Day11
Arran to Glencoe 100 miles!
(We are double centurions now, yeaaahhhhhh)
A hundred miles of pure joy and many mixed emotions....
Fantastic cycling, long sweeping hills, plenty of turns, lochs, sunshine all day.
Got tired by end of it, but we had been going for 10 hours. nearly broken.
equal on hardeness scale as day two though cornwall.
In hindsight it was unrealistic to attempt this on this trip! would have been ok on lightweight race bikes with no bags!
landed at hostel and dumped bags in room and rode straight to pub, extra mile and half uphill, at the time we thought it was stupidest idea of our lives. after 2nd pint of guinness it turned out to be a really good idea, rolled back downhill to hostel.
most of the day was best cycling weve ever done, just final part was horrible.
Glencoe region is wonderful - this is why were here!
Day 12
Glencoe to Loch Ness - 58 miles.
Actually felt ok when we got up, even after yesterdays epic!
Met up with Ian and Clive (who we first met in lands end) and rode with them all day, right good craic!
Fastest 58 miles weve ever rode ever, average speed 14.6mph whilst moving!
We ended up in Fort Augustus and stop for about an hour and actually felt like we where tourists on holiday not pro riders on an expedition to the ends of the earth, we picked up some supplys for our sausage cassarole and didn't forget our beer and minuture bottles of whiskey then headed of for the hostel. Once in the hostel we decided to go for a swim in Loch Ness but quickly ran away after we put our toes in too cold where not tough enough yet.
3 DAYS TO GO will keep you posted. PS still want more charity donation money please and its not for our whisky fetish honest!!.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Monday, 27 June 2011
day 9 and on and on!!
Day nine, Carlisle to Galloway 74 mile.
Left the dive that Carlisle is and picked up a cycle route 7 out of the city heading for Gretna Green it was shut!!! so didn't get hitched to any big dutch birds that where following us along the day. Eventually ended up at a bunkhouse at Loch Ken where we got a nice evening meal of roast pork and seasonal veg Mmmmm, and while drinking beer outside we where repeatedly dive bombed by midges other than that a nice evening.
Day Ten, Galloway to Arran.
Well what can i say the first 20 miles up hill into the wind a proper sufferfest of pain with only oat bars and flapjacks for breakfast, we stopped at some little village of the dammed where we where told of for leaning our bikes against the shop window. From then on it was down hill into the wind with the worst roads Scotland could throw at us so far, it got that bad we where actually pedaling down hill to keep up a reasonable speed. Got of ferry on Arran and it was liked we entered a new world it was idyllic riding until we came to a bend in the road and it proceeded upwards forever but like the pro riders we are we didn't shy away from this we just had some wine gums and got on with the job. Got to youth hostel had a great shower well some of us did and then proceeded to the local tavern to taste their delights.
Left the dive that Carlisle is and picked up a cycle route 7 out of the city heading for Gretna Green it was shut!!! so didn't get hitched to any big dutch birds that where following us along the day. Eventually ended up at a bunkhouse at Loch Ken where we got a nice evening meal of roast pork and seasonal veg Mmmmm, and while drinking beer outside we where repeatedly dive bombed by midges other than that a nice evening.
Day Ten, Galloway to Arran.
Well what can i say the first 20 miles up hill into the wind a proper sufferfest of pain with only oat bars and flapjacks for breakfast, we stopped at some little village of the dammed where we where told of for leaning our bikes against the shop window. From then on it was down hill into the wind with the worst roads Scotland could throw at us so far, it got that bad we where actually pedaling down hill to keep up a reasonable speed. Got of ferry on Arran and it was liked we entered a new world it was idyllic riding until we came to a bend in the road and it proceeded upwards forever but like the pro riders we are we didn't shy away from this we just had some wine gums and got on with the job. Got to youth hostel had a great shower well some of us did and then proceeded to the local tavern to taste their delights.
Day 4 and on
Sorry weve had no internet access! still enjoying ourselves
Day4
Bristol to Ledbury, 74ish miles. A38 out of Bristol, shenanigans road as Adi whos lives there likes to call it, nightmare.Cheers Adi for putting us up and plying us with good food / beer/ scotch.
Lots of rubbish road riding really.
Landed in a bunkhouse near Ledbury, quality place, we wheeled our bikes up a rear access ramp into the room! More like an apartment, bunkhouses shouldnt be this good, 'i feel like were cheating'. Bought food in for bunkhouse, could of fed 4 people, had mandatory beer and wine too, feast!
