Over a 1000 miles and 82 hours in the saddle later we finally made the triumphal entry to Lands End to be greeted by more than expected. We were surprised to be welcomed by a crowd of 7 including Andy's parents who cunningly sneaked their way to Cornwall in a most Stephens of conspiracies amidst a spate of elaborate white lies. The customary photos were taken (to follow) before the pastie that had motivated us for nearly 2 weeks now was scoffed down. It had been a relatively easy morning's 37 mile cycle but we felt like we had earnt it! The ensuing celebrations at Helen & Nick's was something else. A celebratory feast of grand proportions was a more than fitting climax to our epic journey. Again massive thanks to them for all their kind hospitality. Also to Guy and Helen (next door neighbours) for putting us up for our final two nights.
As I write the celebrations are continuing in sun-drenched St. Mawes, so I will leave it there with a massive thanks to all who supported us and made generous donations and one final plea to anyone who has not yet made a donation. Our challenge is almost complete. With a few more donations we can reach our £2000 target.
Look out for lots of pictures as well Andy's legendary statcam!
To the beach!
Monday 16 August 2010
Friday 13 August 2010
One final push!
Firstly sorry for the lack of contact over the last few days. Technology has failed us! With the finishing line in sight (almost literally) here's an update of our last few days.
August 9th Preston - Shrewsbury - 84 miles
Highlight(s) Driving through Wigan, Warrington and any other rugby league town beginning with 'W' does not tend to have highlights apart from the abundance of flat roads to cycle on. Kinda funny having our morning snack break at a bus stop on the side of a dual carriageway in an industrial estate, rather than the usual field or park bench in on a country road. Definite highlight had to be sleeping in a bed for the first time in over a week. Massive thanks again to Andy B who left us to our own devices today having been an excellent part of the team. Also, if you're ever in Shrewsbury, eat in The Armory pub. A pub with character that does excellent food and a spiffing shandy!
August 10th Shrewsbury - Chepstow - 86 miles
Highlight(s) Many highlights on this amazing day. Cooked breakfast, beautiful weather, flat-ish roads, Andy's 3rd puncture. The ride from Monmouth to Chepstow along the Wye valley in Wales has to be the outright winner. An amazingly picturesque cycle along mostly flat roads in beautiful evening sunshine.
Man of the Match - The welsh guys destined for John O'Groats who stopped to help us change Andy's tyre. Legends, and great Welsh accents to top it!
August 11th Chepstow - Taunton - 60 miles
Highlight(s) Crossing the Severn road bridge was amazing. Finding out that Bristol is a big bowl-shaped city is not so amazing, however, realsing that Somerset is in fact very flat is a bonus. No need for a shortened 60 miler, but we grabbed the opportunity to be men of leisure and went into town for a coffee in the afternoon sun!
August 12th Taunton - Tavistock - 67 miles
Highlight(s) Finally came the much predicted 'hillage' of Devon. Breaking my 'land-steed record' was a definite highlight - 66.4 kph! My back pannier falling of the back of the bike just as we approached the 'You are now entering Devon' sign not so much, although quite funny at the time! Highlight of the day has to be the 5 mile descent into Tavistock to stay in a very nice hotel! A dream end to a tough day.
August 13th Tavistock - Flushing - 62 miles
Highlight(s) Oh my goodness, the hills! The Devon hills were just training for Cornwall! But, with great climbs come great zooming descents and wait for it - The new 'land-steed record' now stands at 77.8 kph! A massive thank you to Andy's great Aunt and Uncle Helen and Nick who took us in for the night, met us with cold beer and fed us royally until we could eat no more! Great Cornish hospitality. Definite Man & Woman of the Match! Although close run thing with the guy we met today who did End to End last year in 7 days! Albeit totally supported, a legendary effort! Maybe next year eh..?
So...just 37 miles to Lands End. Aiming for a lunch-time finish to ensure we meet our 12 day target. I'll update in a few days with pics etc when the hangover wears off!
