Trip Photo
Another LeJog 2007 photo
Saturday, 16 June 2007
Friday, 15 June 2007
Day 7: Tenbury Wells to Ellesmere (A Bridge Too Far)
Alan - From now on, no matter how far I'm cycling, even if it's just down to Tesco (I have to admit that I never cycle to Tesco I take the car and rev the engine all the way to do my bit for global warming and the English wine industry) I'm going to say that I'm cycling End to End. You get talking to everyone. I started today and got as far as the bridge in TW (see picture) for the second time (see comedy moment 5) and got talking to a man for about half an hour about bikes, a detailed route of how to get to JoG by the back routes (unfortunately I've now forgotten some of the details, I'm sure there was a right, then left, then straight, right, left, left, ...... or was it right, right .... doh) and also how he injured his hand on a 29 hour ride about 50 years ago (read Matt's blog). It was a fun talk, but only 1.5 miles into the day I was keen to get on. Then after 30 miles I met Bruno who is doing the same route, but unsupported and at around 80 miles a day (we're not worthy). He was making slow progress today, but I have a feeling that next Saturday he'll be crossing the line. Basically, when you're on a bike doing the End to End, people are great.
Today's ride only really had two hills and one river crossing. It wasn't meant to have a river crossing, but Bruno and I were following the cycle path into Shrewsbury and took an underpass that was next to a river. Appoaching it we could see the river had broken its bank and I did think it was strange that in the middle I could only see the top of the fence. In my tired state, I must just have thought it was an odd design. Pedals up, the water rose and rose and rose until our shoes were underwater and the bottle cages were getting wet. Time to pedal and hope. I've never pedalled underwater before. I wouldn't recommend it since water seems to be a little more resistant than air. Strange, but true.
Anyway, that was my story for the day. People are great (I promise to return to my old cynnical self when I get home).
Read on for Matt's alternative story of the day .....
Comedy Moment 5 (wasn't that funny to me): Finally got started today after a few false starts and got 1.5 miles to the bridge and decided to take a picture of the county border marker, Reached into the pannier and retrieved the keys to the car ..... do I go back or cycle on .... ohhhh decisions. So I went back. Second attempt I met a man, who had a great route to JoG ..... hours later I started the ride.
Matt - Ok so much for the LeJog bike ride. Now for the alternative.
I went to hospital - yep that's right not Al but Matt went to a minor injuries department.
I got off the bike yesterday and my left hand refused to work. It had not been right for a couple of days but when you can't hold a fork to eat dinner you're in bother (see every picture on the blog for evidence of my love of food). So Elayne took me to the local hospital in Tenbury Wells, (funnily enough I first met Elayne in a hospital!). Great place in and out in 15 mins. The NHS is great some times.
It turns out that I have tendonitus. The advice was stop the thing that is causing the problem......
So I have had the day off enjoying myself shopping with Elayne in Ludlow and Shrewsbury and seeing life from the support vehicle. A bit frustrating but I have to admit I did enjoy the rest.
I have been popping the Nurofen and have a support for the hand/wrist.
Plan to be back on the bike in the morning and see how things go just the braking scares me a bit!
Elayne: Have been compiling a good B&B guide for this trip. Last night's - Argott House scores top marks so far - beautiful house, lovely hosts - Mary and Paul Drummond are stars. Mary even offered and did the smelly washing! Great cooked breakfast this morning. Go and stay here in Tenbury Wells! Last night's food in the Ship (Second best place to eat in Tenbury Wells according to Mary) was also first class. We'll be back!
Have also started good hospital guide (Let's face it, I have had some experience) and Tenbury Wells District hospital is fab. Have never spent less time on a hospital visit. All hospitals should be like this..
Day 6: Nailsworth to Tenbury Wells (Bike Heros part 2)
Alan - After the heroic efforts of Tim & Naomi yesterday, today we were joined by another cycling hero Rob (a real cyclist), who joined us for a day's ride and led the way which saved our legs and upped the average speed. Thanks Rob !! (see photos .... no not that one, that's a jelly baby, one of a family who regularly accompany us on our travels. They are pretty good company, but tend to lose thier heads every now and then.)
We've crossed many more county boundaries and I've added the M50 to my motorway collection ..... oh, this is even starting to worrry me. We've now done over 300 miles and have picked up loads of tips from Rob that will help with the rest. Need to get back to my pint of mild now.
Before I go though, another great B&B last night (Jubilee Cottage). If you are in the area stay there (if it's before August, as the owners are going off travelling around the world then - EF) and then go to the Weighbridge Inn for great food (a unique pie that is great) and also great beer. Check out a pint or three of Old Spot.
Comedy Moment 4 - I navigated into a multistorey car park. Fortunately Matt and Rob realised before I had paid for a ticket.
(N.B. The photo of Boots is really us blogging the bog in Gloucester - google latrine and Gloucester)
Matt - Thanks to Rob for his company and tips. And also for the tow out of Nailsworth. Lots of fun. He was also able to ride at a faster pace so Alan had a challenge for a change! I really am captain slow on a bike. (Alan - Should have got some proper gears on the bike.)
Hope everyone enjoyed the jelly baby pic.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Day 5 : Glastonbury to Nailsworth (L
Alan - One item on my list of things of things to do on this trip is to do some open water swimming. I had thought that a dip in Ullswater would be my first opportunity, but today we were lucky enough to take a dip just outside Bath. I have to say that I wasn't expecting to do it half way up a hill or while I was still on the bike. It was just like normal open water swimming, couldn't see, very wet, kept swerving around and very tiring. We started the day in the sun and ened in the rain, but we have now passed the 250 mark :-) and by crossing the M4 we have moved out of the south and into the midlands ..... best not talk any more about motorways.
