Cycling UK Forum

Just a quick post from Scotland to say that I successfully completed the 6-day solo unsupported LEJoG on Friday. Had a headwind on days 1,2 and 6 (the worst) and a sidewind for the rest - no prediminant SW winds for me! On A roads for most of the way, including the A30 on day 1 to just above Liskeard (but this was done between 4-8 am on a Sunday morning!).

The Garmin Vista HCx behaved itself and the only mistakes I made were when I followed street signs rather than the GPS. The body and bike stood up well - just one puncture when a wood screw somehow made its way through one sidewall and out the other! Thanks to the bike shop in Pitlochry who donated some gells with caffeine when I was falling asleep on the A9.

Total time was about 63 hours, average speed about 13.75 and wierdly the total distance was only 854 - perhaps my computer isn't callibrated correctly. I'll be able to cross check this data when I download the tracklogs from the GPS when I get home.

Met a few other end2enders on the way, notably a copuple of Edinburgh Uni students on a tandem. We travelled parts of the last leg together and shared a meal in JoG on when we arrived - it was good to have someone to share the sense of achievement with, and to compare notes.

I'll post a full ride report when I get a chance. Thanks to all on this forum who gave advice, and Mick - yes, I went through Okehampton instead of Dartmoor (well, it was raining and a NE wind!).

I have stood up to post 'Well done!'

Well done indeed! I'd be hard pressed to drive it in that time!

Well done, makes me feel lazy planning on two weeks (downhill - Jogle)with a rest day!

You tit!

You've ruined my credibility.

My friends all think I'm superhuman for cycling JOG-LE in 13 days.

If they ever find this forum my reputation is in tatters.

>;o)

Well done mate!

Look forward to reading your account of the trip.

Gazza

Very well done!

6 days is exceptional.

if I had a forelock I'd be tugging it. Well done. Very well done.

Congratulations! I've just completed a 10 day LEJOG of 1000 miles (also solo and unsupported), so very well done for doing a 6-day - an excellent achievement indeed. I had a head wind till Scotland then bizarely(sp?) no head wind at all. By the end of the penultimate day my right knee was playing up big time (Dr says I twisted my knee ligaments) so I had to complete 140 miles on the last day in some pain, but otherwise no problems, no punctures and never even had to put any additional air into my tyres!

And definite highlight of the first day was sweeping through Mick's village, though the climb out the other side had me cursing! Shap was another definite highlight. A baking hot day and a head wind but was a wonderful feeling to survive those last 4 bends and see the view from the top!!

And also what a fantastic descent into Lochranza on the isle of Arran - hell raising! Cycling in Scotland is an absolute joy. Heartily recommend Fellfoot Independent youth hostel in Penrith for anyone doing an E2E or C2C. The owner has an encyclopedic knowledge of road networks, which I most definitely benefited from (and his wife makes exceedingly god fruit cake)!

Chapeau!

I was pleased with 12 days...

Bloody hell mate, chapeau!

I'm stunned. Our friends believe that our 20-day scheme will be rather optimistic I'll try to keep your achievement a secret to them.

Very well done. You must be mad as a hatter to undertake it, but... well done. I'm looking forward to your travel log!

When you think of the number of people who couldn't contemplate a bike ride to the end of their street without breaking into a sweat, anybody who does the End to End, be it Gethin Butler or somebody taking a lot longer, has plenty of reason to feel good.

Well done toontra ! Ive just finished, tuesday 27, my ten day effort. I don't know how you got out of bed so early I couldn't go anywhere without some porrige and a cup of tea even at half past seven. Thanks for the energy food and stuff taht you left at Leominster although I think with your schedule you would have needed it more than me and thanks also for the company at sennen cove you must think that i am a right wimp for walking up that hill.

With regard to milage i did 909.

I have posted a new thread regarding the A30 and hope that you would be supportive of this although you would probably have missed the worst of the traffic I can tell you that by 2 pm it was bloody awfull.

I wil post another ramble about my ride later on but for now well done and good luck with your future audax events.

NB if you get this message twice it is because the first time I tried to post it the computer gremlins nicked it.

cranky1 wrote:I have posted a new thread regarding the A30 and hope that you would be supportive of this although you would probably have missed the worst of the traffic I can tell you that by 2 pm it was bloody awfull.

Hi cranky, and congratulations. Glad you got the stuff at Leominster - I'd sent a drop-bag there but realised I had too much drink powder. Regarding the A30, the decision to try it was made as I was talking to you over our eve-of departure meal. I'd seen the scale of the hills and valleys from the train going down that day and was fairly worried. Realising that I'd be leaving at 4am on a Sunday led to the last minute change of plan to try the A30, and under those circumstances it turned out to be fine. I'm sure that at other times it can be hellish.

I'm still in Scotland having a holiday and the internet is hard to come by where I am. Thanks for all the kind words and well done to anyone who completes this ledgendary trip, no matter what the time. For me the 6-day thing was purely to try and see if I could do it unsupported in that time. I'd done a fair ammount of training over a 4-month period and this proved to be sufficient. My left knee (which is normally the "good" one) has only started to hurt a bit since I stopped cycling!