January 2014

The run-up to Christmas is far too busy for Bob and I to think about cycling, and then there's the food and drink involved in the festivities.  But now it was time to stop planning, stop enjoying myself, and get riding.  I had decided that January was to be spent eating and drinking less (failed on that one!), and just building up my basic fitness.

A friend had said he'd lend me a roller trainer - one that you clip your front forks to, and your back wheel rolls along 2 rollers - a rolling-road effectively.  I set up my bike in the kids music room, and was quite happily rolling away most nights, reading my kindle which I set up on a music stand!  Right up until the evening I broke it!!  Sorry Dave!  It wasn't a brand new roller trainer, but the rear roller had split and a piece flew out.  Once I'd apologised profusely, we bought a 'turbo trainer' from Halfords, and set this up in it's place.  I was now beginning to feel even more selfish that this mid-life crisis was costing us much more than I had envisaged.

Pedalling away with my Kindle!

However, this turbo trainer is the bees knees, and will help my training immensely.  If the weather and work permits, I aim to always be out on the road (there really is no substitute for actually cycling!), but in foul weather or darkness, this is the next best thing.  Apart from one weekend, where we visited friends in Scotland, I have done something every day.  Whether it's just 30 mins on the rowing machine, or an hour on the trainer, or 15 miles cycling, it's got to be helping?!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

The Charity

I've told quite a lot of folk that I plan to do this ride.  I work on the basis that the more people who know, the less comfortable I'd feel if I bottled out!  And nearly everyone asked which charity I was doing it for.  That wasn't in my reasoning behind the ride - it's just my mid-life crisis.  But it made me think that maybe, I should raise money at the same time - it may be motivational to me, and if I can help a charity at the same time, then that's great.

I wanted to support a local charity and, selfishly, I wanted to be able to raise towards a specific tangible item/project, not just plough money into a large fund to be 'lost' in the pot.  So, I stumbled across the Watchtree Wheelers.  They are based at the Watchtree Nature Reserve, and have a 3 mile stretch of traffic-free cycle path on which people can hire bikes to ride.  They specialise in cycling for disabled and disadvantaged people who may not otherwise be able to get on 2 or 3 wheels.  They have a range of specially adapted bikes for hire, so cycling should be accessible to all, regardless of their disability.  They have recumbent bikes, handcycles, even one where you can sit a wheelchair on a platform, to be cycled around by an able-bodied cyclist.  This means that whole families can ride together, groups or just individuals, and it's all in a safe, enclosed rural environment.

Bob and I spent a morning with Ryan, their main man, and he explained that they were currently looking to buy a 'Cheetah' - a recumbent side-by-side tandem which would mean that someone with a disability can ride alongside an able-bodied cyclist.  This was top of their wishlist, and came in at £5K.  I was hoping to raise £2K (£2 per mile), so my contribution would mean they were almost half-way there.  I had found my charity!

The Cheetah!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

The Bike

When I cycled Coast-to-Coast, I was on a fairly cheap hybrid bike.  It did the job fine, but was certainly not up to 1000 miles in a fortnight.  Well, maybe it was, but I wasn't up to cycling that far on it, even though it did have a superb 'crawler gear'!  So, Bob and I spent a few weekends at various cycle shops test-riding bikes.

I decided I needed a road bike, but had never ridden with drop handlebars before, so they would take quite a bit of getting used to!  We eventually settled on Lexi, my new best friend.

My lovely Lexi

For the technically minded of you, she's a Trek Lexa SL, aluminium framed, carbon forked, 30-speed shimano triple.  For the rest of you, she's blue and white.  We've put on full plastic mudguards, a seat-mounted rack, and the old seat from my hybrid - a lot more comfy!

I've bought cycling shoes that clip onto the pedals, various items of lycra apparel, a bag for the rack, and and extra water bottle holder.  So I should be all set!
 
www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

The Planning

Shortly after the C2C, I found myself browsing the internet for ways to cycle End-to-End.  I knew that I couldn't expect Bob to drive support vehicle!  He had driven as support for the C2C, along with a few others, and was a very welcome sight with his box of chocolate bars and boot full of energy drinks.  He'd even driven as a windbreak for a couple of stragglers suffering at the end of day 1!  But End-to-End was an ask too far.  And there's no way I could do this unsupported.

So, I needed to find a company who run supported trips.  There's lots out there on the internet.  Some run big groups over a week or 9 days, which would be around 100 miles a day or more.  Not sure I'm up to that.  Others run trips over 2 weeks under canvas to keep the cost down, but although I fancied a challenge, I do like to have a real bed to sleep in, and would much prefer to have a roof, so they were quickly discounted.  I eventually settled on Peak Tours, a company based in Glossop, who run a 2-week "cycling holiday", fully supported, and averaging 75 miles a day - do-able, I think.  Their route passes close by our house on day 9, so I arranged to spend a morning in their support van last July, to get a feel for how the trip is run, the type of folk who run it, and the type of person who takes on this challenge.  I liked what I saw.

So now I just had to make a case to Bob for leaving him alone with the house and the business for 2 weeks whilst I pursue my mid-life crisis, spending quite a lot of money on a selfish persuit, and buying a new bike and all the gear I'd need, some of which I may not use again.  Needless to say, he was all for it!  Not sure he fully understands why I'd want to, but he's right behind me, even though it means he'll be a cycling widower throughout my training, as well as for the ride.  Deposit paid in August, and the date set for 10th May - now I can stop thinking about it, and just get on with it!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

The Background

A glass of fizz at the end of the C2C!

Last May (2013), I was bullied into cycling the coast-to-coast with a gang of 15 others, raising funds for the school PTA.  I've never been one for cycling before, so the prospect was not a pleasant one, but as my 'swansong' from the PTA, I reluctantly agreed.  We put in a few training rides, and I felt I was ready on the day, but it wasn't quite the 'breeze' I was expecting!

The first day (73 miles) was against a vicious headwind, and pretty hilly.  The second day (63 miles) was wet, windy and very hilly, and the last day (47 miles) was sunny, really hilly to start, then a gentle coast down to a lovely welcoming committee at Whitehaven.  I developed a nasty case of Cycling Tourettes on day 1 - every time I saw a hill, I would swear involuntarily.  But I'm proud to say that I pedalled every inch of the way, never once getting off to push!

At the end of the ride, I felt such a huge sense of achievement, and over the next few days, I started feeling very deflated.  There was no training to be done, no camaraderie, and no challenge to look forward to.  I felt a new goal had to be found, and so my mid-life crisis was born!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip