Warrington - 0 Miles
It's my last rest day so I think you can guess what I have been doing and what is in line for later! Yep, bike clean, long sleep and sport on the tele! What a way to spend the day of rest!
See you on day 32!
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Day 30: I've paid my dues...
Lancaster, Lancashire to Warrington, Cheshire Via Greater Manchester and Merseyside
69.84 miles (1661.29 miles cumulatively)
You may well have noticed, as this Cycle England challenge has continued, that if there is something I can moan about or be sarcastic about, I probably will be! I seem to have linked into my sceptical side and been milking it for all it’s worth. Maybe that’s because I’m British and find me a brit that doesn’t actually enjoy having a good old moan about something. Or, maybe it’s because I think reading a blog most days, no matter how long or short, has to be a little more interesting that I did this, I did that and I arrived here.
With this in mind, I was thinking what could I possibly moan about toady, or what sarcy comment could I come up with to provide the witty base for my blog? And I have to be honest, I have to come clean, I struggled. For one particular reason. Normally, one of my biggest moans has been about the wind, the forceful weather condition that seemed hell-bent on forcing me backwards when I was trying to pedal myself forwards. I would have happily jumped on this bandwagon again today had it not been for the fact that it was a great friend to me today. Yes, a great friend and I am happy to admit that I am fickle when it comes to liking and disliking things. I hated the wind a couple of days ago, yet today I loved it! Brilliant. The strong wind helped to propel me southwards and onto Warrington and I arrived sooner than anticipated. When it works with you, you see, so much more can be achieved.
Worry not though, there was one thing that happened today that I feel was worth a little gripe, if nothing else, although here I feel I should tread carefully as it was involving a member of the public that was completely oblivious (and rightly so as they were doing nothing wrong!) to the burning rage and anger that was building up inside me! Let me paint you the picture. I was cycling out of Wigan when I came up on a man on a bike, with my guess being that he was just leaving work. He was what you might term and regular but not ‘serious’ cyclist I think. Obviously used to being on a bike but in no way looking like he should have been on a bike, and by this, I mean clothing-wise and not ability-wise. Massive workmen boots, ripped jeans showing the ever present builders’ bum. He was wearing a high-vis jacket…but nothing else on his top half and no helmet. I hope that you are putting the image into you head.
I pulled up behind him and followed for a little bit, as traffic was relatively busy and I was feeling pretty tired, 50 miles or so into the ride. You can imagine staring at this ‘crack’ poking out above the swaying jeans was not my idea of a pleasant view, and as I had not been working particularly hard to keep up, I put a little burst on and got by. What really, really irked me, was simply the fact that I could at any point, pull away from him. No matter how hard I worked, he was there behind me, no matter how fast I attempted to climb the hills, there he was, like a limpet to my back tyre. Here I was turning a section of today’s challenge into a race, plain and simple, and I was losing… to a bare-chested, bum-showing, massive boot-wearing commuter! I have to say, when I had pulled away eventually…alright, when he turned off and I carried on, I had to stop and give myself a firm talking to. Cycle England isn’t a race, it’s isn’t a competition, it’s about finishing and as that line gets ever closer, I, it seems, am having to work twice as hard to make sure that my focus doesn’t falter – I need to get from A to B and it doesn’t matter how many barely dressed cyclists keep up with me, or even pass me, I just need to get there.
Yet another lesson taught at the wheels of Cycle England.
69.84 miles (1661.29 miles cumulatively)
You may well have noticed, as this Cycle England challenge has continued, that if there is something I can moan about or be sarcastic about, I probably will be! I seem to have linked into my sceptical side and been milking it for all it’s worth. Maybe that’s because I’m British and find me a brit that doesn’t actually enjoy having a good old moan about something. Or, maybe it’s because I think reading a blog most days, no matter how long or short, has to be a little more interesting that I did this, I did that and I arrived here.
With this in mind, I was thinking what could I possibly moan about toady, or what sarcy comment could I come up with to provide the witty base for my blog? And I have to be honest, I have to come clean, I struggled. For one particular reason. Normally, one of my biggest moans has been about the wind, the forceful weather condition that seemed hell-bent on forcing me backwards when I was trying to pedal myself forwards. I would have happily jumped on this bandwagon again today had it not been for the fact that it was a great friend to me today. Yes, a great friend and I am happy to admit that I am fickle when it comes to liking and disliking things. I hated the wind a couple of days ago, yet today I loved it! Brilliant. The strong wind helped to propel me southwards and onto Warrington and I arrived sooner than anticipated. When it works with you, you see, so much more can be achieved.
Worry not though, there was one thing that happened today that I feel was worth a little gripe, if nothing else, although here I feel I should tread carefully as it was involving a member of the public that was completely oblivious (and rightly so as they were doing nothing wrong!) to the burning rage and anger that was building up inside me! Let me paint you the picture. I was cycling out of Wigan when I came up on a man on a bike, with my guess being that he was just leaving work. He was what you might term and regular but not ‘serious’ cyclist I think. Obviously used to being on a bike but in no way looking like he should have been on a bike, and by this, I mean clothing-wise and not ability-wise. Massive workmen boots, ripped jeans showing the ever present builders’ bum. He was wearing a high-vis jacket…but nothing else on his top half and no helmet. I hope that you are putting the image into you head.
I pulled up behind him and followed for a little bit, as traffic was relatively busy and I was feeling pretty tired, 50 miles or so into the ride. You can imagine staring at this ‘crack’ poking out above the swaying jeans was not my idea of a pleasant view, and as I had not been working particularly hard to keep up, I put a little burst on and got by. What really, really irked me, was simply the fact that I could at any point, pull away from him. No matter how hard I worked, he was there behind me, no matter how fast I attempted to climb the hills, there he was, like a limpet to my back tyre. Here I was turning a section of today’s challenge into a race, plain and simple, and I was losing… to a bare-chested, bum-showing, massive boot-wearing commuter! I have to say, when I had pulled away eventually…alright, when he turned off and I carried on, I had to stop and give myself a firm talking to. Cycle England isn’t a race, it’s isn’t a competition, it’s about finishing and as that line gets ever closer, I, it seems, am having to work twice as hard to make sure that my focus doesn’t falter – I need to get from A to B and it doesn’t matter how many barely dressed cyclists keep up with me, or even pass me, I just need to get there.
Yet another lesson taught at the wheels of Cycle England.
Monday, 19 April 2010
Day 29: The man who went up a hill and came down a moun... no a hill
Appleby, Cumbria to Lancaster, Lancashire
58.26 miles (1591 miles cumulatively)
I guess I've just given it away, the topic for this blog. Hills. I think I have touched on the topic before, but it came back to me big time today. So in order to set this up for you, I am going to give you a bit of a Geography lesson first. There are a group of hills in the North West of England called the Pennines. These are actually rather big.
Now I don't want to paint a picture that didn't actually happen, I didn't climb all the way over them, no no! I thought I was going round them and to all intents and purposes that's just what I did. However, what I didn't realise was that even the outer ring of the pennines are bloody massive! And I feel here that I need to mention that as I said in yesterday's blog, that I am more tired than I gave myself credit for, this was re-iterated to me in no uncertain terms today through the medium of my legs. For the first time today, my legs told me regularly that they had done 1550 miles in the past few weeks and they'd just about had it with this pedalling up ruddy great hills.
Progress was slow. Slow, slow, slow. Slower even than a cat being persuaded to go out into the rain. But somehow, despite this slow, agonising progress, I managed to make it to Lancaster and as I was cycling along the canal towards the city centre I started to ponder on the day. Had I hated it, had I wished that it'd never happened? No, not in the slightest. In fact, it had been one of the most breathtaking days of my life. The scenery, the openness, the utter vastness of the place left me in bewilderment. It was simply stunning. Cumbria, I salute you!
Cycle England heads south...ish
58.26 miles (1591 miles cumulatively)
I guess I've just given it away, the topic for this blog. Hills. I think I have touched on the topic before, but it came back to me big time today. So in order to set this up for you, I am going to give you a bit of a Geography lesson first. There are a group of hills in the North West of England called the Pennines. These are actually rather big.
Now I don't want to paint a picture that didn't actually happen, I didn't climb all the way over them, no no! I thought I was going round them and to all intents and purposes that's just what I did. However, what I didn't realise was that even the outer ring of the pennines are bloody massive! And I feel here that I need to mention that as I said in yesterday's blog, that I am more tired than I gave myself credit for, this was re-iterated to me in no uncertain terms today through the medium of my legs. For the first time today, my legs told me regularly that they had done 1550 miles in the past few weeks and they'd just about had it with this pedalling up ruddy great hills.
Progress was slow. Slow, slow, slow. Slower even than a cat being persuaded to go out into the rain. But somehow, despite this slow, agonising progress, I managed to make it to Lancaster and as I was cycling along the canal towards the city centre I started to ponder on the day. Had I hated it, had I wished that it'd never happened? No, not in the slightest. In fact, it had been one of the most breathtaking days of my life. The scenery, the openness, the utter vastness of the place left me in bewilderment. It was simply stunning. Cumbria, I salute you!
Cycle England heads south...ish
Day 28 - Calculations are harder than they seem
Brampton, Cumbria to Appleby, Cumbria
33.00 miles (1533.19 miles cumulatively)
You would have thought that after 28 days on the bike (well 27 it would have been before I started the day) that I could work out a simple distance from A to B. It's easy really, when I was planning, type in the place of departure and then type in the place of destination, via any necessary points of interest or requirements. For some unknown reason, however, I got today's wrong. Plain and simple, wrong. I had thought that it was going to be a slightly less than average day of 55 miles. It turned out to be 33 miles and I don't know what shocked me more. The realisation of the smaller distance, or the relative freshness of my legs. Either way, what ended up happening was me enjoying an afternoon of IPL madness. Two games of worth and two games of pure joy for me as even though I needed a particular team to win the second game (yes, for a strange reason I have started to support a team in the IPL with a great passion beyond explanation) and they didn't, I was able to watch the defeat- this alone was pure joy.
I also discovered one other thing, that this challenge has left me more tired than I might have thought. I arrived at the guesthouse and after having got something for lunch, thought it would be a good idea to watch the cricket from the bed. 30 mins later I woke up to a text asking me what my prediction was for the result (thanks Rid, you meant that I actually saw the end of the game) and hey presto, can't remember whether or not I predicted correctly!
Perhaps I should actually rename this challenge: Cycle IPL. Hmm, not sure quite what ring that has to it...
33.00 miles (1533.19 miles cumulatively)
You would have thought that after 28 days on the bike (well 27 it would have been before I started the day) that I could work out a simple distance from A to B. It's easy really, when I was planning, type in the place of departure and then type in the place of destination, via any necessary points of interest or requirements. For some unknown reason, however, I got today's wrong. Plain and simple, wrong. I had thought that it was going to be a slightly less than average day of 55 miles. It turned out to be 33 miles and I don't know what shocked me more. The realisation of the smaller distance, or the relative freshness of my legs. Either way, what ended up happening was me enjoying an afternoon of IPL madness. Two games of worth and two games of pure joy for me as even though I needed a particular team to win the second game (yes, for a strange reason I have started to support a team in the IPL with a great passion beyond explanation) and they didn't, I was able to watch the defeat- this alone was pure joy.
I also discovered one other thing, that this challenge has left me more tired than I might have thought. I arrived at the guesthouse and after having got something for lunch, thought it would be a good idea to watch the cricket from the bed. 30 mins later I woke up to a text asking me what my prediction was for the result (thanks Rid, you meant that I actually saw the end of the game) and hey presto, can't remember whether or not I predicted correctly!
Perhaps I should actually rename this challenge: Cycle IPL. Hmm, not sure quite what ring that has to it...
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Day 27: Hadrian had a right task on his hands!