Over and out!
August 9th Preston - Shrewsbury - 84 miles
Highlight(s) Driving through Wigan, Warrington and any other rugby league town beginning with 'W' does not tend to have highlights apart from the abundance of flat roads to cycle on. Kinda funny having our morning snack break at a bus stop on the side of a dual carriageway in an industrial estate, rather than the usual field or park bench in on a country road. Definite highlight had to be sleeping in a bed for the first time in over a week. Massive thanks again to Andy B who left us to our own devices today having been an excellent part of the team. Also, if you're ever in Shrewsbury, eat in The Armory pub. A pub with character that does excellent food and a spiffing shandy!
August 10th Shrewsbury - Chepstow - 86 miles
Highlight(s) Many highlights on this amazing day. Cooked breakfast, beautiful weather, flat-ish roads, Andy's 3rd puncture. The ride from Monmouth to Chepstow along the Wye valley in Wales has to be the outright winner. An amazingly picturesque cycle along mostly flat roads in beautiful evening sunshine.
Man of the Match - The welsh guys destined for John O'Groats who stopped to help us change Andy's tyre. Legends, and great Welsh accents to top it!
August 11th Chepstow - Taunton - 60 miles
Highlight(s) Crossing the Severn road bridge was amazing. Finding out that Bristol is a big bowl-shaped city is not so amazing, however, realsing that Somerset is in fact very flat is a bonus. No need for a shortened 60 miler, but we grabbed the opportunity to be men of leisure and went into town for a coffee in the afternoon sun!
August 12th Taunton - Tavistock - 67 miles
Highlight(s) Finally came the much predicted 'hillage' of Devon. Breaking my 'land-steed record' was a definite highlight - 66.4 kph! My back pannier falling of the back of the bike just as we approached the 'You are now entering Devon' sign not so much, although quite funny at the time! Highlight of the day has to be the 5 mile descent into Tavistock to stay in a very nice hotel! A dream end to a tough day.
August 13th Tavistock - Flushing - 62 miles
Highlight(s) Oh my goodness, the hills! The Devon hills were just training for Cornwall! But, with great climbs come great zooming descents and wait for it - The new 'land-steed record' now stands at 77.8 kph! A massive thank you to Andy's great Aunt and Uncle Helen and Nick who took us in for the night, met us with cold beer and fed us royally until we could eat no more! Great Cornish hospitality. Definite Man & Woman of the Match! Although close run thing with the guy we met today who did End to End last year in 7 days! Albeit totally supported, a legendary effort! Maybe next year eh..?
So...just 37 miles to Lands End. Aiming for a lunch-time finish to ensure we meet our 12 day target. I'll update in a few days with pics etc when the hangover wears off!
Over and out!
Sunday 8 August 2010
Goodbye to bonnie Scotland August 6th - 8th
August 6th Cairndow - Penpont (116 miles!)
Highlight of the day - Well, getting to the campsite to a delicious chilli con carne (not curry con-carne as previously conceieved in Betty Hill) doing 116 miles and getting to use our lights was a definite highlight in hindsight, although there were one or two low points, namely Andy demolishing a whole packet of percy pigs (our low-point guilty pleasures) to get him in a good frame of mind.
Man of the Match - Several contenders - Either the guy in Thornhill who sponsored us a quid or the guy we met at the end of 116 miles in Moniaive who was very inquisitive until we mentioned sponsorship. He put his hand in his pocket and then simply said, 'My wife looks after the money', by which time she had turned on her heels and gone! Tight Scots!
Winner has to be Andy B for his outstanding chilli with strawberries for dessert!
