This is the insanity that ensues when you buy a second hand bicycle off your neighbour! When you are first on a fast road bike, enjoying the first 10 miles of beautiful Warwickshire countryside a certain feeling of invincibility comes over you. The correct thing to do in these circumstances is to suppress any stupid ideas you may have and get on with a normal routine of work, home and the pub. However, it was whist in one of these pubs, after a shandy or two, that I made a schoolboy error. I told friends that whathad only been a stupid idea, was, infact, now a reality.

 Hence I am cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats (LeJog) in September!

I have added extra mileage to break the 1000 mile mark so the route I will be taking will be 1011 miles. The distance itself is enough of a challenge, but to up the ante and to raise the most money possible I will be undertaking this solo and unsupported in ten days. This means no support vehicle, no camaraderie when the going gets tough, and no time to have a day off.

I am riding to raise money for Help for Heroes. This is a cause close to my heart with Elisabeth being in the RAF, treating the wounded on the front line as part of MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) during her time in Afghanistan.  I have been to Headley Court, the military rehab centre, and have seen the work needed for the injured.  Also, I regularly see the aircraft returning from Afghanistan to Birmingham Airport and offloading the injured soldiers.

 As those who I have bored down the pub will know, the more I train for this the more daunting the task so I really need to raise the money to keep me going. From accounts I have read the main battle is finding a reason to keep going when it's peeing down and you've still got 8 days still to go. I will be staying in campsites and b&b where these fall at the end of the day. The rest of the time I will be rough camping. This will be more usual North of Preston - the route passes through few villages from there on and I can't cut my 100 miles a day short. I only have 14 days off work - with 2 travel days to get me to Lands End and from John O'Groats and a rest day before going back to work, that only leaves 1 day for the unforseen.

My route is planned as follows:

 

Monday, September 6th - Arrive at Penzance Railway Station - cycle to LANDS END

Over the following 10 days my ride takes me through

Penzance, Truro, St Austell, Liskeard, Tavistock, across Dartmoor (very hilly!), Exeter, Wellington, Taunton, Bridgewater, Cheddar, Bristol, across the old Severn Bridge, Chepstow, Monmouth, Hereford, Leominster, Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Warrington, Wigan, Preston, Lancaster, Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle, SCOTLAND (and only just half way), Gretna, Lockerbie, Lanark, Airdrie, Stirling, Callander, Crianlarich, Glen Coe, Ballachulish, Fort William, Spean Bridge, up Loch Ness to Inverness, Dingwall, Alness, Kincardine, Lairg, Tongue, Thurso, JOHN O'GROATS, then cycle to Wick to catch the train back to Brum.

Sleep a lot and then back to work on Monday 20th September.

Just typing that list out makes me nervous!

Please have your fingers crossed for fair weather, following winds and considerate drivers!

 

Thank you to all who have donated online and to those who have donated in person.

Paul at Ermi's Sandwich Bar, Droitwich          £5

Elaine at the beautiful Buzzards Campsite, Herefordshire   £21

 

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