Blazing Pedals, Burning Saddles..

About the blog.

2009-04-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

If you like to read the last page of a book before starting on page one, just keep scrolling down.
Being a blog, this account of our trip in the summer of 2008, starts with the most recent posts first.
Much better to start at the beginning, using the archive tabs on the right - beginning with a few training runs and all the attendant niggles, doubts and worries.

The blog isn't big on maps, gradients and all the technical stuff. We followed Colin Langdon's well known Youth Hostel based route, available via the CTC website, thinking that an evening meal, a good nights sleep and a fried breakfast would be preferable to beans out of a tin and pitching a tent in a flash flood (the English Summer). We do have a few video clips by James and some cartoons by me. Hopefully, along with the posts, we've managed to capture some of the fun and adventure of this classic British tour.

Ifyou enjoyed the blog and would like to contribute to our justgiving page for Macmillan Cancer relief, we'd be grateful. There's a handy link at the right. Any comments you'd like to leave on the blog as a whole, please feel free by clicking on the comment button below. You'll need to have a googlemail account. If you can't be bothered with all that, email us at: michael.kelly18@ntlworld.com

Thanks, Mike and James.

James's summing up

2008-09-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic time, ok sure it hurt and yes there were times when I got fed up with being on the bike, but come on what a great adventure. I'm telling you it's like being a kid again, every day you wake up, eat scratch your head and wonder what the day holds for you, because you have no idea. OK, it might rain or not, that's about it with the weather. There could be some hills, but what goes up means you can go down. It's just down to you, your buddie, a map, your trusty bike and the unkown. That's what makes it fun and exciting.

Got to admit before I started out I was never sure I could do it, dont like bikes that much and couldn't tell you what make my brakes or gears are. So to be sitting on a bike every day for 15 days didn't sound that appealing. That very first day when you're at Lands End it becomes very real and you realise how far you have to go. Your mind is asking you 'what on earth are you doing this for? Get back on that train home!' but Mike and I had talked about this, just think one day at a time - and that's how we dealt with it. The first couple of days are the testers. That's when you need your stamina, and plenty of food and plenty of cheer, but once you get those days under your belt it begins to feel better.

Mike was a great friend on the ride, and we had some great times together. We only had one cross moment, over my change of heart about what type of soup to have for tea!!!, but we soon kissed and made up and that was on the 14 th day. Anytime before 11 in the morning Mike was quiet, and needed his time to wake up, but he soon burst into song and wit when tea and cake was on the horizon, although as the ride went on he began to cheer up much earlier. We had a great laugh every day to a point that some days we were nearly in tears and even though he took the crown of 'king of the mountains' for a couple of days off me I didnt hold it against him.

There was always the doubt with Mike if he was going to do it, with his back and his knees, and i know others doubted if he would hold out, but he did good and I'm very proud of my namby pamby friend.

So what words of advice can I give to those who want to give it a go?
1. Go for it, you will surprise your self and boy does it make you feel good.
2. If your staying in YH in a dorm get ear plugs, you'll need them - and you'll need your sleep.
3. Eat, eat and keep eating. don't wait till your hungry, and the great thing is youll be burning some 5000 calories a day so you can eat as much as you like... and you'll still be hungry. We tried those energy bars and gels, gave them up after the 3rd day, just used cereal bars and, beans, pasta, eggs etc when you can.
4. Very important: Don't drink alchohol at lunch time. Did it once, went straight to my head. took a couple of hours to wear off. Drinking at night time is ok as long as you can walk home from the pub afterwards
5. Not all YHA's do food, the English ones tend to do breakfasts but as you go up, you'll need to self cater, as we found that the hostel you're staying at is not always near a shop or town so you'll have to get stuff in on the way. Some hostels sell basic food but you will pay for it!!!! Can of beans £1 at Glencoe. Not all pubs are open on Mondays so you can't always bank on getting grub there
6. If you dont take a towel with you the hostel will provide but it will cost you from 50p to a £1. Showers are good but they don't provide saunas, closest thing being the drying room.
7. When looking at your route, study the roads with care. We took a couple of short cuts, and ended up mountain climbing up some hills!
8.We found we left most mornings at about 9 and arrived most days by 6.30, we didnt push it we took our time had plenty of breaks and enjoyed ourselves.
9.Invest in Avon 'skin so soft' Scottish midges don't like it
10. Enjoy it. Yes it's hard work and some days you seem to do a lot of climbing, but each day has a reward believe me. One day we spent 5 hours climbing to Glencoe, but when you got to the top and starrted going back down, amazing. No picture or video really captures it.
11. This is a great adventure and you will hurt, but every day you get up and you go on and each day it gets easier. What a great way to see the country, and what great stories you'll have to tell.

Would I do it again, .................. yes in the future, Mike and I talked about doing it again in 10 years time. Would I recommend it? You bet. Do I ever want to see a bike again? Yeah, it gives you a thirst to do more, next time Europe!

So what are you waiting for?.......................

Mike's summing up.

2008-08-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Great to have done it - and great to be home again!

Couldn't have asked for a better partner on the long road north than old Penny. Endlessly good humoured, entertaining and upbeat, he kept my spirits up a good deal - particularly over the first two days when I was feeling so anxious about the days mileages that I could hardly eat my breakfast, or raise a smile till after 11! Filled my water bottles every morning, got the bikes out and made me more breakfasts than my wife! A top, top bloke and friend.

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac at times, but I had real concerns about my back on this trip. Happily, I didn't even have a twinge and I'm now convinced that the episode I suffered 4 weeks before we left was more down to over ambitious earthworks and fence building than the old Galaxy. Within a week of being home, I pulled a muscle in my groin walking the dog along the canal! You just never know with a body over 40. I lost half a stone, felt fitter as the trip went on and would heartily recommend it to anyone with a half-decent cardio vascular system.

