LEJOG 12th June 16

[keyringkey]

Can anyone provide information on LEJOG?

I am going to attempt the 1400km route 116hours. However trying to find a suitable route is difficult, there are so many route but longer or shorter, lol.

I will be booking accommodation along the route, so I will be traveling light and unsupported. Its trying to find a route that fits into the 1400km, ok if I have to add a few km then so be it.

What are the roads and terrain like?

Basically any info would be great.

I am also raising funds for Help the Heroes. As an ex-serviceman I feel its my duty to help.

Thank you for reading

[Mick F]

I am going to attempt the 1400km route 116hours.

Can we put this into English, and also into perspective please?

1400Km is 870miles more or less.
116hrs is less than 5days.

These two things are both difficult.

I don't think you can ride a bicycle only 870miles from LE to JOG. You maybe can drive that distance using motorways, but not cycle it. I think you'd be better thinking of 890miles at least.

Also, to ride it in less than five days leaves you at the mercy of (variously) the weather, roadworks, fitness, support, mechanical breakdowns, and sanity.

Believe me.
Five full days is hard enough, but less than five days is very difficult indeed .............. and you'll be lucky to do it.

Route?
You need a FAST one, not a short one!

LE to Exeter on the A30 ................ which you cannot do this year because cyclists are banned for a long stretch over Bodmin Moor due to roadworks ........... so you've had it. No quick route at all that way.

Best option otherwise, is to use the A30 and A39 via Wadebridge and Cameford, then back-roads via Egloskerry to Launceston, then Old A30 to Okehampton. Around the north of Dartmoor via Crediton to Tiverton, then A38 north via Bristol.

A38 to Worcester .......... and then Bridgnorth, Telford, Whitchurch, Warrington, Preston, Carlisle.
Over the border into Scotland up the Old A74 via Moffat to Lanark, then Bathgate and Broxburn to cross the Forth Road Bridge.
Old A90 via Inverkeithing and Cowdenbeath to Perth ............ then A9 to Latheron and A99 to JOG.

No way is this 1400km - 870miles.
Get in your car and onto the A30/M5/M6/M74/M73/A9/A99 and you might do it.

[Mick F]

PS:
Perhaps I'm being harsh here.
(I'm ex RN myself, as it happens)

What you are wanting to do is almost impossible. Not actually impossible, just almost impossible. If you can do it, you're a better man than I Gunga Din.

You're first night will be in Bristol or thereabouts. This is 200miles from LE.
As I said, the A30 would be your best bet, but it's off limits to cyclists, so you've got to take a harder longer route to Bristol, so maybe not make Bristol on the first day.

Stay off the Severn Bridge and go via Gloucester. It's flatter that way.
Second night would be Chester or Warrington, or maybe Whitchurch.

Head up the A49 to Preston, then A6 to Carlisle, then through Gretna and onto the Old A74 to Moffat for perhaps your third night.

Then it's Lanark and Bathgate perhaps, then over the Forth to Perth and up the A90. Fourth night would be Inverness.

120mile to JOG on the last day.

Rather you than me.

[PhilWhitehurst]

Audax pace, same distance and timings as London Edinburgh London. A number have done this before you.

http://www.readingcyclingclub.com/node/561

http://6-daylejog.blogspot.co.uk


http://markhbdm.wix.com/end2end#!links/c14jl

[robgul]

http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk (loads of resources, my website)

... and there's an Audax ride that's 7 x 200km segments - not sure if the route is published but worth a look - it's run as a "permanent" in AUK parlance

Rob

[keyringkey]

I am going to attempt the 1400km route 116hours.

Can we put this into English, and also into perspective please?

1400Km is 870miles more or less.
116hrs is less than 5days.

These two things are both difficult.

I don't think you can ride a bicycle only 870miles from LE to JOG. You maybe can drive that distance using motorways, but not cycle it. I think you'd be better thinking of 890miles at least.

Also, to ride it in less than five days leaves you at the mercy of (variously) the weather, roadworks, fitness, support, mechanical breakdowns, and sanity.

Believe me.
Five full days is hard enough, but less than five days is very difficult indeed .............. and you'll be lucky to do it.

Route?
You need a FAST one, not a short one!

LE to Exeter on the A30 ................ which you cannot do this year because cyclists are banned for a long stretch over Bodmin Moor due to roadworks ........... so you've had it. No quick route at all that way.

Best option otherwise, is to use the A30 and A39 via Wadebridge and Cameford, then back-roads via Egloskerry to Launceston, then Old A30 to Okehampton. Around the north of Dartmoor via Crediton to Tiverton, then A38 north via Bristol.

A38 to Worcester .......... and then Bridgnorth, Telford, Whitchurch, Warrington, Preston, Carlisle.
Over the border into Scotland up the Old A74 via Moffat to Lanark, then Bathgate and Broxburn to cross the Forth Road Bridge.
Old A90 via Inverkeithing and Cowdenbeath to Perth ............ then A9 to Latheron and A99 to JOG.