August 7th - Penpont - Pooley Bridge (nr Penrith) - 74 miles
Highlight(s) - Lovely to have the sun on our backs as we crossed the border. Excellent lunch spot in Gretna Green where we witnessed about 5 marriages coming and going by the time we had our half and hr lunch break! Campsite was interesting - comparible to 'Shameless' on a camping holiday which wasn't conducive to much sleep. Fantastic meal out in Italian restaurant in Penrith where we were surrounded by about 20 young girls falling out of their dresses as we sat in our best camping gear! However, the gents toilets was the winner of highlight of the day! You have to go there to find out why. All three of us agree that this was the BEST toilet we have EVER been to.
Man of the Match - The one guy at the table of 20 girls in the Italian or maybe the little guy on his bike in Gretna who was so genuinely interetsted in our challenge. What a bloke!
August 8th - Pooley Bridge - Preston - 80 miles
Highlights - Shap! (also Norn Irn for retail establishment) 1400 feet up and 1400 down. A rollercoaster of a ride. Best weather so far - we packed a dry tent for the first time! Bit of a low point though as I seem to have picked up a recurring knee injury that I thought I had managed to avoid so far. Really hope it doesn't hinder us. Watch this space...
Man of the Match - Random guy who was also JOGLEing, but by himself, with more luggage than both of us and keeping up a better pace than us over the day. Inspirational!
Highlight of the day - Well, getting to the campsite to a delicious chilli con carne (not curry con-carne as previously conceieved in Betty Hill) doing 116 miles and getting to use our lights was a definite highlight in hindsight, although there were one or two low points, namely Andy demolishing a whole packet of percy pigs (our low-point guilty pleasures) to get him in a good frame of mind.
Man of the Match - Several contenders - Either the guy in Thornhill who sponsored us a quid or the guy we met at the end of 116 miles in Moniaive who was very inquisitive until we mentioned sponsorship. He put his hand in his pocket and then simply said, 'My wife looks after the money', by which time she had turned on her heels and gone! Tight Scots!
Winner has to be Andy B for his outstanding chilli with strawberries for dessert!
August 7th - Penpont - Pooley Bridge (nr Penrith) - 74 miles
Highlight(s) - Lovely to have the sun on our backs as we crossed the border. Excellent lunch spot in Gretna Green where we witnessed about 5 marriages coming and going by the time we had our half and hr lunch break! Campsite was interesting - comparible to 'Shameless' on a camping holiday which wasn't conducive to much sleep. Fantastic meal out in Italian restaurant in Penrith where we were surrounded by about 20 young girls falling out of their dresses as we sat in our best camping gear! However, the gents toilets was the winner of highlight of the day! You have to go there to find out why. All three of us agree that this was the BEST toilet we have EVER been to.
Man of the Match - The one guy at the table of 20 girls in the Italian or maybe the little guy on his bike in Gretna who was so genuinely interetsted in our challenge. What a bloke!
August 8th - Pooley Bridge - Preston - 80 miles
Highlights - Shap! (also Norn Irn for retail establishment) 1400 feet up and 1400 down. A rollercoaster of a ride. Best weather so far - we packed a dry tent for the first time! Bit of a low point though as I seem to have picked up a recurring knee injury that I thought I had managed to avoid so far. Really hope it doesn't hinder us. Watch this space...
Man of the Match - Random guy who was also JOGLEing, but by himself, with more luggage than both of us and keeping up a better pace than us over the day. Inspirational!
Saturday 7 August 2010
Day 5 Loch Fyne - Penpont
AndyS and Simon are now official Centurions. They cycled over 100miles in a day - 116 to be precise, en route from our luck find of the back garden of the Stagecoach inn on the shore of Loch Fyne to the ccampsite in the small village of Penpont. Despite almost continuous rain the boys made good time and slept well on their last night on Scottish soil.
They allowed themselves an extra 30mins in bed this morning before setting out through Dumfries and Carlisle to a campssite in Pooley Bridge at the northern tip of Ullswater.
They allowed themselves an extra 30mins in bed this morning before setting out through Dumfries and Carlisle to a campssite in Pooley Bridge at the northern tip of Ullswater.
