Search found 735 matches

by Deckie
3 Mar 2016, 1:48pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: How much does a self planned Lejog cost ....
Replies: 17
Views: 9849

Re: How much does a self planned Lejog cost ....

When we did our JoGLE (May 2010) we were unsupported and the transport of the tandem was generously covered by a friend. We spent three nights in SYHA hostels (including the now closed Carbisdale Castle), five with friends & family and seven in Bed and Breakfasts. Total cost (including rail tickets to Wick) was about £550.

Saying that we were very careful with our costs, the largest of which was food (one area you can't stint on!). We did go short on one day and I particularly suffered for the next two.
by Deckie
21 Feb 2016, 10:50am
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Gearing and timing questions
Replies: 8
Views: 1674

Re: Gearing and timing questions

Apart from Cornwall, most of the hills you will encounter are long steady climbs rather than steep, so yo shouldn't have a problem, particularly as you are supported & so don't have a great weight of kit to haul up the hills (like Mick had with his chopper!)
by Deckie
10 Feb 2016, 9:47am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The perfect pub?
Replies: 47
Views: 2895

Re: The perfect pub?

One of our locals (they're both 1 1/2 miles away in the nearest villages) closed in November, possibly the last death knell for the village? The land lords moved down from Kent five years ago when it was a busy & successful village pub, but had steadily run it down over the past few years and are now selling it as a house and building plot. They have had it on the market for the past few years to gather evidence that they can't sell as a going concern for planning purposes, but it is known they turned down more than one offer for the full asking price.

The other pub is doing very well with lots of community support.
by Deckie
7 Feb 2016, 10:24pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Peterborough to Ben Nevis
Replies: 17
Views: 2135

Re: Peterborough to Ben Nevis

My best advice would be to do what I did.
1. Draw a line on the map from Peterborough to Fort William.
2. Break that down into reasonable daily distances.
3. Find places to stay that match those distances.
4. Refine the route between those places based on the type of road you are comfortable cycling on and the "hilliness" of the route.

Bear in mind that regardless of how much practice you put in, you will want shorter distances for the first couple of days, and you will not want a particularly tough last couple of days. Saying that, you will be going over Rannock Moor and Glen Coe on your last day, while they are high, it is not a difficult climb and the ride down into Fort William is good. The day before is likely to be tougher as it will be up and down all day.
by Deckie
24 Jan 2016, 2:13pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Are unclassified roads getting much muddier
Replies: 18
Views: 1628

Re: Are unclassified roads getting much muddier

Mick F wrote:They ain't cleaning the roads, they ain't maintaining the roads, and they ain't clearing out ditches and drainage.
They used to, but they ain't now.


Spot on.

It's very easy to blame farmers with larger equipment. Yes that's true, but ALL vehicles are bigger, and especially WIDER now (a new model VW Polo is almost 12" wider than a Mk 1 Golf! The new Golf is nearly 6" wider again), so passing each other people have no option but to drive over the verge.

After many complaints we have been told that the council will be clearing the drainage channels and road side cuts in our village tomorrow. First time in five years. A job that was done every year is now left so the edges of the roads are commonly under water and deteriorate faster creating more potholes that cost more to repair.
by Deckie
22 Jan 2016, 11:04pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: 27th of October
Replies: 32
Views: 2071

Re: 27th of October

I was woken by a phone call at 4:15 am today, an automated flood warning from the Environment Agency for our area. (We've been flooded several times in the past and a condition of our insurance is that we sign up for their warning service). I stuck my head out of the window and, while it was raining very lightly, I could see nothing to concern me so I went back to sleep.
At 6:30 am I was awoken by Mrs Deckie and informed that we had water in the bathroom (lowest point of the house).
Quick rush outside to clear drains & check the pump (we have a float switched pump to clear water away from the house). Drains were clogged with ash seeds & other detritus that had washed in from the road, cleared that & we were dry again within minutes.
Checked with a neighbour who keeps weather records, apparently we had the best part of an inch of rain in one hour starting just after 5am!

Been a lovely sunny day since!
by Deckie
1 Jan 2016, 8:17pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Transporting a tandem
Replies: 14
Views: 3347

Re: Transporting a tandem

I don't know if you've got sorted on this yet, but we did JoGLE on our tandem and faced the same issue. Then three possibilities I came up with were:
1. Take it on the train, problem: the rail network will carry tandems as far as Edinburgh, but Scotrail won't...
2. Have a support vehicle & drive up with it, problem: expensive, and then out support driver was diagnosed with Parkinson's so we went unsupported,
3. Take the wheels off, box the tandem & courier it to someone near JoG, problem: cost of courier.