Hey Mick,
Thank you for your words of wisdom and advice m8ty. Something to consider

No way is this 1400km - 870miles.
Get in your car and onto the A30/M5/M6/M74/M73/A9/A99 and you might do it.

[keyringkey]

Firstly, thank you guys for your kind help and advice.

After much consideration from the information presented to me I have decided I will go ahead and cycle LEJOG to raise funds for Help the Heroes. To select a route of 1400km will take sometime in planning which I am looking forward in selecting a route.

I see it like this; If I was to do the 1400km in 116hrs that would be fantastic and if not, it does not matter because I would of still completed the LEJOG and raised funds for H4H.

Mick F. wow, you are so negative by your comments. Don't you tell me I cannot do it when you do not even know me. All I wanted was some advice and guidance. No wonder you was in the bloody Navy.

Its like any other challenge they are hard but with training and determination you try your best to overcome, and I will achieve my goal. But thank you for the traffic update, valuable information.

Thank you

[Mick F]

Mick F. wow, you are so negative by your comments. Don't you tell me I cannot do it when you do not even know me. All I wanted was some advice and guidance. No wonder you was in the bloody Navy.

Hey, I ain't being negative, I'm speaking from experience.

Here's a little sea story.

I have ridden JOGLE, LEJOG and Back, JOGLE, and have cycled a tour of Scotland, Wales and England.
I've taken part in the production of a LEJOG in seven days DVD and was the route advisor for it.
Look it up if you want.

In 2007, I drove the support vehicle for seven riders of The Race Against Time (TRAT) and they did it in five days.
They (and me) left LE at 6am and headed up the A30 for Exeter. It was May 2007. There was another support vehicle with me who sorted the food and accommodation out ahead.

By the time we were going over Bodmin Moor at 1,000ft+, the sleet set in. They kept going, despite one chap having a puncture that I had to head back to sort him out.

The riders got through Exeter ok and went north. First stop, fully supported, was Tiverton for lunch. They kept going up the A38 and eventually had to retire 30miles south of Bristol due to a tree coming down!

I collected them in the van and took them to the accommodation. We got there at nearly midnight.

Next morning, 6am, I took them back to where they left off, and set them going north again. The tree had been sorted and off they went. Next stop was Chester. This time, it was 1am when they made it.

Then, off again, and Moffat into the Borders. Maybe midnight they got in.
Following morning, off at 6am for Kingussie. Well after 1am when they made it.
JOG came at 10pm.

One of the riders did from Kingussie to JOG basically non-stop. Others needed support. Last one in was the youngest ............ mid thirties.
Oldest rider was 70.

After the ride, we all had a wash-up meeting in Thurso that night, and since then we've had a reunion meeting. It was decided that due to to difficulties and the prospect of FAILING, that TRAT would be put out to seven days, as five days was open to problems.

Believe me.
Five days is do-able. Trouble is, if the weather gods are against you, or if you have a mechanical problem, or there's a tree down or a road blockage, you will be very disappointed.

Best thing to do IMO, is to build in a bit of slack.
Don't set you're hopes - and those of your sponsors - on five days.

Plan on seven days.
Do it quicker, and that's great. It ain't impossible to do, but it's very possible to fail.

PS
Do not forget, that the quickest way out of Cornwall is on the A30.
It isn't open to cyclists as they are doing major roadworks, so you have to take a different (slower/longer) route.

[keyringkey]

Mick F.

Thank you for your information, it seems that I may have to suspend it until the A30 is open again, But thank you for your kind information. TOPMAN.

[Mick F]

That's ok.

A30 situation is due to be sorted this year, but I can't say when. No doubt it's flexible?
The old route over Bodmin Moor has been single carriagway for many years. Going back to the old days - 60s, 70s and early 80s - the A30 between Penzance and Exeter was steadily by-passed:
Hayle, Camborne, Redruth, Bodmin, Bolventor, Kennards House, Lewannick, Launceston. Lifton, Bridestowe, Okehampton to Whiddon Down, Chertion Bishop, Tedburn St Mary ........... and Exeter.

The only bit left un-dualled was the Bodmin Moor section, and they have finally got round to doing it.
I think it should be completed this summer, but don't quote me ........ or don't count on it.

The only way round ............... if you want to plan a ride, is to take a northern or a southern route.

Northern is I've described.
A30 and head off via Wadebridge/Camelford/A395/Egloskerry/Launceston/Okehampton/Crediton/Tiverton.

Southern route is more hilly.
A30 and then turn off via Truro. A390 through St Austell/Lostwithiel/Dobwalls .............. then north a bit rather than staying on the A390 ............ via Minnions/Upton Cross and on the B3254 for Launceston ............ then as above.

A30 is quickest there is no doubt .................. but may not be useable as yet.
I'm very happy indeed to go and check out the Bodmin Moor section of the A30 later in the year, and report back.