The Weekend after

Cheers - not sure how happy we look though!

We have been talking about the highs and lows of the week and I will be writing about those soon but for today just post trip news -  and I have started to review what I wrote during our trip and sort out the photos in the post I wrote on the trip.


It has taken me a week to feel able to stay up after a day a work and start to do something else. The weirdest bit about last week was the feeling of jet lag that we had all last week ( that is the only way I can describe it ).  Neither myself or the captain felt pain in our legs which might be a surprise - we did however feel very tired and a bit of anti climax. 


That did not stop us going out for two short rides this weekend. Saturday saw us take the SS Galaxy out for a spin. Rather windy but dry and pleasant. Sunday saw us take our own bikes out - riding on my own for the first time in a looong time... My bike felt strangely light and and wobbly compared to SS Galaxy. I admit to not really feeling in control to begin with but got better over the time we were out. It did make me realise how glad I was to have been on a tandem for the 900 miles and not on my own bike. It might be harder to get up hills but it does not put as much pressure on my hands and shoulders.

Day 8 Tain to John o'Groats - the finale

An early start today, as even with only 85 miles to go it will take us 7 hrs due to the hills and the head wind. This means we leave before breakfast at our B and B but our hosts have provided us with a packed lunch.

We get up at 6 to try and leave just after 7. I feel very tired not really feeling up for it at all today. Eating sandwiches and crisps at 6.30am isn't easy but it has to be done.

The weather is dry but windy although not as bad as the wind yesterday evening. Once in the saddle, though it hurts, I feel better. Nik is struggling a bit to begin with his knee but we're all determined that having come this far we'll finish.
Just as we are reaching 30 miles, my friends Fiona and Tom (bff) pass with their brother in law Steve who is going to join us. He wants to ride the infamous Berriedale Braes which start in about 10 miles time. He's there waiting for us at the stop, with my parents and
Lawrence. Food stop and introductions over we make a start on the next 39 miles which will see us ride over the Braes.....basically 2 mile climb followed by flatish terrain then a 15% descent and then a 1/2 mile 13% climb.

Just after Helmsdale the climb starts, Steve sticks with us while the others take off... Younger and fitter and less weight to get uphill. You can see most of the climb so I decide we need some motivation... Switch my iPhone music on and play some Rocky soundtrack going up the hill to 'Hearts on Fire', 'Eye of the Tiger', 'Flying High' and 'Im a fighter' certainly helped and brought a smile to Steves face when I switched it on. I have to say thank you to Mr Fit Box(aka Paul Russell) for his inspirational music when exercising. Reaching the top the captain mentions that this is not the hardest climb but it was loooong. Waved and cheered on by Fiona and Tom I even manage to stand up near the top. Soon we're going down hill and another short uphill before we're on the 15% descent followed very quickly by a steep uphill with a switchback - always tricky on a tandem - but not too bad compared to the last climb.
Next stop Lybster where we have a lunch stop of hot drinks and soup joined by my mum and dad and my friends.
It's the last 32 miles next.... It feels odd to think that whilst at the same time looking forward to getting there. It's 1 pm and we'd like to finish by 3pm.
The captain sets the pace and we apparently were averaging 17 mph, reaching Wick, Dave asks to slow down as he doesn't think he can keep the pace up.. I'm not sure we slow down but he manages to keep up.
It's 17 miles from Wick to John o'Groats... Feeling quite elated and excited that our journey is nearly finished.... Then the Captain mentions the two hills still to come ( the disadvantage of doing the trip with someone who's done it before).

The first hill is not too bad, the second hill comes with 3 miles to go and lasts for a mile .... More Rocky soundtrack needed. Part way up the captain says his legs have gone... No way we're not slowing down and making the climb take longer...time to dig in and ignore the pain.. Another thank you to the Fit Box there... Or as Nik said this week 'Pain is only weakness leaving the body'
Reaching the top there is only 2 miles to go and it's all downhill. We regroup and the top and cycle together... Greeted by cheers from Lawrence( our support driver), my parents and Tom and Fiona... It's over.
Lots of photos and some champagne and congratulations. Amazing!! I even get an ice cream yummy. Next stop Glasgow in a car before heading home tomorrow.

Day 7 Fort William to Tain

All in high spirits as we set off today. Breakfast at Rhu Mhor guest house was the best yet. Our host dressed in a kilt took our orders and made me think how much I miss the dry Scottish sense of humour.....
Host ' what would you like for breakfast'
Marco ' I'd like a softly poached egg '
Host ' You're chancing your luck, she's ( his mother) 86 so you'll take what you're given'

We all laughed but breakfast was excellent. So off we set for what some of us thought was one of our short days ( only 97 miles) - the captain knew what was coming though. 50 miles of up and down before a very long 15 % climb and that was the easy part of the day.

The weather changed at about 4 to being very windy and misty rain and we had got to the east coast of Scotland crossing the Moray Firth. The last 25 miles from Dingwall was painful both mentally and physically riding into a head wind the whole time. Everyone taking a turn at the front and all of us counting down the miles.
I think it's fair to say we were all relieved to finish and to think that we only have 85 miles tomorrow.... Then the captain mentioned that tomorrow will be a seriously hard day... Oh oh
Well we'll see???