I don't think either of us is what you'd call a 'keen' cyclist. We were both excited and motivated by the physical challenge and the chance to get a different perspective on the countries we passed through. We certainly got that, with days like the ride from Chester to Slaidburn, when the landscape shifting enormously as the hours went by.

It's been a brilliant, funny, knackering adventure - and we've raised a bit of money for a worthwhile cause along the way.

Here's some of the incredible wildlife we encountered - or thought we did - on the road. James very much enjoyed laughing at my mis-identifications. That was a brown trout at Carbisdale though...and I've missed out a few gazillion midges.

The long (train) ride home...

2008-08-13T13:34:00.002-07:00

Up super early to allow time to ride 18 miles back to Thurso for the 8.42 train. Beautiful clear morning, probably the best start we'd had since Clun! Whipped along at a fair old rate, covering the distance in about 1.15.

Quick stop for provisions at Tesco essentials and a late sortie for papers by James before the train arrived. We'd booked the bikes on board so no hassle there. After an hour of looking for golden eagles and deer out of the window, we tucked into our sarnies etc. 15 days of constant cycling means you're hungry all of the time. Changes at Inverness, Perth and Glasgow and Crewe and we're nearly home. We actually talked about real stuff on the journey back - jobs, family, career etc - which was strange because serious matters just hadn't arisen really on the trip. We were just too busy keeping spirits up and getting to the next stage. Offered our fruit cake to all passengers around us at one point to receive blanket "no thankyou"s and embarrassed laughs. The sharing philosophy of the YH, which we've become accustomed to, just doesn't translate to the Virgin Pendolino.

Off at Stoke at 10.50 where we were met by our wives Sara and Jane who ran up the platform with a huge hand painted 'well done' banner, our daughters (with balloons) and our old chum Steve, who'd cycled with us in to Stafford at the start of the journey. After kisses, hugs and handshakes (Steve), the girls headed back to their cars and we set off for the towpath near the station. As soon as we got onto it, Steve pulled up and magicked 3 cans of Fosters from his bag. We gratefully swigged these, swapped some tales then headed home.

I returned to find a big hand drawn banner in the window, detailing some of the major landmarks and accurately showing me climbing behind James up a big hill! I think it's safe to say we were both of us glad of a bath and our own beds that night.

Day 15: Tongue to John O' Groats

2008-08-13T13:34:00.001-07:00

Our new French biker chums,
Aldo and Pablo, outside the YH
in Tongue.
We think we look a lot cooler.

The last and final day, the end of our journey, judgment day, day 15 0f 15, call it what you like, this was it the day we had been planning for 2 years, the day we thought would never come, it was here, and what a strange feeling. This is the day you have looked forward to but in some ways thought it would never happen.

It started in the usual way. Wake up look around to see who was still snoring, look to see if Mike was up and about, still snoring. I'm going to miss those gentle tones of slumber from my namby pamby Geordie friend. Stretch, and head downstairs for a brew and some breakfast. Back up to the dorm then fill the panniers, fill the water bottles, get the bikes out of the bike shed and prepare for the ride. Today it felt different. Mike and I really felt strange, we knew it was our last day and that made us feel really nervous. We folded the map to fit in the map sleeve, and saw the last bit of road that we would be following, along the top of the mainland to our goal.

We left the Hostel in a sombre mood and joked on what the Gods would throw at us today to stop us on our final leg. Neptune would throw the seas at us, the winds would push us back up the biggest hill in the world, we would have six punctures each, our bikes would collapse, our bodies would give up, the sun would come out and burn the road to sand, the great golden eagle would swoop down and take out our eyes. But no just a road with some hills to get the heart beating and the legs pumping. A few hours later we began to leave the final hills behind us (top speed down hill 43mph), and the road flattend out, we started to feel the need for tea and cake only to find everything shut, one for a funeral, one shut ('gone to get married back in a week'), next stop Thurso! Too far away, but luckily enough we found a pub that gave us a good lunch that was at the same time hosting the wake for the funeral, was this a sign of the end of our journey. Onto Thurso passing Dounreay nuclear site where the one headed cows grazed near by and grass grew green un affected by its surroundings. We entered Thurso and realised that this was the last town before the end, just 20 miles to go, just 20, not 200, just 20 that really hit home. Those 20 became a countdown which soon became 10 then 5 and then 4 then needles and pins kicked in, the hairs began to stick up on the back of your neck what a strange feeling almost unreal, and then that sign was in front of us, 'welcome to John O Groats' we crossed the line together, and headed down to the harbour down to the furthest point our bikes would take us. we got off or trusty steeds embraced and toasted the end of our journey with some Highland 'cyclists' whisky. We had the photos without the sign, 'gone for his tea come back tomorrow', and enjoyed the moment for a good while while we phoned our loved ones of our safe arrival. We had a meal at the local inn and made our way back to the hostel with a beautiful sunset and a couple of bottles of Orkney ale to drink the night away.

John O' Groats at 6.30 and the

bloody Photographers taken
the sign home again - exactly
like LE.

Day 14: Carbisdale Castle to Tongue

2008-08-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Decent breakfast and off at 9.30, with a short 43 mile day ahead. Hoiked our bikes over a scaffolding covered bridge then straight into a 2 mile climb, eating our breakfasts twice!

Good mornings riding through Lairg and up onto a single track road for another 20 miles or so through some of the most open, midge infested terrain we'd seen. Had to keep riding whilst eating as the little swine were all over you in seconds if you stopped. Scottish opening times (11 - 3!) on a Sunday meant we had to dig deep into the bags for cereal bars, with peanut butter sandwiches for lunch.

Beautiful views during the ride up into the mountains and Lochs around Ben Loyal, some of the most spectacular and memorable of the trip, before we turned a final corner and saw the estuary at Tongue - and the Atlantic Ocean. Quite a feeling to know we'd made it so far.