Day5
Ledbury to Bridges, 54miles,
started alright all way up to leominster then a49 to church stretton. Got hilly and steep. At one point it was barely rideable. Stayed over in yha which is an old school, very creepy. pub next door was shut, Disaster.
Told repeatedly by people we met along the way that we were on a rubbish route, should be riding on quieter roads, annoying! ignored em.
Day6
Bridges to Warrington, 50 odd miles. started with a massive down hill, new top speed of 45mph. really good morning, nice riding till we got into warrington. stayed in travel lodge, went to pub for tea and beers, happy days.
Day7
Warrington to Carnforth 69ishmiles
Got out of madhouse of warrington roads, fast route to home.Riding through our home village and local area was very weird, like a training ride- just finishing off. except we were half way on the trip! rode out of preston, worst drivers we found so far, had about 3 close calls, which is far too many! Good to see family at home, gave us a big lift. Thanks!
Rode up to lancaster, weve ridden up there too many times already, going through the motions. arrived at pete and sues van, had a swim in outdoor pool, fed and watered, cheers!
Day8
Carnforth to Carlisle 70miles ish
rode 15 miles into kendal, then started up Shap. 9 miles uphill. we found it alright really, had south west breeze behind us, 1400ft, quite enjoyed it. Then on to penrith and carlisle. stayed over in farm bunkhouse 7 miles outside carlisle, feast again!
:)
Day4
Bristol to Ledbury, 74ish miles. A38 out of Bristol, shenanigans road as Adi whos lives there likes to call it, nightmare.Cheers Adi for putting us up and plying us with good food / beer/ scotch.
Lots of rubbish road riding really.
Landed in a bunkhouse near Ledbury, quality place, we wheeled our bikes up a rear access ramp into the room! More like an apartment, bunkhouses shouldnt be this good, 'i feel like were cheating'. Bought food in for bunkhouse, could of fed 4 people, had mandatory beer and wine too, feast!
Day5
Ledbury to Bridges, 54miles,
started alright all way up to leominster then a49 to church stretton. Got hilly and steep. At one point it was barely rideable. Stayed over in yha which is an old school, very creepy. pub next door was shut, Disaster.
Told repeatedly by people we met along the way that we were on a rubbish route, should be riding on quieter roads, annoying! ignored em.
Day6
Bridges to Warrington, 50 odd miles. started with a massive down hill, new top speed of 45mph. really good morning, nice riding till we got into warrington. stayed in travel lodge, went to pub for tea and beers, happy days.
Day7
Warrington to Carnforth 69ishmiles
Got out of madhouse of warrington roads, fast route to home.Riding through our home village and local area was very weird, like a training ride- just finishing off. except we were half way on the trip! rode out of preston, worst drivers we found so far, had about 3 close calls, which is far too many! Good to see family at home, gave us a big lift. Thanks!
Rode up to lancaster, weve ridden up there too many times already, going through the motions. arrived at pete and sues van, had a swim in outdoor pool, fed and watered, cheers!
Day8
Carnforth to Carlisle 70miles ish
rode 15 miles into kendal, then started up Shap. 9 miles uphill. we found it alright really, had south west breeze behind us, 1400ft, quite enjoyed it. Then on to penrith and carlisle. stayed over in farm bunkhouse 7 miles outside carlisle, feast again!
:)
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Hey all, this is Karen, Steve's wife and Dave's big sis - they've asked me to do an update for all of you who are following them. Today they've ridden up SHAP (yes, that bloomin big , long, devil mountain on the way to Carlisle). I spoke to them both as they summitted (!), Steve was very chilled and relaxed as normal...from Dave I got a massive WOOOOOHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO as he came over the top, closely followed by some swearing about a 77 year old man who apparently overtook him.
The last couple of days have been a bit wierd for them, they came through their home town of Bamber Bridge yesterday and stopped at our mum's for tomato soup and ham butties. Dave ate them like he was never going to eat food again. Steve, in the meantime, packed and repacked his bags with items I had been instructed to bring along.... " beige walking pants, beige T-Shirt". God knows what would have happened if I'd put a red T-shirt in there instead. They may never of continued. A Hollands pie man had apparently pulled in front of them on the way and Steve just about managed to stop swearing at him long enough to discover that the "stupid Bas$$rd" hadn't just cut him up but wanted to give them free steak and pepper pies.