In the end we went with option 3 & carried the wheels in our Extra Wheel trailer on the train. A good friend & agricultural dealer very kindly organised a relay between dealers all the way to Wick for the packaged tandem (I built a box out of double walled cardboard fruit boxes) & it arrived the day before us! The messages on the side were interesting!
by Deckie
8 Mar 2014, 8:54pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Accomodation near Loch Lomond
Replies: 13
Views: 21238

Re: Accomodation near Loch Lomond

If you're heading Northwards, alter your route to head up the east side of Loch Lomond, then get the morning ferry across to Tarbet and continue North on the A82. We were heading south, thus catching the last ferry. Rowardennan Lodge is at the end of the road on the East side of the Loch, the B837 out of Drymen. Should be a bit easier for you as you are approaching from the South East.
by Deckie
5 Mar 2014, 9:49pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: How do you tell if a fork is carbon?
Replies: 15
Views: 11579

Re: How do you tell if a fork is carbon?

Google the make & model and see what the manufacturer says.
by Deckie
5 Mar 2014, 9:29pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Cynthia Barlow OBE
Replies: 7
Views: 21246

Re: Cynthia Barlow OBE

Just read an interview on the Financial Times website. Clever lady! Her daughter was killed by a left turning lorry. Rather than using the press or pressure groups, she bought enough shares in the company that owned the vehicle that killed her daughter to be able to ask a question at the AGM. She read a prepared statement and asked what the company was doing to stop it happening again. There was silence in the room, the the company chairman instructed the H&S director to contact her and discuss the situation.

The company is was Readymix (now has a different name due to change of ownership). As a result of that question ALL their lorries now have additional mirrors, additional indicators on the sides towards the front of the vehicle so that anyone already alongside can see that they intend to turn and proximity sensors to the sides that sound alarms in the cabs if anyone is there. They have had no similar accidents since.

It is obviously possible, so why not mandatory?
by Deckie
3 Mar 2014, 8:22pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Penzance train disruption for LEJoGers?
Replies: 14
Views: 29675

Re: Penzance train disruption for LEJoGers?

Notwork Rail say they'll have Dawlish fixed by April... So call it May if the weather's kind...

I note they didn't say which year :twisted:
by Deckie
3 Mar 2014, 8:18pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Accomodation near Loch Lomond
Replies: 13
Views: 21238

Re: Accomodation near Loch Lomond

We stopped in the Rawardennan SYH having crossed on the ferry from Tarbet. I think it sailed about 4.30pm & they were VERY accommodating. The YH is very comfortable, and old hunting lodge, & there's a pub down the road that does reasonable food.
by Deckie
3 Mar 2014, 7:25pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: It's now or never ! (Done)
Replies: 40
Views: 45148

Re: It's now or never ! (update route advice)

It might be worth you contacting First Great Western, or Cross Rail (both do the Exeter to Penzance stretch) to check that they can take your bike given that the track no longer exists at Dawlish & they're using "Executive Coaches" to travel from Exeter to Plymouth before picking up the train again. Otherwise have a great time and make sure you concentrate on the positives all the way, like the ever changing landscape and the random kindness of strangers when you get stuck!
by Deckie
3 Mar 2014, 7:20pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Thoughts on this route though Scotland.
Replies: 20
Views: 18347

Re: Thoughts on this route though Scotland.

We used the Great Glen Way along side Loch Lochy in 2010 on our tandem with 28mm tyres and had no trouble, other than taking it steady as we had several broken spokes in the front wheel...
by Deckie
23 Jul 2013, 2:20pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Why I'm feeling like this...
Replies: 19
Views: 3513

Re: Why I'm feeling like this...

On the tandem we definitely take the hills steadily, letting the gears take the strain. I did the same on our 24 hour challenge (I borrowed my son's Merida Race Lite 905, excellent bike with a better range of gears!). The problem is that my Giant doesn't have low enough gears to allow me to sit back & take it easy when the hills kick up to 1 in 4!

I'll just have to moderate my effort on the flatter areas rather than try to push on too much. The ride usually takes 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the weather & how I'm feeling.