Great and highly recommended YH run by a Danish lady called Hanna, who supplied us with free tea and big slices of home made cake at 50p a shot. having arrived early at 3.30, we then fell asleep like a pair of old codgers in the lounge, waking at 6.20 in time to race uphill to the local for
the most scanty, yet expensive fish and chips we'd ever eaten. Nouvelle cuisine in Tongue means five big chips in a little pile waving across the plate their good friend the haddock.

Mike was waylaid in the dorm by a lycra clad 72 year old who warned him about the frightening 'Bettyhill' up and down hill stretch next day, whilst towelling his back and displaying his pendulous, walnut-like wares. You don't get them in Halfords. Scarier than most of the hills we encountered next day for sure.

Good craic later that night with a mixed group of european bikers and travellers, all of whom responded in the usual way to James's opening conversational gambit of: " So.....does anybody like the English?" Pablo, pictured under day 15, tells me that the reason the English aren't keen on French rock music is because we're basically ignorant. When I ask him if he's got anyone on a par with the Beatles, the Stones or even Coldplay whom I need to be made aware of, he mutters that I'm talking too fast and can't understand the question...

Incredibly, the two ladies we bumped into so much along the way decided to finish their LEJOG today, with a 5 O'clock start, picnics provided by the YH and a distance of 110 miles! All so that they could have 'an extra day's pampering' in Edinburgh. I received a very excited call at around 11 that night to say they'd made it in one piece. Considering the problems they'd had with energy crashes, getting lost, swollen hands and dodgy bikes and dodgier knees it was really something special. We, on the other hand, are more than happy to wuss it out with a nice short 43 today followed by a 60 odd tommorow...

Day 13: Loch Ness to Carbisdale Castle

2008-08-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Leaving Loch Ness, Donald and daughter the folk singers, no sighting of Nessie and not much of the loch either - mostly hidden by trees - we headed out into the rain to be met with a little hill within 5 min. I have become used to this by now, and I do believe that it's good to start the day with a little climbing, just to get the old heart pumping. Mike and I decided that as hard as we tried to pedal up the hill, it would have been easier and quicker to get off and push. The idea being to conserve our energy for the day ahead! Once we got to the top a great ride over the open Scottish hills.

Later on we passed a mass of tents where a festival was going on that weekend and we did consider going to listen for a while, but no, we continued on our quest. Made our way to Alness for lunch and took a shortcut which worked great for us, and took us up to the top without hardly any panting. Fantastic downhill, which must have gone on for 3 miles, just gives you the giggles. Carry on into Ardgay and on for a few miles next to a beautiful bridge where we stopped, had a peanut butter sandwich and toasted a great days ride. And then it got even better, after a few miles, we came to our hostel for the night a 'castle' - pretty cool.

Living like kings now.

Later on we bumped into a bloke by the name of Will who was on a wee little tour of the area, nice bloke and had a good laugh over our stories. Dinner for me was a specially cooked curry - not too hot. I may be a hard biker on the road but I can't take hot curries. Then off to the quietest pub in the land,crossing the famous bonnar bridge. Considering it was a Saturday, Mike and I made up 50% of the punters. We were offered to dress up in some Scottish dresses but the beer wasn't working that quick and the landlord was not going to have his wicked way with me that night!

Back at the hostel, Mike headed off to bed and I stayed down talking to some visitors and a french lad who had a guitar with him. Asking if he was going to play, he replied he didn't play as it was just a tool to pull the girls. Some others then decided to go and get their guitars too and then there were three. After a while I picked up the strings and got them started with a few Jam numbers, then it got too noisy so I sneaked off upstairs before we were sent to bed. Unfortunately for me and my room - mates the band was playing right beneath us. Mike uttered "can you hear that ******** racket?" Nothing to do with me!

Day 12: Glencoe to Loch ness

2008-08-12T02:59:00.000-07:00

Leaving Glencoe YHA with a belly full of beans, pitta bread and breakfast bars to mop away last nights beers with some new French Friends. Headed along the road to Fort William where we invested in some customary tea and cake. Roads were busy as everyone was off to see Ben Nevis, but the best views came later as you drove away from it. Carried on along the A82 still a busy road and climbed up from Spean Bridge which takes up high again with some great view back to Ben Nevis, dropped down the side of Loch Lochy.

Got overtaken by a pair of lycra clad head-down pedallers on the Caledonian canal, but caught and passed them as they (pretended) to buy stamps at a post office. This helped us keep up a good pace all the way to the Loch Ness 'backpackers' hostel as we didn't want to get passed again! Thank goodness we're not the competitive types....

That night we were treated to some truly depressing musical fare in the form of a father and daughter duo from Ireland. Arriving back from the pub we found them entertaining a group of 15 or so assembled international travellers with sombre renditions of 'Bonny bonny banks', 'Skye boat song' and the like. These were interspersed with vivid descriptions of how everything everywhere was pretty rosy until the English came and screwed it all up. Donald and daughter were on pretty safe ground here, as judging by opinions elicited by James from continental folk we met on the way, the English are regarded about as well as rabid bats. They did bring a tear to Mike's eye with a rendition of 'Wild mountain thyme' but only succeeded in making James cry with laughter, 2 rooms away in the kitchen.

Donald was a bit stand-offish and grumpy with James next morning, but was happy to share his excellent Irish butter with Mike. One nil to the English!

Day 11: Loch Lomond to Glencoe

2008-08-08T01:40:00.000-07:00

After a goods night sleep in our Mansion, we headed along the A82 really busy roads with a car crash half way along. Took the road along the lochs in the rain and had to stop within 1 hour to get a rest from the busy road and rain. After a couple of hours started to climb and climb and climb, and arived at the top, no round the corner and more climbing we must have spent the whole of the day climbing through some fantastic mountains and into the highlands and the Grampian mountains. No photo would be able to really tell how fantastic the views are. We arrived at the summit at about 5 and stopped for a bite to eat, only to find that the Scottish midge wanted to do the same to us, swarms of the little devils. Put on the recommended Avon cream recommended by the British Army! certainly did the job but those little devils always find a little place to get in and drink your blood.

The descent into Glencoe was very emotional. An incredible thing that you just have to do - and do it on a bike - you see so much, breathtaking. The effort that went into the climbs and the day as a whole was met by the exhiliration of whistling down through those auld moontins.

Quick shower, noodles and off to the local for some real ale and a pre Edinburgh performance by an irish band. Bit of bluegrass, country etc. Mike fell off his bike on the way back in the pitch dark but happily only pride injured...

Day 10: Wanlockhead to Loch Lomond

2008-08-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Day started pretty well with amazing descent (mostly) from the ultra high and mizzly YH. Equally amazingly, Mike managed to keep going up a hill longer than James for once, thus claiming the unnofficial/non-existent 'king of the mountains' crown. James refused to get off and walk all day after that early disgrace.

About twenty miles into the ride, the rain set in for the day. Got our first punctures within an hour of each other either side of the scary Erskine Bridge (the drivers), both fixed expertly by ex 'king of the mountains' Penny. The roads around Glasgow were the worst we encountered anywhere, with mega big and dangerous potholes. Pleasing and morale lifting to meet a bloke our age in Dumbarton who was also doing LEJOG - but supported over 3 weeks. "Oh, I'm not super-fit like you guys!" we had to hide our Mars bars and Hot Chocolates behind our backs after he'd said that. We ended up in Loch Lomond around 7, soaked and in need of nosh.

Amazing hostel packed with folk from all over the world, including a large party of Lithuanian bikers who thanked James for his offer of leftover Chinese food with a couple of hefty slugs of Absolut. James is no drinker, and looked a bit wobbly right away. I thought it a good idea to get him upstairs before he found himself covered in tattoos and on a ferry across the Baltic.

I still don't think it was a great idea of James's to tell one of their girlfriends that they were really " a big bunch of jessies" and that we could "take them all on", based on us travelling by pedal power and them sitting in motorised armchairs all day long.

.

Great manager who offered to dry our stuff in an industrial dryer and took our dorm lock apart after Mike over inserted his card/key. Hi ho. can't believe we're 10 days in and so high up.

Day 9: Carlisle to Wanlockhead

2008-08-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

James had heard that this one ended with a tricky, long ascent. Oh boy, did it ever. Plain sailing for thirty odd miles out of Carlisle and into Scotland via Gretna, and much photo-mugging from us at the 'Welcome to Scotland' sign. Into Annan and suddenly everyone's Scottish and the scones are half price. Great! One old lady, pointing us in the dirrection of an ancients cafe told us "Ye'll get everything there from a needle tae an anchor!" Sadly, they didn't stock fruit cake of any description.

On into seagull plagued Dumfries and a couple of Subway veggie delites. the 'scene' kids and emos clustered around the shopping centre hugging each other/looking miserable are very like their English cousins.

The climb into Wanlockhead is pretty gradual for 15 miles then turns brutal for the last 6, up into hills - dotted with makeshift beehives - which look fashioned from plasticine. Mike 'bonked' a bit, so a leisurely break/wee/food stop was taken to get the motor running again.

We were soaked and cold - but ecstatic -reaching Scotlands highest village and a great welcome from Lisa, owner of the former YHA. She loaned us her laptop to update the blog and gave Mike a stockcube to jazz up his pasta.

Met a keen mountain biking big lad from Edinburgh called Willie, who gave us some good tips on what to avoid hill -wise over the next few days, and made some fine rounds of sugary tea. If we ever do anything like this again, we;ll take Willies top tip of wearing 'seal-skin' socks. Your shoes get soaked but tootsies stay dry, and all a bit more compact and tidy than our hopeless Altura overshoes.

Saddened to find that the village pub closes Mondays and Tuesdays! Bizarre meal of pizza, beans and leftover macaroni, washed down with three sugary teas. Excellent end to another knackering day.

Day 8: Slaidburn to Carlisle

2008-08-05T01:02:00.001-07:00

Monumental day and there will be pics of us battling the elements and the hills. Slaidburn great place to say but we were told we had to be in by 11 otherwise we would be locked out. So early night sharing the dorms with a couple of Italians one snorer the other a whistler, heads over pillows and let the beer work its magic.

Left the hostel after a pub breakfast which was given for free, a first, to be fronted with a climb of about 6 miles rain and wind. Took 3 hrs to do 12 miles, long start, going to be a long day
Took the CTC route and headed for the hills to Kirby Lonsdale, busy road. Took the A683 to Sedbergh for lunch good straight road started to make some miles up. Took the CTC route to Tebay heavy going, made a big decision to make up time and head towards to Shap, to get on the A6, thought it would be quieter as everyone else would be on the motorway, good choice, at this point Mike was getting worried about dreaded hilly Shap, not a problem, gentle long climb sailed into Penrith along the A6 there by six, fuelled up with pasta, and hit 'ladies' ! day/ night out at the races Carlisle by 9. Long hard day so glad to be here. A friendly copper showed us the way to the hostel, single rooms, nice surprise, used as student accommodation in term tim, quick wash, Chinese takeaway and Newcastle brown. Time for bed and sweet dreams.

Degree of difficulty 8/10

Day 7: Chester to Slaidburn

2008-08-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

After a great nights sleep in a B&B, we both felt homesick and missing our girls. James looked a bit crumpled for the first time on this trip.