We also took some time out to walk our bikes around Wells, which was cool. An added benifit from pushing our bikes around was that our average mph went up slightly ..... hmmmm, probably not good.
Another top B&B last night in Glastonbury. I have to admit that initially I was a little concerned, since it was at the top of a steep hill and more worryingly they didn't do full English !! In the end it was great, The people were great, the hill meant that we had a 30+ mph downhill start to today and the breakfast was fantastic (fresh fruit and honey and toast - excellent cycling food, better than a fry up ..... never thought I'd say that). If you visit Glastonbury, take your walking boots and stay at the Flying Dragon. Ask about walking routes, although you may want to halve the distance.
Finally, we would like to thank Tim and Naomi for providing much needed support today. With full kit I could not actually lift my bike this morning and was more than a little concerned about what would happen on the Bath hill with a full load. My front wheel doesn't stay on the ground on steep hills normally, and with full load the thought of uni-cycling up hill wasn't pleasant (N.B. If you want to do touring make sure you spread the load a bit.) But at lunchtime they met us in the middle of nowhere and took our overnight stuff and provided Sport. We were/are soooooo grateful.
Matt - Just to add toAlan's comment about the rain. Flipping Heck,I suppose it was going to happen, but two weeks worth in ten minutes? It is interesting trying to cycle against the tide! Note to self buy a dinghy.
The rain aside, the country is giving us more superb views and visits to places that I/we have not seen.
We have also seen signs to Wick, which I thought was in Scotland, and Dunkirk. So much for the Sat Nav watch!
I would also like to add my thanks to Tim and Naomi for rescuing us today, and to Elayne for doing my washing, bless.
Thankyou - part 2
Just a short post to say thankyou for all of the sponsorship we have received since the last thankyou post. (Typing this also takes my mind off of the two big hills at Wells and Bath that we have to face this morning, since typing and cycling uses a lot of concentration).
Also, here are a few replies to the comments posted on the sponsorship sites since last time:
Nick C - I now know how much we need this.
Noel & Bob - So far, so good on the weather front. Although the promised prevaling winds seem very much like head winds.
Matt J - Not proving a problem on the pub front (sad to say, cycling and beer don't seem to work.... although I'm still keen to prove this wrong)
Tim & Naomi - Hills !! No no one said there would be hills !!
Rob S - Now looks like it'll be 974 miles. To make it more of a challenge we decided to get really unfit before we started and did loads of non training. Seems to have worked well :-)
David W - There's still time.
Heather - If Andy and you fancy it as a challenge the blog should give you lots of info on how not to do it.
Paul D - At this rate you may be due a refund.
Susan - Yep.
Kevin G - If you want more comedy moments you should see us cycle for a day. It's one long comedy of errors :-)
Finally thanks to Zoe, Hannah, Daniel, Lynda, Paul, Mark B, Colin H (got the cheque thanks), Tim (cornerways) and Margaret S.
Day 4: Okehampton to Glastonbury (Crossing the Rubicon)
Today has been the longest day in soooo many ways. 75 miles in total, which is 50% longer than anything else so far. We've left the rolling hills of Devon behind (not before Devon hit us with a hill that they must have on loan from Cornwall) and are now well into Somerset.
My favourite part was crossing the M5. I have never understood why people stand on motorway bridges and watch traffic, until today. I now know that they are probably all long distance cyclists or walkers who see the motorways as a more real boundary in today's world than county borders. Once we reached the M5 coming out of Devon I saw this as the end of the first part of the journey and our time to turn north (this was spoiled some what, when we then crossed the M5 at least another two times.). So, not only did I stand and stare at traffic and look wistfully north, but i also took a picture ..... actually that's even sadder than just watching traffic.
Tomorrow is our second unsupported day, so we need to carry a lot more stuff. This is one time when I'll leave a B&B and wont spend too much time checking to see if I've left anything. (less stuff = less weight)
Finally, thanks to everyone who's written comments on the blog. We have read them, but haven't worked out a way to reply. This is all Matt's fault, mainly because I'm writing today's blog and he's not going to read it before I post it.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Trip Photo: Crossing The M5 Nr Willand
Trip Photo
I saw this as the point where we left the South West behind us and started to move north. We then crossed the M5 twice more today which took the edge off it a bit.
Monday, 11 June 2007
Day 3: Wadebridge to Okehampton (Travelling by Camel)
Alan - Today we left Cornwall behind and entered Devon, but not before Cornwall said farewell with a climb into Launceston. Apparently the keep in the castle has never been breached and you know why. Any sensible army would look at the hill and decide "Hmmm, that's steep. We could just go round and leave them up there.".
Devon has hills, but unlike Cornwall there are bits in between. Cornwall could learn a few things from this approach to coutryside.
Comedy Moment 3: We crossed the Tamar and turned up hill into Devon. Time for a photo and blog moment I thought so I asked Matt to stop for a photo. Took the photo and moved on. 2 miles later, Matt asked "Have we crossed into Devon yet?". He hadn't noticed the sign (see earlier photo) and must have assumed that I was just having a sadistic moment asking him to stop half way up the hill.
Banned Phrases: "Pub !!", "How is the saddle?"
Matt - I really should pay attention to what is going on!
Today was a lucky day as we managed to miss most of the rain. Elayne had to stop the car because the rain was so hard. I hope we continue to be as lucky!
Elayne: Lovely welcome from Lesley and Mark at Meadowlea B&B- 'Do you want to register or would you like a cup of tea?' M&S biscuits as well. Currently in the Plymouth Arms with Matt's cousin Anthony waiting for steaks.
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