Cramlington, Northumberland to Brampton, Cumbria
57.42 miles (1500.19 miles cumulatively)
2 things really stand out from today. 2 things that will stay with me for a very very long time. One of them was to do with a person that had a task in front of him, and one of them had to do with a person that had a task in front of him.
Let's start with one thing. Hadrian. Blimey. For anyone that doesn't know, he's got a wall. Or at least, he had a wall, and a bloody big one at that. For the most part I cycled a lot of it today and crikey, did he have a task on his hands designing and building the thing! It's is/was incredible and I have to say, if it wasn't for one particular thing which I will talk more about in a second, then the day would have been breathtaking in an immensely exciting way. The countryside was simply spectacular and I knows that I had seen some of the area whilst driving through it, but if there's ever been a way to feel a part of it, on the bike, cycle England has shown me a new side to the area - incredible.
As I said though, if it hadn't been for one thing...the wind. Now I know that I have mentioned in passing (yeah right) the matter of the wind before today, but whatever I have said and however much I have complained before, scrap those ideas - today was unbelievable, it was something else. The head wind was devastating and relentless and I cycled into it for 55 miles. Wow, was I exhausted at the destination today. I've mentioned before, as well, about smug drivers and how they annoy me. Well, today, I've discovered a new smug-ness that really cuts. Smug cyclists.
Picture, if you will, a cyclist leaning back on his bike, legs up on the handlebars, in their smoking jackets, and smoking on a pipe whilst the wind pushes them along. They look at me, wink and pass like a flash whilst I am pedalling and striving into the wind, the endless wind.
Smug cyclists - an all new low!!
57.42 miles (1500.19 miles cumulatively)
2 things really stand out from today. 2 things that will stay with me for a very very long time. One of them was to do with a person that had a task in front of him, and one of them had to do with a person that had a task in front of him.
Let's start with one thing. Hadrian. Blimey. For anyone that doesn't know, he's got a wall. Or at least, he had a wall, and a bloody big one at that. For the most part I cycled a lot of it today and crikey, did he have a task on his hands designing and building the thing! It's is/was incredible and I have to say, if it wasn't for one particular thing which I will talk more about in a second, then the day would have been breathtaking in an immensely exciting way. The countryside was simply spectacular and I knows that I had seen some of the area whilst driving through it, but if there's ever been a way to feel a part of it, on the bike, cycle England has shown me a new side to the area - incredible.
As I said though, if it hadn't been for one thing...the wind. Now I know that I have mentioned in passing (yeah right) the matter of the wind before today, but whatever I have said and however much I have complained before, scrap those ideas - today was unbelievable, it was something else. The head wind was devastating and relentless and I cycled into it for 55 miles. Wow, was I exhausted at the destination today. I've mentioned before, as well, about smug drivers and how they annoy me. Well, today, I've discovered a new smug-ness that really cuts. Smug cyclists.
Picture, if you will, a cyclist leaning back on his bike, legs up on the handlebars, in their smoking jackets, and smoking on a pipe whilst the wind pushes them along. They look at me, wink and pass like a flash whilst I am pedalling and striving into the wind, the endless wind.
Smug cyclists - an all new low!!
Day 26: Wecome to Sunderland, you'll have a 'smashing time'
Day 26: Welcome to Sunderland, you’ll have a ‘smashing time’
Redcar, Redcar and Cleveland to Cramlington, Northumberland via County Durham and Tyne and Wear
66.93 miles (1442.77 miles cumulatively)
I hold my hands up here. I held some preconceived ideas about the North East and Sunderland especially. I am very happy to report that none of these preconceived ideas actually came true and in fact, the coastline that I cycled along could have been the Mediterranean (ok, maybe not quite, but close). However, a rather disturbing pastime became clear to me as I was cycling along many of the (mostly excellent) cycle paths. This was the rather curious pastime of smashing things. I noted toys, cabinets, tvs and lots and lots of glass. An amazing amount of glass. It was incredible. The thought that people would go down to the cycle paths and simply sit there drinking and smashing things is a great one for me. I mean I know that I am turning into a bit of a grumpy man during this cycling challenge, but come on! The phone call might go something like this:
“Alright Dave?” (I just picked this name by the way)
“Alright Stu?” (and this one)
“Ya ganna do anythink tonight?”
“Yeah, got the biggest night planned, ganna be wakad”
“Sweet! What ya doin’”
“Well, ya know that place behind the estate?”
“What, the one that smells of drains and where the flies are gathering?”
“Yeah, that’s the sweet haunt”
“Right”
“Well, we’re ganna head there and smash stuff. You in?”
“What sort of stuff?”
“You know, bottles and jars”
“Hell yeah, you want me to bring a dolls house? That’ll smash up good”
“Do it! Man this is ganna be soo cool!”
“See you there at 8? Gotta have me tea first”
I have to add here, I know my grasp of the lingo and colloquialisms are spot on, but I didn’t actually here this conversation – It’s just what I imagined!
Still, how I managed to make it through today without a puncture I will never ever know – It’s right up there with the mystery of the escaping tyre and the vanishing signposts.
Cycle England always keeps you guessing!
Redcar, Redcar and Cleveland to Cramlington, Northumberland via County Durham and Tyne and Wear
66.93 miles (1442.77 miles cumulatively)
I hold my hands up here. I held some preconceived ideas about the North East and Sunderland especially. I am very happy to report that none of these preconceived ideas actually came true and in fact, the coastline that I cycled along could have been the Mediterranean (ok, maybe not quite, but close). However, a rather disturbing pastime became clear to me as I was cycling along many of the (mostly excellent) cycle paths. This was the rather curious pastime of smashing things. I noted toys, cabinets, tvs and lots and lots of glass. An amazing amount of glass. It was incredible. The thought that people would go down to the cycle paths and simply sit there drinking and smashing things is a great one for me. I mean I know that I am turning into a bit of a grumpy man during this cycling challenge, but come on! The phone call might go something like this:
“Alright Dave?” (I just picked this name by the way)
“Alright Stu?” (and this one)
“Ya ganna do anythink tonight?”
“Yeah, got the biggest night planned, ganna be wakad”
“Sweet! What ya doin’”
“Well, ya know that place behind the estate?”
“What, the one that smells of drains and where the flies are gathering?”
“Yeah, that’s the sweet haunt”
“Right”
“Well, we’re ganna head there and smash stuff. You in?”
“What sort of stuff?”
“You know, bottles and jars”
“Hell yeah, you want me to bring a dolls house? That’ll smash up good”
“Do it! Man this is ganna be soo cool!”
“See you there at 8? Gotta have me tea first”
I have to add here, I know my grasp of the lingo and colloquialisms are spot on, but I didn’t actually here this conversation – It’s just what I imagined!
Still, how I managed to make it through today without a puncture I will never ever know – It’s right up there with the mystery of the escaping tyre and the vanishing signposts.
Cycle England always keeps you guessing!
Day 25: Some things are a surprise, but then some things are expected
Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire to Redcar, Redcar and Cleveland, via North Riding
70.54 miles (1375.84 miles cumulatively)
Some things I fully expected to happen when I set off on Cycle England. The slow, but increasing ache my legs and posterior, the changing state of my emotions as the miles go up and up and up and the knowledge that I am going to come across the best and worst of people that England has to offer. I greeted both of those people today. But more about that later.
Firstly though, I would like to talk about the classic mystery of the disappearing signpost. It’s a cracker. Having followed, for about 32 miles I might add, a detailed and consistent signposting to Whitby via some amazing countryside, the signposts vanished, like witnesses in a gangster trial. Totally vanished and it was up to me to stop being lazy and bring out my scouting skills once again and map read. I think I’m becoming quite proficient at this now. Who needs Sat-Nav I ask? The lazy man’s map!
But onto the two examples of the best and worst of people that England has to offer. Unfortunately, the ratio is 2:1 (2 idiots:1 legend). I greeted (and I use this term in the loosest possible sense) the 2 idiots within about 20 miles of each other. The first came in the guise of a medium-lorry driver. I was just gearing up to take on as much as I could of a 25% hill (you heard, 25% - I thought it was mightily unfair too) when said lorry driver was inched away from sideswiping me and ending my cycle England challenge in one foul swoop. I have to say that over 25 days of sharing the road with the drivers of England, the fact that this was the first example of a close-shave has to be a very good thing and shows a very positive light for most drivers but that certainly doesn’t prevent this guy from being a tit.
The second of the idiots came just after I had passed into the Redcar and Cleveland area of the country. I was struggling up a pretty impressive hill (it seems this is when cyclists are at their weakest) when a car sped past me, the passenger stuck his head out of the window and shouted (are you ready for these cracking words of wisdom?)…
“W**ker”
Brilliant. I’m not overly sure quite what this fine specimen of a man wanted to happen from this exchange. Whether it was to shock me into falling off my bike, or for me to jump off my bike and throw it at the car as they drive away laughing, or perhaps it was for me to stop and shake him by the hand for an incredibly imaginative and well thought out comment. Who knows? But what I do know is that there are some people in England with brains that should belong in a gnat.
Thankfully, the day was very much rescued by the B & B that I was staying at in Redcar. A brilliant place with a lovely lady running it who had baked a cake for my arrival. How cool is that! So there you have it. England, a place of the great, the good and the prats.
70.54 miles (1375.84 miles cumulatively)
Some things I fully expected to happen when I set off on Cycle England. The slow, but increasing ache my legs and posterior, the changing state of my emotions as the miles go up and up and up and the knowledge that I am going to come across the best and worst of people that England has to offer. I greeted both of those people today. But more about that later.
Firstly though, I would like to talk about the classic mystery of the disappearing signpost. It’s a cracker. Having followed, for about 32 miles I might add, a detailed and consistent signposting to Whitby via some amazing countryside, the signposts vanished, like witnesses in a gangster trial. Totally vanished and it was up to me to stop being lazy and bring out my scouting skills once again and map read. I think I’m becoming quite proficient at this now. Who needs Sat-Nav I ask? The lazy man’s map!
But onto the two examples of the best and worst of people that England has to offer. Unfortunately, the ratio is 2:1 (2 idiots:1 legend). I greeted (and I use this term in the loosest possible sense) the 2 idiots within about 20 miles of each other. The first came in the guise of a medium-lorry driver. I was just gearing up to take on as much as I could of a 25% hill (you heard, 25% - I thought it was mightily unfair too) when said lorry driver was inched away from sideswiping me and ending my cycle England challenge in one foul swoop. I have to say that over 25 days of sharing the road with the drivers of England, the fact that this was the first example of a close-shave has to be a very good thing and shows a very positive light for most drivers but that certainly doesn’t prevent this guy from being a tit.
The second of the idiots came just after I had passed into the Redcar and Cleveland area of the country. I was struggling up a pretty impressive hill (it seems this is when cyclists are at their weakest) when a car sped past me, the passenger stuck his head out of the window and shouted (are you ready for these cracking words of wisdom?)…
“W**ker”
Brilliant. I’m not overly sure quite what this fine specimen of a man wanted to happen from this exchange. Whether it was to shock me into falling off my bike, or for me to jump off my bike and throw it at the car as they drive away laughing, or perhaps it was for me to stop and shake him by the hand for an incredibly imaginative and well thought out comment. Who knows? But what I do know is that there are some people in England with brains that should belong in a gnat.
Thankfully, the day was very much rescued by the B & B that I was staying at in Redcar. A brilliant place with a lovely lady running it who had baked a cake for my arrival. How cool is that! So there you have it. England, a place of the great, the good and the prats.
Day 24: The most well behaved rebel around
Flaxton, North Yorkshire to Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire (I think!)
