than I had been anticipating on my first run - I knew it wouldn't be the lap of the Park that killed me, but the last leg home, uphill from Garratt lane through Tooting in to Balham. There are two steep bits in the park if you do a lap though, and I was keen to get up them without stopping just to mark some sort of progress, even for my first run. The first 2 (or 3!) days of my ride, in Cornwall & Devon, will reputedly be the toughest, as the countryside is characterised by undulating lanes; not so much long hills, but alot of ups & downs to test your legs & your resolve right at the start of the ride.

Day Two, Monday 17 April

Balham-Richmond Park (2 laps) -Balham
32.5 miles, 2hrs45mins saddle time (3hrs 15mins total), 11.65mph average speed

Easter Monday. Felt rotten after a few cocktails in Richmond on Easter Sunday; rail engineering works meant a trip home was going to be a nightmare so kipped in Kingston, and felt like I slept all of about 3hrs. Still, I was determined to get out there, & conscious of the limited opportunities to train, I got home to fetch the bike, setting off around lunchtime, after fuelling up on a big bowl of pasta.

The ride wasn’t so bad; considering the state I was in, would have expected it to be far worse. Ran out of water, the bottle is only 500ml it turns out which is pretty useless to anybody. Had to ration it for the second lap of the park, and still had the trip home to contend with. Weather was lovely, warm and sunny for the most part. No real problems with the wind today. The bike’s working well, pleased with it although I’m sure something will come loose on the event & I will curse the YTS trainee who put the thing together…. All things in due course!

Only managed to add a quarter of a mile an hour to my average speed, remembering I’m meant to be able to hit a 14mph average for 2hrs to be fit enough for the ride. To be fair I did add a lap of the park, and the ride was 7.5miles longer than the first one, so simply achieving the added distance let alone at an overall faster speed left me chuffed. Don’t think I’m at 14mph over 2hrs yet if I limited myself to the distance, but I am definitely getting stronger & that was the aim. Oh, & to top it all, I didn’t have to disembark for any of the park’s up-bits, even on the second lap, and when I eventually made it home my legs were definitely tired, but they didn’t feel like heavy logs that I had to drag around everywhere, which was how they felt last week….

Day Three, Saturday 22 April

Balham-Richmond Park (3 laps) - Balham
39 miles, 3hrs03mins saddle time (3hrs 45mins total), 12.80mph average speed

Woke up today & realised I am starting to get a tan. On top that, my butt has definitely slimmed down & hardened up somewhat; girls, if you think your butt looks big in that, GO CYCLING!!! I wonder how I will look when I finally get to JOG: 3 weeks of unshaven beard, exposure to sun, wind & rain for 6-8hrs every day, and a ton of exercise along the way. Could be a picture to remember…

Today’s choice of fuel was a big bowl of porridge, with a couple of tablespoons (yes, tablespoons!) of honey drizzled over it. Went down a treat & the fuel worked well, but I was starving by about 2/3 of the way through the ride; will have to give consideration to en-route refueling for my final ride. Came home to a BIG bowl of pasta, qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix for which Schumacher will start on pole for Ferrari: perfect day really. Have consciously been watching the diet, beyond the yoghurt & cereal in the morning, salad for lunch: I’m trying to make sure I eat a good, balanced meal every evening, with fresh veggies & plenty of protein. Love my steak so the protein hasn’t been a problem, but you can’t have a steak without a white wine & mushroom cream sauce, and of course a good, large glass of Chianti which is good for the heart (!). Ok, so maybe the experiment here is to see if a general office wallowing lardy can achieve this kind of feat with virtually no training!

The ride was good: I felt strong, my legs seemed to be quite happy keeping me chugging along nicely, & didn’t appear to start waning until around the 16 mile mark. They were tired by the second lap around the park; the third one I had to push, & then the ride home was the usual painful slog. Seems like each time, the last lap is tough but doable, & the ride home is where I really make the gains – out beyond what my legs are capable of, demanding more from them so they step up to the plate for the next outing. The tactic seems to be working so far, let’s wait & see how the final ride goes…. 4 laps around Richmond Park is going to be hard work, but I’m determined to not get off my bike for those little steep bits. Haven’t had to yet.

Made 13.65mph average for the first 16 miles, which came down to 13.08mph after 30 miles, so I’m definitely getting closer to that 14mph barrier. I only have one training ride left, don’t think I will hit 14mph, but I may get to 13.50 which is – wait for it – a whole half a mile an hour more than I had planned on finding! Lol Crazy to think the record for the End to End is some 44hrs, which implies an average, non-stop speed of somewhere around 25mph…

The Where

2006-05-01T14:04:00.000+01:00

The route I am taking is... about 960miles. I have planned for an average of roughly 60miles a day, and allowed myself three weeks for the ride. Some days will undoubtedly be better than others, depending on how I am feeling and how flat the roads are, but I should finish well within the 3 weeks.

I keep getting asked why I am going "up hill", from Lands End to Scotland. Well the topography is actually flat, unsurprisingly, as I am going from sea level to sea level. What does make a difference is the prevailing winds; I have read that these are north-easterly and therefore, heading in the same direction will see the wind working in my favour. Hopefully...

The record for doing this ride, as far as I can make out, is 44hrs & 4 mins, by a chap called Gethin Butler. Most people won't have a clue who he is (I don't) but may recall hearing about Steve Gough, the chap who insisted on walking the E2E naked; it took him 6mths including two terms in gaol, but he did have two female companions sharing him along the way so it can't have been all bad... People have run it backwards (26 days) and unicycled it (14 days, ie less time than I'm planning on taking!) and a McDonnel F-4K Phantom Jet did it in 46mins 44secs in 1986. Something tells me I may be a while longer...