The CTC route recommended a higgledy piggledy route throught the North West to the Trough of Bowland in Lancs, "A difficult day". We opted to ferry cross the Mersey and whizz straight up along the A59(?) to Preston. Worked a treat, heading off on flat Wirral roads before rolling straight onto the ferry where James enjoyed his tea so much he chucked it over the side.

Looking at the map ahead, I thought we might be heading straight up my (Mikes) little sisters High St in Penwortham, Preston. Popped in for tea and a chat just catching the rest of the family: Bro in lawRob, Lucas, Olivia and new baby Lexy before heading off towards hills again.

Gradual climb up from Preston and an amazingly early (6.30) finish for us. Nothing whatever to do in one pub village but go to one pub, where we nursed our drinks and sat in a bizarre family room (vaccum and chairs, jigsaws etc strewn everywhere), watching Charlie and Ewan go the 'heavily supported' way round. We'd love to have a production team with croissants following us every day.

Liz and Gina, two ladies from Somerset doing the same tour as us, limped in at 11.30, having taken Mr Langdons excellent route, doing over 30 miles more than our 70 odd. The warden at Slaidburn warned us we'd have to be back for 11 or be locked out, which seemed a tad

draconian. In most hostels the rule is: 'No staff on reception after 11.' Despite the YHA being a national organisation, each hostel has its own identity and quirks. Happily for us, if there is one village in the UK where you don't mind being treated like a naughty teenager, it's Slaidburn.

day 6: Clun to Chester

2008-08-05T00:21:00.000-07:00

Big day today meeting the families in Chester, and friends Steve and Mark coming to Clun to ride with us for the day.

A good nights sleep, no snoring from anyone, self catered breakfast with a Danish family. Met the boys and good to see them. The ride via Shrewsbury was a bit all over the place. Following the little roads got lost a bit but then found ourselves, sound very religious?
When we got the bit done over the top out of Clun the ride was pretty good - a bit up and down and some climbs around the Long Mynd - but no getting off, just use the granny gears, and some flapjacks cooked by Steves wife Catherine

We arrived at Ellesmere for lunch at 3.30 very hot and ready for food, first mistake was to order a beer and some grub, the grub was good but the beer went straight to my head.
Said goodbye to the boys as they headed home to stone and made our way to Chester on some fast going roads covering the miles quickly, got lost when the CTC route didnt match the maps and made our own route, this happens a lot make it more of an adventure. Arrived in Chester in time to meet the family, emotional time but great to see them, had a meal lots to talk about not enough time and it would have been easy to have gone back home with them. Said our goodbyes, and headed back feeling down and up to the B&B for a good nights sleep

Day 5: Ross to Clun

2008-08-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

Leaving Ross after a good nights sleep, no snoring last night. We left the hostel and had a good ride into Ross. Updated the blog in Library, bought some ear plugs for the next snorers in the dorm and pedalled like madmen to our next stop. What well toned athletes we're turning into!
We decided today to look for A and B roads to get to Clun in good time. Chose a nice a road which took us all the way to Hereford which was worth visiting for lunch, pasta and cake.... no beer.

Could easily have had a couple of hours nap here, but a 10 mins stop while the pasta digested was all we took. On to Leominister avoiding the town following the less hilly route to Clun, great ride and stopped for tea and more cake at a farmers house where they had turned their conservatory into a cafe! Only problem encountered was a rogue dormouse which nearly forced James to fall off his bike in a swerve to avoid it!

Took a photo of us both just outside Clun either I'm shrinking or mikes just got a huge head!!

Long ride into Clun, self catered some pizza and salad and then made our way into the village for a couple of beers in a pub where Mike thrashed me at pool 4-0, of course I could say that I let him win to motivate him for next days ride, but the truth is Mike just excels in this sport.

Day 4: Cheddar to Ross

2008-08-01T02:52:00.000-07:00

Glad to be away from Cheddar from the lack of sleep, we headed off towards Bristol. Hit our first hill within 5 mins as you would if your going over the cheddar hills, couldn't find any cheese and the locals don't like the jokes about it either.
Mike had this great idea that we would be going over the bridge to Wales at 12 but the good old CTC tour guide took us along the scienic route through industrial Bristol, which took forever to get through.

Before hitting this area we caught up with a fellow Bicyclist(a geordie term) who was on a standard straight barred bike with a little basket on the front and a sleeping bag tied on the back, It turned out he was heading towards the forest of dean from N Devon. Mike and I, pretending to be real tourers, whizzed passed him until we got to a junction where we all discussed which way to go. We split and laughed because we knew the way. Two hours later through the outskirts of Bristol there he was sitting out in the sunshine having a picnic! Now who's laughing?

At about 2 we made our way across the bridge, a very emotional and important moment. We did some male bonding but not Broke Back mountain style, and headed off towards Ross.

Did the usual stupid thing and took a short cut only having to get off and push, we needed ropes to get up that hill. We never learn.

Arrived close to the end at English Bicknor for some body fuel of fish and chips of which they gave us this great big portion. we were sitting there scoffing our faces and taking in some home brew from the local offie and bugger me with a wet chip only to be overtaken by the mad bicyclist again.

Finished of our meal and headed for the hostel only to find a little track leading down we hoped to the YHA, only to find but the river Wye in the way, and the only way accross was via a disused railway bridge, it was like a scene out of a movie, the bridge was patched up with bits of plywood with a big drop below into the river, I went first. Don't remember drawing the short straw but we made it. Very friendly staff at the Hostel and the room to our selves. Mike and I slept at both ends of the room just to make sure that we couldn't hear each other snore Good nights sleep and in the morning, the hostel staff cooked me some veggie sausages - that's a first.

