The Participation Ride 2007

Cockpit video clips now available

Sorry these have been a bit of a time coming but YouTube can be very tempramental!

But anyway here they are.

There are more to follow - watch this space.

A few more thank yous

During the the early and traumatic part of the ride several people ran around a bit to help. My work colleague, Brian, contacted Alex Moulton Cycles and Shaun Moulton provided tyre advice and two new folding tyres very quickly to an advance accommodation address. Thanks guys. My wife Jane also spoke to Dan Farrell at Pashley's who also gave his time and advice freely. Thanks Dan.

Some summary stats

 

Here are the headine stats:
1 The ride lasted 11.5 days.
2 100hrs and 14mins were spent in the saddle. An average of 8.72 hours per day.
3 The ride was 1171 miles at an average speed of 11.7 mph. I did an average of 102 miles per day.
4 I managed to do 647 miles on the NCN (55% of the ride)

These figures exclude the distance from Penzance to Land's End. More detail to follow.

See! I told you it folds . . .

. . . well it separates anyway. I'm not sure if I'd have got on the Glasgow to Rugby train with a traditional bike.
Again, I was asked for my bike reservation (which I was unable to book in advance) and there was space for bikes on the train.

Bikes on trains

Why do the years roll by without this problem being solved? I tried to book my ticket back home many weeks ago on the internet but couldn't book a bike. I called by phone and couldn't book that way either. I had to go to the station in person. In the elapsed time (3 days) the ticket price had gone up by £34. In person I could only book the Thurso-Inverness section.
Adrian couldn't get his bike booked on the train I was booked on because 'there was no space'. It turned out that my bike was the only one on the train all the way to Inverness.
When I got to Inverness I met up with James who had left Thurso with Adrian 2 hours before me. They wouldn't let him on the train because he had no bike reservation. There was space but he didn't have a reservation. He could get on but not with his bike. He could have taken the wheels off and put it in a dustbin bag as 'luggage' but it couldn't go on as 'a bike'. He asked for a reservation on the next train which went in 2 hours but was told that that was not possible because you need to make bike reservations at least 3 hours in advance.
At this point he lost his rag and asked to see the station manager. In the end he did get a reservation on the next train but could not now get through to Cheltenham today. His mum will have to come and collect him from Birmingham New Street (=3 hour round trip).
I benefitted from James' misfortune. We went through the barrier together and James whispered 'folder' in my ear. 'Cycle reservation?' I was asked. 'It's a folder' I said. I am sure the ticket inspector knew I was lying but he let me through. Ours were the only two bikes on the train for the whole journey.
Why are cyclists made to feel so uncomfortable when they try to use the train?

Mission accomplished

 

1174 miles in 11.5 days. Not bad for an old bloke, a fat bloke and a young man who hasn't cycled much before.
Ian left immediately by cab and the rest of us are in the pub comparing stories with other end to enders.
Thanks to everyone who helped us get here and at this point I have to highlight Jane and Trish. Without their help we would not have made it. Thanks girls!
We are now having a Guiness and Pizza and hoping for the wind to die down before going off to Duncansby Head and then along the north coast to Thurso.

The official photo with the riders in it will follow . . .
 

Weather turns nasty

Over the last 5 miles winter has arrived. The wind has turn to tje NW and is blowing hard. 2 miles to go! ETA 11:20.

One for the girls

10 miles to go and this is a view I will not miss - James' butt. If the look closely you can see the sudocrem ouzing from the central seam of his rather classy Bermuda shorts.

Pit stop Wick

15 to go. Say hello!

25 miles to go

With the wind tucked in behind us - magic!
God, I really miss my top chain wheel!