53.11 miles
Avid followers of Cycle England (and I am fully aware that you may be few and far between) might remember at one point on the trip I made the decision to be very bullish and pay no attention to ‘Road Closed’ signs. I ploughed on, king of the (closed) road and it had paid off. Today, I had the opportunity to have 4 ½ miles of road all to myself. I squeezed past a sign declaring it not fit for traffic and merrily set off on my way. The thing is, what I hadn’t quite accounted for was the reason that the road might be closed, and my favourite three words came back to haunt me…temporary road surface! 4 ½ miles of bone shaking progress later and I come to the re-surfacers. They look at me, I look at them, and nothing needs to be exchanged between us vocally as it was the most obvious of silent conversations that went something like this:
“You ignored the sign didn’t you, fool”
“Yes, I did, thinking I was clever and realising now that it is actually the opposite, I feel somewhat sheepish now.”
“That’s what the sign’s for mate, to let people know that the road is not passable…to anything.”
“Yep, understood”
“Right, on yer way, you dick!”
That all took place with a nod and a straightening of my aviators (yes, I was wearing them, which made me feel even more of a dick) and on I cycled.
Today also was possibly the most I have had to concentrate on my will power also to date. The point at which I approach a sign to Bridlington, having struggled against the wind for around 20 miles, and am faced with the prospect of having to turn left according to the National Cycle Network, when Briddles is definitely to the right, is a challenge. Of course I turn left, but I don’t mind telling you that I turned the air a little blue in those last 7 miles.
Anyhow, I arrived at my guest house for the night, got treated like a grandmother treats her grandson and was fed to bursting point. Success all round! And for future reference…road closed will actually mean road closed. I trust the signs and like my bone structure the way it is now thanks!
53.11 miles
Avid followers of Cycle England (and I am fully aware that you may be few and far between) might remember at one point on the trip I made the decision to be very bullish and pay no attention to ‘Road Closed’ signs. I ploughed on, king of the (closed) road and it had paid off. Today, I had the opportunity to have 4 ½ miles of road all to myself. I squeezed past a sign declaring it not fit for traffic and merrily set off on my way. The thing is, what I hadn’t quite accounted for was the reason that the road might be closed, and my favourite three words came back to haunt me…temporary road surface! 4 ½ miles of bone shaking progress later and I come to the re-surfacers. They look at me, I look at them, and nothing needs to be exchanged between us vocally as it was the most obvious of silent conversations that went something like this:
“You ignored the sign didn’t you, fool”
“Yes, I did, thinking I was clever and realising now that it is actually the opposite, I feel somewhat sheepish now.”
“That’s what the sign’s for mate, to let people know that the road is not passable…to anything.”
“Yep, understood”
“Right, on yer way, you dick!”
That all took place with a nod and a straightening of my aviators (yes, I was wearing them, which made me feel even more of a dick) and on I cycled.
Today also was possibly the most I have had to concentrate on my will power also to date. The point at which I approach a sign to Bridlington, having struggled against the wind for around 20 miles, and am faced with the prospect of having to turn left according to the National Cycle Network, when Briddles is definitely to the right, is a challenge. Of course I turn left, but I don’t mind telling you that I turned the air a little blue in those last 7 miles.
Anyhow, I arrived at my guest house for the night, got treated like a grandmother treats her grandson and was fed to bursting point. Success all round! And for future reference…road closed will actually mean road closed. I trust the signs and like my bone structure the way it is now thanks!
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Day 23: Forgive me Father for I have sinned
Sheffield, South Yorkshire to Flaxton, North Yorkshire
80.7 miles (1252.19 miles cumulatively)
It's true. I have sinned today. Twice in fact! And blimey, do I feel terrible for both, physically and mentally scarred I am and I shall explain why.
Firstly, for in my eyes, the lesser of the two evils.
Ever since Kings Lynn, the weather has been better, the land flatter (mostly) and the atmosphere around Cycle England far more jovial really. Owing to these things, I think it's highly possible that I started to take it all a bit lightly - not, of course intentionally, but subconsciously I think I may have thought that I had already succeeded. 34 days in all, 12 days left, that's nearly single figures thought I! Well, I think this happy-go-lucky attitude that I have apparently been brewing inside me got a very sudden awakening today, and it's awakener (is this a word? If not, it should be) went by the name of 'Wind'. Does wind ever know vengeance for early celebration! Wow! 60 miles of head wind and not a moments rest - it's got some powerful lungs has the wind and let no person (meaning me) ever underestimate it (or cycle England)again. Although the land today was mostly flat (Yorkshire!!!!) the added wind factor made today a tough, tough day.
But now for the real kicker - The real reason I feel so mentally jarred from today. I think I killed a frog. Seriously, I really do. A little hopper I think is no more because it fell, well jumped, well hopped actually, in between the wheels of my bike when I was in full motion and by the time it would have realised what was happening, the slightly worn back wheel of Geoffry (yes, that's the name of my bike), under all the weight from my panniers, would have given him a flattening. I even heard a little froggie yelp and I am devastated. I'm sorry Mr frog man - Road kill by a bike, how unlucky can you be!
So there you have it! 2 absolute reasons why Cycle England is never, and should never be thought of as completed until that final metre has been pedalled, that final yard hit. Cycle England is never over, until it's over, and then, it's over.
80.7 miles (1252.19 miles cumulatively)
It's true. I have sinned today. Twice in fact! And blimey, do I feel terrible for both, physically and mentally scarred I am and I shall explain why.
Firstly, for in my eyes, the lesser of the two evils.
Ever since Kings Lynn, the weather has been better, the land flatter (mostly) and the atmosphere around Cycle England far more jovial really. Owing to these things, I think it's highly possible that I started to take it all a bit lightly - not, of course intentionally, but subconsciously I think I may have thought that I had already succeeded. 34 days in all, 12 days left, that's nearly single figures thought I! Well, I think this happy-go-lucky attitude that I have apparently been brewing inside me got a very sudden awakening today, and it's awakener (is this a word? If not, it should be) went by the name of 'Wind'. Does wind ever know vengeance for early celebration! Wow! 60 miles of head wind and not a moments rest - it's got some powerful lungs has the wind and let no person (meaning me) ever underestimate it (or cycle England)again. Although the land today was mostly flat (Yorkshire!!!!) the added wind factor made today a tough, tough day.
But now for the real kicker - The real reason I feel so mentally jarred from today. I think I killed a frog. Seriously, I really do. A little hopper I think is no more because it fell, well jumped, well hopped actually, in between the wheels of my bike when I was in full motion and by the time it would have realised what was happening, the slightly worn back wheel of Geoffry (yes, that's the name of my bike), under all the weight from my panniers, would have given him a flattening. I even heard a little froggie yelp and I am devastated. I'm sorry Mr frog man - Road kill by a bike, how unlucky can you be!
So there you have it! 2 absolute reasons why Cycle England is never, and should never be thought of as completed until that final metre has been pedalled, that final yard hit. Cycle England is never over, until it's over, and then, it's over.
Day 22: Anyone for signposts? Nope? Didn't think so!
Loughborough, Leicestershire to Sheffield, South Yorkshire
65.21 miles (1171.49 miles cumulatively)
Now, I don't know if anyone has ever tried this but honestly, for a bit of fun you can't beat it.
Get yourself a normal, run-of-the-mill road atlas. Nothing fancy like AA, just a service station 'special offer of £2.99 when you buy three galaxy bars' one is fine.
Next, get on a bike and guide yourself into the middle of nowhere on the roads that a marked, but not coloured in any way and so you know that they are really really tiny.
Then, and this is where it starts to get fun...follow these roads so that you are approaching major junctions, you know, with roads like the A50 and M1 and things like that.
Start following the road that you think exists (and does for the first 300 metres) and then (here's the fun point) laugh as the road disappears from view with a dead end and pile of rubble. Brilliant.
This happened to me 3 times today! Yes, 3 times. I know, hilarious. You don't want to mess about with these roads, they vanish, and when they do, you are stranded in the middle of a spaghetti junction effect. Again though, please don't panic, I didn't start cycling up the M1, but I did chunter rather loudly as I had to retrace my steps in order to find a road that did actually exist and did not have cars travelling at a million miles an hour!
Essentially, here lie two of the main issues of Cycle England - When do the roads actually exist that you are meant to be signposted? And when they do exist, when are they actually signposted? Let's think about Chesterfield shall we? I followed a great cycle path into the centre of the town and thought all was hunky dory, only for, at that point, all remnants of signposting to disappear. And I don't just mean cycle signposts, I mean any signpost. Totally dumbfounded was I! It came down to the fact that I just had to trust my instinct, pick a direction and cycle until I could hit a sign (not literally) that would tell me generally if I was heading in the right direction or not. When it turned out that I was right (yes, it's true, I was a scout) it felt like I had won the lottery! Only with a lot less money and far more achy legs.
Here's a tip for any cyclist that wants to do any distance cycling (or any cycling for that matter):
Don't trust maps - They Lie.
Don't trust signposts - They Lie, and then disappear.
Pick a destination. Pick a general direction as the crow flies to hit this destination and go. I guarantee you'll get there...eventually.
65.21 miles (1171.49 miles cumulatively)
Now, I don't know if anyone has ever tried this but honestly, for a bit of fun you can't beat it.
Get yourself a normal, run-of-the-mill road atlas. Nothing fancy like AA, just a service station 'special offer of £2.99 when you buy three galaxy bars' one is fine.
Next, get on a bike and guide yourself into the middle of nowhere on the roads that a marked, but not coloured in any way and so you know that they are really really tiny.
Then, and this is where it starts to get fun...follow these roads so that you are approaching major junctions, you know, with roads like the A50 and M1 and things like that.
Start following the road that you think exists (and does for the first 300 metres) and then (here's the fun point) laugh as the road disappears from view with a dead end and pile of rubble. Brilliant.
This happened to me 3 times today! Yes, 3 times. I know, hilarious. You don't want to mess about with these roads, they vanish, and when they do, you are stranded in the middle of a spaghetti junction effect. Again though, please don't panic, I didn't start cycling up the M1, but I did chunter rather loudly as I had to retrace my steps in order to find a road that did actually exist and did not have cars travelling at a million miles an hour!
Essentially, here lie two of the main issues of Cycle England - When do the roads actually exist that you are meant to be signposted? And when they do exist, when are they actually signposted? Let's think about Chesterfield shall we? I followed a great cycle path into the centre of the town and thought all was hunky dory, only for, at that point, all remnants of signposting to disappear. And I don't just mean cycle signposts, I mean any signpost. Totally dumbfounded was I! It came down to the fact that I just had to trust my instinct, pick a direction and cycle until I could hit a sign (not literally) that would tell me generally if I was heading in the right direction or not. When it turned out that I was right (yes, it's true, I was a scout) it felt like I had won the lottery! Only with a lot less money and far more achy legs.
Here's a tip for any cyclist that wants to do any distance cycling (or any cycling for that matter):
Don't trust maps - They Lie.
Don't trust signposts - They Lie, and then disappear.
Pick a destination. Pick a general direction as the crow flies to hit this destination and go. I guarantee you'll get there...eventually.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Day 21: The hills have eyes, and apparently they belong to frightened sheep
Duddington, Northants to Loughborough, Leicestershire (via Rutland)
41.46 miles (1106.28 miles cumulatively)
Yep, that's right. I kid you not. I was on a cycle path approaching Melton Mowbray when I had to stop to open a gate and on the gate was a sign and on the sign read:
Please be aware. The sheep in this field are first time mothers and are learning how to rear their lambs. Please do not make any sudden movements or noises as this is likely to frighten both mother and child and will make them more likely to become prey for the foxes.
Wow! I have never seen a sign (and let's be honest, am never likely to again) quite like that before! The nanny state has spread to sheep.
Obviously I went along the path clapping, dancing and singing to get the 'ickle lambs ready for the harsh realities of real life and then I stopped at the end, pleased with my work, for a munch on a double decker! What a 20 minute period that was today!
