Day Twelve

Word of the day; Team

Left Tongue after a very leisurely breakfast, only 62 miles today until we all cross the finishing line at John O'Groats!

All through this trip we've been lucky with a southerly wind..... Until today, the wind blew in our faces pretty much all day. Hard going on the northern most Coastal roads.

I arrived at John O'Groats at around 1pm and waited for the other riders at a hotel about 1/4 mile from the finish. The idea was for all of us to finish at the same time..

At around 3pm we all gathered at the top of the hill and rode to JoG together.
Really nice as we were led in by a guy called Dennis (63 years young!). This guy is a inspiration as he has a desire to get the job done what ever..

I'll try and upload some photo's when I get home.

Thanks to the following;
Planet X bikes
Gore clothing
Bucks bikes for the spare spokes
Power energy bars (nice one Ed)
Sean & Ed (for joining me at Shrewsbury in the rain)
All the guys that trained with me..
Discover Adventure, Kenny, Andy & Wayne
Jelly Babies
All 21 riders
Sheila & Chris Coates
Gita, Children in Touch

Most of all thanks to my wife, Becca, my kids, Emily, Joe, & Sophie. With out you putting up with the training, dad being away for 2 weeks, none of this would have been possible...
Thank you x.

So what now... A year off...

Anyone interested in cycling America?? 25 days 3000 miles???

Answers on a postcard???

Thanks for reading


M.

Day Eleven

Word of the day; Coast

Rode out from Bonar Bridge for a very quick 50 miles to Tongue today...

Cycled most of the way along the A836 to Crask, the first water stop along a single track moore road. Then on the Coastal road to Tongue... Fabulous fast road, I left at gone 9am this morning and arrived at 12:05 this afternoon.

Lots of free time to sort out my washing and other stuff, glad to have time off the bike.

On to tomorrow, the final 62 miles!! The finishing line's in sight..

Thanks for reading



M.

Day Ten

Word of the day; Castle

Left Speen Bridge early doors this morning for a easy 95 miles!!
Rode past Loch Ness on our way to Bonar Bridge for this evenings accommodation.. a youth hostel, not your average youth hostel but a bloody big Castle with stunning views across the highlands of Scotland.

The only problem with this is that I'm sharing a room with 11 other guys! I find myself writing this at 6am on Friday morning because all of the snoring etc..
I feel really good although I could do with a bit more sleep!

We have a really easy day for day 11 as we only have 50 miles to cover, looking forward to having a look around..

Pleased that my body's made it this far only 2 more rides to the finishing line, yay!!!!

Thanks for reading


M.

Day Nine

Word of the day; Rain (again!)

Left Inveraray around 8:30 today after a lie in (7:00)
Cycled around Loch Awe (wow) and continued to our first stop in Connel, after a quick splash and dash we made our way to Onich for our lunch stop. All of which I cycled on my own. Its quite a different thing cycling distance on your own. I found it really hard work and was pleased for the stop.

Just after lunch the heavens opened and I was caught without my waterproof kit and got soaked through.
Cold and windy going on through Fort William, made up when I arrived at the sign post that said 5 miles to Spean Bridge (hotel for the night).

Managed to get into the Hotel before 3, had to sit and wait for my bag to arrive at gone half four!!

Hard work today but happy that I only have 3 days to go until the finishing line....

Thanks for reading


M.

Day Eight

Word of the day; Spokes

Left Kilmarnock on time today at 8 sharp, first stop Largs (west coast of Scotland). A pretty sea side town with stunning views. We stopped for a coffee and pushed onto Gourock to catch the Dunoon ferry (it's the only way west). Once again I found myself on my own, cycling an awesome Coastal road to catch the ferry...

With about 6 miles to go, I heard a ping and rattle and soon realised that I had broken a spoke on my rear wheel. When this happens basically the wheel looses it's shape and buckles. I managed to limp very slowly to the ferry port where I met up with the trip mechanic to fix the problem. Pleased with myself that I packed a spare, with out it, it could have finished my trip!!

After a short ferry journey we arrived in Benmore for lunch. Off again through various Lochs (very pretty, lots of photos) we traveled past Loch Fyne to tonights hotel in Inverary.

On to Fort William tomorrow, still find it hard to believe I'm north of Glasgow!!

Thanks for reading


M.

Day Seven

Word of the day; Wind

Left Carlisle this morning for a short ride across the border into Scotland, pictures taken we cycled on to Sanquhar for lunch. On the way I lost the guys I was riding with and found myself on my own for around 25 miles (not as bad as it sounds).

After lunch we rode on to Kilmarnock. Across the low lands the winds were pretty fierce and made hard going of it. The wind was blowing across us and kept pushing us in to the middle of the road, not great when you're being passed by massive lorries.

I feel ok, I have no injuries, five days left until John O'groats. On wards and upwards!

Thanks for reading



M.

Day Six

Word of the day; Motorbikes

Early start today, left Preston and rode up to Lancaster, nice to ride through a town early on a Sunday morning.

A quick dash in the rain and we arrived at the foot of the Lakes. Kendal was full of the usual tourist shops so didn't stop as the rain got worse..

After Kendal we rode to our lunch stop at Shap Fell, the support guys billed this as a gentle climb! 15 miles of up hill later we arrived at lunch after seeing some of the most breath taking views so far. Well worth the effort, it would be good to come back in the sun. In a strange way though it was still stunning in the mist and rain.