Thursday 5 August 2010
Day 4 Cribs
August 5th
80miles – Glencoe – Cairndow
Highlight(s) of the day – Puncture number 2; 10 minute break in the Scottish sunshine before taking a wrong turn and adding on an extra half an hour in the saddle; Cracking loch scenery again! And a free campsite out the back of a pub thanks to the perspicacity (in his own words) of Andy B!
MotM – Simon (Sat Nav) Brown for owning up to his momentary disorientation (non-sexual). Andy B, of course, for rescuing the day by making the most of his charm and guile in obtaining an excellent (free) pitch for the evening.
Written by Si... Published by AndyB
August 2nd
50 miles - John O’Groats – Betty Hill
Man of the match – Gary (boy) who cycled 50 miles with 25 kilos of luggage on his brand new mountain bike!
Highlight of the day – Puncture in the car-park at John O’Groats and the lady in the car park who made a generous donation after we answered her very simple question. Reaching 62 Kph top speed
August 3rd
83 miles – Betty Hill – Dingwall
Man of the match – Andy Barkley – for spending his 35th birthday in the highlands with us and generously helping Gary (boy) and Richard sort their falling apart bikes!
Highlight of the day – An well earned lunch after a hefty 60 mile morning. Also watching Andy down a large birthday tipple
August 4th
90 miles – Dingwall – Glencoe
MotM –The 60-odd year old Italian Stallion who managed to cycle much slower but just as far as us whilst carrying everything but a grasp of the English language. His lack of faffing (highlighted by his 10 minute fish and chip stop) was highly commendable.
Highlight(s) of the day – So much beautiful scenery along the loughs; Drumnadrochit hill – Andy banishing his demons by cycling up and zooming down the infamous hill no less than 49.8mph!! Lunch in Fort Augustus by the ‘7 Sisters’ lough gates accompanied by lots of barge activity, good food, bagpipes, drummer, a big soft Loch Ness monster, a young dancing lassie, harp playing and wait for it… beautiful sunshine which we dozed in. Oh and finishing …to a royal feast prepared by Andy B!
50 miles - John O’Groats – Betty Hill
Man of the match – Gary (boy) who cycled 50 miles with 25 kilos of luggage on his brand new mountain bike!
Highlight of the day – Puncture in the car-park at John O’Groats and the lady in the car park who made a generous donation after we answered her very simple question. Reaching 62 Kph top speed
August 3rd
83 miles – Betty Hill – Dingwall
Man of the match – Andy Barkley – for spending his 35th birthday in the highlands with us and generously helping Gary (boy) and Richard sort their falling apart bikes!
Highlight of the day – An well earned lunch after a hefty 60 mile morning. Also watching Andy down a large birthday tipple
August 4th
90 miles – Dingwall – Glencoe
MotM –The 60-odd year old Italian Stallion who managed to cycle much slower but just as far as us whilst carrying everything but a grasp of the English language. His lack of faffing (highlighted by his 10 minute fish and chip stop) was highly commendable.
Highlight(s) of the day – So much beautiful scenery along the loughs; Drumnadrochit hill – Andy banishing his demons by cycling up and zooming down the infamous hill no less than 49.8mph!! Lunch in Fort Augustus by the ‘7 Sisters’ lough gates accompanied by lots of barge activity, good food, bagpipes, drummer, a big soft Loch Ness monster, a young dancing lassie, harp playing and wait for it… beautiful sunshine which we dozed in. Oh and finishing …to a royal feast prepared by Andy B!
Wednesday 4 August 2010
Wed 4th August
This is the first blog entry since we left Andy’s house at 10:30a.m. on Sunday. We’d planned to be more frequent bloggers but poor signal at our chosen stopping places put paid to that idea.
We’re all well. No problems, and making good progress.
We spent Sunday night camping near Aviemore. The drive there was easy. We all took turns and only had one brief jam just South of the Forth Bridge. Weather was fairly bleak – with many heavy downpours the further North we went.