In all seriousness though, I really have very little to report today about the cycle. Rather than bore you with a second by second account I thought maybe I'd just leave it up to the Gods of Fate to see whether I have a more bloggable day tomorrow! Don't get me wrong, when Cycle England goes like it did today, and is one pedal after another, that makes James a very happy boy. I can't even be sarcastic! What has the world come to?!
41.46 miles (1106.28 miles cumulatively)
Yep, that's right. I kid you not. I was on a cycle path approaching Melton Mowbray when I had to stop to open a gate and on the gate was a sign and on the sign read:
Please be aware. The sheep in this field are first time mothers and are learning how to rear their lambs. Please do not make any sudden movements or noises as this is likely to frighten both mother and child and will make them more likely to become prey for the foxes.
Wow! I have never seen a sign (and let's be honest, am never likely to again) quite like that before! The nanny state has spread to sheep.
Obviously I went along the path clapping, dancing and singing to get the 'ickle lambs ready for the harsh realities of real life and then I stopped at the end, pleased with my work, for a munch on a double decker! What a 20 minute period that was today!
In all seriousness though, I really have very little to report today about the cycle. Rather than bore you with a second by second account I thought maybe I'd just leave it up to the Gods of Fate to see whether I have a more bloggable day tomorrow! Don't get me wrong, when Cycle England goes like it did today, and is one pedal after another, that makes James a very happy boy. I can't even be sarcastic! What has the world come to?!
Day 20: Sun (definitely), Sea (Canals) & Sand (Mud)
Kings Lynn, Norfolk to Duddington, Northamptonshire (Via Lincolnshire and Peterborough)
55.41 miles (1064.82 miles cumulatively)
After getting my bike 'released' from the laundry room at the Premier Inn, Kings Lynn (having had, for the first time in my life to queue for breakfast. Either everyone was very keen to leave Kings Lynn or it was again proving to be a very popular eatery) the first, and I have to be honest, only bike related issue became apparent. The back tyre was rubbing.
"Hmm" I thought to myself, "it wasn't rubbing when I left it on Thursday."
No problem I realised, the bike had been hidden in the laundry room (quite why I'm not too sure) so must have been banged when moved. I looked over the brakes, the wheel alignment, nope, all fine there and that's when I noticed. The tyre had come out of the wheel in one section. Bizarre! I certainly did not cycle it in with a funky tyre and you simply can't get the tyre out from the wheel when the inner-tube is inflated! I think this is a mystery even Poirot himself would struggle to solve.
"Mon Ami, someone as zey say 'as wiggled a screwdriver into ze frame et voila! A loose tyre." Yeah, right!
Anyway, I sorted it out and set off. Man, I love sunny days! They're great. I covered 55 miles today and it felt like 30.
So, there are probably 2 other issues that I should mention today and funnily enough, they both involve walking and not cycling. Firstly, owing to the destination of my travels and direction from which I was approaching it became increasingly obvious that I was going to have to cross a rather substantial road. Yes, that's right all! The A1.
Now before you all (family) go panicking about me cycling across and up the A1, I would never, never be that stupid. But, what I did have to do was to cross from one footpath to the other. At my point of crossing, there was a large central reservation (CR) so I planned, planned and planned some more. I felt like I was the farmer stuck in the middle of the age old riddle involving a chicken, fox, bag of grain and boat! So here goes: I got the bike + panniers to the CR, took the panniers off, lifted the bike over the CR, swiftly followed by the panniers and myself. I reattached the panniers to the bike and got the bike et al. across to the other side. I was safe, sound and ready to walk up the footpath to the junction. Phew!
The second of the incidents came after I had arrived at my (lovely) hotel. I was running low on some basic toiletries, so thought to myself I'd go for an afternoon stroll. I was pointed in the (2 mile) direction of the 'local' shop and after weighing it up in my calorie-depleted mind, I decided what the hell, beautiful day, might as well have a wander.
Well, 2 miles turned into 3 and my calorie depleted got more and more depleted but on I trekked until finally I spotted the 'local' i had so desperately craved for miles. It was shining like an oasis in the desert, or indeed a Londis on the Northants/Lincs boarder. I walked in, glimpsing the deodorants, toothpastes, sandwiches and sausage rolls that would make my life seem extraordinary at this point. That was, of course, until I heard those immortal words that will haunt me for the rest of my days (as will that trudge back to the hotel)...
"Sorry, we don't take cards."
55.41 miles (1064.82 miles cumulatively)
After getting my bike 'released' from the laundry room at the Premier Inn, Kings Lynn (having had, for the first time in my life to queue for breakfast. Either everyone was very keen to leave Kings Lynn or it was again proving to be a very popular eatery) the first, and I have to be honest, only bike related issue became apparent. The back tyre was rubbing.
"Hmm" I thought to myself, "it wasn't rubbing when I left it on Thursday."
No problem I realised, the bike had been hidden in the laundry room (quite why I'm not too sure) so must have been banged when moved. I looked over the brakes, the wheel alignment, nope, all fine there and that's when I noticed. The tyre had come out of the wheel in one section. Bizarre! I certainly did not cycle it in with a funky tyre and you simply can't get the tyre out from the wheel when the inner-tube is inflated! I think this is a mystery even Poirot himself would struggle to solve.
"Mon Ami, someone as zey say 'as wiggled a screwdriver into ze frame et voila! A loose tyre." Yeah, right!
Anyway, I sorted it out and set off. Man, I love sunny days! They're great. I covered 55 miles today and it felt like 30.
So, there are probably 2 other issues that I should mention today and funnily enough, they both involve walking and not cycling. Firstly, owing to the destination of my travels and direction from which I was approaching it became increasingly obvious that I was going to have to cross a rather substantial road. Yes, that's right all! The A1.
Now before you all (family) go panicking about me cycling across and up the A1, I would never, never be that stupid. But, what I did have to do was to cross from one footpath to the other. At my point of crossing, there was a large central reservation (CR) so I planned, planned and planned some more. I felt like I was the farmer stuck in the middle of the age old riddle involving a chicken, fox, bag of grain and boat! So here goes: I got the bike + panniers to the CR, took the panniers off, lifted the bike over the CR, swiftly followed by the panniers and myself. I reattached the panniers to the bike and got the bike et al. across to the other side. I was safe, sound and ready to walk up the footpath to the junction. Phew!
The second of the incidents came after I had arrived at my (lovely) hotel. I was running low on some basic toiletries, so thought to myself I'd go for an afternoon stroll. I was pointed in the (2 mile) direction of the 'local' shop and after weighing it up in my calorie-depleted mind, I decided what the hell, beautiful day, might as well have a wander.
Well, 2 miles turned into 3 and my calorie depleted got more and more depleted but on I trekked until finally I spotted the 'local' i had so desperately craved for miles. It was shining like an oasis in the desert, or indeed a Londis on the Northants/Lincs boarder. I walked in, glimpsing the deodorants, toothpastes, sandwiches and sausage rolls that would make my life seem extraordinary at this point. That was, of course, until I heard those immortal words that will haunt me for the rest of my days (as will that trudge back to the hotel)...
"Sorry, we don't take cards."
Friday, 9 April 2010
Day 19: Resting like a King!
Kings Lynn
0 miles
There were two things I had planned for my 2nd rest day. Find an internet cafe and go to the cinema (brilliantly called Majestic Cinema Centre - a name which I have determined had to be ironic). The cinema timings didn't work and the internet cafe has closed down! Brilliant!
Therefore I have used my scouting skills of intuition and found the Library and am happily typing away here!
All that's to say is have a great day all, and I'll blog again hopefully tomorrow or at least the next time I can make it to the internet!
Laters
0 miles
There were two things I had planned for my 2nd rest day. Find an internet cafe and go to the cinema (brilliantly called Majestic Cinema Centre - a name which I have determined had to be ironic). The cinema timings didn't work and the internet cafe has closed down! Brilliant!
Therefore I have used my scouting skills of intuition and found the Library and am happily typing away here!
All that's to say is have a great day all, and I'll blog again hopefully tomorrow or at least the next time I can make it to the internet!
Laters
Day 18 - There was a 28yr old man who swallowed a fly...well 5 actually!
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire to Kings Lynn, Norfolk (Via Moulton, Suffolk)
79.62 miles (1007 miles cumulatively)
In my head, I had thought that today was going to be both easy (ier) and more difficult in the same measure. I suppose that means that they cancel each other out and it becomes an average day - well not in my head you hear me!
I set off from Cambridge feeling utterly positive about things. Sun was shining and the signposts were frequent (once I'd hit the path, at least). I began the pedal along the never-altering straight and flat roads of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk and headed happily along until, as I tweeted yesterday (@cycleengland in case you're not aware), I hit a problem that I had neither foreseen nor thought about as ever even being a possibility. The problem was flies (were flies, was flies, it's the problem that is singular right?).
Anyway, I now understand fully the reason for a windscreen. It's a fly blocker isn't it! I wasn't exactly flying (boom boom) along, and alright there might have been a little bit of rock music being sung along heartily to, but the flies were incessant. Incessant and stupid I might add. Surely they wouldn't have had to work that hard in order to avoid my gaping vacuum of a mouth! Still, they didn't, and I swallowed them (probably not the nicest way to go!), thinking (and coughing) all the time, "that's some more protein at least!"
Two more things struck me about yesterdays cycle. Firstly, I knew that Norfolk was the proud owner of some straight roads, but blimey, did I not realise how straight and how flat they meant! I cycled one road for 7 miles without even a hint of a corner, then turned one, one more mile of straightness, and then one more corner, before 2 miles of straightness again, when I arrived in a village called (get this, it made me laugh perhaps more than it should have done) 10 Mile Bank! Amazing. Imagination and humour in one!
Secondly, the fact of passing the 1000 mile mark proved the biggest boost of the cycle so far. It was incredible, and something that although I knew it would be a big moment for me, had no idea how big it would actually be. I'm not saying I cried (and I didn't...honestly) but I definitely had what some might term 'a moment'. Tiredness or impact, for whatever reason that 'moment' happened, I liked it.
Bring on the rest!
79.62 miles (1007 miles cumulatively)
In my head, I had thought that today was going to be both easy (ier) and more difficult in the same measure. I suppose that means that they cancel each other out and it becomes an average day - well not in my head you hear me!
I set off from Cambridge feeling utterly positive about things. Sun was shining and the signposts were frequent (once I'd hit the path, at least). I began the pedal along the never-altering straight and flat roads of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk and headed happily along until, as I tweeted yesterday (@cycleengland in case you're not aware), I hit a problem that I had neither foreseen nor thought about as ever even being a possibility. The problem was flies (were flies, was flies, it's the problem that is singular right?).
Anyway, I now understand fully the reason for a windscreen. It's a fly blocker isn't it! I wasn't exactly flying (boom boom) along, and alright there might have been a little bit of rock music being sung along heartily to, but the flies were incessant. Incessant and stupid I might add. Surely they wouldn't have had to work that hard in order to avoid my gaping vacuum of a mouth! Still, they didn't, and I swallowed them (probably not the nicest way to go!), thinking (and coughing) all the time, "that's some more protein at least!"
Two more things struck me about yesterdays cycle. Firstly, I knew that Norfolk was the proud owner of some straight roads, but blimey, did I not realise how straight and how flat they meant! I cycled one road for 7 miles without even a hint of a corner, then turned one, one more mile of straightness, and then one more corner, before 2 miles of straightness again, when I arrived in a village called (get this, it made me laugh perhaps more than it should have done) 10 Mile Bank! Amazing. Imagination and humour in one!
Secondly, the fact of passing the 1000 mile mark proved the biggest boost of the cycle so far. It was incredible, and something that although I knew it would be a big moment for me, had no idea how big it would actually be. I'm not saying I cried (and I didn't...honestly) but I definitely had what some might term 'a moment'. Tiredness or impact, for whatever reason that 'moment' happened, I liked it.
Bring on the rest!
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Day 17: Am I a 'yowkel'? No, but that won't stop you asking!
Thrapston, Northants to Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
40.58 miles (930.08 miles cumulatively)
Cycling-wise, I have to say today was pretty uneventful. I have arrived in the fens and am preparing myself for a day of relative monotany tomorrow when I attack the groudn towards Kings Lynn. The flatness is amazing, and although in my head this should be fantastic, in fact I'm never out of the saddle, neither when climbing or descending as there are no hills! The knock-on effect is that my bum huurrrtttsss! Vasaline-tastic treatment is on the up (not that it hasn't been used already) and comfy seats are becoming a real luxury!
The events that made me laugh today were both involving requests for directions. I was stopped twice and asked about the way to go and on both occasions, I was asked exactly the same question to open: "You from round 'ere?"
I shall take you through the first of these conversations and I am honestly repeating this as much word for word as I can remember.
Man: You from round 'ere?
Me: No, sorry, I'm cycling (I know, what a stupid thing to say, being as that was pretty obvious!)
Man: Oh right, so you don't know the area?
Me: Not really, but I have a map.
Man: Does it show farms?
Me: Sorry? Farms, um, I don't think so. Let's have a look.
Man: No, no farms. Oh dear, you see I'm looking for 2 farms close to 'ere. Do you know 'em?
Me: Umm, no, sorry. Are there any landmarks or clues as to where they might be?
Man: An RAF base
(We're standing next to a sign for an RAF base)
Me: Ah, right, well this sign says RAF...(I have forgotten it's name) is that way. Could that be it?
Man: Yup, could be. I'll try it. How far you cycling anyway?
Me: Just done 900 miles.
Man: Stone the crows. Bye then.
In a funny sort of way, I will be reliving that conversation in my head for many a day to come - it was brilliant and without doubt, the highlight of my day!
Cycle England, Cycle Yowkel!
40.58 miles (930.08 miles cumulatively)
Cycling-wise, I have to say today was pretty uneventful. I have arrived in the fens and am preparing myself for a day of relative monotany tomorrow when I attack the groudn towards Kings Lynn. The flatness is amazing, and although in my head this should be fantastic, in fact I'm never out of the saddle, neither when climbing or descending as there are no hills! The knock-on effect is that my bum huurrrtttsss! Vasaline-tastic treatment is on the up (not that it hasn't been used already) and comfy seats are becoming a real luxury!
The events that made me laugh today were both involving requests for directions. I was stopped twice and asked about the way to go and on both occasions, I was asked exactly the same question to open: "You from round 'ere?"
I shall take you through the first of these conversations and I am honestly repeating this as much word for word as I can remember.
Man: You from round 'ere?
Me: No, sorry, I'm cycling (I know, what a stupid thing to say, being as that was pretty obvious!)
Man: Oh right, so you don't know the area?
Me: Not really, but I have a map.
Man: Does it show farms?
Me: Sorry? Farms, um, I don't think so. Let's have a look.
Man: No, no farms. Oh dear, you see I'm looking for 2 farms close to 'ere. Do you know 'em?
Me: Umm, no, sorry. Are there any landmarks or clues as to where they might be?
Man: An RAF base
(We're standing next to a sign for an RAF base)
Me: Ah, right, well this sign says RAF...(I have forgotten it's name) is that way. Could that be it?
Man: Yup, could be. I'll try it. How far you cycling anyway?
Me: Just done 900 miles.
Man: Stone the crows. Bye then.
In a funny sort of way, I will be reliving that conversation in my head for many a day to come - it was brilliant and without doubt, the highlight of my day!
Cycle England, Cycle Yowkel!
Day 16: The milk of human kindness
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire to Thrapston, Northamptonshire
67.6 miles (889.5 miles cumulatively)
Ok, you're going to have to forgive me here, as today was a day filled with events, some of which were possibly the most humbling of my experiences to date - yes, at points, this blog may sound a bit soppy but I'm sure you will see why!
So, I sets off from Stratford, sun shining and warmth building. Twas going to be a good day. All was well until I started to approach Rugby (the place, not the game - my legs would not be able to handle that as well!). The NCR (national cycle route) that I was following directed me down a path in order to reach another cycle path and I (in my head, very sensibly) thought to myself, I can't cycle down there, I will get off and walk the bike down. This I did, until I lost my footing in the inches-thick mud and side planted it into the bank. There was a splatter that I thought was only reserved for cartoons, and my whole right hand side was completey covered in mud. I tried to find a piece of grass to wipe various mud-stained clothes on, but woe-is-me, every bit has dog S**t on it! Gutted. The family that soon walked there bikes in the opposite direction past me thought the sight very amusing!
So on I cycled and started to feel something funny happening in my back wheel. I thought it might have been the gears slipping, but these problems started to increas and I became unable to put any drive to the back wheel and all I could do was essentially free-wheel. It fully gave out on me just outside of Naseby. Bugger. Middle of nowhere with a broken bike.
This was an issue, and a really quite big one at that! A couple of cyclists passed me, one I managed to wave down who told me that there was a bike shop not too far away (more about this to follow) and the other who took one look at me, laughed and buggered off - what a knob!
So, as I say, middle of nowhere and broken bike, and Sarah gets on the case to find bike shops. Sends me a number, I call and explain my predicament and here is where my day changed from challenging/difficult to amazing/incredible.
So here we go. The time was 3.00pm. The man from Pitsford Cycles (remember the name) comes to find me, picks up my bike and puts it in the back of the van. We have a chat as we're going to the cycle shop (Pitsford Cycles - don't forget) and I explain what I'm doing and how it's going. We get there and he unloads the bike, takes it to a technician who finshes the other bike he was working on and starts straight away on mine. Whilst this is happening, I am given a cup of coffee and a hot cross bun. I'm already pretty bowled over.
It turns out that my freehub had broken and the bearings in the wheel were pretty shot as well so a new back wheel was called for. This was fitted in lightning quick time, a new back brake cable was fitted and as I stood there, becoming more and more speechless at the service I was receiving, I was offered a chocolate for my 'calorie intake'!
I was given back the bike, and as I took my wallet out to pay for the repairs, I was waved away with the words,
"you're doing it for that (pointing to a dementia and alzheimers collection pot on the counter), that's enough for me, please consider that my donation."
I was totally lost for words, totally dumbfounded at the kindness and generosity I had been shown and so I want to say now, on the record, Pitsford Cycles - thank you. You were simply incredible to me and Cycle England is able to continue, completely on schedule and probably in a better state than before, because of you.
I will be taking my bike there to be serviced in the future and urge anyone in the area to do the same.
Sometimes things happen that completely restore your faith in humanity and today one of those things happened to me!
There you go, I told you it would be soppy!
67.6 miles (889.5 miles cumulatively)
Ok, you're going to have to forgive me here, as today was a day filled with events, some of which were possibly the most humbling of my experiences to date - yes, at points, this blog may sound a bit soppy but I'm sure you will see why!
So, I sets off from Stratford, sun shining and warmth building. Twas going to be a good day. All was well until I started to approach Rugby (the place, not the game - my legs would not be able to handle that as well!). The NCR (national cycle route) that I was following directed me down a path in order to reach another cycle path and I (in my head, very sensibly) thought to myself, I can't cycle down there, I will get off and walk the bike down. This I did, until I lost my footing in the inches-thick mud and side planted it into the bank. There was a splatter that I thought was only reserved for cartoons, and my whole right hand side was completey covered in mud. I tried to find a piece of grass to wipe various mud-stained clothes on, but woe-is-me, every bit has dog S**t on it! Gutted. The family that soon walked there bikes in the opposite direction past me thought the sight very amusing!
So on I cycled and started to feel something funny happening in my back wheel. I thought it might have been the gears slipping, but these problems started to increas and I became unable to put any drive to the back wheel and all I could do was essentially free-wheel. It fully gave out on me just outside of Naseby. Bugger. Middle of nowhere with a broken bike.
This was an issue, and a really quite big one at that! A couple of cyclists passed me, one I managed to wave down who told me that there was a bike shop not too far away (more about this to follow) and the other who took one look at me, laughed and buggered off - what a knob!
So, as I say, middle of nowhere and broken bike, and Sarah gets on the case to find bike shops. Sends me a number, I call and explain my predicament and here is where my day changed from challenging/difficult to amazing/incredible.
So here we go. The time was 3.00pm. The man from Pitsford Cycles (remember the name) comes to find me, picks up my bike and puts it in the back of the van. We have a chat as we're going to the cycle shop (Pitsford Cycles - don't forget) and I explain what I'm doing and how it's going. We get there and he unloads the bike, takes it to a technician who finshes the other bike he was working on and starts straight away on mine. Whilst this is happening, I am given a cup of coffee and a hot cross bun. I'm already pretty bowled over.
It turns out that my freehub had broken and the bearings in the wheel were pretty shot as well so a new back wheel was called for. This was fitted in lightning quick time, a new back brake cable was fitted and as I stood there, becoming more and more speechless at the service I was receiving, I was offered a chocolate for my 'calorie intake'!
I was given back the bike, and as I took my wallet out to pay for the repairs, I was waved away with the words,
"you're doing it for that (pointing to a dementia and alzheimers collection pot on the counter), that's enough for me, please consider that my donation."
I was totally lost for words, totally dumbfounded at the kindness and generosity I had been shown and so I want to say now, on the record, Pitsford Cycles - thank you. You were simply incredible to me and Cycle England is able to continue, completely on schedule and probably in a better state than before, because of you.
I will be taking my bike there to be serviced in the future and urge anyone in the area to do the same.
Sometimes things happen that completely restore your faith in humanity and today one of those things happened to me!
There you go, I told you it would be soppy!
Day 15: Who 'Wold' have thought it!!
Oxford, Oxfordshire to Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire (via Gloucestershire)
76.3 miles (821.9 miles cumulatively)
What a witty pun with which to title toady's blog don't you think! That's how much I'm learning about Geography now - that I can even make witty witticisms with places I cycle through!
Anyway, after saying goodbye to Sarah at the station in the morning, I set off on a day of discovery (the A40), a day of wonder (it seems that there are no such things as Bank Holidays in the Cotswolds, every town and village was heaving!) a day of climbs and descents (up to and away from Stow-on-the-Wold) and a day of becoming more and more frustrated at being signposted one way when I could blatantly tell that the direction I should be going in was in completely the other way!
I make it sound though like I didn't have a good cycle today - in fact, it was quite the obvious - I had a great day and for once, the last 10 miles were not in fact the hardest. They normally feel about the same as what I imagine it would feel like to be repeatedly beaten with a weighted sock, and yet today, I hit a railway path into Stratford and with the wind behind me, fair flew in. Brilliant.
It was on this tow path though when an event took place that I would like to focus upon for the end of this blog. (I make it sound far more interesting than it actually was, but isn't that the key to making people read on!)
The railway path had a gate, of sorts, every 3 miles or so (for safety, or some other type of silly reason) and when I was approaching the third one (I think it was the third, but that really isn't the important point here) I saw a woman struggling to open the gate. She had a young child bawling his eyes out, she was dragging a scooter and frankly she didn't have enough arms to deal with everything that was going on. Her husband (I assume - He could have been a complete stranger for all I know) was casually wandering up and making no effort to help so I saw my moment to be a hero (ok, hardly heroic I guess, holding a gate open to, let's say, saving a family from a burning building, but there's a time and a place for everything, and as Tesco say, every little helps!) - I skidded to a halt, flung the back wheel round to allow myself to manoeuvre into position to hold the gate, leant forward onto my handlebars to support myself, and managed to catch the gate before it fell into her for the third time.
She thanked me heartily, and I cycled on, with that warm feeling inside of just having made a difference to someones day when I looked down to see what speed I was doing and realised that in my efforts to support myself on my handlebars, I had inadvertently cleared all the data from my cycle computer and was going to have to reset the whole thing again! Bang goes the warm feeling.
Oh well. If there's ever a great leveller, it's cycle England!
76.3 miles (821.9 miles cumulatively)
What a witty pun with which to title toady's blog don't you think! That's how much I'm learning about Geography now - that I can even make witty witticisms with places I cycle through!
Anyway, after saying goodbye to Sarah at the station in the morning, I set off on a day of discovery (the A40), a day of wonder (it seems that there are no such things as Bank Holidays in the Cotswolds, every town and village was heaving!) a day of climbs and descents (up to and away from Stow-on-the-Wold) and a day of becoming more and more frustrated at being signposted one way when I could blatantly tell that the direction I should be going in was in completely the other way!
I make it sound though like I didn't have a good cycle today - in fact, it was quite the obvious - I had a great day and for once, the last 10 miles were not in fact the hardest. They normally feel about the same as what I imagine it would feel like to be repeatedly beaten with a weighted sock, and yet today, I hit a railway path into Stratford and with the wind behind me, fair flew in. Brilliant.
It was on this tow path though when an event took place that I would like to focus upon for the end of this blog. (I make it sound far more interesting than it actually was, but isn't that the key to making people read on!)
The railway path had a gate, of sorts, every 3 miles or so (for safety, or some other type of silly reason) and when I was approaching the third one (I think it was the third, but that really isn't the important point here) I saw a woman struggling to open the gate. She had a young child bawling his eyes out, she was dragging a scooter and frankly she didn't have enough arms to deal with everything that was going on. Her husband (I assume - He could have been a complete stranger for all I know) was casually wandering up and making no effort to help so I saw my moment to be a hero (ok, hardly heroic I guess, holding a gate open to, let's say, saving a family from a burning building, but there's a time and a place for everything, and as Tesco say, every little helps!) - I skidded to a halt, flung the back wheel round to allow myself to manoeuvre into position to hold the gate, leant forward onto my handlebars to support myself, and managed to catch the gate before it fell into her for the third time.
She thanked me heartily, and I cycled on, with that warm feeling inside of just having made a difference to someones day when I looked down to see what speed I was doing and realised that in my efforts to support myself on my handlebars, I had inadvertently cleared all the data from my cycle computer and was going to have to reset the whole thing again! Bang goes the warm feeling.
Oh well. If there's ever a great leveller, it's cycle England!
Day 14: Earth, Wind and Cycling, and a bit more wind
Hitchin, Hertfordshire to Oxford, Oxfordshire (via Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire)
72.61 miles (745.6 miles cumulatively)
The day began like any other; waking slowly, cup of coffee and lovely breakfast whilst contemplating the day of cycling ahead, when all of a sudden another thought hit me like a sledgehammer in the face (I want to say 'literally' like a sledgehammer in the face, but unfortunately I can't bring myself to misuse the word 'literally' to such an extent!) that it wasn't going to be only me toady! I was going to have a cycling buddy with me for the whole 72.61 miles of it! Yes, that's right, Sarah Hughes (for those of you unaware, Sarah is my girlfriend) was going to be accompanying me for the day.
We set off from hitchin, Sarah's home town, and ventured forth to conquer and corrupt (of course we didn't actually do any corrupting, except for pushing that toddler over when he was in our way and I don't know if this totally counts as corruption***) the counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire (which I kept calling Berkshire all day and therefore got very confused that I was actually repeating a county! Shock Horror!) and Oxfordshire.
The route was windy and windy, and some of the paths were somewhat akin to cycling over treacle (although I wouldn't recommend putting this sort on your pancakes!) and the distance and arrival time seemed to be getting longer and further away respectively. I think, in fairness, the day took us a little bit more by surprise for the fact that we started wearing the rose-tinted spectacles of possibility and finished wearing the mud-spattered glasses of reality - quite something when you consider I have been on the road for 2 weeks now and should already realise fully the highs and lows that are possible in a day on the saddle.
I've since realised 2 things:
1. That Sarah copes with the emotion of cycling distances in a very different way to me - I moan and groan like a child without a toy, getting more and more despairing about the situation before finally deciding to take on some calories and then feel ok again. Sarah gets her head down and just booms her way to the finish (or the next stop) and somehow manages to cycle even faster than she did before. A new and quite extraordinary way of dealing with things!
2. There's a cycle path...oh yada, yada, yada, I'm boring myself now! Basically during any one day, there are some great parts and some less great parts, some dog's bo**cks and some camel's bo**cks if you like. I think Sarah and I experienced both today!
***We didn't actually do this!
72.61 miles (745.6 miles cumulatively)
The day began like any other; waking slowly, cup of coffee and lovely breakfast whilst contemplating the day of cycling ahead, when all of a sudden another thought hit me like a sledgehammer in the face (I want to say 'literally' like a sledgehammer in the face, but unfortunately I can't bring myself to misuse the word 'literally' to such an extent!) that it wasn't going to be only me toady! I was going to have a cycling buddy with me for the whole 72.61 miles of it! Yes, that's right, Sarah Hughes (for those of you unaware, Sarah is my girlfriend) was going to be accompanying me for the day.
We set off from hitchin, Sarah's home town, and ventured forth to conquer and corrupt (of course we didn't actually do any corrupting, except for pushing that toddler over when he was in our way and I don't know if this totally counts as corruption***) the counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire (which I kept calling Berkshire all day and therefore got very confused that I was actually repeating a county! Shock Horror!) and Oxfordshire.
The route was windy and windy, and some of the paths were somewhat akin to cycling over treacle (although I wouldn't recommend putting this sort on your pancakes!) and the distance and arrival time seemed to be getting longer and further away respectively. I think, in fairness, the day took us a little bit more by surprise for the fact that we started wearing the rose-tinted spectacles of possibility and finished wearing the mud-spattered glasses of reality - quite something when you consider I have been on the road for 2 weeks now and should already realise fully the highs and lows that are possible in a day on the saddle.
I've since realised 2 things:
1. That Sarah copes with the emotion of cycling distances in a very different way to me - I moan and groan like a child without a toy, getting more and more despairing about the situation before finally deciding to take on some calories and then feel ok again. Sarah gets her head down and just booms her way to the finish (or the next stop) and somehow manages to cycle even faster than she did before. A new and quite extraordinary way of dealing with things!
2. There's a cycle path...oh yada, yada, yada, I'm boring myself now! Basically during any one day, there are some great parts and some less great parts, some dog's bo**cks and some camel's bo**cks if you like. I think Sarah and I experienced both today!
***We didn't actually do this!
Saturday, 3 April 2010
Day 13 - The wonders of the internet, combined with National Rail
Day 13 – The wonders of the internet, combined with National Rail
Cheshunt, Hertfordshire to Hitchin, Hertfordshire
29.24 miles
Well, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that over the last couple of days it looks (according to my schedule) as if I have not been pulling my weight, distance-wise. I have to pull my weight on the bike otherwise I’d be leaving some of me behind! Ha Ha! In truth, you’d be right. I haven’t cycled quite as far as I had thought I would, but am I complaining? Heck no! I shall explain the reasons for the slight discrepancies.
When I designed the route originally, I used multimap to calculate the distances, and aimed ot use it as a rough outline of how far I’d be travelling each day. I’d put in point A to point B, via point C if necessary. This would then twirl it’s little cogs and come up with a distance. This is obviously not the actual distance that I will absolutely be cycling and therefore, with me using often quite small roads etc. the distances change. Therefore, the people (you know who you are) who have been moaning at me, there is the definitive answer!
(I hope that I need not point out that obviously if I have said 60 and it turns out to be 30, then that is a total error on my typing and not me bottling it!)
Anyway, onto today and this morning started with the not-quite-so-brilliant fact that the muscle that I had tweaked when falling on one of the many occasions on the first day (I believe it’s an inter-costal muscle – get me with my medical knowledge!) I made somewhat worse by…now wait for it…picking up some dirty washing from the floor. Yep, manly and effort-filled! So, oohhing and arrgghhing my way to the train station (I hope I don’t get accused of cheating here, y’all know my route) I managed to make it onto a very on-time and smooth train that I had to run for looking rather like a tri-athlete on a change over, pushing my bike along side. It worked like a dream. Thank you Liverpool St and the relevant services.
To balance the muscle downer, I (and my excellent house-mate Aaron [Andie, you’re excellent too, before you start to feel left out]) tinkered and tweaked (this time in a good way) the cables for my gearings and managed to get them working very smoothly. The internet is an amazing place for getting how-to facts on pretty much anything isn’t it! How I have managed to do without 3rd and 4th for the tour so far, I have no idea!
The cycle went very smoothly and I even managed to succeed in a day without rain! Amazing. I cruised into Hitchin soon after 4pm and am now about to enjoy an excellent roast dinner (Thank you very much Sarah, Anna, Clifton and Anita) and even managed to catch Cambridge winning the boat race! Fantastic.
You know what as well? I have company tomorrow! How genuinely exquisite! Sarah is joining me for a day to Oxford!
For one day at least, Cycle England becomes a two person conquest!
Cheshunt, Hertfordshire to Hitchin, Hertfordshire
29.24 miles
Well, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that over the last couple of days it looks (according to my schedule) as if I have not been pulling my weight, distance-wise. I have to pull my weight on the bike otherwise I’d be leaving some of me behind! Ha Ha! In truth, you’d be right. I haven’t cycled quite as far as I had thought I would, but am I complaining? Heck no! I shall explain the reasons for the slight discrepancies.
When I designed the route originally, I used multimap to calculate the distances, and aimed ot use it as a rough outline of how far I’d be travelling each day. I’d put in point A to point B, via point C if necessary. This would then twirl it’s little cogs and come up with a distance. This is obviously not the actual distance that I will absolutely be cycling and therefore, with me using often quite small roads etc. the distances change. Therefore, the people (you know who you are) who have been moaning at me, there is the definitive answer!
(I hope that I need not point out that obviously if I have said 60 and it turns out to be 30, then that is a total error on my typing and not me bottling it!)
Anyway, onto today and this morning started with the not-quite-so-brilliant fact that the muscle that I had tweaked when falling on one of the many occasions on the first day (I believe it’s an inter-costal muscle – get me with my medical knowledge!) I made somewhat worse by…now wait for it…picking up some dirty washing from the floor. Yep, manly and effort-filled! So, oohhing and arrgghhing my way to the train station (I hope I don’t get accused of cheating here, y’all know my route) I managed to make it onto a very on-time and smooth train that I had to run for looking rather like a tri-athlete on a change over, pushing my bike along side. It worked like a dream. Thank you Liverpool St and the relevant services.
To balance the muscle downer, I (and my excellent house-mate Aaron [Andie, you’re excellent too, before you start to feel left out]) tinkered and tweaked (this time in a good way) the cables for my gearings and managed to get them working very smoothly. The internet is an amazing place for getting how-to facts on pretty much anything isn’t it! How I have managed to do without 3rd and 4th for the tour so far, I have no idea!
The cycle went very smoothly and I even managed to succeed in a day without rain! Amazing. I cruised into Hitchin soon after 4pm and am now about to enjoy an excellent roast dinner (Thank you very much Sarah, Anna, Clifton and Anita) and even managed to catch Cambridge winning the boat race! Fantastic.
You know what as well? I have company tomorrow! How genuinely exquisite! Sarah is joining me for a day to Oxford!
For one day at least, Cycle England becomes a two person conquest!
Friday, 2 April 2010
Day 12 - Good Friday and Bad Traffic in London Taahhnn!!
Barfett Street, Greater London to Cheshunt, Hertfordshire (Via Waltham Abbey, Essex)
23.56 miles (643.75 miles cumulatively)
Now I knew full well that today was not going to be the longest or the hardest of days on the bike and it certainly (very happily) lived up to that billing. I packed my A-Z in my bag and set off in search of happiness (or Essex, whichever you choose).
