Facebook friends will have been able to follow the days since I stopped carrying the laptop; sorry to everyone else!
I got to John O'Groats about 1440h yesterday, took some pictures then got on the coach to Inverness with the early finishers, having been up since 4am. I then met up with Maria and the boys at the hotel, got clean (at last!) and into some decent clothes before meeting up with the other LEJoG folks for dinner and (a few) drinks.
This morning there were many goodbyes after breakfast, then I got my bike and Alan's onto the car so we could get back to Glasgow. We got home about 1730h and I'm just chilling with the boys while Maria is out at TKD.
There are loads of photos on my Facebook profile which I've uploaded over the last few days. I'll see what I can add here.
Some brief stats for now:
Distance: 966 miles
Days: 9 days
Punctures: 0
Bike faults: 0 (I don't count a sticky shoe cleat which was easily remedied and was due to a 25 mile blast during the 2nd stage of day 9).
Injuries: A bit of sunburn and some midge bites
Highs: Day 6 in Glasgow was nice as I saw the boys; Also day 3 when I figured out what group riding was about
Lows: Day 5 leaving Lancaster due to the rain and traffic; Day 8 up to Lairg due to the wind and an unfortunate cold rain shower at the stop of a hill prior to a freezing 3 mile decent (brrrr)
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Home and away
Having lunch in Calderglen Park, and about to meet up with Maria and the kids in Glasgow. I've taken the rack off the bike to get some more speed and so it's been a fast morning into East Kilbride from Glasgow. I'm also handing the laptop to Maria later as it's more of a pain than a help - Facebook may be the main place for updates for a bit.
More midges and camping tonight unfortunately - I hope the showers are better than a tepid dribble!
More midges and camping tonight unfortunately - I hope the showers are better than a tepid dribble!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
"How's your betty swallocks?"
"Excuse me?" I replied in astonishment, before quickly adjusting my facial expression from "gobsmacked" to "why, thank you for asking". "Oh, no worse than is to be expected, it's all in hand" (so to speak).
So I've come hundreds of miles to find myself, pleasantly, in the company of people who will casually enquire about the state of my pounded private parts. It's nice to feel so cared-for! :-)
Today's ride was about 117 miles, from Shrewsbury to Lancaster via Warrington and Preston. While not the longest by distance, it definitely required the most concentration.
I started the day riding out on my own, accompanied after a bit by one of the staff riders who check around the group that everyone's ok. Then before the first rest stop I feel in with a cluster of riders who were going just a little faster than I might have otherwise liked, but having the company was happy to maintain. I'll need to check my GPS but this may have been my fastest day, though it was always the flattest.
We're in the Holiday Inn, Lancaster. Typing is much easier in my twin room than in a tent. Another advantage was having a nice clean sink in which to degrease my chain, which has no room left for gunk samples across the various rides we'll do into and within Scotland. It's all cleaned up in time for my room mate arriving back from the ride. One of the staff though I was a tad old fashioned taking my chain off to clean it in the first place, but I took no notice: someone I was riding with today said she finds the best way to clean her wheels are in the shower...
Today's ride is here: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/680458
So I've come hundreds of miles to find myself, pleasantly, in the company of people who will casually enquire about the state of my pounded private parts. It's nice to feel so cared-for! :-)
Today's ride was about 117 miles, from Shrewsbury to Lancaster via Warrington and Preston. While not the longest by distance, it definitely required the most concentration.
I started the day riding out on my own, accompanied after a bit by one of the staff riders who check around the group that everyone's ok. Then before the first rest stop I feel in with a cluster of riders who were going just a little faster than I might have otherwise liked, but having the company was happy to maintain. I'll need to check my GPS but this may have been my fastest day, though it was always the flattest.
We're in the Holiday Inn, Lancaster. Typing is much easier in my twin room than in a tent. Another advantage was having a nice clean sink in which to degrease my chain, which has no room left for gunk samples across the various rides we'll do into and within Scotland. It's all cleaned up in time for my room mate arriving back from the ride. One of the staff though I was a tad old fashioned taking my chain off to clean it in the first place, but I took no notice: someone I was riding with today said she finds the best way to clean her wheels are in the shower...
