Coming along nicely.

Ok,

Latest update :-)

I now have a support crew,
I mentioned the ride to my parents and they mentioned that they 'might' help out by doing the route with me in the car, carrying tents, electrical hook ups (which means I can now camp as I'll be able to bring night time medical stuff and still use it. :-) This is a BIG bonus as I now don't to book accommodation :-) :-) )

This was still a provisional/glass of wine offer, but I mentioned it to my mate who had already offered to drop me off/pick me up and he has now decided to take the full 2 weeks off work and be my road crew.......

That's AMAZING..... I did try to talk him out of it as it's a massive ask, but later the same day he called me to tell me he has booked the days off (pencilled in, it depends on my final plans) I work in education and summer holidays are very quiet for us so my work prefer us to take holidays when kids are off. (No I'm not a teacher)

So now I have a support vehicle, and a helper.

BRILLIANT.....

My Bluetooth Cadence/Speed sensor arrived. So last Saturday I strapped it to my spare bike, stuck the bike on my turbo trainer and decided that 10 miles a day would be a good start.

I installed Wahoo fitness on my phone and use that to record my training sessions, then upload them to Strava (my preferred GPS tracker) and from there upload them to Facebook for the world to see. :-)

Unfortunately the Cadence/Speed sensor is Bluetooth 4 and my iMac isn't so I can't use it to connect to Bkool to use their video/virtual training sessions, and the bluetooth range on the sensor is rubbish so I have to put my phone on the floor next to my front wheel, anywhere else and it doesn't connect to the sensor. :-(

I have managed 10 miles a day though, which is good, it's not easy though as you can't freewheel so I have to peddle constantly for around 35 minutes.

I never knew I could sweat so much!!!!

Axe.

Ok,

Only a couple of days into planning and changes already,

It now looks as if setting off on July 16th would be better,
That way I can get a lift to Lands End on the Saturday and start riding on the Sunday morning.
Then at the planned end of the ride I can travel to my annual holiday in Anglesey for a couple of weeks and relax before going back to work.

To start the ride after my holiday would be good as I would be able to get a few weeks extra practice riding Anglesey's hills, which would be excellent training, but would probably spoil my holiday.

So now the plan is to leave home on 16th July, start the ride on the morning of Sunday 17th and ride for 12 days.

I hope to be able to stop at home on night 4 (in Manchester) so that means I have to average 80 miles a day for the first 4 days, which is approx right for the whole trip.

I've been looking for the least hilly route but there don't seem to be many!

I think most of the middle of the country can be done on canal tow paths, but from experience I don't know if I can keep up a decent average speed to make it worth the lack of traffic compared to the speed of roads.

I have lots of time to try things out!!

Just need to sort some trial routes and practice/training rides


Axe.....

Also, (whilst I think on!)

I have a couple of mates who would also like to do the ride,
at the moment as this is a provisional plan which is subject to change/cancellation I'll keep their identities hidden.

I already have lifts sorted to Lands End and then home again 2 weeks later from John O Groats,
so thats a major part of organisation done.

Just need to figure out a route, overnight stops (which is made harder by the fact that I have medical equipment which needs to be plugged in at night so no camping, and I'll have to carry it on my bike all the way) and then start training....

Fortunately I spend most summer weekends on Anglesey so lots of opportunity for training with hills, just need to motivate myself now to get on the turbo trainer.

Axe

Hi Guys,

A little background,

I've always fancied doing End to End (Either LEJOG or JOGLE)
In 2008 I did it (JOGLE) in a day, actually in a touch over 15 hours on my motorbike, with 40+ other motorcyclists (It would have made the Guinness book of records had anyone thought to check before we set off, Largest organised motorbike one day End to End event)
But I've also always wanted to cycle it, I like to test myself, to see if I can do stuff thats a bit odd, and hard to do.
I once drove over to the Nurburgring in Germany and jumped the fence late at night to cycle round the race track in the dark (along with about 20 other people from all over Europe)

Last year myself and a bunch of friends cycled the Coat to Coast route over a long weekend, most of us had very little practice and were really unfit, but we had an idea that riding bikes would help us to lose some weight and perhaps live a little longer (or at least healthier)

I have cycled the Manchester to Blackpool charity ride 5 times, (last year I did it in a personal best 4 3/4 hours)

For the August bank holiday this year I decided to cycle to Anglesey, It took me 11 hours and I covered 107 miles. 2 days later I cycled 17 miles as a gentle ride with a group of friends, it was the hardest 17 miles I've ever done.....

Anywho, I've got it in my head that if I'm ever going to ride End to End I should probably book a date and get on with it.

So thats what I'm doing.......

Sunday 14th August 2016

Thats the day I'm leaving Lands End.

Axe.