As we stood having our lunch a load of motorbikes pulled up in our lay-by, after talking to them I discovered that they were on a charity ride too (Blackpool to Carlisle) It didn't take me long to tell them that we had left Preston on our way to Carlisle!!

After lunch we pedalled into Carlisle, only 10 miles from the Scotish border for our hotel tonight. Onto Kilmarnock tomorrow.

Thanks for reading


M.

Day Five

Word of the day; Traffic

Left Shrewsbury late today as the hotel didn't serve breakfast until after 7:30!

Rode into Warrington around mid day, the traffic was so busy. Not a pleasant ride at all... Followed by another busy ride into Wigan, not as bad but not the best.

Made the hotel in Preston around 4ish...

These are the hard miles that need to be done, not much fun to be fair but really easy going. I'm looking forward to riding through the Lakes tomorrow then onto Carlisle.

Sorry not much else to write tonight.
Thanks for reading


M.

Day Four

Word of the day; Mates.... Oh and more rain!

7:00 am this morning Sean and Ed arrived to offer support and ride out with me today. The weather today has been truly awful, not the weather Sean and Ed would have wanted but in terms of me it's the boost I needed.

We started the day riding through Monmouth and Hereford in the worst conditions I think I've ever cycled, funny Ed couldn't see a dam thing in his Oakley shades but looked cool if nothing else....

We made our way to Leintwardine for lunch and the team leaders managed to set up in a old barn. Happy to have some where dry to have a hot cup of soup.

After lunch we made our way to Shrewsbury, 3 miles out while crossing the A5 the guy i've done all of my cycling with this week (Keith) was knocked off his bike by a impatient motorist.... Fortunately Keith only had some minor cuts and bruises but the fall knackered Keith's gears (makes me think as a driver how much I need to look out for bikes!). I think he was more angry than anything else, I just felt sick..

We all limped back to the hotel in Shrewsbury, Keith managed to find a really good bike shop to fix his bike.. Me, Sean an Ed had a few pints after riding over 96 miles!!

On to Preston tomorrow.
Thanks for reading


M.

Day Three

Word of the day; Bridges

Set off at 8:00 this morning, rode through a very busy Taunton then to Bridgewater..

Just before lunch we made the biggest climb of the day at Chedder Gorge another stunning view.

Rode onto the Avon bridge and then crossed the Seven Bridge again the views are well worth the effort.

87 miles covered today at an average speed of 15:4 mph

We pedal off from our hotel in Chepstow in the morning, really looking forward to it as Sean & Ed are joining me for the day!

Thanks for reading



M.

Day Two

Today's word of the day; Hills

Great day on the bike today, started off wet but turned out fine, if not a little sunny!

Cycled across Dartmoor this morning, stunning, bleak and remote.. Stopped after the first climb to let 50 or so wild ponies gallop across the road, an amazing site.

Made a small detour off the main road and cycled past the prison, you can only imagine how this place looked over a hundred years ago, very scary as a convict I'm sure.

After lunch we had a few more climbs into Exeter and then a pretty easy ride onto Tiverton (hotel).

To much for me to write about on my phone tonight but I feel good If not a little sore.

I'll try and add some photo's the next time I'm at a pc.

Hope the google tracker is working now as I'm back in a 3G area!

Thanks for reading


M.

Day One

Word of the day..... Rain and lots of it

Left Lands End at 10ish this morning, cycled around 77 miles. 5 hours and 2 mins at an average of 15.6 mph
It felt pretty good however the last 10 miles into Liskeard were hard work, hill after hill!

Tomorrows ride is the hardest of the whole trip, in terms of hills and climbs. Around 76 miles.
Heavy rain forecast all day, so I suspect it's going to be a longer day
I've met some good guys today and I'm riding with a couple of guys at my pace, so all good.

Sorry if you're following the google map of me, it's seems my kids had a better solution after all.
Catch you in the next couple of days, thanks for reading.


M.

Arrived safe and sound

Day minus 1
Arrived at St Just this evening, booked into the hotel and fed.
Relief after the train journey because my bike was put in the guard room on the train, the other 2 bikes had padlocks & chains!!
Spent most of the train ride checking at every station that no one was riding off down the platform on my planet x!!

Met some of the other riders this evening, all seem a good bunch.
I think we're all a bit nervous, wondering how tomorrow will go.... Looks like rain in the afternoon but we should benefit with a southerly wind!

I'll check in tomorrow if I can get wifi
Thanks for reading


M.

The Google thing....

Success, you can now see where I am..

The wonders of modern technology!

As I can't seem to get the google tracking software working, my kids came up with the solution!

I'm the one with the brown eyes, currently at home (purple blob)!!

“What doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger”

Well here I am, contemplating what the next 2 weeks are going to bring…

2 weeks without my wife & kids, 2 weeks without work..

I’ve pretty much packed re-packed and packed again, only need to work out how I’m going to fit in my flip flops!

I leave from Reading train station on Monday morning and should arrive in Penzance about 15:30 with a bit of a wait around to be picked up and transferred to my hotel in St Just.

After an evening of meeting my new best friends, on Tuesday morning we’ll be transferred to Lands End at around 9:00 for photo’s and then the start of my first day of around 80 miles (Lands End to Liskeard).

I’m going to do my best to update the blog after every day, please feel free to make any comments or send me any texts of support.

Thanks for reading.

M.

Welcome to my Lands End to John O'Groats Blog

6 days to go until I leave..
No more training to do..
Trains Booked
Hotels Booked
Sponsorship Raised
Over 1100 miles

It's down to me ;-)