We made good progress to John O’Groats on Monday stopping briefly in Wick for last minute provisions and access to a FREE cashpoint!
We got there at 11:00a.m. and after some bike fettling and photo opportunities, tthe ride proper got underway at noon.
Monday night was spent camping at Bettyhill, and dinner was a novel Curry con Carne sans ongion (our only onion was not up to Simon’s exacting standards, and the shop had copious amounts of curry powder – but no chilli!)
We met with a couple of very enthusiastic but hopelessly ill prepared young lads – Gary and Richard – who had various technical issues, and also no idea of the route. But that’s a story for another day.
Good progress was made on Tuesday – we camped at Dingwall, right beside Ross county’s football ground. The locals are still very proud of their team making it to last season’s Scottish Cup Final.
Yesterday was my 35th birthday, and to celebrate we whooped it up at ‘The Mallard’ with fish and chips or lasagne.
And so to today. Heavy overnight rain ddampened spirits, but by the time we had breakfasted it was all but gone.
The infamous hill at Drumnadrochit was conquered and the plan is to camp somewhere south of Fort William.
Thanks to everyone who has ddonated to our chosen charity. If you’re reading this and feeling guilty ‘cos you haven’t flexed your plastic yet…. Well there’s no time like the present!
We’re all well. No problems, and making good progress.
We spent Sunday night camping near Aviemore. The drive there was easy. We all took turns and only had one brief jam just South of the Forth Bridge. Weather was fairly bleak – with many heavy downpours the further North we went.
We made good progress to John O’Groats on Monday stopping briefly in Wick for last minute provisions and access to a FREE cashpoint!
We got there at 11:00a.m. and after some bike fettling and photo opportunities, tthe ride proper got underway at noon.
Monday night was spent camping at Bettyhill, and dinner was a novel Curry con Carne sans ongion (our only onion was not up to Simon’s exacting standards, and the shop had copious amounts of curry powder – but no chilli!)
We met with a couple of very enthusiastic but hopelessly ill prepared young lads – Gary and Richard – who had various technical issues, and also no idea of the route. But that’s a story for another day.
Good progress was made on Tuesday – we camped at Dingwall, right beside Ross county’s football ground. The locals are still very proud of their team making it to last season’s Scottish Cup Final.
Yesterday was my 35th birthday, and to celebrate we whooped it up at ‘The Mallard’ with fish and chips or lasagne.
And so to today. Heavy overnight rain ddampened spirits, but by the time we had breakfasted it was all but gone.
The infamous hill at Drumnadrochit was conquered and the plan is to camp somewhere south of Fort William.
Thanks to everyone who has ddonated to our chosen charity. If you’re reading this and feeling guilty ‘cos you haven’t flexed your plastic yet…. Well there’s no time like the present!
Saturday 10 July 2010
The start of the end... to end Malaria
With just 3 weeks to go until we make the long drive up to John O'Groats, preparations are finally coming together. A big thank you to Andy Barkley who has kindly agreed to support us on our challenge, giving us a massive boost and adding some experience to the team. Apart from having done LEJOG (Lands End to John O'Groats) a few times before himself, he knows how to change a tyre (which is a massive boost to us) and is pretty hand with a camera so look out for some interesting videos of the beauties of the Scottish Highlands as well as keeping track of our progress.
Speaking of hills, training is starting to pick up pace, although I am still struggling to find any decent hills in Suffolk which isn't filling me with confidence about tackling the Highlands, never mind the Devon and Cornwall hills!
As for fundraising, thanks to the very generous donations of staff and students from Thurston Community College who have contributed £145 in just 5 days, the ball is well and truly rolling. Please keep giving and encourage your friends, family and work colleagues to get involved. Remember, just £5 will pay for and deliver a mosquito net which can protect a mother and baby or two young children at night. To find out more about what impact your money will have go to http://www.malarianomore.org.uk/
To make a donation go to http://justgiving.com/endtoendmalaria
Strength and honour!
Simon
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