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!

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.

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

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!

So, Day 3 began with the most generous of people (Matt) giving me a lift to my departure point just west of Southampton. I have to say I was slightly apprehensive about the day and couldn't put my finger on why. Perhaps it was the fact that matt had taken a look at my route and said,

"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

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

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!

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

Justgiving - Sustrans

Justgiving - Brunelcare

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!