The Last Post!

You pedal from one end of the country to the other without any mishaps......

It's been 6 weeks since I arrived at John O'Groats, and I still can't seem to wipe the smile off my face!  Every time I see the map of the UK on the TV weather, I'm amazed that I've cycled all that way, and I'm still incredibly proud of what I've done!  I intended to get out on my bike as often as I could once I got back, to try to keep up some of the fitness I worked so hard to achieve.  But life seems to get in the way, and when faced with the choice - Pinot Grigio in the garden or bike ride - guess which wins! I've been in touch with a few of my fellow end-to-enders, and we're planning a reunion weekend next year, but the best bit is the many fantastic memories I have that pop into my head all the time.

Amazing memories!  From the excitement of the start...

...to the satisfaction of nearing the end

When I DO manage to get out on my bike, I've been really enjoying riding just for fun.  Up until yesterday, when Bob and I went for a 30 mile scenic ride through the Eden Vally near Shap.  We came across a ford and it was my decision to ride through it, rather than take the footbridge - after all, it wasn't so deep... It may not have been deep, but it was really slippery, and I fell off into the running water!  Typical!  I've pedalled 3500 miles on that bike, and it takes one little puddle....   The pretty impressive bruises, bent gear levers and shattered pride will eventually be restored.


On a happier note, my Justgiving total raised for the Watchtree Wheelers is an astounding £2630!  Another thing to be immensely proud of.  My donation, along with some more local folk fundraising, means they have reached the £5000 they needed to buy the Cheetah - the recumbent tandem they were aiming towards - and it will be delivered to them on 6th August for their Grand Open Day, when they officially open their newly resurfaced training area and cycle path.  I've been invited to be the first to ride it on the day with Amanda, their other main contributor - special!

The Cheetah!

Equally special for me is that our daughter has also agreed to ride the Cheetah with me!  For those who don't know, she had a serious cycling accident 5 years ago, and hasn't been on a bike since.

Handing over a cheque for all the cash donations I received

So all in all, not half bad for a mid-life crisis!!!  And for those who keep asking what's next - I'm considering taking up knitting....!

A truly memorable mid-life crisis!

Two days later...

Miles cycled - NONE!!
Hangovers - 2

The euphoria of our arrival in John O'Groats continued into the wee small hours of Sunday morning, with much banter, speeches and whisky - thank goodness I did plenty of drinking training too!  But then everyone's thoughts turned to getting home.  We were bussed to Inverness, where Bob was waiting to bring me and my bike home for a well-earned sleep (once I'd popped in to our local to bask in a bit of glory!).   I'm not feeling too bad now, considering - not too stiff, just tired.

I am still amazed at what I have achieved!  Everyone keeps asking what's next, but I can't top what I've just experienced, and I'm more than happy that whenever I see a map of the UK, I can inwardly smile to think I've pedalled all that way in such a short time.  It was the most physically and emotionally challenging thing I've ever done, yet also the most rewarding.  The stats, if anyone's interested:

Total miles cycled (including the odd wrong turn!) - 1010
Total ascent - 50,300 ft (Everest is 29,000!)
Average speed - 10.6 mph
Total time in the saddle - 94 hrs 53 mins (no wonder my backside is a little tender!!)

I met 24 other cyclists and 3 crew, all of whom were great people I'll remember fondly.  The majority were keen cyclists, and found the going a little easier than I did, but it was our mini-team bringing up the rear each day I'll always be grateful to.  We gelled as a group, helped each other along the way, and definitely saw all the sights at a slower pace than the rest, and it was a real privilege to share this experience with such great characters.

From the left - Aled (looks great in lycra tights!), Johnathan (who carried a yellow plastic duck since Somerset!), me!, Phil (much fitter than us and could have been at the front with the others, but stayed with us to get his value for money!) and John (who celebrated both his 45th wedding anniversary and his 69th birthday on the trip!)

 But the one I'll miss the most is John.  What an incredible achievement for him.  His wonderful sense of humour and unfailing courage and determination I can only aspire to.

Thanks for your company, John!

I'm still collecting for my charity, and will update again in a couple of weeks once the final total is in, so if you've enjoyed reading my blog, please feel free to donate!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

Day 14. Altnaharra to John O'Groats

Miles cycled - 75
Total ascent - 3700ft
Terrain - hilly section in the middle, long rolling hills late on
Weather - cold, damp and cloudy but NO WIND!!
Best bit - seeing John get to the finish first
Worst bit - the long run between lunch and the last few miles

We set off early at 8.15, still 7 miles ahead of the rest. We knew they'd catch up but an early start would mean an early finish! The route was lovely, meandering along the lochside and following a river to Bettyhill where a 20 mile section of hills brought us up on the tops above the coastline. Nice views, but the cloud was low and it was a bit misty. 

Our first view of a John O'Groats sign

After lunch, I found things hard going. The hills were not steep, just long, but in my head we were nearly done, and yet we still had 40 miles to go. My legs had had enough, and it was a real grind getting to Mey, 7 miles short of John O'Groats. Here, everyone re-grouped after a cuppa (or a beer in some cases!) and we all cycled the last section together. John was given the honour of leading us down the hill to the signpost - a very fitting end to an amazing challenge.

In the last 2 weeks I have cycled from one end of the country to the other. I have pedalled for almost exactly 1000 miles and climbed more than one-and-a-half times the height of Everest. I think I can be proud of myself now. Mid-life crisis - done!!