Thursday prior found them in sunny Warrington, I received a call that they had nowhere to eat and that everywhere was closed... disaster and melodrama was upon them....anyway the story ended with them finding a pub that did burgers big enough for Steve-i-never-leave-anything-farnan to leave, well, lots of burger.
Yesterday they saw us, dumped a load of smelly clothes and headed off to Steve's dad's van in Carnforth (Pete & Sue you owe me for not sending smelly clothes up to you), apparently they had yummy braised steak, beer, wine and then pudding of stawberries - Pete got up at half six today to make sure they had actually left and not hidden in his shed....... the story continues, very proud of you both xxxxx
The last couple of days have been a bit wierd for them, they came through their home town of Bamber Bridge yesterday and stopped at our mum's for tomato soup and ham butties. Dave ate them like he was never going to eat food again. Steve, in the meantime, packed and repacked his bags with items I had been instructed to bring along.... " beige walking pants, beige T-Shirt". God knows what would have happened if I'd put a red T-shirt in there instead. They may never of continued. A Hollands pie man had apparently pulled in front of them on the way and Steve just about managed to stop swearing at him long enough to discover that the "stupid Bas$$rd" hadn't just cut him up but wanted to give them free steak and pepper pies.
Thursday prior found them in sunny Warrington, I received a call that they had nowhere to eat and that everywhere was closed... disaster and melodrama was upon them....anyway the story ended with them finding a pub that did burgers big enough for Steve-i-never-leave-anything-farnan to leave, well, lots of burger.
Yesterday they saw us, dumped a load of smelly clothes and headed off to Steve's dad's van in Carnforth (Pete & Sue you owe me for not sending smelly clothes up to you), apparently they had yummy braised steak, beer, wine and then pudding of stawberries - Pete got up at half six today to make sure they had actually left and not hidden in his shed....... the story continues, very proud of you both xxxxx
Monday, 20 June 2011
LEJOG day 3
Today was a good day, long but good. we got rained on. flat in places, much less hilly than devon and cornwall. 76 miles! hardest biking weekend weve ever done, fantastic in places, horrendous in others.
Made good progress during the morn, then rain and the Mendip hills slowed us down, our legs are creaking a bit more today. To date we have done 230 miles. Off to Gloucestershire tommorrow then onto Ledbury for our over night stop, it's a short day only 54 miles so where havin a lie in.
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happy days!
Made good progress during the morn, then rain and the Mendip hills slowed us down, our legs are creaking a bit more today. To date we have done 230 miles. Off to Gloucestershire tommorrow then onto Ledbury for our over night stop, it's a short day only 54 miles so where havin a lie in.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
LEJOG Day 2
Glorious sunshine, cornish and devon hills should be a recipe for great hol, not on a bike though! Up and down em for 10 hours which is a new personal best, for 74 miles.... average speed embarassingly low!
Some parts were amazing with great views, others were an absolute nightmare!
lost count of the hills, theres no flat bits round here, up or down thats it.
We hit a patch of road into liskeard doing 40mph for ages downhill, unbelievable.
Highway of death = A30, if you fall off on here you will die! these where the comforting words Dave said to me as we set of on our final 15 mile, the road lives up to the name we give it i have never seen so many dead animals on one road before. Anyway we cracked on and got into Exeter in one piece all though a little shaken.
Cheers!
Some parts were amazing with great views, others were an absolute nightmare!
lost count of the hills, theres no flat bits round here, up or down thats it.
We hit a patch of road into liskeard doing 40mph for ages downhill, unbelievable.
Highway of death = A30, if you fall off on here you will die! these where the comforting words Dave said to me as we set of on our final 15 mile, the road lives up to the name we give it i have never seen so many dead animals on one road before. Anyway we cracked on and got into Exeter in one piece all though a little shaken.
Cheers!
LEJOG day 1
Hi people, limited tinterweb access down here!
It rained as soon as we set off, torrential style!
Good ride, plenty of hills.
My phone got wet and broke. My chain bust at the bottom of a hill, good job we had a spare link!
Lands End to Golant which is near Fowey.
Met loads of riders who are doing similar ride to us.
Cheers!
It rained as soon as we set off, torrential style!
Good ride, plenty of hills.
My phone got wet and broke. My chain bust at the bottom of a hill, good job we had a spare link!
Lands End to Golant which is near Fowey.
Met loads of riders who are doing similar ride to us.
Cheers!
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