Photographs from the Trip

I've now processed the photos that I took along the way. This time they are pictures from my camera, rather than from my mobile phone, so they are a lot bigger!

The pictures are available at my Flickr site in a set called LE-JOG 2006.

Where I Stayed: Part 2

Here is the second part of the list of places I stayed during the ride.

Brig O'Turk

Susan & Frank Trzebiatowski, Burnt Inn House, Brig O'Turk, Callander, FK17 8HT, 01877 376212

Oban

Valerie Bichener, Thornloe, Albert Road, Oban, PA34 5JD, 01631 562879

Fionnphort

Heather Heald, Bruachnhor, Fionnphort, Isle of Mull, PA66 6BL, 01681 700276

Tobermory

Heather McLauchlan, Castle Croft, Beaudoun, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, PA75 6QA, 01688 302388

Malaig

Mrs Isa Mary McDonald, Ardnish, 15 Blaven View, Mallaig, PH41 4QR, 01687 462111

Broadford

Rachael Thornton, Green Gables House, Harrapool, Broadford, Isle of Skye, IV49 9AQ, 01471 820211

Uig

Mr & Mrs T Pritchard, Java Croft, 13 Earlish, Uig, Isle of Skye, IV51 9XL, 01470 542361

Applecross

Judith Fish, The Applecross Inn, Applecross, Wester Ross, IV54 8LR, 01520 744262

Kinlochewe

David & Lilah Ford, Hillhaven, Kinlochewe, Achnasheen, Ross-Shire, IV22 2PA, 01445 760204

Camusnagaul

Mrs A. Ross, 4 Camusnagaul, Dundonnell, By Garve, Ross-Shire, IV23 2QT, 01854 633237

Kinlochbervie

Alan & Fiona Donaldson, Old School Restaurant & Rooms, Inshegra, By Kinlochbervie, IV 4RH, 01971 521383 & 07789 743234

Tongue

Jenny & Stuart Anderson, Rhian Guest House, Tongue, Sutherland, IV27 4XJ, 01847 611257 & 0771 9668149

John O'Groats

Alistair Grant, John O'Groats Guest House, The Broo, Caithness, John O'Groats, KW1 4YR, 01955 611251

Where I Stayed: Part 1

I promised to list the details of where I stayed on each overnight stop. Without hesitation, I'd stay in any one of these again. Everyone I stayed with was welcoming and very friendly. Here is the first part of the list.

Land's End

Liz Trenary,Treeve Moor House, Sennen, Penzance, TR19 7AE, 01736 871284

Par Sands

Mrs V Symons, Treyarnon House,19 South Park Road, Tywardreat, Par, PL24 2PU, 01726 815326

Moretonhampstead

Mrs T Williams, Cookshayes Country Guesthouse, Court Street, Moretonhampstead, TQ13 8LG, 01647 440374

Bridgewater

Mrs Susan Parker, The Admirals Rest, 5 Taunton Road, Bridgewater, TA6 3LW, 01278 458580

Bristol

In Bristol I stayed with my mum, so I dont have a B&B to list.

Bishop's Cleeve

Mrs Joy Merrell, Barn End, 23 Cheltenham Road, Bishop's Cleeve, Cheltenham GL52 8LU, 01242 672404

Broseley

Ros Havard & Paul Mortimer, Broseley House, 1 The Square, Broseley, Shropshire TF12 5EW, 01952 882043

Warrington

Mary McDonough, 99 Hob Hey Lane, Culcheth, Warrington, WA3 4NS, 01925 763448

Kirkby Lonsdale

Mrs Pat Bradley, Wyck House, 4 Main Street, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria LA6 2AE, 015242 71953

Lazonby

Mrs Carlyle, Bank Top House, Lazonby, Penrith, CA10 1AQ, 01768 898268

Eskdalemuir

John & Kath Leadbeater, Hart Manor, Eskdalemuir, Langholme, Dumfriesshire, DG13 0QQ, 013873 73217

Edinburgh

Carolyn & Les Davidson, Aaron Glen Guesthouse, 7 Nivensknowe Road, Loanhead, Midlothian, EH20 9AU, 0131 4401293

Now that it's Over...

During the last couple of days of the ride, I had started to think about how I was going to describe it. What would I say when people asked me how it had been? How could I sum it up?

In any activity lasting a month, there are bound to be highs and lows. Making it over Bealach na Ba on the way to Applecross was a definite high, especially as the weather cooperated for once. In fact, the whole section in north west Scotland and on Skye and Mull was superb. I'll definitely be visiting that area again in the future. On the other hand, the rides to Oban and to Mallaig were really tough, mainly because of the weather. The final day to John O'Groats was also very disappointing, with fog preventing views of Orkney.

On the plus side, the only mechanical failure I had on the bike was minor and I avoided punctures completely. Having said that, I did know that my rear wheel was out of true by the end. I've just found out how bent one of the spokes is. I was lucky not to have had a breakage. Actually, the only real threat to the entire schedule was the Skye ferry breaking down. I was really lucky not to have to go far that particular day.

The electronic technology held up pretty well too. I always knew where I was and had enough soft copy maps on my PDA to be able to reroute where necessary. I always had enough battery power for an entire day's ride and was always able to recharge over night.

My only real health worry was my left knee, but once I'd taken to using a support when off the bike, it just got better and better. Saddle sores were a constant annoyance, despite liberal use of Johnson's baby lotion. Last time I'd used that was on my children, while changing their nappies! By the way, cattle grids and bad road surfaces can be really painful!

Overall, I'd say that this was more of a challenge than I expected, but that most of that was due to the weather. I had not anticipated such strong winds, nor had I expected the run of bad luck in wind direction.

Am I glad I did it? Absolutely! Would I go on a cycling tour again? Yes, definitely, though I'd I'd probably not attempt such a long trip next time and I'd build a bit more slack into the schedule.

Along with memories of the ride itself, I have fond memories of the people I've met along the way. From the folks I've stayed with to the cyclists and walkers I've encountered and the people who've spontaneously donated to the charities I've been supporting, everyone has been fantastic. By the way, I've heard from Luc since I got home. He made it to the Hebrides. His ride finishes this week.

I'm not quite finished adding material here. I will post the list of places I stayed. I'll also be working on uploading at least some of the pictures I took with my camera, as opposed to my mobile phone. I'll post a link to them here too.

By the way, cycling is, as we all know, fantastic exercise. Over the time of the trip I managed to lose somewhere between 8 and 9 kilograms, weight that I definitely needed to lose. And that was despite a full cooked breakfast every day. The trouble is, none of my clothes fit any more!

Day 30 June 9th John O'Groats

Day 30 June 9th John O'Groats
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

If I'd had to choose the conditions I least wanted for today's ride, it would have been a strong south easterly wind and thick fog over the eastern side of Scotland. So that's exactly what they were.

Today's picture shows me at the end of the ride at John O`Groats.

Actually the weather in Tongue was sunny and quite warm when I left. There were superb views over the Kyle of Tongue from the A836. However as the route swung to the east the strength of the head wind became apparent. The first part of the route through Bettyhill, Strathy and Melvich at least the scenary was good. There are some significant climbs, but they were only taxing because of the wind. From Reay onwards, the route became virtually flat, with no shelter from the wind anywhere. I followed the main road all the way across to Thurso and on to John O'Groats. I was intending to visit Dunnet head on my way, but as I reached Castletown, fog was descending. There was no let up in the wind though.

I eventually arrived in John O'Groats in thick fog with a very strong wind blowing.

Because of the wind, I didn't get to John O'Groats until 6.30, well after the photographer had packed up and left for the day. As a result, I'll need to get togged up one more time for the official finishing photo. Other than that, however, the ride is finished.