Day 13. Inverness to Altnaharra

Miles cycled - 73
Total ascent - 3300ft
Terrain - some long, slow hills
Weather - cold and windy with squally showers. Heavy drizzle late afternoon
Best bit - having a landlady at the b&b who takes away all your wet kit to dry it for you!
Worst bit - the weather

Another tough and long day. We left Inverness in biting cold wind and headed north over the Kessock bridge, mostly following cycle paths to Dingwall then a mixture of main roads and quiet back lanes to Bonar Bridge.  There was quite a climb before lunch, but the gradient wasn't so bad and although it was long, it didn't sap your strength.

The view fom the top of the climb

We all layered up at lunch, as the morning had been so cold, and the clouds looked threatening. Up to then, we'd only had a few short showers. We headed to Lairg for the last brew stop and then had a 14 mile  long hill to climb to The Crask Hotel. When I say hill, it was just one endless incline - no steep bits, just steadily uphill all the way, with a fierce headwind and persistent heavy drizzle. We were heading up exposed rolling moorland, with absolutely no shelter from the wind, along a single track road which was surprisingly busy. It wasn't a day to look up - just keep your head down and get the miles done in full waterproofs. 

The endless last hill to The Crask

The Crask was the official finish today, but us 'slowies' (me, John and Phil and the 2 Welsh lads) were staying  7 miles further on at Altnaharra, so we had to press on in the rain to our b&b. However, this means we get a 7 mile head start on the others tomorrow, and the plan is for us all to arrive at the finish together. A long day - began cycling at 8.30am and got in at 6.35pm - but not quite so drained as last night, and the end is in sight!!

Day 12. Glencoe to Inverness

Miles cycled - 82
Total ascent - 4400ft
Terrain - pretty hilly with one enormous hill after lunch
Weather - cold and windy with rain all afternoon
Best bit - standing in a hot shower at the end
Worst bit - can't decide - plenty to choose from!

  

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip 

Today has been a struggle. We left Glencoe and headed on the A82 to Fort William against a fierce headwind, and battling the lorries and coaches. Not a lot of fun, and more tiring than I expected.

From Fort William, we made our way up a hilly road which paralleled the Caledonian canal. This would have been scenic if it wasn't such hard work against the persistent wind, but it topped out at the brew stop at Spean Bridge at the commando memorial. Again, the view should have been fantastic of Ben Nevis, but we were all more interested in trying to eat and drink and stay warm, to take it all in.

We then had a long stretch on the A82 to Fort Augustus for lunch, and the weather was beginning to turn wet, with the clouds dropping to very low level. Then came the monstrous climb of the day (see below), up a quiet road to the east of Loch Ness, which eventually led into Inverness.

After lunch, I put on my waterproof jacket and long trousers, deciding to leave my waterproof trousers and overshoes in the van. After all, it was only drizzle... However, towards the end of the big hill (it took me an hour to climb it!) it began to rain stair-rods and the temperature plummeted. I got really hot on the climb, then there was a massive long descent to the brew stop, and I ended up frozen!

Leaving Glencoe

I wasn't the only one, and we all put on extra layers and waterproofs at the van in the rain, before setting off for the 20 mile run into Inverness. By now, I was cold, wet and very tired. The road was undulating, but the hills felt like mountains and my legs were like lead. Inverness was a very welcome sight.

It just goes to show what a difference the weather can make, and just how lucky we've been not to have had to deal with this every day. A VERY early night tonight for me!

Day 11. Balloch to Glencoe

Mile's cycled - 67
Total ascent - 3100ft
Terrain - flat first section then long slow hills
Weather - cooler and cloudy with strong winds after lunch
Best bit - the scenery
Worst bit - the headwind for the last 15 miles

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

The day started with a lovely cycle path alongside Loch Lomond. The banks are indeed 'bonny' and there was lots of stopping to take pics. The brew stop came all too soon, as from there we had to get onto to the A82, and stay on it for much of the day. This is a busy road, narrow in places, and lots of lorries and coaches, so we were advised to keep in small groups and leave plenty of overtaking gaps.

Beautiful Loch Lomond

This we did, and wended our way through Crianlarich and Tyndrum and into the Highlands.

Here the landscape opened up and we were greeted by views I can only describe as breathtaking. The afternoon brew stop has to be the most spectacular of them all so far, and the run into Glencoe equally stunning. 

But having had a fairly flat run this morning, the long slow climbs this afternoon came as a shock to the system, especially against a headwind. However, the scenery made up for it, and we only have the midges to contend with now at the youth hostel!

Arriving at Glencoe

Day 10. Moffat to Balloch

Miles cycled - 81
Total ascent - 2900ft
Terrain - hilly morning, flat afternoon
Weather - beautiful morning, cooler and cloudy afternoon
Best bit - the afternoon cycle paths
Worst bit - coming across some public toilets when I was desperate for a pee, only to find they were locked!!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

There was a long slow climb out of Moffat, but the scenery was so beautiful, it took your mind off your legs! Too hazy to take pics, so I just plodded on, enjoying the view. Then we travelled along the road that parallels the M74. If I thought yesterdays road surfaces were bad - these were dreadful! Not potholes, just really rough, and it plays havoc with your backside and wrists. 

Hard to believe we were right next to the M74!

Lunch was at Chatelherault - a stunning hunting lodge with amazing views over Glasgow. Then we picked our way through the traffic in the suburbs before joint a lovely cycle path along the banks of the Clyde all the way through to the heart of Glasgow. It was brilliant - great surface, very quiet, and very FLAT!! The cycleway then followed a canal and joined another river where it took us all the way to Balloch at the end of Loch Lomond. It has been great to be away from traffic all afternoon, and although the mileage was high, it's not been too tiring at all. Another great day.

The Glasgow cycle path - a really nice way to travel through the city