LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

[nboyer79]

I'm going for an audax style LEJOG in May as well. I'm aiming for Gloucester the first night, so a tough day, but managable. I've riden much of my Cornwall route on a 300k audax a few times, so won't have to spend much energy navigating little lanes.

As an aside, if you're planning on riding past Trago Liskead on your training ride, be prewarned it'll be stressful.

Any chance you can share the 300km cornwall route with me so as I can compare?

Note taken on Trago Liskead - I'm currently rejigging the route

[jamesoneil]

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5616624?lang=en

The section I'll be riding on my Lejog is from near Wadebridge to Okehampton so not much use if you are starting in Falmouth, https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31220724

On your training ride I'd do straight through Plymouth to Torpoint ferry(free IIRC), Antony, Crafthole, coast to near Downderry, but turn right(north to Narkurs,) cross A38, and then rejoin route at Doddycross.

There's a reason only 850 people on strava have riden the A38 between Saltash and Landrake.

[Mick F]

Not, and never been on Strava, but I've ridden A38 from Bodmin to Saltash and to Plymouth too.
Been the other way as well.
Quite a few times. Sections of it, and all the way.

Yes, I know, Saltash Tunnel isn't allowed for pedestrians and cyclists, so we take the Old Road through South Pill.

[nboyer79]

Thanks both,
taken on the feedback shared here.

Any opinion on either of these routes for my Cornwall reccy -
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42345247

This one looks more interesting with a nicer loop along some of the coast... will be leaving around 3am so hoping I make the ferries. if not it would be a much longer ride.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42678148

[nboyer79]

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5616624?lang=en

The section I'll be riding on my Lejog is from near Wadebridge to Okehampton so not much use if you are starting in Falmouth, https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31220724

On your training ride I'd do straight through Plymouth to Torpoint ferry(free IIRC), Antony, Crafthole, coast to near Downderry, but turn right(north to Narkurs,) cross A38, and then rejoin route at Doddycross.

There's a reason only 850 people on strava have riden the A38 between Saltash and Landrake.

Thanks for sharing this route for your D1 lejog. 500m less elevation and 10km shorter.... I'm considering copying and picking up the rest of my route from Almondsbury.

If I leave a 2 am I'm sure I'll be able to make good headway on some of the roads there.

It's a tough choice but this does look like a very good way to get out the lumps of Cornwall as fast as possible.

Thos that have followed this route before/similar would you feel safe enough doing this solo?

[rareposter]

If I leave a 2 am I'm sure I'll be able to make good headway on some of the roads there.

That comment ^^ doesn't square very well with this comment from your first post:

I plan to complete the challenge in 4 days solo unsupported. I've accommodation booked for each night.. assuming I get there at an appropriate time. If not, it's fields....

The riding isn't the problem; what you're going to bump into with this is the logistics of eating, charging lights/GPS/powerbanks, sleeping and washing/drying kit. B&Bs generally don't like people leaving at those sorts of times plus you're missing all that breakfast you've paid for! Hotels tend to be a bit more open to weird times of arrival / departure but the same point about logistics stands.

Plus it means navigating unfamiliar roads in the dark for the first few hours.

I know from my own rides that I can do 200 miles in about 12 - 14hrs riding time (depending on weather/wind etc) - how long it takes including stoppage time depends on you! Personally I factor in about 15hrs total time to allow for stops - it's amazing how taking off/putting on a jacket, a resupply at a village shop, a few photo stops etc can add up.
But if you're going to be missing a sit-down breakfast in the morning and potentially arriving too late for a meal in the evening, you'll have to be stopping somewhere, even if you're living on fast food! That means about a 5am start time, 8pm finish time = 15hrs total.

That still gets you a quiet couple of hours in the morning and evening with the bonus that cafes, pubs etc are mostly open throughout the riding time, you're not leaving anywhere too early or arriving too late.