I've covered about 1500 miles in four weeks. That's about 100 less than I'd planned. Most of these were side trips that I ended up not doing because of the weather. All that is left is to drive back to Winchester.

Day 29 June 8th Tongue

Day 29 June 8th Tongue
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture is a view across Loch Eriboll.

At the start of today's ride, the weather was very unpromising. There was a fresh and cold wind from the south west. Well wrapped up I set off from Inshegra. Once on the A838 heading for Durness, I had a tail wind for the first time in what seemed weeks. Progress was very brisk, especially once the climb to Gualin House was complete. Down the far side I was touching 30 mph for long periods and often had to slow only to allow oncoming traffic to pass. Although the A838 is a major road, it is still single track with passing places.

Of course, such good fortune tends not to last. After Durness, the next section involved the 21 mile loop around Loch Erriboll. The first half of this was straight into the wind that had helped me reach Durness. The weather was overcast and grey and the light poor. At this stage my only interest was in reaching the head of the loch and being able to turn down wind once more. Progress was once again swift after this, though there were more taxing climbs on this section. At one point, when I stopped for a breather and to investigate a strange noise from my bike, I became aware of a lot of sea bird activity and noise. Several sea birds were mobbing a bird of prey and trying to drive it away. I had a chance to get quite a good look at it. I believe it was a Sea Eagle. It certainly looked big enough and was the right colour.

After Loch Eriboll, the route crossed to Loch Hope. The climb out from the village of Hope is very steep initially and continues up to over 200 metres Once over the crest, the journey down to the Kyle of Tongue and to Tongue village itself was fast and easy.

It is still difficult to believe that tomorrow is my last day and that I'm only about 75 miles from John O'Groats and the end of the trip.

Day 28 June 7th Inshegra

Day 28 June 7th Inshegra
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture shows the bridge at Kylesku.

First thin this morning, the cloud was low over the hills at Lochinver. I was fully expecting to spend at least part of the day in fog. As it turned out, the cloud lifted and by the end of the day the sun was out once more.

The first part of today's ride involved the coastal loop from Lochinver to Unapool along the B869. The route is spectacular, with many steep climbs and drops and the road clinging to the side of steep gorges. Although not achieving the heights of the route to Applecross, the route felt just as taxing and the 25 miles took the best part of 5 hours. As the weather improved there were lots of photo opportunities, including a view over the white sands of the Bay of Stoer. After joining the A894 at Unapool progress was faster though there were still some significant gradients all the way to Rhiconich. Inshegra is a couple of miles up the road to Kinlochbervie. I arrived at the B&B before Angela, who was driving from Callendar. She got caught in roadworks near Kinlochewe.

Day 27 June 6th Lochinver

Day 27 June 6th Lochinver
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture shows a waterfall on the Dundonnell river.

Today started dry, bright and warm. The route started along the A832. It soon started a long climb alongside the Dundonnell river. At the top there were some stunning views across the Dundonnell and Braemore Forests.

The route drops down to join the A835 at the Corrieshalloch gorge. From there, the ride to Ullapool was pretty fast, despite the northerly headwind that had started to blow.

From Ullapool the route climbed through Ardmair and Strathcanaird. The weather was beginning to change, with cloud moving in and the wind freshening. I had intended to take the coastal route from Drumruie via the Aird of Coigach to Lochinver. In the event with the weather closing in, I decided to take the inland main road route instead. Frankly, it was unremarkable, joining the A837 at Ledmore. The route has a number of climbs, none of which is particularly challenging. The only problem was the headwind, which for this section was a fresh westerly.

The one notable feature on this section was Ardvreck castle, a ruin that can still be accessed from the main road.

I finally arrived in Lochinver just in time to avoid the worst of the rain that was beginning to fall. The north of Scotland is still suffering some of the worst weather of the whole of the UK.

Day 26 June 5th Camusnagaul

Day 26 June 5th Camusnagaul
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture is a view across Little Gruinard on the edge of Gruinard bay.

I set off quite late for today's ride. That was as a result of a photographic session with the birds of prey in Kinlochewe.

The first section along the A832 from Kinlochewe to Slattadale was pretty fast. The gradients were easy as the route follows the edge of Loch Maree around the north side of Beinn Eighe. From Slattadale to Gairloch there are some more challenging gradients but still nothing to taxing. The weather continued to improve and there were lots of opportunities for photos. The only drawback was having to share some of the lookout points with a group of very excitable Spanish on a coach tour.

From Gairloch the route climbed steadily over a pass before descending into Poolewe.

However, it was the last section of the day from Poolewe around the southern side of Gruinard bay that proved the most taxing. There were lots of steep climbs and a final long climb up to Badcaul. There were also lots of spectacular views. The sun made a rare appearance during the afternoon so some photos even show blue skies. In the evening, there was a fantastic sunset over Loch Maree. Maybe summer has finally arrived up here too.

West Highland Hawking

West Highland Hawking
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

I've promised to give details of everywhere I've stayed once the trip is complete. However, there was something so extrordinary about last night's stop in Kinlochewe that I thought I'd add an entry about it.

It's not every day that you arrive at a B&B to be confronted with pictures of eagles and a warning to keep your speed down. The reason is that Lilah and David Ford have an impressive collection of birds of prey at their home. They operate West Highland Hawking. Their collection includes owls as well as hawks and an eagle. David was kind enough to let me take some photos of the birds this morning before leaving for Camusnagaul. It was an extrordinary experience to find the birds on their perches in the garden when I arrived last night. The photo for this post is of one of David's owls that has a tendency to react when people get too close. Close is exactly what you have to get with a mobile phone camera because of the wide angle lens.

David and Lilah run courses and related activities that allow people to fly their birds.

West Highland Hawking can be contacted at hillhaven at kinlochewe dot info. I've written the address like this to try and help avoid spam. Replace the at with the appropriate sign and dot with a full stop.

Day 25 June 4th Kinlochewe

Day 25 June 4th Kinlochewe Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track Today's picture is a view of the hills of Applecross Forest from Applecross bay. After yesterday's epic climb over to Applecross, I was hoping that today's ride would be a little less challenging. Although it did not achieve yesterday's dizzy heights, there were actually lots of climbs and descents, particularly on the section from Applecross to Sheildaig. The first part of this section runs north giving lots of views over the islands of Skye, Rasay and Iona. I took quite a lot of photos today, which slowed progress. Once past the northerly tip at Fearnsay, the hills around Loch Torridon come into view. More photography ensued along the entire section from Fearnmore to Torridon at the head of the loch. I had intended to make a side trip along the north side of the loch during today's ride. In the event as time was moving on and the views to the south were not as interesting as those to the north, I abandoned that idea and headed straigh for Kinlochewe. In the event, the section along Glen Torridon and around the base of Beinn Eigh has only very slight gradients. With a slight following wind it was very easy. I had time to get provisions for tomorrow and to do a little routing maintenance before checking in to the B&B. The folks here run a bird of prey centre as well and have birds on site.

