Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
Great to hear it is still going strong, and the bike is still in one piece!
I'm now more or less at the half way point at Preston. I'm staying at a fellow LEJOGer's house in Preston and I'm having Thursday off.
Great to hear it is still going strong, and the bike is still in one piece!
I'm pleasantly surprised by how everything on my bike and body are holding up. Shap was the nadir of the ride so far and the stretch down to Devon should be relatively painless. Bike touring is a great way to meet people and I've been offered accommodation in Brittany should I ever go there. Looks like next year's tour is taking shape already ;-)
I'm now more or less at the half way point at Preston. I'm staying at a fellow LEJOGer's house in Preston and I'm having Thursday off.
Great to hear it is still going strong, and the bike is still in one piece!
I'm pleasantly surprised by how everything on my bike and body are holding up. Shap was the nadir of the ride so far and the stretch down to Devon should be relatively painless. Bike touring is a great way to meet people and I've been offered accommodation in Brittany should I ever go there. Looks like next year's tour is taking shape already ;-)
Vernon
Next Year ? Just keep heading south once you get to the end of England !! Good luck for the remainder of your journey, you are an inspiration.
I'm now more or less at the half way point at Preston. I'm staying at a fellow LEJOGer's house in Preston and I'm having Thursday off.
Great to hear it is still going strong, and the bike is still in one piece!
I'm pleasantly surprised by how everything on my bike and body are holding up. Shap was the nadir of the ride so far and the stretch down to Devon should be relatively painless. Bike touring is a great way to meet people and I've been offered accommodation in Brittany should I ever go there. Looks like next year's tour is taking shape already ;-)
I think I saw you in Waverley looking hassled on your way up to Inverness. I also missed the 10.06 from Leeds as it was cancelled at York, got the next one (at Darlington, 11.39) and saw someone answering your description (big chap, black touring bike with altura panniers, mile-eater jersey) wandering through the station whilst I (shortish, greying beard, black road bike with saddlebag, rucksack, casual clothes) was sat waiting for my train to Dundee.
Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
Well done. Glad you're ride's going OK.
Umm... I know I'm getting on, but it's not August 2007 YET is it? Help! who stole my year?
I think I saw you in Waverley looking hassled on your way up to Inverness. I also missed the 10.06 from Leeds as it was cancelled at York, got the next one (at Darlington, 11.39) and saw someone answering your description (big chap, black touring bike with altura panniers, mile-eater jersey) wandering through the station whilst I (shortish, greying beard, black road bike with saddlebag, rucksack, casual clothes) was sat waiting for my train to Dundee.
Yep that was me. GNER screwed up. I was promised assistance to get across Waverley station as there was about 10 minutes to get to the other side and I had to unload my bike and rehitch my panniers etc before being able to start the transfer. The assistance did not materialise. Being unfamiliar with the station I got to the barriers as the Inverness train pulled out. I was harrassed becasue no-one was willing to accept responsibility...the GNER chap promised me a journey to Inverness and no more. Scotrail sent me back to GNER, GNER sent me back to Scotrail and no one was prepared to let me leave my bike at their office. I could have cheerfully killed the GNER chap because of his cavalier attitude... Scotrail eventually came up trumps.
I recall seeing you too.
It all turned out OK in the end. Though the quiet coach onn the Inverness leg of the journey was probably the noisiest of the entire train. But that's another story :-)
"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
Vernon
Ahh memories during our LE to JOG last year in a hurry to get from Carlisle to Dumfries as it was pissing down with rain we went along that stretch of road, worst mistake ive ever made on a bike it was horrendous as it narrowed in stretches. As we got to that metal bridge just before the border the road narrows and we didnt see the small path up the side of the bridge, my mate didnt want to cycle on the road with traffic bombing past at 80 odd mph so we went underneath and ended up inside an MOD property as we tried to cross the West Coast Main railway line god knows what we were thinking but it lookd the best option at the time . After lifting bikes over a fence and a bloody burn and arguing with may mate i said f**k it im cycling over the road and then i saw the small path up the side felt like a right plonker.Anyway goodluck should be plain sailing for you from Lancashire down.
"Rosco-p-coltraine" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
Vernon
Ahh memories during our LE to JOG last year in a hurry to get from Carlisle to Dumfries as it was pissing down with rain we went along that stretch of road, worst mistake ive ever made on a bike it was horrendous as it narrowed in stretches. As we got to that metal bridge just before the border the road narrows and we didnt see the small path up the side of the bridge, my mate didnt want to cycle on the road with traffic bombing past at 80 odd mph so we went underneath and ended up inside an MOD property as we tried to cross the West Coast Main railway line god knows what we were thinking but it lookd the best option at the time . After lifting bikes over a fence and a bloody burn and arguing with may mate i said f**k it im cycling over the road and then i saw the small path up the side felt like a right plonker.Anyway goodluck should be plain sailing for you from Lancashire down.
Rosco
Yep - know that stretch well - we did JOGLE and were in a hurry to get Carlisle Station to meet someone joining us for part of the ride so we used the A74 from Gretna.
Fortunately it was brilliant sunshine, so not too bad - the hard shoulder, apart from the bridge, was helpful ! - story at www.beewee.co.uk and the obvious link
Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
*bump*
According to my calculations he started today less than 60 miles from LE.
Had a hairy time on the A74 Cumberland Gap and a miserable time going over Shap but spirits are fine and looking forwards to completing it in 16 days of riding.
*bump*
According to my calculations he started today less than 60 miles from LE.
Today's reported mileage is 52, so looks like it will be tomorrow. -- Steph Peters Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm