Day 5
Miles covered - 85
Total miles covered - 430
Moment wed rather forget - warrington, me crashing into grum, me crashing into nick
Best moment - matts cousin calling him mannah unprompted and repeatedly.
Dare I say but another straight foreward day - or are we getting fitter?
Warrington and Wigan were instantly forgettable although the mental scars from the near death experiences at each roundabout will remain. Direct headwind didn't help especially when nick has totally missed the point of drafting in lines and when his turn at the front comes just zooms away. Words were had. Preston is awful.
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Day 4
Day 4
Miles covered - 75.8
Total miles covered - 345
Hours in the saddle - 5.5
Moment we'd rather forget- running around the fields in welsh bicknor looking for a mythical bridge
Best moment - Matts aunties spag bol, the lack of major hiccups, nick forrest forgetting his sleeping bag, towel, stealing grums and having to use a yha sheet to dry himself.
1030 am and we've covered about 4 miles into ross on wye. After three spokes on nicks bike broke late last night getting to a bike shop was top of the list this morning. However in finding our hostel last night we probably added 5 miles by going the long way round when we could have crossed the river in the valley much earlier in the evening. So as usual mad rush to try and get food before everywhere closed. Lucked out again with beautiful dinner in the hostelrie in welsh bicknor. Stayed in pub too long just sitting and then had to take the mile down a pitch black road to the hostel which bruce and nick had to walk in the end because it was so dark and uneven. When we arrived the guy told us the bridge was about 200 yards away and the next morning it still took us an hour to find. Beyond this it was pretty much plain sailing apart from fraz's flying water bottle almost taking me matt and a car out as we flew down a hill at at least 30mph. We also climbed ironbridge gorge which was unexpected and not particualrly nice at the end of the day. Calorie consumption reached an all time high on day 4 this is what I ate.
2 ginster chicken slices.
2 weetabix
Full fry up including 2 toast
1 Croissant
1 apple
1 banana
3 nutri grains
An enormous bowl of spaghetti bolognese- twice my usual portion
3 slices of pizza
2 packs of space raiders
1 pack of squares.
No idea how many calories this is...
Miles covered - 75.8
Total miles covered - 345
Hours in the saddle - 5.5
Moment we'd rather forget- running around the fields in welsh bicknor looking for a mythical bridge
Best moment - Matts aunties spag bol, the lack of major hiccups, nick forrest forgetting his sleeping bag, towel, stealing grums and having to use a yha sheet to dry himself.
1030 am and we've covered about 4 miles into ross on wye. After three spokes on nicks bike broke late last night getting to a bike shop was top of the list this morning. However in finding our hostel last night we probably added 5 miles by going the long way round when we could have crossed the river in the valley much earlier in the evening. So as usual mad rush to try and get food before everywhere closed. Lucked out again with beautiful dinner in the hostelrie in welsh bicknor. Stayed in pub too long just sitting and then had to take the mile down a pitch black road to the hostel which bruce and nick had to walk in the end because it was so dark and uneven. When we arrived the guy told us the bridge was about 200 yards away and the next morning it still took us an hour to find. Beyond this it was pretty much plain sailing apart from fraz's flying water bottle almost taking me matt and a car out as we flew down a hill at at least 30mph. We also climbed ironbridge gorge which was unexpected and not particualrly nice at the end of the day. Calorie consumption reached an all time high on day 4 this is what I ate.
2 ginster chicken slices.
2 weetabix
Full fry up including 2 toast
1 Croissant
1 apple
1 banana
3 nutri grains
An enormous bowl of spaghetti bolognese- twice my usual portion
3 slices of pizza
2 packs of space raiders
1 pack of squares.
No idea how many calories this is...
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Monday 27 June 2011
Day 3 (as seen by mum and dad Apsa)
Key information:
Cannington to near Ross-on-Wye
89.0 miles.
7 hours in the saddle.
We caught up with the pedal pushers after they had done their first 15 miles of the day. They were topping up on water supplies at the Co-op in Highbridge. It was going to be a hot day. Parental inspection revealed that they were looking in fine fettle.
(see picture)
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The team look like they all know what they are doing, which felt very assuring.
