Two weeks from the finish

Today is two weeks since I got home. I still appear to be losing weight but my appetite has subsided somewhat!?

The fundraising is progressing - we have just passed the £5000 line.

I took my first serious exercise tonight - a 6 mile run and boy did I need different muscles!

Adrian’s LEJOG - the facts

Distance cycled : 975 miles

Total trip duration: 11 days 22 hours 15 minutes

Total saddle time: 80 hours 54 minutes

Average speed: 12.1 mph

Longest day: September 10th
Blackford, Cumbria to Drongan, Ayrshire
92.4 miles in 7:30

Road Traffic accidents: Nil

Flooded roads: Several around (you guessed)
Tenbury Wells where I stayed on September 6th and in Devon and Somerset.

Bee/wasp/hornet stings: 2

Other injuries: Lacerated calf from hawthorn hedge avoiding determined motorist on single track road in Cornwall.

Lost: Trying to find Oldbury on the Hill – a
village which does not exist.

Hills that I walked up: A833 out of Drumnadrochit - 15%.
A9 out of Berriedale - 13% but looked steeper to me!!

Sorest bit: The ball of my left thumb (but its
better now!)

Punctures: One – in the rain at Patterdale.

Best roads: Caithness – the extreme north of
Scotland.

Worst roads: Cheshire and north of England generally.

Friendliest places and people: The friends who put me up.
The B & B providers who all looked after me.
Scots generally but particularly:
The deli at Beauly,
Carricks of Carsphairn.

Best views: Watergate Bay from St.Agnes Beacon in Cornwall.
Glen Etive approaching Glencoe.

Most terrifying road: Runcorn Bridge and approaches –
there was a cycleway on the other side going the other way!?

Most important equipment: Altura waterproof jacket

Unused items: Sunscreen and neckerchief

Could not have done it Practical and emotional support
Without: from my family - Sue, Anna, Laura and Ruth – also Michael, Michaela, Dorian, Frances and Martin.
Advice from a few cyclist friends.
Knowing that I was “earning” £5 per mile or more.

John o'Groats on September 14th

Well, yes I did it...............I cycled from Lands End to John o'Groats in just under 12 days.

For those who like a statistic I recorded 975 miles including getting from and to the train stations.My bike computer was a little bit haywire but its more or less right.

My average speed was 12.1 mph and using simple arithmetic you will see that I only spent 81 hours in the saddle!! Doesn't sound so much does it. So I am sure that you can see why I wasn't saddle sore (much).

I can't give you statistics for the flapjacks, bananas etc that I ate but there were a lot! And Greggs cheese and onion pasties which are widely available are good for a bit of extra lunch.

I have only lost a few extra pounds.............about a stone since I started training.

I will let you know how the funds are growing in the next couple of days.

Thanks to those who have already donated and please to those who haven't yet. There are three good causes to choose from and you can donate easily and safely on line.

Medecins sans frontieres www.justgiving.com/adrianrides4msf

Amnesty International www.justgiving.com/adrianrides4ai

Fight for sight www.justgiving.com/adrianrides4fight4sight

The Scottish Highlands

I have reached the Scottish Highlands!! Cycled over 600 miles and just 3 days to John O'Groats.
After 8 rain soaked days I have arrived in Crianlarich which lies just north of Loch Lomond.
The cycling has been tough in the rain although thankfully Mark (?) who sponsored me and has been praying to the God of the Tailwind found success. So far I have had little headwind to contend with and yesterday after 70 miles I was carried the last 20 uphill at 20 mph on the end of Hurricane Hannah (the locals say)
Actually it hasn't been raining every day. I think there was a day in Cornwall when I did't use my waterproof.
I have discovered afternoon tea Scottish style - a cup of tea and a piece of cake sets me up for the final uphills of the day along with a banana and other calorific enhancements. To this end I recommend firstly Carrick's of Cairphane.
Thanks for your interest and support and if you are new to the blog please reward my efforts by giving to one of my charities at the addresses below.

2 days in............

..........my first blog on the move...............

I set off on Tuesday and I have cycled through Cornwall to Exeter in Devon - 155 miles so far. Some of those Cornish hills were tough with the extra weight of the panniers even though I am travelling pretty light. The weather hasn't been too harsh -quite good on Wednesday and some brief but heavy downpours today.



The first evening was spent cycling along a beautiful stretch of Cornish coast past the village of Zennor to St. Ives.



On Wednesday I took a detour up to the St.Agnes beacon where you get a magnificent view north up the coast to Watergate and beyond.

Today I went through Launceston (killer hill) and had lunch in Okehampton. Later in the afternoon missed my turning down a monio road and went through the heart of Crediton: all these towns looked like they were thriving. Lots of fast cycling today and I reached 35 mph on one downhill swop. The last bit passing to the north of Exeter was beautiful but tough.

Here is my route


Lands End Tuesday Sept 2nd 5pm
St Ives Tuesday Sept 2nd night
Camelford Wednesday Sept 3rd
Exeter Thursday Sept 4th
Bath Friday Sept 5th
Tenbury Wells Saturday Sept 6th
Malpas Sunday Sept 7th
Lancaster Monday Sept 8th
Gretna Tuesday Sept 9th
Drongan Wednesday Sept 10th
Crianlarich Thursday Sept 12th
Fort Augustus Friday Sept 13th
Brora Saturday Sept 14th
John O'Groats Sunday Sept 15th 5pm