Day 24 June 3rd Applecross

Day 24 June 3rd Applecross Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track I had a little trouble with the GPS this morning so the first 5 miles of the track from Broadford are missing. Today's picture is a view back down part of the major climb for the day up to Bealach na Ba. Apologies for this being delayed and out of sequence. There was no mobile signal in Applecross. Also, for some reason, Blogger did not like my original post. Wow. Any disappointment that the weather affected yesterday evening's ride to Elgol was forgotten today with the section of the ride from Lochcarron to Applecross. Today's picture is a view back down the road from near the top of the climb. To be honest, I was a bit worried about today's ride. It was the way peoples eyebrows raised when I told them I was cycling to Applecross. That and the maniacal laughter. The day started with really dreary weather, light rain and low cloud. I fully expected to be cycling in fog later in the day when the route climbed. I crossed the Skye bridge, finally saying goodbye to the islands. The section up the south edge of Loch Carron was actually quite challenging. There are a number of steep climbs leaving the Kyle of Localsh and the route continues to climb past Stromferry. Althought the route eventually follows the railway, it still manages to climb away steeply from time to time. At Strathcarron, the route crosses to the opposite side of the loch and heads south west to Lochcarron. For this whole section, it was raining and the cloud was very low on the peaks opposite. From Locharron, the route climbs steeply crossing over to Loch Kishorn. The road to Applecross is marked with a large sign pointing out its challenges, its peak altitude of 2053 feet, its steep gradients and sharp bends. I headed up with some apprehension. Actually I needn't have worried. Although the road climbs continually the gradients, while steep, are ok. I did need to walk up for a little way, but only the section just before the series of hairpin bends near the top. The bends themselves actually have reasonable gradients for cycling, though a number of motorists and motorcyclists were very circumspect on their way down. While I was getting my breath back at one of the hairpins, an open top Audi came down with the driver profering a donation for the charities I'm supporting. I continue to be overwhelmed by people's spontaneous generosity A number of the people I've stayed with have sponsored me. I'll post a full list once the ride is complete. It took a couple of hours to get to the summit. As I was going up, the weather gradually improved, the cloud lifted and the rain stopped. The view point at the summit offers staggering views over Skye and the other islands. From the top, the route descends steadily to Applecross, and I hardly had to turn a pedal until I reached the village. The sun was out as I arrived. Biggest disappointment of the day was that I disturbed two deer at the side of the road before I realised they were there and lost the opportunity to photograph them.

Day 23 June 2nd Broadford

Day 23 June 2nd Broadford Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track Today's picture is a view across Loch Slapin. Once I'd heard the forecast for today, and the promise of westerly winds, a revised route seemed possible. Rather than the plan to visit Fiskavaig on the way to Broadford, it seemed possible to reach Elgol. I left Glendale intent on reaching Broadford by mid afternoon. For a change, the wind was favourable, even helping the steep climb out of Glendale. The route back to Dunvegan was relatively easy. Once on the A863 I made good time to Drynoch. The westerly wind made the ride through Glen Drynoch very fast and easy and helped with the section along the side of Loch Sligachan. Since this was a section I had previously ridden in the opposite direction, I took the opportunity to use the coast road around Luib na Moil. It is very picturesque and offered views over Rasay and Loch Ainort. I got back to Broadford in time for a spot of early tea and a beer, before checking in at the B&B. I left unnecessary luggage there before setting off to ride to Elgol. This was a 30 mile round trip and took three and a half hours. There are lots of steep climbs and on the way out, most of the route was into wind. Low cloud covering the peaks tended to spoil some of the views but the ride did give a number of photo opportunities, especially around Loch Slapin.

Day 22 1st June Glendale

Day 22 1st June Glendale
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture shows Loch Mor near Waterstein on Skye.

Today started overcast but dry and the trip down from Uig to Dunvegan was relatively easy. A brisk westerly breeze made progress a little slow. The scenary on Skye is generally less impressive than on Mull, but the ride was nontheless very pleasant. From Dunvegan to Glendale the terrain gets more challenging with steeper climbs and descents. The drop into Glendale is particularly impressive. Before checking in to the B&B I cycled on to Waterstein and the Neist penisnula. There is a lighthouse at the end, but it is about half a mile from the end of the road and involves negotiating steep steps, so there was no chance to take the bike down. I didn't want to leave it unattended so contented myself with taking photos of the scenary. On the way back to Glendale I took a detour through Milovaig. The final approach to the B&B was up a very steep path. It was so steep that it was hard to get traction while pushing the bike up.

Day 21 May 31st Uig

Day 21 May 31st Uig Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

There is no track for today. Once again, though it was recording fine during the day, by the time I reached my destination, the Dell had switched off and the track was lost. Today started out really well. It was bright and dry and the wind had dropped to virtually nothing. It was a real pleasure not to be riding into a strong headwind. The route left Broadford to the west and heading up Loch Ainort, I met up with Luc for a few miles until his route took him towards Dunvegan and mine was to Portree. Today's picture is a view across Loch Ainort. I made good time to Portree. The road is one of the main ones on Skye and is busy but the gradients are easy and the light winds made progress fast. Rather than taking the direct route to Uig I took the A855 north from Portree following the east coast and then looping over the northerly tip back down to Uig. The road is a good deal quieter and more remeniscent of those on Mull. Quite a lot of it is single track with passing places. Again I made good progress. The scenary is spectacular with views over the islands and the mainland on one side and hills and mountains on the other. Just south of Staffin at the Kilt rock view point, and after taking photos of the cliffs and a waterfall, I succombed and bought my first ice cream of the trip. Well, the first in a cone anyway. Of course, I should have known this was a bad idea. Within half an hour it had started raining and a strong south westerly wind sprang up. Of course, that meant that, once again, I had to content with a strong headwind for the last three hours of the ride, which also included several big climbs. I was really glad to make it to the B&B and to get under cover.

Day 20 May 30th - Broadford

Day 20 May 30th - Broadford
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture is of the Jacobite, the daily steam service that runs from Fort William to Mallaig along the West Highland line. The locomotive is being fuelled and watered.

I shouldn't have been able to take this picture. The train does not arrive in Mallaig until lunch time. By then I should have been well on my way to Elgol, on Skye. However, at breakfast, my hosts in Mallaig reported that all Skye ferry sailings for the day had been cancelled. The ferry had engine trouble. This was a bit of a blow, since my entire itinerary was based on making it onto Skye today. The couple who were hosting me in Mallaig were very familiar with the workings of the ferries. It turns out that he had recently retired as port manager for the ferry company. A phone call confirmed that there would be a sailing later in the day using a different ship. It meant that I would be able to get to my next stop in Broadford but that I would have most of the day to kill in Mallaig. After buying a ticket to make sure I would get on the sailing, I mooched around Mallaig, trying to stay dry and getting a few photos. Checking at the station, I discovered that the Jacobite had just started its service for the season, and that it would be arriving at lunch time. So that was one hour taken care of. While I was photographing the harbour, Luc cycled into town. He also was looking for a ferry to Skye. After the photo session with the Jacobite, and a conversation with some French motorcyclists, we managed to get a table in the local fish restaurant for lunch. Mallaig fills up for a couple of hours with the people from the train and then empties when they leave.

The crossing to Skye left when promised and I was able to make it the 17 or so miles to Broadford easily, despite the continuing head winds.

Day 19 May 29th Mallaig

Day 19 May 29th Mallaig
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture is of the harbour at Tobermory showing the famously coloured buildings along the front.

Today's ride was always going to be a bit of a challenge. Strong headwinds once again made that the case. I caught the ferry from Tobermory to Kilchoan, on the mainland. It was running a bit late so we did not land until 10:15. Along with Luc, this time there were also other cyclists making the crossing all doing different routes and distances.

I wanted to start by visiting Ardnamurchan Point, the most westerly point on the UK mainland. This side trip involved about 15 miles of climbs and a lot of work into the prevailing northerly wind. I made it and took pictures of the lighthouse. By just after midday, I was back in Kilchoan with 60 miles still to do to make it to Mallaig. The first part of the ride east along the Ardnamurchan peninsula was not too bad. There are lots of climbs but the wind was not too much of a factor. The scenary was great and the weather dry. Once at Salen, a different village with the same name as the one on Mull, the route turned to the north and into the teeth of the wind. Progress was steady, but slow each time the route turned into wind. Up until arriving in Lochailort, it really was a great ride. The last 20 miles to Mallaig were directly into the freshening wind with a series of big climbs. It took well over 2 hours and I finally arrived at the B&B at 8.15 feeling completely shattered.

Day 18 May 28th Tobermory

Day 18 May 28th Tobermory
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's picture is of fishing boats tied up in Tobermory harbour at low tide.

It was actually good to get back in the saddle after a couple of days of rest in Fionnphort. Early on the wind was from the west and helped enormously for the first couple of hours. I hooked up with Luc again a couple of times during the ride. He was also heading for Tobermory. As the day wore on and the route became more northerly towards Salen, I ran into strong headwinds again. These coincided with a big climb of course! Still, it stayed dry almost all day and the light was superb at times. The scenary around the west and north sides of Ben More is stunning. Photohraphy ensued.

As a result of the strengthening wind, I abandoned thoughts of taking the long route to Tobermory around the west coast and took the more direct route through Salen itself.

I arrived early into Tobermory. I had a chance to look around and to find the ferry terminal. Alas, the distillary is not open on Sundays. Doh!

Day 17 May 27th Fionnphort

Day 17 May 27th Fionnphort
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

There is no track for today, as I didn't cycle anywhere. Once again the day started wet and windy. I walked into Fionnphort in time to meet the boat trip to Staffa. They had changed the schedule since there were not enough people going to warrant two trips. I had a couple of hours to kill before the trip, so I bought a hat and got some postcards for family members without internet access. I felt just like a proper tourist!

As time went on, the day brightened and the delay in the trip turned out to be for the best. The trip to Staffa takes about 40 minutes and involves crossing open waters where Atlantic rollers stream in. It was fine going out where we were running with the swell, but really wet and wild coming back!

Staffa itself is amazing. Hexagonal bassalt columns are everywhere, Fingals cave, inspiration for Mendelsohn's Hebrides overture, is massive and the Atlantic swells crash into it. The approach to the cave is along the side of the island walking on the bassalt columns with only a wire handrail for guidance.

Climbing onto the top of Staffa it's possible to walk along the island getting views of cliffs, sea and other islands beyond. The hour ashore was just enough. The trip back was very wet for those of us outside. I decided to stop off on Iona on the way back to get a cup of tea and to dry out.

Then it was onto the ferry back to Mull for the last time.

As this was my last day in Fionnphort, I decided to have dinner. I was about to walk across to the village from the B&B when out of nowhere came a violent squall with gale force winds and hale. It lasted 10 minutes or so. After it had gone through the rest of the evening was calm and bright. A curry, washed down with a couple of pints was a fitting way to end this segment of the ride.

Today's picture is the wall of the ruined Nunnery on Iona where flowers and other plants are gradually taking over.

Day 16 May 26 Fionnphort

Day 16 May 26 Fionnphort
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today dawned with torrential rain and gale force winds blowing from the west. Since I had the spare parts needed to fix the gradually failing gear change on my bike, I arranged with my hosts to spend the morning doing repairs I replaced the gear change/break control units, and checked and adjusted everything I could think of. This took most of the morning. Then, miraculously, as I was having a cup of tea having finished the maintenance work, the wind dropped, the rain stopped and the weather brightened. I headded out to test my fixes and to catch the ferry to Iona. I spent the afternoon cycling around Iona, sightseeing and taking photos.

Today's photo actually shows the last passenger getting onto the ferry back to Mull. Today's track looks a little strange since it includes the ferry crossing to Mull and a long time spent in Fionnphort's only pub. As I arrived there, I met up with Luc, a Belgian cyclist on a tour of Scotland. I'd actually passed him a couple of days earlier when on my way to Oban. Luc is spending 4 weeks cycling around Scotland and in the process is raising money for a little girl with a brain tumor. More power to him. He's also camping as he tours, making my use of B&B's look like a really soft option! We spent a very pleasurable couple of hours in the pub shooting the breeze and putting the world to rights. It was a priviledge to buy him a beer.

Actually our paths may well cross again. He is also touring on Skye, though he will get there a day or two before me. Good luck luc!

Day 15 May 25th Fionnphort

Day 15 May 25th Fionnphort
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

After the rigours of the last couple of days, today's ride was considerably easier and the weather a lot better.

The ferry crossing from Oban was smooth with some good opportunities for photography. Once on Mull, the limited mileage for today meant that I could take my time and stop fpr photos.

Today's picture is of a stone bridge that carried the old road to Fionnphort.

Oddly enough, progress on Mull was limited by the continuing headwinds but also by the traffic. Most of Mull's roads are single track with passing places. They are so narrow that it is actually difficult to get even a bike past a car. Consequently I had to keep stopping to let traffic past.

The walk from the B&B to the town of Fipnnphort is takes about 15 minutes. I tested this by visiting the local pub. For the first time in Scotland, I've found a decent pint, in this case of McEwan's 80 shilling.

Day 14 May 24th Oban

Day 14 May 24th Oban
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track You'll see that I had a small problem with equipment today and the first few miles of track were not recorded.

Today's picture is a view over Achnacree bay not far from Oban during one of the few bright spells.

Today actually turned out to be the nighmare I'd been fearing for a few days. The weather forecast was spot on again. Torrential rain, strong headwinds and more hail made this a ride of almost unrelenting misery. For quite a time today, I was not really sure whether I'd be able to make it all the way to Oban or not. Progress was very slow once I turned into the very strong winds. The terrain was never difficult, and in more favourable conditions, with the magnificent scenary of the glens, this could have been a stunning day. As it was the high point was finding the guest house in Oban.

May 23rd Day 13 Brig o'Turk

May 23rd Day 13 Brig o'Turk
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

After a day off, I was a little worried about today's ride. With 71 miles to do and predictions of wet weather and head winds, I decided to set off early. As it turned out, most of the day was dry and bright. The south westerly winds were brisk and affected my speed, but the terrain was pretty easy again. After working around the west side of Edinburgh, crossing the Forth road bridge was a delight. Unfortunately, the cycleway nearest the rail bridge was closed, so photographic options were a bit limited. Today's picture is the rail bridge taken from the Rosythe side.

Just before Stirling, I met a cyclist who is planning on doing John O'Groats to Land's End later in the year. He was out on a day's training ride. We swapped plans and experiences. He's planning on camping.

Progress was steady all day and the whole experience very pleasant until mid afternoon when the first showers and even stronger winds arrived. Leaving Callendar for the final few miles to Brig o'Turk, the heavens opened and there was a torrential downpour. I got soaked and arrived at the B&B dripping wet. My kit is now draped all over the Aga, gently steaming!

Day 12 May 22nd Still Edinburgh

Today was a rest day. No cycling, hence no track. Instead, I attended the W4A2006 workshop at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The organisation for the event was a bit shambolic. I was not listed as an attendee even though I was giving a keynote presentation! It took the best part of an hour to get a badge. On the plus side that gave me ample time to get to a bicycle shop and buy some spare parts to try and fix the problems I still have with my gears. I'll fix them when I get to Mull and have another day off. The full extent of the organisational problems at the conference became apparent when they ran out of food at lunchtime with still 50 or so people unfed. Whoops!

May 21st Day 11 Edinburgh

May 21st Day 11 Edinburgh
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

That's more like it! Dry weather and great scenary went together to make this one of the best day's rides yet.

Today's picture is a view over the Eskdalemuir forest.