Lunch was taken by the lads in Clevedon on the sea front. Beautiful. Unfortunately the parents had spent too long shopping too far away, and the team had made quicker than expected progress. So we got there in time to say hello again and see them on their way via the Avonmouth Bridge. We didn't know that both this M5 bridge and the old Severn bridge on the old M4 (now M48) have cycle paths on them.
We exchanged words of encouragement again near Aust, took photos and topped up on the suntan. (See Photo)
![]()
The parents Apsa then crossed into Wales over the Severn Bridges, and followed the route along the Offa's dyke path for a while. We decided that as it was not clear what route the pedal pushers would be taking, so had a very pleasant journey home via Gloucester and Oxford, successfully avaoiding the Motorway system.
Cannington to near Ross-on-Wye
89.0 miles.
7 hours in the saddle.
We caught up with the pedal pushers after they had done their first 15 miles of the day. They were topping up on water supplies at the Co-op in Highbridge. It was going to be a hot day. Parental inspection revealed that they were looking in fine fettle.
(see picture)
The team look like they all know what they are doing, which felt very assuring.
Lunch was taken by the lads in Clevedon on the sea front. Beautiful. Unfortunately the parents had spent too long shopping too far away, and the team had made quicker than expected progress. So we got there in time to say hello again and see them on their way via the Avonmouth Bridge. We didn't know that both this M5 bridge and the old Severn bridge on the old M4 (now M48) have cycle paths on them.
We exchanged words of encouragement again near Aust, took photos and topped up on the suntan. (See Photo)
The parents Apsa then crossed into Wales over the Severn Bridges, and followed the route along the Offa's dyke path for a while. We decided that as it was not clear what route the pedal pushers would be taking, so had a very pleasant journey home via Gloucester and Oxford, successfully avaoiding the Motorway system.
Sunday 26 June 2011
Days 1 + 2
I've just got to the end of our second day and were somewhere a couple of miles west of bridgewater in Somerset. The worst is apparently behind us for the time being as are devon and cornwall.
Day 1,
Miles covered - 97.6
Hours in the saddle - 7.5
Best moment - Lunch at newquay
Bit we'd like to forget - Bruces 4 punctures, the never ending wind, rain and hills. Bruce walking the last mile.
We set off from Bill and Liz's house at 8 in penzance and flew the 10 miles to Lands End. Photo opps and moral a plenty we headed back to get food for the day at tesco. On entering tesco we had mishap number one. I took the tight corner far too fast and smashed my pedal into the tarmac nearly deseating myself in the process... Luckily I didn't fall but the metal pedal I have is barely recognisable but still useable!
Beyond that we covered 55 miles to Newquay before lunch which is where brucew got his first puncture. The day deteriorated from there into a farce of wind, rain, hills and punctures and sometimes all at the same moment. We will particularly remember the climbs around Camelford that were just incessant.
We had planned to hit Okehampton that evening, but it became clear that we didn't have the time to cover the distance and with nick forrest very close to spewing on the final climb it was also physically beyond us.
So we stopped at Launceston as close to 100 miles from lands end as makes no difference, actually an exceptional choice of last minute accommodation. The locals were friendly, the ones in the bar were either too young to be there or too old to be anywhere else and the rooms were perfect. There we ate and we were asleep before our heads hit the pillow.
Day 2
Miles coveres - 86.1
Total miles covered - 183.7
Hours in the saddle - under 7
Best moment - gamble on a random pensioners advice on the route to Taunton paying off.
Bit we won't forget - The moment when we realised the dobermans that were barking at us wernt fenced in.
What a difference a day makes, sun was out, wind at our backs! After a late start as a result of Bruce in the bike shop trying to fix his recurring punctures (which seems to have worked) until 10. We covered the 20 miles to Okehampton in just over an hour. Thank you to Jill and Tony who stopped to say hello as the coincidentally drove past on the way back from their holiday, a lovely boost. Actually I should also mention that we missed the turning for Okehampton on the a30 - well grum did and the 3 following had little choice but to follow and flag him down. Upshot was we had to walk 400 yards up a hill on a dual carriage way against traffic as the next junction was 20 miles away. Thanks grum.
He managed to recoup this faux pas by convincing us that a pensioner hed met on the way to the bike shop was correct about the route to Taunton. Which saved us a couple of miles but was a much quieter prettier road and also far less hilly. The man in the bike shop wasn't sure of the route but confirmed the other route was a ****. From then on it was plain sailing. An excellent and enjoyable day. Burn lines a plenty and smiles all round.
Day 1,
Miles covered - 97.6
Hours in the saddle - 7.5
Best moment - Lunch at newquay
Bit we'd like to forget - Bruces 4 punctures, the never ending wind, rain and hills. Bruce walking the last mile.
We set off from Bill and Liz's house at 8 in penzance and flew the 10 miles to Lands End. Photo opps and moral a plenty we headed back to get food for the day at tesco. On entering tesco we had mishap number one. I took the tight corner far too fast and smashed my pedal into the tarmac nearly deseating myself in the process... Luckily I didn't fall but the metal pedal I have is barely recognisable but still useable!
Beyond that we covered 55 miles to Newquay before lunch which is where brucew got his first puncture. The day deteriorated from there into a farce of wind, rain, hills and punctures and sometimes all at the same moment. We will particularly remember the climbs around Camelford that were just incessant.
We had planned to hit Okehampton that evening, but it became clear that we didn't have the time to cover the distance and with nick forrest very close to spewing on the final climb it was also physically beyond us.
So we stopped at Launceston as close to 100 miles from lands end as makes no difference, actually an exceptional choice of last minute accommodation. The locals were friendly, the ones in the bar were either too young to be there or too old to be anywhere else and the rooms were perfect. There we ate and we were asleep before our heads hit the pillow.
Day 2
Miles coveres - 86.1
Total miles covered - 183.7
Hours in the saddle - under 7
Best moment - gamble on a random pensioners advice on the route to Taunton paying off.
Bit we won't forget - The moment when we realised the dobermans that were barking at us wernt fenced in.
What a difference a day makes, sun was out, wind at our backs! After a late start as a result of Bruce in the bike shop trying to fix his recurring punctures (which seems to have worked) until 10. We covered the 20 miles to Okehampton in just over an hour. Thank you to Jill and Tony who stopped to say hello as the coincidentally drove past on the way back from their holiday, a lovely boost. Actually I should also mention that we missed the turning for Okehampton on the a30 - well grum did and the 3 following had little choice but to follow and flag him down. Upshot was we had to walk 400 yards up a hill on a dual carriage way against traffic as the next junction was 20 miles away. Thanks grum.
He managed to recoup this faux pas by convincing us that a pensioner hed met on the way to the bike shop was correct about the route to Taunton. Which saved us a couple of miles but was a much quieter prettier road and also far less hilly. The man in the bike shop wasn't sure of the route but confirmed the other route was a ****. From then on it was plain sailing. An excellent and enjoyable day. Burn lines a plenty and smiles all round.
Friday 24 June 2011
Penzance
So if we were in any doubt before, today confirmed that this is in no way going to be straight forward. Matt and Grum managed to arrive at our accommodation in penzance, only 15 hours after leaving their own homes in Edinburgh!
Before I had even got up this morning Matt had been refused his hire car as they weren't convinced of his address. Apparently some young vagrant has possibly been using his details in order to hire cars across europe and not pay, unless there is something Matt is not telling us..
Anyway delay as he had to get the bank to print himself out identification proof etc etc etc, but he caught up with the boys in the van at tebay after what I can only assume was some gentle bending of the highway code.
I on the other hand managed to cycle along the Marylebone road without major incident, an achievement in itself given how difficult it must be to drive along trouble free, although I did see a guy get nicked for a ludicrous illegal U turn. My train was also delayed after a fatality on the line at Southall and they actually started cancelling trains so lucky to have made it at all albeit with an hour and a half delay.
Anyway we are here and ready to go. Looks like its 100 miles tomorrow after you add on the 10 to lands end and back... No body said this would be easy...
Before I had even got up this morning Matt had been refused his hire car as they weren't convinced of his address. Apparently some young vagrant has possibly been using his details in order to hire cars across europe and not pay, unless there is something Matt is not telling us..
