1 Oct: Day 8 Kilmarnock to Inveraray

1^st October 2013 – day 8 of our cycle ride – dawned cold, frosty, sunny and autumnal. We were quickly out of Kilmarnock, after the worst breakfast so far (Sarah’s sausages doing the breast stroke in grease; Jo’s poached eggs bullet like) The ride was magic though, along a fast, flat, quiet road by the sea.

The group of 21 re-grouped at a very nice coffee (and pastry) shop in Largs and from there we cycled in one peloton to the ferry near Gourock.

Yesterday’s ferries had been cancelled because of bad weather (high winds) so we were all rather anxious as we feared a 3 hour winding, sicky coach ride instead. Fortunately, the fretting was in vain and we crossed the River Clyde to Dunoon (about a 15 minute ferry ride).

From here we cycled to Benmore Botanical Gardens for lunch (in another barn) via a quick visit to a chainsaw wood workshop! Sarah now has another bright idea of taking lessons on how to make sculptures with a chainsaw.

 Spot the carving above

Loch Eck

 Loch Fyne

The cycle after lunch was wild – strong winds and gently undulating countryside surrounded by mountains (the Trossachs) along Holy Loch, Loch Eck and finally Loch Fyne.

We arrived in Inveraray with cheeks glowing at 3.40 pm with Colin. Jo and I cycled around the castle grounds before heading off for very hot baths at the Loch Fyne hotel. We have given up with the cold baths. Too much pain for little benefit felt.

Today’s stats: 5 hours 49 mins in the saddle, 84 miles, 750 metres of ascent, average speed 14.5 miles per hour, 1608 calories!

Peloton stats: 17 boys, 4 girls, average age 46.6 years old (spread between 32 and 62 years old), all of them extroverts and lunatics.

Average alcohol intake per night: – Sarah: 1 pint of Guinness / Jo 1 pint of bitter.

Not our usual tipple but supposed to be better than wine with lots of carbs.

Note from Jo: Sarah thinks I am aging before her eyes as I am going very grey after so much stress! It is also too hot to sleep in stuffy Uk hotel rooms whilst trying to dry clothes on radiators the size of an A4 notepad; will someone who lives in the Uk, please tell us what this strange health and safety rule is about: we are not allowed to open windows more than 10mm?

Tomorrow we expect some rain and max of 6 or 7 degrees centigrade. Waaah!  

Route today:

PS. The group have raised over 90,000 GBP for various charities. Worth every ache and pain.

30 Sep: Day 7 Carlisle to Kilmarnock

We set out from yet another Premier Inn in Carlisle at 8am and headed 10 miles for the border to Gretna Green, Scotland.Sadly one group went wrong so we lingered about 30 mins before a team photo and a wee dram of whisky. Here we are with Maria. (Sarah has not shrunk to pint size just yet; she was kneeling)

Only 86 miles still to go and already smelling of whisky. It was very warming though but not to be recommended with raspberry Gatorade!

We have found that cycling 90 or so miles per day is playing havoc with our digestion. We suppose that too many recovery shakes and nutrition bars is not good to live on for 12 days. As we are now 7 days in we have decided to try to eat other things but keeping the aim of stopping for a decent coffee and snack every day.
Here is our day 7 peloton in Dumfries for morning coffee and at the afternoon stop at Catrine for ice cream (to be recommended)

This trip is organised by Discover Adventure; they provide the route notes, luggage transportation, accommodation, water stops and lunch. Sadly the choice of stops on the routes can be a little basic, hence we are often going off route to visit things we like/need. For example, some days our stops are in windy laybys off the side of main roads, with no toilet facilities;  today we even got a cattle shed at our lunch stop!

Its very rural in this part of Scotland. We found orange, white and brown sheep on route

Cute hey! Jo thought of mint sauce for a long time after taking this photo.
We also spotted one of the very many Robert Burns memorials in Mauchline.
http://www.klickthis.com/gallery-architecture-scotland-medium-142.html
but everyone seems to want a piece of the Burns legacy- as there appear to be Burns memorials all over the world (well travelled Scots)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Robert_Burns_memorials

Wearing a helmet for 6-7 hours a day is playing havoc with our hairstyle. We now know the true meaning of Helmet head having suffered it throughout the trip. Or it could be the 4 poached eggs Jo has taken to eating for breakfast...