After a truly enormous breakfast, I left Eskdalemuir and made good progress up the valley of the White Esk. Although the route climbs steadily the gradients are much easier than those in Devon and Cornwall and average speeds are much higher. I made Innerleithen by lunch time. From their, the route followed the B709 over the hills to Edinburgh. Once again there are significant climbs but at easier gradients. Leaving Innerleithen, the route passes through the local golf course. It is squeezed in to the available space in between steep valley sides. A number of golfers were engaged in mountaineering expeditions to retrieve wayward drives and were playing some very unconventional lies!

After descending on the Edinburgh side of the hills I took a few minutes breather. While stopped in a bus stop, Angela arrived behind me. She had been following the same route on her way up from Winchester and finally caught me up 10 miles of so from our destination.

We went out for dinner, my first since Bristol a week ago. I had my first beer since the night before starting in Land's End.

May 10th Day 10 Scotland at Last!

May 10th Day 10 Scotland at Last!
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Although the rain started as I left Lazonby, it soon turned showery and eventually stopped. Today's picture is of Newbiggin Fell, repleat with dry stone walls.

The route today passed through a few small villages. The terrain was, for the most part, undulating.

I crossed into Scotland on a minor road with no signs or other indication. Where I crossed it, the border actually runs down the middle of Liddel Water, a tributary of the Esk.

In Langholm, I met a group of cyclists out on a day tour from Dumfries. We talked of routes and experiences.

The major climb of the day was the section from Langholm to Eskdalemuir through the Eskdalemuir forest.

May 19th Day 9 Lazonby

May 19th Day 9 Lazonby
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

If I had to pick a word to describe today's ride it would have to be 'dreary'. Yet again, rain was the main feature of the day. Cloud was also very low and firmly anchored to the tops of the fells.

Today's picture is the old bridge over the river Lune at Kirkby Lonsdale. I managed to take this before the rain set in.

The planned route for today included a climb up Garsdale to an altitude of about 1000 feet. I made the decision to take the alternative short cut when I got to Sedbergh. I also managed to get a support for my knee. It is still sore when I walk on it but not when I'm cycling.

The direct route to Kirkby Stephen was a lot more gentle than Garsdale would have been and shortened the route considerably. The last section from Appleby-In-Westmoreland recalled a family holiday in the area from a few years ago when we rented a cottage in the heartland of the foot and mouth crisis

May 18th Day 8 Kirkby Lonsdale

May 18th day 8 Kirkby Lonsdale Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track Today had the feeling of a 'game of two halves'. The morning mainly involved ploughing along main roads again. At least it was dry and bright. One minor irritation was the discovery the something I thought was a junction turned out to be a flyover. Quite appropriately, the town involved was called Whalley! Once off the main roads, the character of the ride changed entirely. Gone was the challenge of the traffic, to be replaced with a challenge of geography. The ride from Waddington, near Clitheroe, to Slaidburn invoved a climb remeniscent of those on Dartmoor. Today's picture shows the climb towards Slaidburn. Just as I was about to leave Slaidburn, for the even bigger climb over to High Bentham, the first heavy shower of the day arrived. It was heavy and it was of hail. Not long afterwards, there was thunder and an even heavier hail shower. I had to shelter in a hedge! Strong winds and rain showers punctuated the rest of this section. It took a long time.

May 17th Day 7

May 17th Day 7
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Track for Day 7

Today was probably the least pleasant so far. Actually it started pretty well, arriving in Ironbridge from Broseley over the bridge itself. By the way, today's picture really couldn't have been of anything other than this astonishing and visionary piece of civil engineering.

The real problems began after lunch. The promised band of rain started to arrive from the south, gradually getting harder and harder throughout the afternoon. But even that was not the worst part. That honour goes to having to cycle over 35 miles on the A49, a fast main road carrying a lot of traffic. And at the end of the day, I had to negotiate rush hour in Warrington in the pouring rain.

The most exciting moment of the day was changing down to negotiate an uphill double bend on the A 49 only to have the chain come off while I was right in front of a 44 ton articulated lorry. Let's hope tomorrow is better.

How small is my country?

I've been thinking, over the last couple of days, about just how small England is. After all, even at my rather leisurely pace, I'll be traversing the entire country in just over a week. Today, I crossed the entire county of Worcestershire in a matter of a few hours. For me, as a cynical, grumpy old fifty-something, it makes the airs and graces assumed by our hapless senior politicians even more absurd. Here near Ironbridge and the cradle of the Industrial Revolution it seems appropriate to be reminded of just what effect the technologies created in the United Kingdom have had upon the world. Things move on, of course, The raw materials for success in today's world are owned by other nations. We seem destined to play a smaller and smaller global role in the future. Frankly, given some of the foreign policy decisions of our politicians over the last few years, that should be viewed as good news for everyone.

Day 6 Track

Day 6 Track
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Track for Day 6

I forgot to inckude the link to today's track in my last post. Posting again does give me the chance to include a rather ropey picture of Worcester Cathedral from the main bridge over the river.

May 16 Day 6 Broseley

May 16 Day 6 Broseley
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

The terrain north of Bishop's Cleeve continues to be very flat, so progress was brisk early in the ride. Today's picture is a narrow boat on the Avon about to pass under Eckington bridge. Pershore came and went and I was soon in Worcester. Gear changing had become increasingly difficult, so I spent a few minutes trying to find a bike shop to get some spray lubricant. I failed, so headed on towards Stourport. A couple of miles outside Worcester, the reason for the trouble became immediately aooarent when the rear gear cable broke. I was left with drive , which was a blessing, but a very low ratio. I headed back towards Worcester and as luck would have it, passed a bloke holding a bike and chatting to a friend. Mick, for that was his name, was able to direct me to Peddlers bike shop where Rob was magic in helping replace the failed cable. I bought a spare and some additional tools in case I need to do a subsequent repair on the side of the road.

After that adventure, the rest of the ride to Broseley, just outside Ironbridge, was relatively straightforward. I managed to miss a photo opportunity with the Severn Valley railway, a restored, steam operated line. I was about half a mile short of a perfect vantage point when the last train of the day went by.

Broseley's claim to fame, by the way, was the manufacture of clay pipes. My mother assures me that a great aunt of hers was famed for smoking one!

May 15th Day 5 Bishop's Cleeve

May 15th Day 5 Bishop's Cleeve
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's TrackAfter a great evening at my Mum's, I woke up with a worse cold and a very sore left knee. The good news was that today's ride was quite short at just under 50 miles. There was rain first thing in Bristol and it stayed around all day. My sister turned up in the morning so I did not get away as early as I'd planned. Also, around lunchtime, I got a call from my brother that resulted in a natter in a pub just outside Dursley. My knee turned out not to be a problem and the ride itself was much easier than Cornwall or Devon. I arrived in Cheltenham just as the sun made a brief appearance.

Todays picture is a typical Cotswold stone house in the Slad valley.

May 14th Day 4: Bristol

May 14th Day 4: Bristol
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

There is no track today. Although the GPS worked faultlessly all day, when I came to stop recording, my Axim seemed to have turned itself off :(

For the first time this trip, the day started with an easy cruise across the Somerset Levels from Bridgwater. For the first hour or so, the going was very easy, until the climb up to Wokey Hole before the descent into Wells. The centre of Wells had been taken over by a film crew shooting a new comedy called 'Hot Fuzz'. At least, that's what the marshall keeping people away from key parts of the shoot told me.

Today's picture is of Wells Cathedral, by the way.

From Wells to Bath, there were a number of steep climbs. As I seem to have caught a cold, I decided to alter the route into Bristol and shorten it by a few miles. This got me to my Mum's in time for a hot bath and a great dinner!