Today's ride is here: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/680458
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Longest day
It's nice to know that (unless I get horribly lost) there shouldn't be another day as long (in miles) as today. The route is here: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/678583
Only my backside could be described as sore, and even then it's just sore muscle rather than any kind of rash or chafing burns. The weather has been hot but my morning "preparations" have paid off. I also think that doing the majority of my training without padding may have "manned me up" a bit, and meant that the padding I now use helps me even more.
Tomorrow is a little shorter but I've not studied the route in detail yet, Tonight we are in army barracks outside Shrewsbury.
Only my backside could be described as sore, and even then it's just sore muscle rather than any kind of rash or chafing burns. The weather has been hot but my morning "preparations" have paid off. I also think that doing the majority of my training without padding may have "manned me up" a bit, and meant that the padding I now use helps me even more.
Tomorrow is a little shorter but I've not studied the route in detail yet, Tonight we are in army barracks outside Shrewsbury.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Back in a tent
Today's ride is here http://ridewithgps.com/trips/674169 - much shorter than yesterday, though the heat wasn't helpful. Some of the hills seemed to just go on and on, but everyone made it.
We're staying in tents outside a cricket clubhouse near Bristol. They did curry for dinner which was just perfect.
Tomorrow we take a 122 mile route to Shrewsbury which will be the longest of the lot. It'll be interesting to see whether my training was any use!
Some of the participants had family visits today, so I think that having Maria and the boys drop by when we are near Balloch will be fine. Will I be able to tempt one of them to do it on a tandem one day...?
We're staying in tents outside a cricket clubhouse near Bristol. They did curry for dinner which was just perfect.
Tomorrow we take a 122 mile route to Shrewsbury which will be the longest of the lot. It'll be interesting to see whether my training was any use!
Some of the participants had family visits today, so I think that having Maria and the boys drop by when we are near Balloch will be fine. Will I be able to tempt one of them to do it on a tandem one day...?
Sunday, May 27, 2012
1 down, 8 to go...
Today's route is here http://ridewithgps.com/trips/672216 and took us to Okehampton army camp. Basic is an understatement, but after today's ride it probably doesn't matter.
One word describes today: hilly.
Morale is good in the group, and it was great to see a nice healthy spread of speed and performance. The bike was super.
Too tired to write much more...
One word describes today: hilly.
Morale is good in the group, and it was great to see a nice healthy spread of speed and performance. The bike was super.
Too tired to write much more...
Saturday, May 26, 2012
A laptop in a tent
Last time I slept in a tent was in the scouts. That was a long time before the internet, and I reckon packing was a lot simpler then. Anyway, I have enough kit with me to lie in my tent listening to the rain and the thunder and write this post.
My Dad got me here in good time today (thanks!), arriving around 4, despite the usual GPS-postcode battle. Perhaps a dozen people were here by then out of a total of 74.
It's very well organised, with numbered tents and all the necessary facilities - though it's by no means luxurious, and shouldn't be. However, the promised pasta dinner turned out to be all manner of roast meat as well, and a generous provision of fresh vegetables.
The ride tomorrow will be tough, but the weather is supposed to clear overnight.
One challenge is to remember where all my stuff is, since there are so many different bags and the participants have to take down their own tents before breakfast - eek.
5am awakening tomorrow....
My Dad got me here in good time today (thanks!), arriving around 4, despite the usual GPS-postcode battle. Perhaps a dozen people were here by then out of a total of 74.
It's very well organised, with numbered tents and all the necessary facilities - though it's by no means luxurious, and shouldn't be. However, the promised pasta dinner turned out to be all manner of roast meat as well, and a generous provision of fresh vegetables.
The ride tomorrow will be tough, but the weather is supposed to clear overnight.
One challenge is to remember where all my stuff is, since there are so many different bags and the participants have to take down their own tents before breakfast - eek.
5am awakening tomorrow....
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