[toontra]

Respectfully disagree with rareposter about start times. A 2am start in June doesn't have you riding in darkness for "hours" - starts getting light around 3.30 in June. Also roads start getting busy at 6am or earlier, so a 5am start will soon have you competing with commuters and commercial traffic.

3am starts in June have been my preference for ages. It's the sweet spot for daylight and getting ahead of the game psychologically. It just means going to bed early, but 200+ miles and sleeping shouldn't be a problem!

Some B&B's will make you a packed lunch if you say you won't be having breakfast. Anyway, if they're not going to provide food at 3am then they're probably not going to at 5am either. It can be an utter waste of time waiting for breakfast to arrive - even on tour with a relaxed schedule I've wasted hours in frustration waiting when I could/should have been getting the miles in.

BTW I've never had a problem leaving a B&B at 3am. Just let them know when booking and if it's a problem try elsewhere.

[nboyer79]

Thanks both,

2 am start time will only be for Day 1 - with 2 young kids my body clock will be fine
4 am - Day 2
3 am - Day 3 - 380 km day
5 am - Day 4 - Shorter distance 310 km

Re hotels - I have premier inn/Travel lodges booked - all bike-friendly no issues leaving early.

I'll be sending a parcel on to each hotel - for the next day. Fresh kit, energy bars, spares etc. Most importantly, to address the breakfast talk... 2xpots of quaker quick oats all the hotels I stayed in had a kettle in the room and two pots of porridge got me well on my way.

I did this last year on my St Albans - Aberystwyth - Lowestoft - St Albans trip, and it worked very well.

Re Day 1 acknowledge the comment on my first post but having spoken to a few people who have followed that revised Day 1 route it might not be as bad as I thought. I'm still undecided, but I might consider it and then pick up the rest of the audax route from Almondsbury. Will see how I go on the Cornwall tester next weekend.

100% agree on the time suck with stops - I have a 400km Paris Brest Paris qualifier on Saturday. The Gt North Road - I'm going to be practicing timings for sure. The one thing I've found with these audax's is the time vortex of doom when you stop. I'm going to be setting a 10 min alarm for the short controls - bottle fill up grab food etc, get receipt... go... then make sure I have one decent sit-down meal for 45 mins to make sure I switch off and get some different mental space and time away from the bike.

This should replicate what I do on LEJOG.. My controls are planned for every 100km. 2xshort fill-ups and go stops and one proper sit down meal. I'm sure I'll have one extra stop for the day wich I've allowed for but will see how we go.

Taking 3x 750ml bottles should cover me for each leg with the exception of the last.

[sparnel]

Hello - did you achieve Lejog in your four day target? Interested to hear how it went.

[Paulatic]

Hello - did you achieve Lejog in your four day target? Interested to hear how it went.

The OP hasn’t been back since April and his Strava account is 'request to follow'.
Emily Chappell did a 4 day LEJOG in December which was epic. This will get you started on accounts of it https://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/blog/when- ... e-to-stay/

[rareposter]

Emily Chappell did a 4 day LEJOG in December which was epic. This will get you started on accounts of it https://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/blog/when- ... e-to-stay/

It was December 2017 that she did that.

[Paulatic]

Emily Chappell did a 4 day LEJOG in December which was epic. This will get you started on accounts of it https://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/blog/when- ... e-to-stay/

It was December 2017 that she did that.

I felt quoting the year was irrelevant compared to the month in which it was achieved.
I recall George Berwick riding with George ? On a tandem doing the daylight 600 route at the winter solstice. I always thought that awesome but Emily & Co topped it.

[sparnel]

Thanks for the info Paulatic.

[disherwood]

Why do it in 4 days..?
So you can repeatedly tell everyone what you've done.?
My advice is do it in a way and over a period of time you can enjoy the cycle touring experience.

[Blondie]

Of course even riding LEJOG in one go, you should realise you haven’t done a south to north end to end. For that you’d need to go from the Lizard to Dunnet Head