Day 3: The good times?...Exeter to Cheddar

2008-08-01T02:37:00.000-07:00

Really knackered on the last few hills of north Devon, but we dragged ourselves in to Cullompton for tea and teacakes. Rest of the ride was fab, with a great, sunny 12 mile stretch along the canal from Taunton to Bridgewater. Encountered some local kids leaping/tombstoning off a lock gate into deep water. We both agreed it was the kind off dangerous stuff we wouldn't want our kids to do but would have ourselves!

Met a very genial, retired Geordie chap at Bridgewater Morrisons, who introduced himself as a fellow 'bicyclist' and offered, very enthusiastically, to load our bikes into his van and take us back to his house for dinner and a free bath! Hmmm.

Encountered a bizarre optical illusion coming down to Cheddar, on a hill going steeply down which required a fair bit off pedalling.

Met by a highly grumpy lady at the hostel who played James query about a Sauna and massage with a straight bat/face: " We're a hostel. We have showers." Ouch. We'd left dinner a bit late but found a local pub where I bartered for an extra chicken fillet but got a rasher of bacon and extra fries instead. Back to the Hostel to be told off by miserable dragon lady for not returning the washroom key. Complained to the manager next day to be told:" Yeah. I know all about that lady...She's my wife."

Sleeping was hard due to a canny old cove whose outrageously loud and erratic snoring (coupled with the musical farting of a big naked chap in the bunk opposite me) drove us both to sleep downstairs in the lounge. The one thing we both had desperately needed was kip. We got about 3 hours!

Day 2: Golant to Exeter

2008-07-30T01:23:00.000-07:00

We knew this'd be a hard day. Horrible humidity and rain forecast and 85 miles the straightest route according to CTC guru Colin Langdon. Happily Colin was wrong and we made it here in 80, bypassing Dartmoor via a 'less hilly' route. Didn't feel less hilly to us - in fact we were pushing the bikes up a mega steep, muddy gravel track (Ta Mr Langdon!) after about 5 minutes and progress through the morning was extremely frustrating and slow. Much sugary tea and cake/energy bars were eaten on route and we took to singing crude songs about Colin L to keep spirits up. We averaged 10 mph but the cycle computer reckoned we'd spent over 4 hours on breaks (rain and recuperation).

Some incredible downhill with James going over 40, with Mike tootling fairly rapidly behind.

Fantastic feeling to see the flatter north devon landscape unfolding as we edged around the last of Dartmoor.

Dragged ourselves into a darkening Exeter at 10 o'clock, catching a Chinese takeaway and a beer before heading back to a late, lonely (everyone else in bed) supper at the YHA. Tired, really tired ( Mike nearly fell asleep standing up) but thrilled to get what we both agreed was our hardest cycling day ever out of the way.
Wanted to ring our Badminton pals at the post game pub to let them know how we were progressing, but just managed a chat with our wives and kids before the night was over.

DAY 1: Lands end to Golant

2008-07-30T00:51:00.000-07:00

After a long train down the day before (7 hrs) the day of judgement has dawned. Bleary eyed and full of excitement we arived at Lands end on a warm but overcast morning. We made our way down to the starting post only to find the starting post had been removed and would not be replaced until 10am when the man who owned it would charge you a fiver for the privilege of standing next to a sign pointing to John O Groats. Not to give in to this, Mike and I stood next to the place of the sign and were photographed by Mikes good friend Andy, who had put us up the night before.

Lands End seemed very quiet that morning, a bit like us. We were thinking 'we can't do this can we?' On the bikes we got and boy did they feel heavy. We need to eat some of those energy bars to lighten the load. With fresh but heavy legs we made our way to Penzance. After about 10 mins it felt good. Yeah, we CAN do this!

At Penzance we stopped for tea and scrambled eggs and were ready to take on the world - or Cornwall anyway. Shortcuts always look good but never in Cornwall - it usually means going down hill and I mean down, which is good BUT you always have to go back up, and I mean up and up and up, this was a lesson we would learn the hard way. There are bits of Cornwall that are like the Bermuda Triangle you never seem to get out of them, but we were brave strong young men - ok so we got off and pushed a few times a few energy bars later - and we were ready for the hills... and there are plenty of them.

We decided to make some time up and make our way onto some roads without grass down the middle of them. They're called 'A' class roads for a reason. We made some good time up and stopped at Truro for Pizza, pasta and rain, then took the long route to St Austell. Another thing I've learnt is when you ask a local what the route is like to a place your going to, they always seem to say "over the top and then its down hill all the way." What a load of ########### My advice is only ask people who have a bike with them, people who have engines have no idea.
We arrived at St Austell stopped at a local pub and toasted our first day, we our now real men. We got that wrong too. Lesson 3: Never toast success until your by the side of the place your staying at. 10 miles later up many more hills we got to Golant, day one completed and thank God. Now where is that beer?

Joined in the lounge by Mike, a younger, lycra clad lejoger, who's taking an eastern route, Edinburgh etc. He tells us that he's not a serious cyclist, but later lets slip that he's only done 6,000 miles on his second bike, an enclosed recumbent speedster. He's definitely a bit more serious than us! Its our first night in a shared dorm and the huge, snoring German opposite Mikes bunk tells us we've left an essential item out of our kit... ear-plugs.

12th July 8am Start 15 days to go 43 miles

2008-07-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

Sat morning off on early morning training run. Weather was cool and damp cycled up a hill which used to hurt like hell but now just hurts a little bit!!!!

The first hour is always the worst bit as the body gets used to pumping away. Cycled through Yarnfield where we play badders with a bunch of other old dads, over to Eccleshall up another hill as shown in the video, what fine specimens of athletes we are

We may look a bit tired but the breathing soon gets back to normal, didn't even stop at the top for a rest, yep were turnin into well toned athletes, watch out lance armstrong, the new boys are in town. Cycled through high offley, great views over shopshire and into Wales, and up to a village called Cheswardine, where we stopped and had our Isotonic drinks, fruit bars and a couple of Bournbourne biscuts, got to keep feeding that engine. After about 20 mins cycled back home to our loving wives to dote on them, except for a little detour, due to heavy rain, to a little tea shop for a pot for two and some home made fruit cake,made by an old Granny who runs the place. Need to find more of this type of tea shops on the LEJOG and keep away from the Greggs and the Chatwins.