As I was cycling along, being very careful to unclip my cleats for most of the route (and bugger me, whilst I’m on the subject of cycling in London, did I possess a pair of rose-tinted glasses through which I looked at riding my bike in London prior to this trip! It’s bloody horrible - a hateful place to cycle compared to many other places in England). I realised that for a bank holiday there was mightily bad traffic around North London. I was crawling (not literally, that would have been wierd) past car after car with their drivers looking generally bored with life whilst sitting in their comfy seats. I snaked my way in between them (as no driver in London it seems allows room for cyclists to pass when they [the drivers] are stuck in a queue) and after what seemed like a lifetime (witty pun coming up) I came to the reason for the blockages. There were, and I joke not here, 5 different Good Friday marches, each carrying a different cross at the front, going on within 4 miles of each other. Do you see the joke - Lifetime, Good Friday, rising from the dead... It might take a while but I’m quite please with that one!
Anyway, far be it for me to get into a religious-themed discussion here, but 5 in 4 miles? Why not have 1 with more people and, therefore, fewer traffic jams and thus, fewer angry people behind the wheel, which means in turn, fewer people driving erratically and (can you see where this is going) therefore, not quite so many accidents on the roads when people are trying to get wherever they might be going for the Easter weekend.
I think Cycle England has just solved another one of life’s little quandaries!
P.S. Please don’t take this as a Religious slur - I’m thinking purely logistically!!
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Day 11 - All roads lead to Maidenhead
Newbury, Berkshire to Barfett Street, Greater London (via Middlesex and Surrey - Staines)
59.19 miles (620.19 miles cumulatively)
A funny thing happened today (no not the rain[s] in staines, or the lack of a bridge on part of the tow path) but the discovery of a new, and I am quite sure, society changing theory. Brace yourselves...the centre of the universe is not actually the sun, but Maidenhead!
Hey, I hear you call, you can’t go claiming radical things such as that! That’s simply not cricket. Well, ordinarily I would agree, but today I have proof (sort of) and here it is. Every road ever designed, no matter where it is in the country (as long as it is in the Reading vicinity) either leads to Maidenhead, or is called Maidenhead Rd.
I know, you may not think this is strange or, as I said earlier, society-changing, but when you have been on your bike for 4 hrs and every sign you come to directs you to Maidenhead, you do feel that you are in a vortex of ever changing theories and mine is this one: Maidenhead is the centre of the Universe!
Challenge me all you like, but you know I’m right!
I have also discovered (it was a voyage of discovery for me today!) that it always does in fact rain in staines. I came through there in a training ride on my way back home about 1 month ago and it was cold, windy and wet. Very, very wet!
Today, after having had a really nice ride, weather-wise throughout Berkshire and into Windsor, as soon as I hit Staines, it clouded over and became, yes, you guessed it, cold, windy and wet, very very wet!
Who would have thought - 1 day and 2 denouements! Can you have 2 denouements? I just have - perhaps that’s three! What a day it’s been!
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Day 10 - Performance Enhancing Podcasts
Bristol, Avon to Newbury, Berkshire (via Bath and North East Somerset and Wiltshire)
72.16 miles
Right, so the day comes far too quickly following a fantastic rest day and when I wake up, it is absolutely tipping it down. I had been told though that the rain might ease and so I made time for myself to have a big brekkie and to drag my feet a little before leaving…it worked! Amazing. For the amount of weather (never thought you could say this with it making sense – how can you have an amount of weather) that was around, I think I dodged a bit of a bullet today by getting off relatively lightly. There was also a mighty wind today and I must have paid my dues somewhere as for the most-part it was all a tail wind – beautiful.
But, I hear you ask, why call this blog performance enhancing podcasts? Well, I shall tell you. I was on a tow path for the first 30 miles or so today and because of this, I thought I’d change my listening habits. I turned to the podcasts as I didn’t need to concentrate on listening for traffic and I could lose myself in cultural issues of the day. They were brilliant and did they enhance my performance? Well, I know more about hydrogen fusion now and that’s more than I could say this morning, so what it definitely did do was to heighten my performance in future debates and high level conversations! I hope!
Is there anything that Cycle England can’t do!
Other things to point out, there was word that I might have had a shout out on Heart FM in Bristol this morning and if you haven’t heard already, a glossy mag in Bristol called ‘Area’ and they are planning to run a feature/article on Cycle England in the May issue!
72.16 miles
Right, so the day comes far too quickly following a fantastic rest day and when I wake up, it is absolutely tipping it down. I had been told though that the rain might ease and so I made time for myself to have a big brekkie and to drag my feet a little before leaving…it worked! Amazing. For the amount of weather (never thought you could say this with it making sense – how can you have an amount of weather) that was around, I think I dodged a bit of a bullet today by getting off relatively lightly. There was also a mighty wind today and I must have paid my dues somewhere as for the most-part it was all a tail wind – beautiful.
But, I hear you ask, why call this blog performance enhancing podcasts? Well, I shall tell you. I was on a tow path for the first 30 miles or so today and because of this, I thought I’d change my listening habits. I turned to the podcasts as I didn’t need to concentrate on listening for traffic and I could lose myself in cultural issues of the day. They were brilliant and did they enhance my performance? Well, I know more about hydrogen fusion now and that’s more than I could say this morning, so what it definitely did do was to heighten my performance in future debates and high level conversations! I hope!
Is there anything that Cycle England can’t do!
Other things to point out, there was word that I might have had a shout out on Heart FM in Bristol this morning and if you haven’t heard already, a glossy mag in Bristol called ‘Area’ and they are planning to run a feature/article on Cycle England in the May issue!
Day 9 - Resty McResterson
What else can I say apart from Carol, Oli and Yssy, I couldn’t have spent my rest day and a half at a more fantastic place. Thank you for everything.
And Tom Allerton, great to see you dude, been too long.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Day 8: And the rest day approacheth
Taunton, Somerset to Bristol, Avon via North Somerset
39.61 miles
Right, the start to the day was brilliant. No other word for it. Sue and Roger Scott (my exceptionally kind hosts for the last night) sent me off with a wonderful breakfast and before I knew what was happening I had made it to Bridgwater. I had had to make the decision not to do the best for my bike (which was feeling slightly worse for wear and in need of some tinkering) and to change my route in order to try and coax it through to Bristol and to the rest day, for both of us! This worked brilliantly until the Mendip Hills and as I have learnt, wherever there is a down, there is also an up! It used to be the other way round, wherever there was an up, there was also a down, but Devon had taught me to realign my views!
My gears started slipping and breaks were squeaking, I stopped, checked and made sure everything was fine and continued. Everything was fine, but you can never be too careful on the roads! I knew that my bike needed a rest and for the last 15 miles I also knew inside and out that I needed a rest too.
The site of Bristol was amazing and had I not mistaken no-entry road I would have cycled up to Carol and Oli and Yssy’s road, but unfortunately as I did mistake the no-entry I ended the first section of cycle England...walking...oh well, there are three quarters of the tour left!
After the rest day, bring it on!!
Day 7: Moor Hills!
Appledore, Devon to Taunton, Somerset
76.46 miles
I think that I am becoming ever more able to split the days of cycling into sections and they follow something like this:
1. 5 miles to get the legs back into pedalling
2. 15 miles riding ‘high’ – enjoyable and surprisingly ‘in the zone’
3. 10 miles realising that I have not enough calories on board so trying to figure out a time to stop
4. 5 miles – good
5. 5 miles – bad
6. 5 miles – good
7. 5 miles – bad
8. Repeat to finish
Spliced in between these sections I have the ‘hill struggle’ and these get more and more as the day/s go on (although I’m sure you will not be surprised by this) – the more and more the struggles get, the slower and slower I become to the point where I am really not sure whether it would be quicker to walk!
Today followed that sort of pattern. The first 15 miles or so were actually brilliant, along a lovely stretch of the NCN called the Tarka Trail. It then, however, took me up onto Exmoor and blimey, did I ever know it! North or South, it seems that Devon doesn’t really mind – it loves it’s hills anywhere.
I do though need to say that on today’s cycle, I had one of the most amazing views that I have seen in a very long time and that will stay with me for many a year to come – brilliant and I was so happy to have a day when I could actually see the view as well!
I have also discovered three words that will strike fear into (or should if they don’t) any road-cyclist... Temporary Road Surface! A 3 mile climb with a surface that looked like a giant grater had been used on the road was interesting to say the least.
Arriving into Somerset was a brilliant feeling. I love Devon, I love Cornwall but have since determined that they don’t love me! Frankly I find it rude that they didn’t even attempt to flatten themselves out for me and I honestly think I am going to struggle to forgive them.
Here’s to heading back Eastwards and onwards with Cycle England.
Day 6: Sun...Yep, you heard...Sun!
Holsworthy, Devon to Appledore, Devon (Via Kilkhampton, Cornwall)
32.26 miles (371.44 miles cumulatively)
Wow, what can I say? I’m almost speechless! Almost!
I had known since I sorted and designed the route that I was going to have a slightly ‘easier’ day today, distance-wise at least. What I didn’t expect was that I had a dry and, at times, even sunny ride. I started at 10.45am (ish) and had finished by 1.45pm (ish). I couldn’t quite believe it, I was walking around the house in Appledore at 2.30pm about to watch the IPL and generally chill out for the afternoon. Amazing.
To go back to the cycling quickly, the roads today were undulating, wider and beautiful to cycle along. The scenery was spectacular and I think I managed more than just one smile on the video diary from today. There was no-one laughing at me, no-one pitying me today, I even think I saw a few hints of jealously from some drivers – yes, today I was lord of the road, king of the asphalt, tinker of the tar (yes, I know that the last one doesn’t quite hold up the image, but everyone loves a bit of alliteration!).
However, and there always tends to be a however, I had just changed the front break pads and then attempted to pump up the front tyre, at which point, the valve broke. I tried to put one of my spare inner-tubes in only to find that 2 out of the 3 spare tubes don’t actually fit the bike (I know, stupid of me and duly noted). I’m therefore down to my last inner-tube that I’m hoping doesn’t fail on me before Bristol when I can pick up some spares.
Bring on Cycle England – Gotta love it!
Day 5: Dartmoor shoots straight for the legs
Dawlish, Devon to Holsworthy, Devon
56.16 miles
The alarm went at 6.30am and 3 snoozes later, it became clear that I simply had to get up! Safe to say, my legs did not want to move, my body ached and the 3 ½ mile climb to begin the day did nothing to bring me to life! The rain set in after about 30 minutes and I felt immediately like it was just another day in the challenge that is Cycle England!
It’s a funny feeling when you are cycling up hill in the rain and you are passed by cars travelling on their way down the hill, with their drivers and passengers laughing at your exploits! This happened on numerous occasions and those incidents, coupled with the looks of pity that some people chose to show on their face made me think more than once: ‘what the hell am I doing here?’
Without doubt, Dartmoor was the hardest part of the challenge so far and I think the greatest shame is that I genuinely love the place – well, at all other times I loved the place and in the future I’m sure I will love it again, however, today, I didn’t. The roads were immense, the climbs unbelievable and the descents (as well as the rain) put pay to two break pads! I only got them a week ago!
I’d like to say something witty about today, something cutting maybe, something amusing and pun-filled! However, I think that would take away from the efforts that I put in simply to get through it. What I’d like to do is to simply say ‘phew’ – It’s done and I’m moving on. To Cornwall in fact!