May 12th Day 2 Dartmoor

Today's track is at http://maps.jonesey.net/GPXtrack.html?gpx=e2e20060512gpx. I discovered two things today. First, eveyone is right about how hard the climb over Dartmoor is. Second, there is virtually no mobile phone signal in Moretonhampstead, my overnight stop. Hence the delay in posting this entry Also, no picture today as I've had trouble uploading to flickr. Riding today was every bit as hard as yesterday. I'd managed to pick a route with some very steep climbs even before getting to Tavistockand the start of the Dartmoor section. The climb up onto the moor is steep and unrelenting. Once past Princetown, with the enormous North Hesary Tor transmitter and the brooding Dartmoor prison, things were a little easier. There were a few light rain showers during the day, and there was thunder in the distance, but thankfully not where I was.

May 13th Day 3: Bridgewater

May 13th Day 3: Bridgewater
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today's Track

Today's route didn't really go past anything particularly significant There were lots more hills to climb. Today's picture is an attempt to show a steep lane with Devon countryside in the background. Really it just illustrates how hard it is to take good landscapes with the wide angle lens on a typical mobile phone.

Once again, the route I'd picked was very slow because of the number of big climbs. The sting in the tail was having to get over the Quantock hills before sweeping down to Bridgwater.

It was overcast for most of the day, but mercifully, the wind was from a favourable direction.

Track for Day 1

Track for Day 1
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Once the track for day 1 has been converted, you should be able to view it
href="http://maps.jonesey.net/GPXtrack.html?gpx=e2e20060511.gpx">here.

The picture in this post is harbour at Mousehole. Some of my relatives on my mother's side of the family were fishermen based here some 150 years ago.

May 11th: Day 1

May 11th: Day 1
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Thursday dawned foggy at Land's End. Thick blowing mist, remeniscent of San Francisco persisted for much of the morning. We had the obligatory enourmous full English breakfast, then headed for the startf. Despite the negative effect of the fog on photographs, I posed for the mandatory shots in front of the famous sign post. Then it was off and pedalling. As it turned out, this was one of the hardest days cycling I've ever done. A late start, some teetinng troubles with the bike and some really steep hills conspired to make my average speed rather low. I didn't even make it to the Ferry at Falmouth until after 4pm and finally rolled into Par at around 8pm.

I've been amazed and touched at people's generosity today. Complete strangers have been approaching me and donating money to the charities.

As you'll see from my track, once again I forgot to start the GPS running until a mile or so into the ride. Doh!

Getting to Land's End

Getting to Land's End
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

I'd like to be able to say that the journey to Land's End was completely without incident. Unfortunately, a sharp encounter with a car park height barrier in Exeter spoiled what until then had been a really smooth and easy journey. Traffic had been really light and the weather was improving. We stopped for lunch at Exeter services. As Angela wanted to visit Exeter Cathedral on her way back to Winchester, I suggested that we check out the park and ride facility nearby. I turned into the car park and under the barrier without thinking about the bike on the roof. There was a loud bang, and when we stopped, the bike, roof rack carrier and all were in the road behind us! The bike got off pretty lightly, which is more than can be said for the car Anyway, to cut a long story short, an hour in the car park outside Halfords in Penzance, and the bike seems ready to go.

Land's End was shrouded in mist when we arrived, so not much chance for photography tonight. We're off to the pub instead!

Making Tracks

Martin Jones, aka Jonesey, a colleague at Volantis, has now become unofficial 'mission control' for the ride. Martin has set up a web page on his server through which you'll be able to see my progress each day. For example, you can see the track of my ride around the Isle of Wight at Randonnee track.

Each evening, I'll be sending Martin a file of the day's ride from my GPS unit. Martin will convert it and upload it to his server. I'll include a link to the track from my daily blog entry. That's the plan anyway. As usual it will depend on mobile coverage in the area in which I'm staying overnight.

Many thanks go to Martin for setting this up and for agreeing to do the conversions.

Final Preparations

I've spent the weekend making the final preparations. Mainly this has involved printing additional information so that I have it with me on the ride. It's also involved a lot of packing. I took the bike out for a fully laden shake down today. It's carrying a few kilos more than on last week's Randonnee. I just did 16 miles or so to make sure everything was holding together. The new cable I fitted last week had stretched a little, so I needed to do some adjustments while I was out. Also, my pedals had worked slightly loose again and I could feel and hear movement. As a result, I've decided to take the right spanner with me in case that happens again en route.

I've also finally got round to joining the Cyclists Touring Club or CTC. I have to admit that my main motive is not the 3rd party insurance, the local events, or the Land's End to John O'Groats pack, but the lure of being able to buy T shirts and other trinkets once I've finished the end to end ride!

Fame at Last!

Through contacts at the RNIB, an article about the end to end ride appeared in the Southern Daily Echo on Thursday May 4th. I would post a link to the on-line version of the article here, but until it gets into the monthly archives, there is no fixed URL for it. The photographer turned up last Tuesday with a Canon EOS 1Ds. This is the one with the full frame, 16 megapixel sensor. Apparently he uses an EOS 20 as his backup camera!

The Isle of Wight Randonnee 2006

My Randonnee track can be viewed on Google Maps (once I'd remembered to turn the GPS on! Many thanks to Martin Jones for setting this up.

Sunday April 30th dawned grey but dry. The drive to Southampton was easy, as it should be at 7:30 on a Sunday. Several events happening in Southampton meant that parking would be a problem later in the day, but not at the time we arrived. The process of unloading the bike and attaching all the bits was going smoothly when all of a sudden, something akin to the voice of doom boomed out across the docks. It came from the "Freedom of the Seas", the world's largest cruise ship, moored close to the ferry terminal. She is visiting Southampton for a few days. The announcement was completely unintelligable, but very loud. I said goodbye to Angela, and headed for the ferry terminal. There were no queues for tickets, so there was time for coffee and a chat with fellow riders. None of the people I met seemed to have done the ride before. However, a few knew it by reputation and there were dire warnings, absolutely accurate as it turns out, about the hills. The crossing was entirely smooth, and there was a chance to photograph the source of the voice of doom as we left.

The ferries themselves have a very characteristic, symmetric design which means they do not need to turn around. They have three car decks, but only two were in operation. Bikes are allowed on first and off first, but there is no special storage. It was just as well that the crossing was smooth, or there might have been a pile of very expensive machinery all over the deck.

The threatened showers never materialized, but the entire day was overcast and rather grey. Even so, the entrance to Cowes harbour on the west side still manages to be picturesque.

After leaving the ferry, finding the first checkpoint was easy. It took a few minutes to sign on and to get a route card. Riders have to collect stamps at each checkpoint. If you collect the full set, you receive a certificate and can purchase a badge commemorating the event. More on this later. At this point there was the small matter of 67 miles of cycling before that could happen. At this point, the dearth of further photos shows that I was very focused on the ride ahead. Actually I was so focused that I forgot to turn on my GPS , so for the first 7 miles I didn't collect any track data. Doh! Mental note to self to pay more attention to this on the end to end ride.

Riders get a pretty good indication of what is to come with the first climb out of Cowes. It's fairly steep, but what marks it out is the way it goes on and on. This is a feature of many of the climbs on the island. I made my first, and as it turned out, only map reading error within a couple of miles of the start. The exuberance of conquering the first hill and of passing a number of people on the way up led to me missing a turn and putting in a couple of extra miles and one additional climb. Luckily for me, when I rejoined the main route, I was behind some riders who knew where they were going so finding the checkpoint in Wooton was easy. One down, five to go. And I remembered to turn on the GPS. After Wooton, the route settles down into a series of sharp climbs and equally sharp descents which was to set the tone for most of the rest of the ride. The combination of bicycles and horses out and about were certainly causing some interesting traffic challenges for locals and tourists alike.

Shortly before Bembridge, the GPS proved its value for the first time. I'd met up with a couple of other riders and we were travelling in a rough convoy. We reached a road junction and after a few minutes adjusting brakes on one of the bikes, had to decide where we were and which way to go. Out with the Axim for a quick look at our track and with uncertainty dismissed we were off. The route around Bembridge harbour is flat and provides a welcome respite from hill climbing, albeit temporarily. Finding the Bembridge checkpoint was tricky, with the school location well hidden, and one sign missing. Helpfully, a stream of riders emerging from a side road provided the hint, and we found it with only a small overshoot. Two down, four to go.

Leaving Bembridge by a road that passes the airport, the GPS came into its own again. While making yet another ascent, another rider came alongside and asked if I'd found the checkpoint in Bembridge. We pulled over and out came the Axim again so I could show him exactly where it was. GPS 2, Getting Lost 0. After this pause in proceedings, I'd lost touch with the others so carried on alone on the relatively short stage to Alverstone. Again this involved much climbing and descending, with many of the ascents steep and long. My average speed while on the move was down to a worrying 11.3 mph by this stage. I started to be concerned that I might not make it back to Cowes before the final checkpoint closed. At Alverstone there was a chance to replenish water supplies on the bike, to go to the loo and, of course pick up the next stamp. Three down three to go.

I'd finally settled into a rhythm by this stage. The map reading was going fine and I felt in control. A bit of mental arithmetic showed that I ought to make it back to East Cowes between 5:30 and 6pm, in time for the all important final stamp and in time to catch the 6:30pm ferry. There were two memorable moments on the section between Alverstone and the next check point at Whitwell. First, was the chaos that cyclists were causing in Wroxall. The route rejoins the main road for a short climb through the middle of the town. The bicycles together wih cars parked down one side of the street had the whole place at a virtual standstill. The second moment was sweeping down into Ventnor off Wroxall Down, with a clear view of the channel to the south, while letting gravity do the work for a change.

The checkpoint at the church hall in Whitwell was selling chocolate bars. As it was nearly lunch time, I bought a couple, one for then, one for later. Stamp number four was duly claimed. Four down, two to go. I did at least remember to take a picture at this checkpoint. However, it completely fails to capture how busy it was with riders resting, getting checked in, arriving and leaving.

At Whitwell, the route divides. The shorter, 30 mile route heads directly back to East Cowes. But for the true masochist, the longer route strikes west. At Niton, it rejoins the main road that runs along the south coast of the island and shortly after, there is one more chance to let gravity take over and zoom back down close to sea level. After a couple of miles of main road, the route strikes inland through a series of villages. Once again, climbs follow in succession, but generally things are less brutal here than to the east of the island. A little after passing the mill at Yafford, it was time to devour a second chocolate bar. Fortunately, soon afterwards, supplies were replenished from a store in Brighstone. Shortly after, it was back onto the south coast main road and one of the most sever tests of the entire trip.

Around Compton bay, the main road has to ascend a substantial distance in two major climbs separated by a steep descent. Even though it passes through two cuttings and is straight, the gradient is steep and each climb seemingly unending. The wind was also against us. Some of the people who had passed me earlier on lightweight racing bikes were actually forced to get off and walk for portions of this climb. It was quite satisfying not to have to do that and to be able to pass them again on the way up! Once this challenging section was complete, things were much easier for the rest of the way into Yarmouth. The route takes to a track that runs alongside the Yar river and is virtually level. At this point we were also travelling down wind, so progress was rapid. Into the checkpoint at Yarmouth, and time for stamp number five. Five down, one to go. I celebrated by buying a cup of tea.

To be honest, the last section to Cowes was uneventful. Every turn to the south brought a strong headwind, and there were still hills to negotiate. But for the most part, the hardest work had already been done. Until I got to West Cowes, that is. The drop down to Gurnard is deceiving. The south coast of the mainland comes into clear view and you descend to sea level. The assumption that the route is now simply along the shore is soon dispelled with a steep climb. Descents and climbs follow in succession, with some of the steepest on the whole journey being saved for the last couple of miles. Even after the trip around Cowes Esplanade past Egypt Point, there are still a couple of brutish hills to negotiate before the final drop down to the floating bridge. At this point, the fact that I could see the ferry I was about to miss, still moored at the terminal, mattered not a jot. After the free trip on the floating bridge across the Medina which, by the way, was in full and frighteningly strong ebb, it was less than 100 metres back to the Cowes checkpoint. I collected the final stamp, my certificate and a badge.

Then it was just a question of waiting a few minutes for the 6:30pm ferry to arrive. It was definitely a welcome site for the tired cyclists assembled in the car park. Well, actually, most were in the pub opposite.

So that's it. The last major training outing, before the end to end ride starts in just over a week, is over. The equipment worked well, once I remembered to switch it on! The bike performed well, though I'll change the brake blocks and a gear cable before setting off and I'll clean and adjust everything one more time. I'm about as ready as I can be.

Preparing for the Randonnee

Preparing for the Randonnee
Originally uploaded by rhesus42.

Today I've been making the final preparations for tomorrow's Isle of Wight Randonnee. I've fitted the roofrack and cycle carrier to the car, and tested that I can drive around without the bike falling off. The picture shows what it looks like.



I've finally found a front light that is small enough to fit the remaining space on my handle bars. It's a Cat Eye unit that uses white LEDs rather than a bulb.



The final modification is to the bike's stand. I've been using one that attaches near the rear wheel. These are particularly good when you are using rear panniers and don't have much weight at the front. But with the extra weight of the map table and the front panniers, it was becoming increasingly unstable. Just removing a water bottle could be enough to tip the whole thing over! So, I've replaced it with a neat unit from Halfords, that clamps just behind the bottom bracket. It's much better balanced when the bike is loaded.

Maps, maps everywhere

I decided, some time ago, not to rely entirely on the electronics that I'm taking with me. Consequently, I've created paper maps for the entire route. I've printed custom maps from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 series that I have on my computer. The entire route needs 123, A4 sized sheets. Suddenly, it seems an awfully long way...!

Interest from Local Press

Through contacts at the RNIB, we've been able to interest the Southern Daily Echo in doing an article about the end-to-end ride. They want to take photos next Tuesday and follow up with an article. With any luck, this will spark some additional sponsorship.

Le-Training

Although 1600 miles in four weeks represents only about 60 miles per day on average, the challenge of a long ride is to repeat the exercise on successive days. A rule of thumb is that if you can manage 150% of the distance on any single day, you should be fine. Last year I made several trips of over 100 miles in a single day, so I was reasonably confident. However, to be sure, back in March I tried trips of between 50 and 60 miles on five successive days, without ill effect. The only trouble with training rides at that time of year was the temperature. It was almost impossible to keep my feet warm! This despite Seal Skins excellent waterproof thermal socks.

At the time of writing, with about 3 weeks to go, I've done about 650 miles of training rides. There is more to come, including the Isle of Wight Randonnee on April 30^th. There are two rides, one of about 35 miles and one of about 63 miles. I'll be doing the longer ride and maybe adding a side trip or two, weather and body permitting.

Le-Bike

The bike I'm using is a Ridgeback Meteor. I've had it about 5 years and done somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 miles on it. It's had quite a lot of modifications. It has racks and panniers front and rear. The odd post on the rear carrier is actually part of a camera tripod. I'm expecting to take quite a few pictures during the trip and this gives me the equivalent of a tripod without having to carry one. The pump and water bottles are pretty ordinary. The saddle bag is where the GPS kit travels. I described this equipment earlier in Mobile Devices. A speed/timer/distance computer mounted on the handlebars completes the measuring equipment.