6th July 20 days to go

2008-07-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

Mike and I went out for an evening ride to get some back to back cycling in after our days cycling, yesterday.
We met at the bottom of a hill called chase lane, a nice steep hill that needs the granny gears. I got there before mike and waited for him. As he came along I started to video him ready for the big hill, as he approached he shouted out that he wasn't going to stop as the momentum would take him so far up the hill, I stoped the video and started after him, I should've carried on videoing!!!!!!!

Within a few seconds of going up the hill mike had trouble changing gear got stuck in a low gear stuck in his cleat pedals and fell sideways, would have made a classic u tube. After mopping his grazed knee carried on with a 25 mile cycle out to bishops offley, body feeling ok

Mike: Peak district - Stone

2008-07-07T03:21:00.000-07:00

Dropped off by friends in the manifold valley, where my oldest Charlotte was starting her Dof E bronze hike. Bad feelings (summed up by my miserable aspect in this photo) where confirmed when I had to dismount five minutes after setting off on the climb up to Thorpe. happily, that was the only real setback with a run through Ashbourne, Rocester and Uttoxeter taking me back via 30 miles of hilly but not vertical climbs.

Good practice for Cornwall in a couple of weeks time I hope. best moment of the day was climbing past a bloke in all the lycra coming up to Hilderstone. Worst, getting overtaken by three twelve year olds on mountain bikes on the Tissington trail.

5th July 2008 training day 73 miles. 22 days to go

2008-07-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

James took the train to Gloucester to meet up with Mark who's doing the LE JOG at this moment. I got the train at 6.30 a.m, arriving at 8.30 at Gloucester. Took a long climb up out of the valley was overtaken by a mountain biker which made me feel like a looser, only to find him 5 Min's later sitting on the verge crying like a big girl, now whose the looser! Grinded away up to the top, feeling tired and thinking thing s like downhills are more fun, why don't I live in Holland, yeah this pain is good for me, does the pain ever stop, why on earth am I doing the LE JOG, so fed up with thinking stuck on the i.pod felt much easier grinding away to the theme of 'Rocky' !
With the first hour gone, got into the rhythm, no more real pain, already drunk a bottle of water and orange and a peanut butter sandwich, keep feeding the engine. Arrived at Ross on Wye, 17 miles, stuffed a pastie and a doughnut into the engine, more drink, feeling not to bad, sun shining.
Met up with Mark and took the CTC route to Clun, Mark seems to be doing ok for day 6 averaging at about 11 mph, stopped for lunch about 10 miles before Leominster, so hungry by now, big lunch and a pint of weak juice! went down this hill clocked a top speed of 38 mph! An hour later started raining, waterproofs on , stopped raining, waterproofs off, this happened quite a few times.
At about 60 miles began to get tired more fuel needed, heavy rain, at about 70 mile we started to imagine where Clun YHA would be, the worse dread would be up a 2 mile steep climb. Arrived at Clun wet and hungry at 6.45 relieved to find the YHA just up a gentle slope. Mark met up with his wife and kids, he was pleased to see them, I was too, they were going to give me a lift home, after dinner. Washed and changed in the men's dorm, full of BO and wet clothes, theres going to be some serious snorring in that dorm tonight, must invest in some ear plugs when i go in 3 weeks. Went out to feed the engine, body feels OK, going to get some of that stuff you rub over your meat and two veg. Mike and I Can do this now, its just like today x 14 days, feeling confident, feeling tired, time for bed

3rd July Eccleshall Run

2008-07-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Quickish 15 mile night-time run... and the best photo the barman at the Wayfarer could manage.

The route and the dates.

2008-07-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

We set off for Cornwall and a stopover with a friend in St Ives on the 27th of July. Next morning our meaty itinerary begins.

Day 1: Lands end to Golant
Day 2: Exeter
Day 3: Cheddar
Day 4: Ross on Wye (taking James thru the old country)
Day 5: Clun
Day 6: Chester
Day 7: Slaidburn
Day 8: Carlisle
Day 9: Wanlockhead
Day 10: Loch Lomond
Day 11: Glencoe
Day 12: Loch ness
Day 13: Bonar Bridge
Day 14: Tongue
Day 15: John O' Groats

On the 12th of August, we (hopefully) return via a thirteen hour train journey from Thurso to Stoke.

New pedals, same old dodgy back.

2008-06-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well no pedalling for the past 10 days for me, after throwing my spine four or five inches to the right after a back spasm. I'd just cycled into work and without warming down (walking about a bit) sat down to lead an Illustration group crit. Getting up was a problem, but some frozen veg at the point of pain and a trip to my Chiropractor the next day has made recovery a quick one.

My Chiro, Dr Robert, is a christ-like, calming figure, but on this occasion made me a little bit anxious prior to my 'adjustment' by whispering "OK. Ready for the pain?" I might mock up a nice sign to hang over his door with that line as his motto. That'd go a long way to reassuring the worriers out there about the gentle - and appallingly named - science of 'chiropractic'.
Works for me anyway.

In the mean-time, James has been keeping his training ticking over nicely, and set up a page for anyone who wants to sponsor us - at: http://www.justgiving.com/jamespenny

Post 'Bonk' solo ride.

2008-06-01T02:54:00.000-07:00

A modest 43, from Stone out to Stafford, Eccleshall and on to try and find my lost glasses at the 'bonk' site in Mucklestone (no luck). Ate sensibly, blueberry nutrigrains and dates every hour and a half or so, and the miles flew by...apart from on one longish climb past St Peters Church in Broughton. Despite signs of wearing in from the Brooks saddle, got home to find a nice saddle sore in a barely accessible spot. Chafing. Funny word, but not when the result is thrumming painfully alongside your 'boys'.

