The participation ride 2006 - post-ride analysis and comment

All stages up to date

I have updated the information on the stage descriptions to give precise start and finish points for the day and an indication where I will be for lunch. Only a couple of the lunchtimes have been fixed (and these are indicated). If you'd like to meet up for lunch, with me and those riding with me, on any of the days please send me a text on 07932 107109 with a venue suggestion and I will let you know when I/we can get there. Normally, this will be between 12:30 and 2:30.

The updated itinerary can be accessed through the links to the left or through the summary page.

As a guide the first stage of the day will start at 8am. Lunch will be between 12:30 and 2:30 and we will finish the day when we finish!

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Bike nears final configuration

I have decided to take the Pashley Moulton TSR30 and here are a few pictures of the bike nearly ready to go. Click on the images to enlarge them.

A couple of things to do:

- a second bottle clip to be fitted with pump clip on the bar in front of the chainwheel

- a big reflector will be fitted to the bag rack at the back

Any advice/tips on this set-up would be gratefully receive (please leave a comment).

'Fat Nick' was right about Chris Boardman

At the end of his excellent report on Chris Boardman's Hour Record which can be read here 'Fat Nick' said:

"Suddenly, Sally Boardman was ushered to the front of our stand, opposite from Chris. He signalled someone to help him climb the track (still in his cycling shoes!), and was helped over to his wife and family. Ever the family man, he was soon giving interviews to the world's press, as he held one of his kids in his arms and held another to his hip."

Well the family strikes again with Sally booking a surprise trip abroad to celebrate their daughter's birthday. This means that Chris will no longer be able to be with us on Stage 7. In fact he's away for the whole ride. I've just received an email from Chris with sincere aplogies and offering to do whatever he can for the cause but he just can't be with us on Stage 7.

Not to worry - we will do it anyway - and we will stick to The Wirrall route. Frankly, I am grateful anyway as Chris at least provided an excuse to lengthen the trip from 9 to 10 days! And before you ask . . . . we are not changing it back again now!

My desk

This is desk I have to clear before I leave work tonight! But more interestingly, this posting was done directly by email using the Treo 650. I took the picture with the Treo too. Cool or what?

Meet another of my supporters: George

This is the face of George created by Televirtual for the award-winning 'chatbot' of the same name.

I went to see George this morning at chat.jabberwacky.com to have a chat about the ride. You can read a transcript of our conversatiion here. Insightful is probably the kindest way to describe it.

Latest Gadget!

This little beauty has been lent to me by my work colleague, Brian. It will allow me to send new items to the blog (with pictures!) by email from anywhere (where there is a mobile signal)!

We are still testing it but it looks like it will do the trick. Better than taking a laptop!

Accommodation / Stage Points

Here is the list of booked accommodation. These locations will define the starting point for the first stage of each day and the end point for last stage of each day.

The approximate locations for lunch are given here. These are still to be firmed up but I will edit this posting as soon as full details are available. For the days with two stages, the lunch locations will mark the end of the first sage of the day and start of the second stage.

28/5/06 - Sunday
Torre-Vene
Mrs L G G Ash
1 Lescudjack Terrace
Penzance
Cornwall
TR18 3AE
01736 364 103
£28
Bike storage in garage

29/5/06 - Monday
Treliver Farm   
Treliver Farm
St. Wenn
Bodmin
Cornwall
PL30 5PQ
01726 890 286
Secure bike storage
Evening meal booked

30/5/06 - Tuesday
Yallands Farmhouse
Staplegrove
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 6PZ
01823 278 979
£35
Secure bike storage

31/5/06 - Wednesday
Richard and Helen Combe
The Old Cowshed
Avenbury
Bromyard
Herefordshire
HR7 4LA
01885 482 384
£27-£32
Secure bike storage
8:30am departure on 1/6/06

1/6/06 - Thursday
Miss J Gregory
Ash Hall Bed and Breakfast
Ash Magna
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DL
01948 663 151
Dad, Luke, Adrian booked
£22.50 each

2/6/06 - Friday
Ashwood Hotel
11-13 Fishergate Hill
Preston
PR1 8JB
01772 203 302
Dad, Luke, Adrian booked
£46 twin £30 single

3/6/06 - Saturday
Mr and Mrs Claymore
Claymore Lodge Bed and Breakfast
2/4 Victoria Park
Lockerbie
DG11 2AX
01576 202 357
Dad, Luke booked
£25 each
Secure bike storage
Please aim to arrive at 6pm

4/6/06 - Sunday
Fascadail Country Guest House
(Seskerdale/Tarbet?)
Shore Road
Arrochar
G83 7AB
01301 702 344
£35
Secure bike storage

5/6/06 - Monday
Mrs Barbara MacDonald
81 Alma Road
Fort William
Inverness-shire
Scotland
PH33 6HF
01397 703757
£25
Secure bike storage
10% paid in advance balance paid in cash

6/6/06 - Tuesday
Selkie Bed & Breakfast
Harbour Road
Brora
Sutherland
Scotland
KW9 6QF
01408 621717
Tourist Board    01397 703 781
£26
Secure bike storage

Straight in at No. 5!

The way Google works is a mystery to me, but enter the search 'participation ride' and here we are at Number 5 already! It must help that so many people are posting comments. Thanks, and keep it up!

First woman signs up

"Morning Simon
At last managed to get on to your site last week on a friend's computer - scary or what!!
Thought I might do stage 4 on 31/05 with you - Bristol to Bromyard. Can't remember how many miles it is but at least that end of the day means I haven't slowed you up too much . . . . . .  So, if you'd like a snail for company, I'd love to meet up with you . . . . . Trish".

Hum, snail indeed. Trish cycled from John O'Groats to Land's End this time-ish last year in 12 days. Her notes, guantlet throwing and encouragement fed into the research for this ride. Cheers Trish - see you on Wednesday.

Meet the team . . .

. . . or some of them. I will add photos later if I get a chance.
Andy: Andy is the David Beckham of Estimators to the Construction Industry. He's past his peak but still pretty good and has a very attractive wife (Hi Janice, OK?) and in Andy's case very attractive daughters too (I sure he won't mind me saying that . . . but on second thoughts . . ). Andy is a veteran cyclist and is one of the reasons I am in the saddle. Andy is consistent, year in year out.
Adrian: Adrian runs West Midlands Police virtually single-handed but rarely gets credit for this. Adrian and I were part of the team that cycled across the Yucatan to raise money for Acorns Children's Hospice in 2003.
Simon: Simon is the Saachi & Saachi of the voluntary sector all bundled up in one nicely proportioned man. He works with me at ruralnet|uk.
David: David also works with me at ruralnet|uk. He is the source of the Kryptonite that powers most of what we do. David's not cycling but meeting me at John O'Groats and bringing me back home. Thanks David.
Brian: Brian has the best bits of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates inside him (and they nearly don't fit!). On Brian's 50th we raced around an indoor track on Go-Carts which appeared mad at the time but on reflection . . . Brian won't be cycling either but has offered to lend me his new (yes new) Treo so I can keep the blog up to date on the move.
Luke: Luke is a Fine Artist cum 3D Animator. He is a pillar of the animation community in Norwich where he works for our answer to Pixar -> Televirtual.
Jane & Emma: My support team. More on them later.