Aside from the tripod mount on the back, the other major modification is a map table added to the handlebars. You can just see it above the handlebars in the picture. It's made from scrap MDF and aluminium and mounted on an old handlebar riser. Another tripod ball joint mounting means it can be repositioned easily. It's large enough to accomodate A4 sized printed maps which are protected from the weather inside a transparent Zip loc folder. I'm taking paper maps as well as the electronic version loaded into my Dell Axim.

The Route

The ride starts at Land's End on Thursday May 11th and, not unnaturally, ends at John O'Groats on Friday June 9th. The route is as follows:

			Sector Distance		Total Distance
Day	Date	Sector	Map	Bike	Map	Bike
Thursday	11-May	Land's End to Par Sands	70.70	71.90	70.70	71.90
Friday	12-May	Par Sands to Moretonhampstead	57.60	58.58	128.30	130.48
Saturday	13-May	Moretonhampstead to Bridgwater	60.90	61.94	189.20	192.42
Sunday	14-May	Bridgwater to Bristol	59.98	61.00	249.18	253.42
Monday	15-May	Bristol to Bishop's Cleeve	48.70	49.53	297.88	302.94
Tuesday	16-May	Bishop's Cleeve to Ironbridge	59.70	60.71	357.58	363.66
Wednesday	17-May	Ironbridge to Culcheth	70.24	71.43	427.82	435.09
Thursday	18-May	Culcheth to Kirkby Lonsdale	72.22	73.45	500.04	508.54
Friday	19-May	Kirkby Lonsdale to Lazonby	61.80	62.85	561.84	571.39
Saturday	20-May	Lazonby to Eskdalemuir	50.90	51.77	612.74	623.16
Sunday	21-May	Eskdalemuir to Loanhead (Edinburgh)	57.40	58.38	670.14	681.53
Monday	22-May	Present at W4A 2006	0.00	0.00	670.14	681.53
Tuesday	23-May	Loanhead (Edinburgh) to Brig O'Turk	71.10	72.31	741.24	753.84
Wednesday	24-May	Brig O'Turk to Oban	73.90	75.16	815.14	829.00
Thursday	25-May	Oban to Fionphort	35.10	35.70	850.24	864.69
Friday	26-May	Iona and Staffa by boat	0.00	0.00	850.24	864.69
Saturday	27-May	Carsaig Arches and Malcolm's Point	37.80	38.44	888.04	903.14
Sunday	28-May	Fionphort to Tobermory	66.30	67.43	954.34	970.56
Monday	29-May	Kilchoan to Malaig (inc Ardnamurchan Point)	70.90	72.11	1025.24	1042.67
Tuesday	30-May	Ardvasar to Broadford (inc Elgol)	45.46	46.23	1070.70	1088.90
Wednesday	31-May	Broadford to Uig	58.52	59.51	1129.22	1148.42
Thursday	01-Jun	Uig to Glendale (inc An t-Aigeach and sides)	54.53	55.46	1183.75	1203.87
Friday	02-Jun	Glendale to Broadford (inc Fiskavaig side)	64.57	65.67	1248.32	1269.54
Saturday	03-Jun	Broadford to Applecross	49.33	50.17	1297.65	1319.71
Sunday	04-Jun	Applecross to Kinlochewe (inc Alligin Shuas side)	53.17	54.07	1350.82	1373.78
Monday	05-Jun	Kinlochewe to Camusnagaul	47.23	48.03	1398.05	1421.82
Tuesday	06-Jun	Camusnagaul to Lochinver	57.22	58.19	1408.04	1431.98
Wednesday	07-Jun	Lochinver to Rhiconich inc Oldshoremore side	57.94	58.92	1465.98	1490.90
Thursday	08-Jun	Rhiconich to Tongue inc Cape Wrath side	67.07	68.21	1533.05	1559.11
Friday	09-Jun	Tongue to John O'Groats inc Dunnet and Duncansby sides	75.92	77.21	1608.97	1636.32

There are two values for each sector and total distance. I've noticed that my bike and my maps disagree by about 1.7% on distances. I'm not sure which is right, but I've listed both.

The Charities

As you might expect, I'm hoping to raise some money for charity during this endeavour. I've raised money for a variety of charities by undertaking sponsored rides in the past. Usually, that has been as part of the UK Bike Week event. I've ridden to work to raise money. That might not sound like much but as I live in Winchester and work in Guildford, it's actually an 86 mile round trip.

For the End to End ride, I've decided to support two charities. One, Wessex Heartbeat, is local to the area of Hampshire where I live. It supports the cardiac unit at Southampton General Hospital. My wife Angela has been involved in events to raise money for them in past years, even organizing a major band concert in Bournemouth.

The other charity is national. The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) supports over 2 million people in the UK suffering from visual impairment. It seemed appropriate to support RNIB as, during the ride, I'm speaking at a conference about access to the Web for people with disabilities during the ride.

The abstract for my presentation, The Meaning of 'Life': Capturing Intent from Web Authors is available from the W4A2006 conference Web site.

How you can help

If you'd like to make a donation to either of the charities I'm supporting, that would be fantastic. If you'd like to sponsor me for RNIB, there is an on-line sponsorship page that makes it really simple. If you are local to my home village of South Wonston, there are sponsorship forms for Wessex Heartbeat in the village shop and in the social club. In addition, both RNIB and Wessex Heartbeat accept individual donations on-line.

Mobile Devices

One of the great things about modern technology is its mobility. On my "End to End" trip I'm taking a mobile phone, a GPS unit and a hand held computer. These last two will allow me to view my route and my track. Most importantly, they'll let me recover from inevitable mistakes in my map reading. Here is a picture of the equipment.

On the left is the GPS unit, a Globalsat BT338. Next to that is a Sony Ericsson P910 and taking centre stage behind the keyboard is a Dell Axim X51V PocketPC. The Dell is equipped with a high capacity battery. At the front of the picture is a ThinkOutside Universal Stowaway keyboard. Everything communicates via Bluetoth.

I've been using the GPS unit and the PocketPC to record my tracks during training rides. I have the Ordnance Survey maps for the UK together with MemoryMap software. This has enabled me to do all my route planning on my PC and then to download the results to the Dell. The GPS unit works with MemoryMap on the Dell to show me my location and to record my track. Amazingly, after a full day of riding, both the GPS unit and the PocketPC still have over 50% of their battery life intact. So long as I can recharge them each evening, I should be able to record the entire trip as I go.

I'm taking the keyboard to make it easier to write blog entries en route. I've tried various ways to get information onto this blog using the equipment in the photo. I wrote a simple blog client for my phone, which allows me to post text entries. I can also update using blogger's e-mail interface, but again, only for text. Photos are supported on some US networks, but not here in Europe at the moment. However, by using Flickr, I can post text and images together. It too has an e-mail interface for blogging. Images are stored on Flickr and referenced from blog entries that it forwards on to Blogger automatically. So I should be able to take photos with the camera on my phone, and post them here, together with a description of each days ride.

Getting Started

When I joined my present company, (Volantis Systems) one of the benefits was a sabbatical of four weeks to be taken after five years service. The company has been going over six years now, and the time has come to take advantage of that benefit. I've never had a sabbatical before. The attraction to me was to do something that wouldn't be possible with normal vacation time. After a lot of pondering I decided to cycle the length of mainland Britain.

If you know anything about the famous Land's End to John O'Groats routes, you'll know that a month is far more time than is necessary for the direct trip. Most people seem to manage the 900 or so miles in a couple of weeks. Since I have a whole extra two weeks, I decided to include some sightseeing in Scotland.

To complicate matters further, in the middle of the trip, I have to be in Edinburgh to give a paper at the W4A2006 conference. This conference focusses on issues concerned with access to the Web for people with disabilities. The result is a trip of more like 1600 miles, a much more suitable distance for four weeks in the saddle.