Aug 10, 2010
Three weeks previously an end to end had been something i knew I would do some day. I mean like most of my competitors the summer months are taken up with racing usually twice a week. This is a problem for fitness though as your endurance ebbs away right through the year until an hour race seems like three hours.
This year however a gap in the calender appeared and I took advantage. A phone call from Richard Wilkinson and suddenly i was taking part in the end to end. Officially it is 867 miles thats if you stick to the A roads and take the direct route but being averse to dual carriageways and certain deat we decided to avoid them where we could unfortunalty this added on over 100 miles.
Talking about distance it takes almost three days just to get to John o’Groats at the tip of Scotland. The nearest town is Wick and this was our bed for the night.
Day 1
We arrived nice and early to allow for bike building, preparation and photo shoots for the chosen charity Pancreatic cancer research. Once complete we donned our t shirts for the start and then had a few more photos before handing the t shirts back then we were off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KJSkuyjM6U
Initially a flat start allowed me to start my video blog today there were six of us with two guests who were going to tow us all the way to our destination Inverness. However, this did not last long as the two guests were quickly dropped over the rolling highlands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xyo3BUsIBI
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43625643 Garmin terrain data
Day 2 – Inverness to Kinross
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43625828
After a good nights sleep we were up and ready to go from the Travel lodge inn Inverness with another 140 miles to Kinross in front of us. Again we decided not stick to the main roads and quicly found ourselves climbing through an isolated forestry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDcTo4wBmoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7dONQ5u7lg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbF52kPheQA
Day 3
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43626020
So I had already cycled further than I had ever done before and I was not even half way. The other guys were also starting to suffer with each day taking a little longer to get on the road. Today we would cross into England as we approached Carlisle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4qYErytxOg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREm91m_vlY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnk9s0sTUxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y10xMhjyQq8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2jGi5c3Nl4
Day 4 – Carlisle to Warrington
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43623596
Wow this looked tough on paper and it proved to be just as tough in real life. Again taking the minor roads was niice and but made the route so much tougher. Today was the day that I knew the second half of the support team would turn up – Judith and Julie proved to super helpful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOlOfK56hV0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSVCIkUVoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMQJRkonidQ
Day 5 – Warrington to Gloucester
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43623565
Finally this should be a flat day but there was no way we could really avoid the busy roads today. A long boring day in the saddle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67nWJavq4m0
Day 6 – Gloucester to Okehampton
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43623542
A great day with rolling hills and flat fast sections, now starting to feel better knowing there was only one day to go. This was the nicest Bed and Breakfast by far…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBdqfIBfX3Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzwCM9VIgDs
Day 7 – Okehampton to Lands End
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43621569
So here is the last day and as you can see by the Garmin readout also the lumpiest with never ending small lumps and steep climbs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF45HfAyQ4Y
So only 110 miles and we were done. An epic adventure which proved to be more than just a training ride. It was a true character building slog, every day and especially the last I went to new depths of tiredeness. Thanks to all the support crew without whom we we would not have made it.
Louise Purdy
Phillip
Auntie Sue
Judith
Julie
Want to donate? You can here http://jogle2010.yolasite.com
Sounds fantastic, well done to you all!