According to Strava I tend to ride most of the time as they call it in their roster ride analysis, as a lone wolf. However I do ride with others occasionally and this ride was the first very long distance ride I’d done with someone else. In some riders terms I’m quite new to cycling,…
I’m writing this on the train, waiting to depart Wick. Another tired and aching start, this time a little later as the last days distance was only about 161 miles. We’d bought breakfast the day before at the local co-op. With a coffee, 2 doughnuts, a pain au chocolat and a croissant consumed, we were…
# Day 5 – LEJOG – Kingussie To John O’Groats Last day…officially. Tomorrow will be a short ride to the train station in Wick. Shortest day of the lot, only 161 miles through Inverness. We then follow the east coast up to John O’Groats and the finish. To follow our ride live, click on the…
Tired legs, swollen hands and sore feet and bums literally crawl out of bed. After yesterday’s start we both knew the drill. Getting on the bike would hurt.. at least to start with. The roads yesterday were pretty good, today as we got on the road again, they were terribly worn, big gaps in the…
# Day 4 – LEJOG – Lockerbie To Kingussie Scotland is bigger than you think. Today sees us doing another 175 mile day and crossing the forth road bridge. That should be fun. We then skirt round the left hand side of the Cairngorms National park to finish off in Kingussie. Started Cycle: 21 Jun…
After arriving at the hotel late last night and rushing dinner down, we didn’t manage to get to bed until around 11pm. With an early start planned for the morning, not ideal as it meant time for tired muscles to recover was severely reduced. We both agreed to avoid this happening again by being rigid…
# Day 3 – LEJOG – Middlewich To Lockerbie Scotland already?? Yes if all goes to plan we will finish off in Lockerbie tonight. About 170 miles today travelling along the edge of the Lake District, through Gretna Green to just north of Lockerbie. We are hoping for it to be a bit cooler and…
It’s almost 10pm and we are sat in harvester in Middlewich, waiting for some vital calories to arrive. It’s much later than we’d hoped to be sitting down for dinner. Another extremely hot day saw both of consuming vast amounts of liquid to try and keep hydrated. Eight plus bidons each plus 4 cokes and…
Day 2 – LEJOG – Bridgwater To Middlewich Biggest day for mileage today, 175 in total, just slightly more than day 4. Starting off from Bridgwater we should head through Bristol, hopefully missing the mad rush of traffic at the start of the day. Then on through Gloucester, Worcester and Stafford. We should end up…
An early start this morning, not helped by the fact I set the alarm for 16:15 instead of 4:15. Quickly bolted down 4 weetabix while my lovely wife made me a coffee. Jay had said we’d just as well cycle to the start, some 7 miles from our hotel. I agreed but hoped we wouldn’t…
Day 1 – LEJOG – Lands End To Bridgwater Day one of LEJOG in Five, Lands End to Bridgwater. Today’s going to be one of the toughest days of the trip. Opposite to most peoples beliefs, it’s hillier in Cornwall than in Scotland. Today’s route takes us as far as Somerset and should be around…
After much faffing, should I or shouldn’t I take this or that, I’ve now got the bike ready. Bikes been cleaned (to my standard), new chain, cassette, puncture resistant tyres and the rear wheel serviced with new bearings and free Hub and it’s time to go for a test run. Below is an explorer link…
LEJOG in Five The challenge Lands end to John O’Groats, an iconic bike ride for cyclists in the UK, traversing the length of the mainland of the British isles. It’s been done by thousands if not hundreds of thousands of cyclists before. Routes vary and there is is much debate over whether it’s best to…
Route: London and Back Activity: Cycle Explorer Link: http://cyclemeter.com/9fb89c614db84b86/Cycle-20170515-0454 Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/9fb89c614db84b86/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20170515-0454.kml Started: 15 May 2017, 04:54:23 Ride Time: 12:15:15 Stopped Time: 3:36:03 Distance: 192.99 miles Average Speed: 15.75 mph Fastest Speed: 36.28 mph Ascent: 2833 feet Descent: 2840 feet Calories: 7594 Average Heart Rate: 117 bpm Maximum Heart Rate: 168 bpm Bike: Genesis Equilibrium…
14th December 2014 Long roads with miles and miles between towns and settlements, the peace and tranquility and sense of being alone in Botswana was welcome after riding through densely populated Malawi and the tourist areas of Zambia. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s Summer in December and with the summer comes the rainy season.…
9th October 2014 I had been cycling around the highest mountain on the African continent, Mount Kilimanjaro. The tarmac slowly disappeared to gave way to rocky tracks, where a careful path had to be picked to remain upright on the bike. The traffic had disappeared as I’d ridden past the last main town Sanya Ju.…
Date: 6th August 2014 07:57 Country: Senegal Location: Goree Island (île de Gorée) Photo Background The previous night had been spent in a tent in a small island just off of Dakar, Gorée Island. A small island no longer than 900 x 350 Metres that’s was synonymous with with slave trade but in reality only…
While I was on Tour… I had practically reached the end of my cycling tour, riding from the UK to Cape Town in South Africa when I had an email ping in and ask me if I’d be willing to be interviewed for a Ride cycling Magazine in South Africa. Tim the editor of the…
Travelling and Living with Ortlieb Panniers, there’s no doubt that Ortlieb panniers are right up there when it comes to quality and popularity as a choice of panniers for the touring cyclist. Although travelling and living with Ortlieb Panniers can at times be less trouble free as one would like. Don’t get me wrong…
Thank You, Merci Beacoup, Gracias, Shukran, Jeri Jef, Tana Te, Abaraka, Nawari, Asante Sana, Ke a leboga, Ngiyabonga, Ndiyabulela After 10 months on the road I’m now back in the UK.. with a bump! Gone were the brilliantly blue skies when I started compiling this list, warm days (compared to Africa!) and beautiful evening sunsets,…
My remaining time in Cape Town being a tourist, just like many others before me and also meeting other tourists in the places I stayed. I stayed the last few days at the Amber Tree Backpackers lodge, recommended to me by Maurice Raleigh whom I had met at Jollyboys backpackers in Livingstone. Maurice also on…
Malawi, Nkhata Bay and I was talking to Dominicue, a very affable friendly fellow travelling with his family though Africa. After several minutes exchanging our thoughts and details of our respective travels we moved onto discussion of the future places we were looking to travel to and through. Dominicue casually mentioned a cycle event I…
Its been almost nine and a half months, but finally Cape Town, here I am! When I set off from the UK on May 14th 2014 I hadn’t said I was definitely going to Cape Town, the distance was large and I didn’t want to set a goal that I may not have achieved, I…
During my travels and cycle tour along the Garden Route, taking in the scenery and beauty of South Africa I was contacted by a fellow Chippenham Wheeler and cycling friend in the UK, Jay Olsen. Jay has ridden some challenging road rides, one of which I was set to do myself with my ex employer…
Not Far Now and the weather has been very good to me. Most of the time I do not suffer bad weather, luckily being stopped or able to shelter from inclement weather. My luck continues to hold as I near the end of my African journey and as I move further along the coast and from…