Day 6 Paisley to Fort William - Best Day Yet

Today didn't start too well for me. I wasn't able to eat much and breakfast and when we started to cycle my legs felt like they were asleep.
Crossing the Erskine Bridge proved a minor challenge when the north bound cycle path was closed. We had to follow a diversion to get onto the other side. This meant negotiating the SS Galaxy up and down kerbs, round a fence and round a tight bend... We ended up in a bush- quite funny.
Next stop Tarbet along a very busy dual carriage way ( one of the disadvantages of doing LEJOG in 8 days) I don't think that helped my mental state!
At Tarbet when we were ready the captain decided to get going before the others as there were a lot if hills coming up and they would catch us. We were struggling slowly up hill and I had been saying to the captain ' my legs feel rubbish today' when we saw a minibus full of fellow teachers, from the school I teach at, on their way to Scafell Pike having done Ben Nevis that cheered me up- Go team Ranelagh. I then got my phone out. To check the time and saw a tweet cheering us on from one of my ex students another boost to keep going. 5 miles later we met my mum and dad another boost and our reason why we're raising money for cancer research - I know my dad wouldnt have had the treatment hes had in the past year without them- so it was great to see them. As the others hadn't caught us we stopped and waited for them. About 10 mins later they arrived and we all set off together for Bridge of Orchy. Ourselves and Dave and my parents had lunch here while Nik and Peter decided to push on as they wanted to get some medical supplies . Half an hour later we set off on the last 42 miles of the day. Challenge to finish by 5 pm. The ride through Glencoe was amazing some long slow ascents and some very fast long descents reaching speeds of 42 mph!
We arrive at our bed and breakfast at 5 03 pm. I said this was our best day.... It did not feel like that at 830am this morning but at 5 pm it did!

Day 5 Carlisle to Paisley - A good days cycling

First stop Gretna after 5 miles of peddling. We were all quite excited to arrive in Scotland. Weather conditions didn't look too bad either overcast but dry...

Then it started to rain.. A bit further down the road Peter got a puncture. The captain decided to push on as we are the slowest and the others would catch up... 45 miles later they hadn't and we stopped for food. They weren't far behind turns out Peter had two punctures.

Lots of midges at the food stop so we decide to get going ( the captain insisted despite some of the others not being quite ready) as we were stopping at Peters mums in about 35 miles. Just before Lesmahagow The captains sister Fiona and parents arrived in a car following us and cheering to Strahaven were we stopped. We were all grateful for the support. Here we had a beautiful three course dinner cooked by Helen, Peters mum. Yummy but started to make us feel a bit sleepy so had to get going again.
Paisley only 25 miles away do we feel quite pleased with our efforts looks like we'll get to the hotel before 7..
We get to the hotel... Mmmm .. Broken windows... Curtains not on the rails... We're not stopping there..
We manage to find a Premier Inn at the airport en route to the Erskine bridge where we're heading tomorrow. Not quite as early as we thought but still in the hotel by 8.

Day 4 Gloucester to Carlisle - some statistics

So far we've travelled 488 miles- wow when I write it down it seems so very far.
That's 53% of our journey done- the captain ( who has done this twice before) told me when we finished that it was at this point on his first trip that he realised that he might actually do it so let's hope that's true.

We've travelled through 10 counties in England.... Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.

I'd like to say this was an uneventful day and we got to Carlisle by 7 pm and were having dinner at 730 pm and so an early night was had by all..... But I can't.

We started off in Warrington at 830am our earliest start. First major town Wigan were we all got a bit lost so managed to lose some time ... A high note from the captain we did see the VW Stadium home of Wigan FC.

Leaving Wigan we were heading
for Preston during this part of the ride, one of the team ( Marco) decided to call it a day. His Achilles were badly inflamed - a bit sad but for the best for him. The rest of us then decided to crack on to Lancaster which would be our first stop of the day and a bit over 50 miles into intended 120 miles. We made good time. Hoorah.
The captain decided our brakes were not working properly and found a Bike shop to service them, while we had lunch in Sainsburys cafe. A bit of fuelling as we had a big climb ahead at Shap ( 1400 ft and a climb that last 10 miles). When we went back to collect SS Galaxy she wasn't ready as the mechanic was helping another customer and they were having a problem with the back brake cable. They didn't have a long enough cable for a tandem... Lesson don't go on a long journey on a tandem without spare brake cable!!!.... They did a bit of a fix on it but not great. The shop did try to find a brake cable at some other shops in Kendal but no luck. This wasted an hour and a half. So the good time we had made was pointless....

Next stop regroup at Kendal before Shap... Made good time and arrived in Kendal about 4. Entering Kendal we hit a pothole and our lights, and water bottles went flying... Luckily not us.. When we stopped we the SS Galaxy had a broken mudguard to boot!!
We were only going to stop for toilets but we had a call telling us that a cycle shop might be able to help us, so we pop along.
Mistake they didn't have a cable long enough but cut the old one before realising. So they have to use a too short cable but manage and the brakes are better by the time that's done it's 5 pm. In the shop we meet Luke who's also doing LEJOG, so the captain invites him to join us if he can keep up.. He has lots of bags on his single.
Off we set to Shap... It's not so bad just a long slog. On the way up we learn that Luke had started in Cornwall 3 weeks ago with 5 friends spent a lot of time there before his friends decided not to do it and he set off on his own from Bristol taking 3 days to get here which was similar to us. His bike and pack weighs 120kg. We reach the summit together but our descent is far quicker. When he catches us he's amazed at our speed. We all cycle onto Penrith were Luke decides to call it a day. We still have 17 miles to go to Carlisle.
The rain starts making these miles long especially without the mudguard - I get a very cold wet rear end... The captains ok though( I'm his mudguard). The last few miles are hard navigating through Carlisle to our bed isn't easy but we've done it and on a big high as we're over halfway. A fantastic pasta feast was provided by Marco but not an early night as we'd hoped.