Day 4: Karma Shmarma
Dorchester, Dorset to Dawlish, Devon
76.36 miles
So, here I was, having spent a fantastic night and The Birleys (Rick, Sally and Heather, thank you so much for you hospitality, and Sam and Mike, thank you so much for the organising and cooking a lovely meal) and I was feeling generally quite good about things. Had hit my timings yesterday and had no reason to suspect that today was not going to be the same – well, what do I know? Only 1.6miles into the days cycling, I was hit with the most mammoth of hills that I had come across yet, and it went on and on and on and on. This served to be my introduction to what was going to be a hard, hard day, and one that was going to challenge me far more than I had known before.
Let’s face it though, hills I expected, but the incessant rain as well – this wasn’t really fair. It’s becoming a common theme in these blogs, the rain, but when it’s about the only thing that happens in the day (apart from cycling, obviously) there arrive precious few other subjects that I can turn my mind to.
I want to take you to a specific part of the ride though. One that I had actually been looking forward to as I knew already that it was pretty flat above all else as I had ridden it before - the last 10 miles into Dawlish. The section in particular I was thinking of runs alongside the river and is tarmacced so not only is it flat but smooth as well, two things I like very much!
Anyhow, I turned onto this stretch with a renewed vigour and hope as I really was on the final stretch. What am I greeted with? A head wind to end all head winds. I’d battled driving rain, unexpected hills (at least unexpected in their ferocity) and chain issues (yes, beginning to come off more frequently than I might like, but maybe it’s my keenness of changing gears) and here I am, home straight in my sights and I’m hit with a sledgehammer of a head wind. What could I do but laugh? Ha ha!
I think to myself, what would help here? Who could possibly bring me back from this state of near despair? There was only one man that I could turn to – Phil Collins. On he goes onto my ipod and starts to work his magic. That is until I turn from the tarmacced path onto the tow-path (or should I say quagmire rather than tow path because of all the rain). Phil is bleating on about ‘something happening on the way to heaven’ when my back wheel flies from under me as I hit a ‘deeper than at first thought’ puddle of mud. I’m kicked off the bike (this time removing my cleats before taking the bike with me – I’m learning at least) and thrown into a pile of nettles! It seems that when you’re down sometimes nature just wants to give you a right good kicking!
You know what though, I made it to Dawlish by 7, had a lovely chat with the wonderful Gwen Brock whom I had gone to see to pick up the key to the flat in which I was staying (thank you so much Gwen and the family Hughes) and after a bit of a search to find the place (and a few choice words I might add) I settled down to a meal, beer and sleep that were amazing!
This is what I think – Tough days will come, and tough days will go, but the taste of that beer will last forever!
JF 27.03.10
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Day 3 - Heavy Legs, Old Tap, New Forest
Southampton, Hampshire to Dorchester, Dorset
71.33 miles, 206.63 miles (cumulatively)
I must begin with a typo from yesterday! I had completed 135 miles and not 169 as I think I wrote! Sorry! You know me, a bit special with numbers sometimes!
"Hmm, that's tough", or maybe it was the ever darkening horizon, I simply don't know! Whatever it was, it didn't really occur - the day proved to be beautiful (well 80% of it, but I'll take 20% rain any day above the 95% of yesterday!) and the route, which did, I admit, have a few hills, was also beautiful, cutting right through the New Forest being shown at it's most attractive. The only thing holding me back was, or were I should say, my legs. They took a good 5 miles to get going, but when they did, they performed like troopers! I get the sense that this is going to be the norm now, heavy legs and having to coax them into action.
I even found a drinking tap on the plain which I took full advantage of, drinking, topping up and spilling my fill!
No stories to report today I'm afraid (or slightly thankful of!) so this is just a short one tonight. That coupled with the fact that I am utterly toasted and have to get some sleep! Tomorrow it's off to Dawlish and the Ferry I had been hoping to get as it is marked on the cycle route, doesn't actually start running until, yep, you guessed it, April 1st! Joy! What a difference a day, or 6, make!
JF 24-03-10
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Day 2 - The Drowned Rat!
Brighton, East Sussex to Southampton, Hampshire
69 miles
You know, I’ve been wracking my brains, trying to think of something, other than the obvious, about what to put into this blog today and you know what, that’s easier said than done. The bike was great today (except for a couple of gear-based niggles that I still need to sort), there was a tail wind which was a complete joy, and I felt generally very fresh. That puts a bit of a spanner in the works really as there is nothing there that I can say much about.
So here it is! Wow, how much rain can there be in the sky? (And Matt has just checked the weather for the next few days and it looks like I need to get used to it!)
I blame the BBC you know, and more specifically Carol, the ever-smiley Breakfast news weather lady. She stood there, happy as larry, confidently claiming that it was going to be cloudy but fine until at least 3pm. Brilliant thought I. I can get most of the way before getting wet again. Umm, no, I first got wet within 20 minutes of leaving and just got wetter and wetter and wetter from there. There comes a point (and yes, I know Andie McDowell said this in 4 Weddings) when you just can’t get any wetter. I think I found it today.
Having said all this, I quite enjoyed it really and must be thankful that when lunch time came, the rain did stop, which even though I was wet meant that I didn’t have to eat soggy bread. Small mercies I know, but they are oh so important!
So here’s to tomorrow – the drowned rat might well have to take another dunking! England, come rain or shine, you’re being cycled!
JF – 23.03.10
69 miles
You know, I’ve been wracking my brains, trying to think of something, other than the obvious, about what to put into this blog today and you know what, that’s easier said than done. The bike was great today (except for a couple of gear-based niggles that I still need to sort), there was a tail wind which was a complete joy, and I felt generally very fresh. That puts a bit of a spanner in the works really as there is nothing there that I can say much about.
So here it is! Wow, how much rain can there be in the sky? (And Matt has just checked the weather for the next few days and it looks like I need to get used to it!)
I blame the BBC you know, and more specifically Carol, the ever-smiley Breakfast news weather lady. She stood there, happy as larry, confidently claiming that it was going to be cloudy but fine until at least 3pm. Brilliant thought I. I can get most of the way before getting wet again. Umm, no, I first got wet within 20 minutes of leaving and just got wetter and wetter and wetter from there. There comes a point (and yes, I know Andie McDowell said this in 4 Weddings) when you just can’t get any wetter. I think I found it today.
Having said all this, I quite enjoyed it really and must be thankful that when lunch time came, the rain did stop, which even though I was wet meant that I didn’t have to eat soggy bread. Small mercies I know, but they are oh so important!
So here’s to tomorrow – the drowned rat might well have to take another dunking! England, come rain or shine, you’re being cycled!
JF – 23.03.10
Day 1 – Yep, people told me so!
Appledore, Kent to Brighton, East Sussex
66 miles
Right, so, yes, I have to be honest, I was bloody nervous. 2000-miles (give or take) and 35 days to do it. Now it’s started though, I am much happier. That’s not to say that it was an easy first day, far from it actually (but mainly this was my fault) what with issues with gearing and cleat learning! To cut a long story short, I came off my bike 5 times (including on my way to St. Pancras) and only two of these were related to the bike, the other three were because I had simply underestimated how bad I am at unclipping from the pedals and then clipping back in! I’m hoping that I will get better at this, in fact I’d better, otherwise this is going to be a devastatingly depressing cycle ride! So to those people who told me that I should have practiced more, you are right, definitely right and I am sorry for saying, ever so confidently,
“Don’t worry! I’m fine. It’s really very simple actually!” Well, my right knee begs to disagree with that!
But, onto the actual cycling. A great route involving the NCN (National Cycle Network) route 2. The weather held firm until about 20 miles or so from Brighton, and so that meant just about enough time to get everything very wet!
I tried also to do a good deed today. A lady waved me down on the road into Brighton and I pulled over (without falling this time!) asking her what the issue was. She had a puncture and no tools. “No Problem” I thought, “I’ve got everything”. We set about trying to fix it, with her trying to convince me that the best plan was to patch it on the outside of the tyre (hmm, not so sure myself) when I realised that it wasn’t just a puncture that was the problem, but that the valve was broken too. There was nothing left for it, but for her to run/walk her bike back to where-so-ever it was that she had come from. I took off too, feeling rather less manly having failed to help fix something, when I thought that I might have left my front light on the cycle path. I stopped, mind on other things, and yep, forgot to unclip and fell off my bike. There I was, sitting on a cycle path in Brighton (one foot clipped in, one freed in the fall), in the rain and having failed in a quest to prove my manliness! Safe to say, not the easiest start to Cycle England, but did I actually want anything different? Well yes, but now it’s happened, I couldn’t be happier – A challenge to begin a challenge – brilliant!
66 miles
Right, so, yes, I have to be honest, I was bloody nervous. 2000-miles (give or take) and 35 days to do it. Now it’s started though, I am much happier. That’s not to say that it was an easy first day, far from it actually (but mainly this was my fault) what with issues with gearing and cleat learning! To cut a long story short, I came off my bike 5 times (including on my way to St. Pancras) and only two of these were related to the bike, the other three were because I had simply underestimated how bad I am at unclipping from the pedals and then clipping back in! I’m hoping that I will get better at this, in fact I’d better, otherwise this is going to be a devastatingly depressing cycle ride! So to those people who told me that I should have practiced more, you are right, definitely right and I am sorry for saying, ever so confidently,
“Don’t worry! I’m fine. It’s really very simple actually!” Well, my right knee begs to disagree with that!
But, onto the actual cycling. A great route involving the NCN (National Cycle Network) route 2. The weather held firm until about 20 miles or so from Brighton, and so that meant just about enough time to get everything very wet!
I tried also to do a good deed today. A lady waved me down on the road into Brighton and I pulled over (without falling this time!) asking her what the issue was. She had a puncture and no tools. “No Problem” I thought, “I’ve got everything”. We set about trying to fix it, with her trying to convince me that the best plan was to patch it on the outside of the tyre (hmm, not so sure myself) when I realised that it wasn’t just a puncture that was the problem, but that the valve was broken too. There was nothing left for it, but for her to run/walk her bike back to where-so-ever it was that she had come from. I took off too, feeling rather less manly having failed to help fix something, when I thought that I might have left my front light on the cycle path. I stopped, mind on other things, and yep, forgot to unclip and fell off my bike. There I was, sitting on a cycle path in Brighton (one foot clipped in, one freed in the fall), in the rain and having failed in a quest to prove my manliness! Safe to say, not the easiest start to Cycle England, but did I actually want anything different? Well yes, but now it’s happened, I couldn’t be happier – A challenge to begin a challenge – brilliant!
Sunday, 21 March 2010
21.03.10: Day 0 (Day before the off) - London
So here we go then, the night before the departure - 35 days on the road (well 32 without the rest days) and the nerves are definitely kicking in! Most of the day has been spent getting ready, sorting, packing, unpacking, packing again and then panicking that I don’t actually have everything ready for the trip, so unpacking again in order to check. Well, being honest here, it’s all immaterial now as it’s only hours until the off. Added to this, I can always pick something up on the way if needed - I guess I’m going around England, not the sahara!
Problems? Well, I haven’t even started yet and I’ve found my first issue I think you could say! The first of the changes to the route has happened already! I went to book (or at least find out the time of) the train to take me to Lydd (Kent) tomorrow morning, my supposed starting point. I Have now realised that Lydd doesn’t actually have a train station (at least not one that is open) so in order to stay true to my quest - I’m getting the train to Appledore (Kent). This is quite apt, however, as I am staying in Appledore (Devon) come the end of the week. Of all the places that I thought I might end up visiting the name of twice, Appledore certainly wasn’t one!
All that really is left for me to do is to say thank you. Thank you to everyone that has supported me through the planning stages, and has so kindly offered a place for me to stay. Thank you to all those that have sponsored me already, and to anyone that might be thinking of it, please do.
Appledore (Kent) to Brighton - Here we come - Cycle England 2010 is about to commence!
JF - 21.03.10
Friday, 19 March 2010
Cycle England poster for use!!
3 days to go and if you can, please post this anywhere you can - the more people that know about the challenge the more money that can be raised.Next blog: Sunday - The day before departure!
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