Fabulous weather today. 94.65 miles in 5 hours 38 mins. Average speed 16.8 miles per hour. 971 metres of ascent.

29 Sep: Day 6 Preston to Carlisle

A beautiful autumn day cycling through wonderful countryside, we joined a splinter group of 9 led by Craig "Snap" Easton (his home turf) along narrow country lanes.
Within 10 miles after a big wobble, Jo got her first puncture by cycling into a big hole and blowing the front tyre.

This answered the question about how many people it takes to fix a puncture..
Sarah, John, Jo and Don, with the rest looking on, taking photos and commenting on the technique (but thanks for waiting boys)
Our route took us to Morecombe, Bolton Le Sands and finally to Arnside for a delightful coffee and cake (mid morning break) in the sunshine.

 Here we all are, the breakaway gang, soaking up the sun after 34 miles.
We even found a little boat to sit inside.

Today we covered 98.53 miles in 6 hours 44 mins, average speed 14.4 mph.

More than the map above as we went off piste a few times including a trip to Melkinthorpe to a tea shop and garden to meet Michael and Eric for lunch.

After all these detours, we were last in tonight but we did not rush as we are staying in another Premier Inn, this one on Junction 44 of the M6. 

Despite the industrial heart land we saw much beautiful scenery including Shap fell (1400ft climb)

We are now over half way - and cross into Bonnie Scotland tomorrow. It looks like we are staying just ahead of some very unsettled weather.....

28 Sep: Day 5 Shrewsbury to Preston

Today was the day we were dreading the most on the LeJog tour.
Looking at the map, it looked like one very long ride through a very large conurbation.
In fact, the day turned out much better - roads were not too busy, weather was perfect and we cycled through some lovely countryside.
Just under 6 hours in the saddle. Total mileage 90 miles. 886 metres of ascent. Average speed 15.4 miles per hour. Average temperature 15 degrees C.
We beat the van to the morning coffee stop so we pushed on - riding with Angus, Colin and Vajrin - to a mock tudor hotel and tucked into coffee and shortbread, sitting by a false fire!

We crawled through Warrington and Wigan - but were still moving faster than the cars.

We were guided into Preston by Craig, who lives here so we took a very scenic route in, across the River Ribble along an arboretum and into a well planted, autumnal park (with a Chinese garden in the centre). We enjoyed the fanfare welcome that was laid on for the local boy, Craig, by many of his mates.

And the architectural highlight of the day - Preston bus station. For many years apparently the biggest and busiest bus station in Europe.

We have now 425 miles under our feet and under our bottoms, and we are feeling it!
Our quads and bottoms are extremely painful notwithstanding the cold baths, sitting with our feet up the wall (above our heads), the milkshakes and a variety of deadly energy potions.
But we are really looking forward to the rest of the trip (7 days of cycling left) as we think the countryside is about to get really really fabulous. Let's hope today's wonderful cycling weather holds and the punctures stay away.

27 Sep: Day 4 Chepstow/Tintern to Shrewsbury

A long but very enjoyable day in the saddle covering 97 miles in 6 hours 50 mins.
We did not follow the whole route below but cut off the A roads by taking some B roads towards Shrewsbury with the usual hazards of single lanes, cut hedges, stones and mud in the road but still very enjoyable. Weather was kinder today with no rain at all.

The day started outside the St Pierre Marriott, outside of Chepstow with a team photo (minus biks and helmets)

Today we cycled with Phil (in between Sarah & Jo) Colin (the tallest bloke in white and orange, with legs like a gazelle and mean kick on the ascents) and Vajrin (standing behind Sarah)The five of us, cycled together for approx 78 miles (until we became 4 as Vajrin insisted his Garmin overruled the Ordinance survey map and went off alone; we arrived well before him!) ,
We were lucky enough to take in various sights such as Tintern Abbey

and we also found a local village shop selling all sorts including Maynards wine gums. Outside there was a very relevant sign.

It seems that we have completed a third of the distance already, except we do not travel on the direct route and try to see more of the scenery on the way.

The locals told us we were in God's own country, but then so did the folks in Cornwall and Devon, so who is correct? It certainly does not apply to all of the UK and definitely not the roads past the Avonmouth docks.
When we got into the hotel this evening, Sarah insisted that we both take a cold bath. The screaming could be heard all along the corridor.
Fortunately we were first in, so it did not matter too much!!
Today was the best day so far but tomorrow's route includes several hours on the A49 as we head to Preston. We are not looking forward to the traffic!

26 Sep: Day 3 Tiverton to Tintern

Day 3 finished and we are tired and hungry! This is despite Sarah eating a full English breakfast and regretting it for the next 15+ miles. Even so, our first 29 miles was at a cracking pace (set by 3 guys we got into a pack with) averaging about 19 miles an hour. This was on busy A roads such as the A38 and A39 - full of lorries and other people in a hurry, where it was impossible to talk let alone relax;  we could not wait to get off them. A day full of contrasts though as busy and hazardous was interspersed with sleepy, rolling country lanes where the main features were:

• peace
• single lane traffic with virtually no cars and high hedges
• wildlife - squirrels crossing, horses, sheep, goats and the odd dead rabbit
• cow and horse poo in the middle of the road
• remnants of cut hedge (great to avoid with road bikes)

Despite the map below- we still recorded 97 miles today, with an overall average speed of 13.6mph and ascents of 3972 feet. (can't get used to all this feet and miles stuff after so long in metric countries). 7 hours in the saddle.

We skipped the organised /official lunch stop and took in a detour ride through Cheddar Gorge.

Here we are outside the touristy part (on our first night Sarah won the best dressed woman award for her Bianchi outfit that matches her bike - the first time she has ever won an award for best dressed anything, other than fancy dress) and of course up the gorge, Sarah is cycling in front whilst Jo takes photos. We were there to meet up with Katie Dodd and to stop for a decent cup of coffee, huddled in Katie's car. We loved the coffee (thanks Katie - it was great to see you again and look forward to seeing your photos). Our aim each day is to find a decent cup of coffee; two out of 3 so far.

The afternoon was full of motorway and bridge crossing; across Avonmouth and across the Severn bridge. The local cycle paths here are very good but even so the Garmin navigator took us to an industrial estate outside Chepstow. There was a bit of backtracking and running across busy roads carrying our bikes. Eeek! but I should really expect this after 8 years of travel with Sarah.

So finally into Wales

Sarah has been trying out her Welsh accent but more practice is definitely required.
We are always happy and smiley each evening but not always the best dressed

(ICAN shirts and recovery skins, which are very effective - if you have not got any, get some!)
We are cycling for ICAN in case you cannot tell!
www.justgiving.com/Jo-Neep

Weather today was that rainy, drizzly fog like stuff that reinforces our choice of living elsewhere.
Where we are staying tonight is lovely: St Pierre golf and country club (shame no time for a round)Doing a sun dance now for tomorrow's 100 miles, and hoping all the lorry drivers go on strike...

25 Sep: Day 2 Liskeard to Tiverton

Leaving at 8 am in gorgeous, autumn sunshine, with all the surrounding area shrouded in thick morning mist, we enjoyed the first few hours cycling through Cornwall, into Devon via Tavistock, Two Bridges and then to Postbridge on Dartmoor.

After lunch in the village hall, the weather deteriorated to be typical Dartmoor weather of low cloud followed by drizzle; it followed us off the tops and the last 4 hours of our ride were in increasingly persistent and driving rain. This was NOT forecast by BBC weather (we were not carrying all our wet weather gear but fortunately had the jackets) but we should have known by now just how unreliable UK weather forecasts can be! We arrived soaked to the skin - feet/shoes and gloves/ hands in particular and caked in road muck. Tonight's challenge is how to get it all dry.

Road kill spotted today included a badger and a wild boar (we think).
Other wildlife that we consorted with included Dartmoor ponies, highland cattle and white, fluffy sheep.

The sheep and the cattle seemed to like being on the road despite cars and the odd cyclist passing. Quite stoic and immovable.
Our challenge each day is to find a decent coffee.  Today we had to wait 50 miles before we enjoyed a very good coffee in the Cathedral grounds in Exeter, although Jo insisted on sitting outside in the rain as she feared she may never get on her bike again if we went inside.

Factoids for fellow bike geeks amongst you - 5 hours 25 mins in the saddle, 65.7 miles, 2000 metres of ascent, average speed of 12.1 mph. No heart rate records today!

Today's route over Dartmoor