Anyway delay as he had to get the bank to print himself out identification proof etc etc etc, but he caught up with the boys in the van at tebay after what I can only assume was some gentle bending of the highway code.
I on the other hand managed to cycle along the Marylebone road without major incident, an achievement in itself given how difficult it must be to drive along trouble free, although I did see a guy get nicked for a ludicrous illegal U turn. My train was also delayed after a fatality on the line at Southall and they actually started cancelling trains so lucky to have made it at all albeit with an hour and a half delay.
Anyway we are here and ready to go. Looks like its 100 miles tomorrow after you add on the 10 to lands end and back... No body said this would be easy...
Tuesday 21 June 2011
Sense of direction
There are 48 hours until I leave and I'm on my way to see Sophie in Barnet. At least I thought I was, problem is I've got on the M1 North instead of South........
Cock.
As if I wasn't worrying enough about my preparations I now have an impending sense of dread that not only will I be ill equipped, but with navigation skills like this I could feasibly not make it to John O'Groats at all and merely spend 2 weeks lost in Cornwall. Some would say that's better than spending 6 days in Scotland...
Anyway, it seems our team have had its first training accident in North Berwick. Bruce somehow has managed to hit a curb and go over his handlebars. Pretty Serious stuff, luckily a well placed bush was on hand to break his fall and he is fine. We understand after a bit of pruning the hawthorn is also expected to make a full recovery.
Pedal Pusher Profile: Bruce Robertson
•D.O.B: 5 August 1987
•Role: The wise head
•Nicknames: Brew-dog, B, Baba Ghanoush
•Occupation: Post-grad student/Charity worker
•Interests: Skiing, Football, Hibs, movies, Real Ale, cheese
•Most likely to say: anything from any movie. Ever.
•During the cycle most likely to... Get injured & also eat more than anyone else
Pedal Pusher Profile: Fraser Young
•D.O.B: 29 July 1987
•Role: The veteran
•Nicknames: Frazbeers, Coupla beers, Beers
•Occupation: PHD student/ full-time genius
•Interests: Egg-chasing (rugger), slapping da bass, cells, crazy cycling journeys
•Most likely to say: 'Just a coupla beers', 'don't touch me!', 'I'll gie him the elbow'
•During the cycle most likely to... be miles ahead of everyone else or fixings someone's bike!
Pedal Pusher Profile: Nick Forrest
•D.O.B: 9th January 1987
•Role: The Press Officer
•Nicknames: Toucan, Rolf Harris,
•Occupation: Post-grad journalism student
•Interests: Squash, football, Hibs, pets
•Most likely to say: ‘Sounds good mate’ ‘I really need to go to the gym today’ ‘A professional footballer should be able to use their weaker foot’
•During the cycle most likely to... Get a puncture within 5 minutes
Pedal Pusher Profile: Graeme McKinley
•D.O.B: 2 April 1987
•Role: The navigator
•Nicknames: Grum, G, Hammond
•Occupation: Electrical Engineer
•Interests: Tennis, babysitting, spreadsheets
•Most likely to say: ‘I can’t actually tell you anything about my job’ ‘that’ll cost some of the boys!’
•During the cycle most likely to... Be the most competitive and swear a lot
Pedal Pusher Profile: Andris Apsa
•D.O.B: 16 May 1988
•Role: The excited one
•Nicknames: Puppy, Bear, Badger
•Occupation: on his Gap Yaah
•Interests: Football, Spurs, Latvia, flowers, gnomes, causing mischief
•Most likely to say:
‘COME ON YOU SPURS!!’
‘Harry’s got them playing well’
‘We’re gonna win the Champions League’
•During the cycle most likely to... Be hyperactive all the time/injure Matt
Pedal Pusher Profile: Matt Hannah
•D.O.B: 2 July 1987
•Role: The organiser
•Nicknames: Mannah, Moosh, Mattanooga, Buzz
•Occupation: hopefully a surveyor
•Interests: Hibs, Fitbaw, Organising, Georgie Thomson, a nice cuppa
•Most likely to say: ‘Alright Moosh’
•During the cycle most likely to... Make a motivational speech
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