The 'bonk'

2008-05-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

James, Steve and I set out on a long ride on bank holiday Monday (26th), covering a route into Shropshire via Eccleshall, Cheswardine, Market Drayton and Audlem. It was going to average out at 70ish miles and was based on a fine trip James and I had done two weeks before.

Unfortunately, high wind was the order of the day -bits of trees flying all over the shop - and by the time we'd climbed up Cheswardine High St and sat down to our muesli bars, bananas and chocolate, we were feeling pretty tired.

We reached Audlem and 'The Shroppie Fly' at around the 40 mile mark, my legs felt like lead and I couldn't touch the beer I'd gulped down on the previous visit. After lunch we set out again for Mucklestone and Loggerheads. On a long - and to me tortuous - climb, i looked down to see I'd been struggling to keep up with a puncture and a bad case of the 'bonk', when your body has used up all of its available food energy. James fixed the puncture and Steve offered custard creams which helped me get back on the bike. After another mile or so of feeling like I wanted to call my wife to pick me up, I started to regain a bit of form and helped by the encouragement of the chaps got going again.

After a final stop for cake and sugary tea in Eccleshall we made it back to Stone through the worst headwind - and rain of the day. Had some great opportunistic photo fun when we came across a fallen tree that'd blocked a lane, with James lying under the bough and Steve pretending to pull it off him. I'd like to share this episode but James's camera/James/I deleted it.

Steve reckons there are 'lessons' in these long training rides. Todays were " It's windy but you can get through it" and " you can feel like you're going to die and get through it".

I'd left a gap of 4 hours and 40 miles in poor conditions between taking in food and the expert advice is to eat little and often along the way - every 15 miles or every hour and a half in the saddle at least. I'm chewing on Nutrigrains and sucking in energy gels from here on in.

Catching up...

2008-05-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

Its been a while so here's a quick resume of recent events. The line up has changed to myself, James and our recently UK citizinized (?) comrade, formerly plain old 'American' Steve. Steve is another superfit, Mark style climber whose disappearing butt will now replace Marks in my sweat blinded eyes.

Mark is now going the distance solo on July 1st. It'll be a test but he'll be fine.

We'll be joined for the first week by Alberto Otero, a Spanish born, former Barcelona FC triallist and deputy head teacher, who can be relied upon to upset popular British mores by bringing pasties into pub restaurants or weeing in car parks. He brings that type of continental elan to the mix, or at least he did on the Ludlow trip 2 years ago.

Hanchurch and Whitmore run Sunday 17/02/08

2008-02-21T14:08:00.000-08:00

A few pictures, including me, red faced, at the
top of a long, but not that steep drag up to
Hanchurch woods (pic left). The bike is my
90's Dawes Galaxy, replete with stone like leather
saddle.
The field is on the way to Whitmore from the
A51. Didn't qute capture the Moon and an
underlining jet vapor trail as sharply as I'd have
liked to on my new 1.3 mega pixel phone.
Distance: 20 miles.

Mark and James completed a 25 miler, setting
out an hour or so before me, taking in
Eccleshall, a beer and Sandon. James suffering a
bit from numb hands and Mark from numb 'chaps',
prompting a switch from his much loved
ancient leather saddle to a prostate friendly
spongy job.

First Training spin in a while for Mike and James

2008-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

Deciding that we've got some catching up to do on Mark, James and I sneaked out this morning and managed 25 miles (me) and 30 (he cycled over from Barlaston) respectively at an average of 11-12 miles per hour. The route took us up la col de Bury Bank, over the M6, past Swynnerton and Eccleshall before heading back to Stone via a nice fast stretch on the Stafford road.

Behaving exactly like pro cyclists would, we then ate a lunch of fried egg sandwiches, juice, cups of tea and a fudge bar stolen from my daughters Xmas stash.

Mark turned up about an hour later having done 10 miles or so with his daughter in tow on a tagalong. Given the hill he'd climbed on his jaunt, he'd probably worked harder than James and I put together.

Why?

2008-01-26T05:41:00.000-08:00

I got back into cycling as a 40 year old, after a 20ish year lay off, after a friend suggested that I could probably manage the scary looking hill standing between me and my regular Tuesday evening badminton game. Her husband and another friend did it regularly as part of a 3 mile journey from Stone - my adopted home town in Staffordshire - to the sports centre in a nearby village.

I took out my Trek hybrid the next day and set off, to my amazement getting up the hill (knackered), in one piece. My fitness level at the time allowed me to push on for a round trip of 6 miles. Over a period of a few months, a bunch of us did the badminton return trip in all weathers and, in the pub post game got talking about something a bit more adventurous. In the Summer of 2006, six of us set off over the hills to Ludlow with dodgy bikes, minimal preparation and a couple of mars bars. The fact that we made it, with a few stops - at a bakers shop, a pub and a closed pub - encouraged us to start dreaming about the Lands end to John O' Groats (or 'LEJOG') cycle challenge.

Although all six of the original Ludlow survivors would love to take part in this journey, work and family responsibilities mean that - at time of writing - there'll be three of us; James - a 43 year old Builder, former Teacher, pub controversialist and proud Welshman, and Mark - a scarily well preserved 49 year old Southerner (Reading) Ceramic Artist and indie music bore. They both love an argument and can bullshit with the best, so we'll have plenty to talk about until we reach the first hill, when Mark's backside, attached to his 10 stone frame, will bob away into the distance.

Although the real reason behind the trip is that none of us can afford a Porsche, we'll all be trying to raise some money for good causes. More details and a link to an online donation page will be set up soon.