Watch this blogspace for updates along the way, I'll try & upload the odd photo for you if I can.

My final route: Penzance – St Just – Land’s End – St Ives – St Agnes – Mawgan Porth – Padstow – Wadebridge – Davidstow – Launceston – Okehampton – Crediton – Tiverton – Wellington – Taunton – Westhay – Cheddar – Long Ashton – Severn Bridge – Monmouth – Eardisley – Bucknell – Ratlinghope – Melverley – Ellesmere – Beeston – Frodsham – Runcorn – Warrington – Newton-le-Willows – Appley Bridge – Preston – Garstang – Lancaster – Carnforth – Levens Bridge – Hawkshead – Thirlmere – Hesket Newmarket – Carlisle – Longtown – Ruthwell – Dumfries – Drumlanrig – Kirkconnel – Stair – Irvine – Ardrossan – Isle of Arran – Kilmartin – Connel – Fort William – Fort Augustus – Muir of Ord – Dornock – Dunbeath – John O’Groats. c.984miles but will wait & see what the odometer says at the end...

The Equipment

2006-05-01T13:48:00.000+01:00

[ADD PHOTO OF BIKE]

As I am riding solo, with no porters, compadres or butler in tow, I am going to need to carry everything I might need along the way, that won't be readily available at all times. Against this I need to balance the additional weight, and for this reason I have invested in some proper gear, that ought to keep me warm, dry & comfortable while not weighing me down yoo much either.

My equipment list:

Two saddle bags
Front & rear LED's
Trip computer / speedometer
Dip bars & cycle gloves
Toe-clip pedals
Two 750ml water bottles
Pump
Puncture repair kit
Spare inner tube
Two cycle tee shirts (bright red figure hugging efforts, hilarious)
Two cycle shorts (baggy, none of this lycra crap) with nappy enhancement to protect my vitals
High visibility shower proof jacket (highlighter yellow)
Helmet
4 pairs of socks
2 boxers (commando is the way fwd in the nappy shorts, apparently)
PJ bottoms & tee shirt, in case I get cold at night
spare tee shirt, sweatshirt, pants & light shoes to wear as an alternative of an evening
Swiss army knife
Bicycle multi-tool
Pliers
Sun tan lotion & sunnies (ever hopeful)
Plasters & pain killers
Phone, ipod, camera & chargers
Maps & compass
Shower cape & rope (makeshift tent if it pours down with rain)
Toothbrush (had to add this after Adelle pointed out it was missing....) & toothpaste, hair gel (aerodynamics), deodorant, erm, bar of soap, vaseline (as generously provided by my colleagues for the event)... anything else?

All my clothing is fully breathable and meant to keep the sweat off my body; the jacket & shorts also have vents, which I have found extremely useful when skiing to cool down when on the go (no I don't know what cycling across britain in early summer has in common with hooning down a slope in the alps in the middle of winter either, but it seemed like a good idea at the time)

Someone also suggested bringing a few spare spokes along but to be honest I wouldn't have the first clue what to do with them, so I decided to save the weight and drop the idea (I'm sure they weigh at least 15g, or 2/3oz each!).

Altogether, the gear adds quite alot of weight to the bike, as well as the additional wind resistance offered up by the saddle bags. It makes a considerable difference to your average speed, and to the way your legs feel at the end of a long day.... justifying a higher calorie intake!!

The How

2006-05-01T13:45:00.000+01:00

Well, on a bike of course! Did you really need me to tell you that.

Anyway, the bike is a Trek hybrid road bike, which means it's not as tough as a mountain bike or as light as a road bike. Hopefully, it will be strong enough to get me to the end without needing any major repairs while at the same time, not being too heavy.

The Why

2006-05-01T13:14:00.000+01:00

The first question I get asked is whether I'm doing this for charity; the second, who I'm going with and the third, why I'm doing it.

In response to the first question, I'm hoping to raise £2,500 for the Dreams Come True charity. This charity gives seriously or terminally ill children the chance to live their dreams, and to do something fantastic which they otherwise wouldn't get the opportunity to do. Your support is very gratefully received, and will help make someone's dream come true. You can learn more about the work they do here:
http://www.dctc.org.uk/
And importantly, you can sponsor me here:
http://www.justgiving.com/fredonabike
Remember, every pound you donate will be added to by Gordon Brown, our seemingly infallible and ever generous Chancellor...

My mum in her early twenties

I am going to be riding solo. There are a number of personal reasons for this, but in the main I wanted some quiet time to reflect, to remember, to enjoy the countryside. A small number of people have expressed an interest in joining me for a section of the ride, if you are one of them then please don't hesitate to get in touch, it will be good to meet up with people along the way. I simply liked the idea of doing it on my own, it's more of a challenge and I like it that way.

So why am I riding? I am doing this in honour of my mother Jennifer, who passed away unexpectedly on December 22nd last year. Life was unfairly hard on my mother, and her life was cut short at the young age of 58, only 6 weeks after retiring. I wanted to do something to remember her, and this ride will give me plenty of time to see the length and breadth of my mother's wonderful country, while providing me with ample opportunity to remember her.

And of course, it's also a great opportunity to get fit, lose some weight, and come back with a tan to die for!