Time for more madness !!

Well its been a good 18 months since we completed LEJOG, and I was seeking a new challenge. Once again, a lunchtime glass of red seems to have influenced my decision to do this one! The bloke I sit next to at work said he'd entered for the Reading half marathon and was running in aid of the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre and did I want to join him? Given that I raised money for them doing LEJOG it seemed like a great excuse to try to loose all the weight I've regained round my middle and to get fit again. 
Unfortunately we only have 6 1/2 weeks to go and before Sunday I'd only ever run for a bus! I'm also esconsed in the middle of middle age, not quite U3A material yet, but certainly old enough to be the father of my nipper's teacher! [deep sigh]
So there you have it, I've bought some running shoes (essential methinks) and tried running last Sunday and this evening.  On Sunday I had to stop and walk every half mile to stop throwing up my lungs, and tonight I managed about a mile before the same feeling took over me.
I had to phone Claire to come and pick me up in the car!! My blood sugar was 1.9 when I got home and I was ready to greet my friends the fairies (I'm a type1 diabetic)  I realise now that I may have left it rather late. I'm not placing any bets on me doing the 13 miles in under 4hrs unless its in the back of an ambulance !
I'll keep you informed of any progress.  Watch this space...

Day 12 - And the Heavens Opened..

The Golspie Inn was very welcoming with a good menu which Rob would have enjoyed more had he not had a bag of chips on his arrival in the village!
I did not partake of the food for obvious reasons.
Today we woke up with rain lashing against the window. I believe the South enjoyed this weather on Sunday.
We set off up the coastal road (A9) into a Northerly wind laced with chilled water. Mmm nice !  Within 20 minutes we were all soaked to the skin. We stopped at Helmsdale at a roadside cafe to drip dry a little and warm up with teas and coffees.

The proprietor gave Martin his best offer of the day when mopping up our drips on the floor, he asked her if she could mop us down as well to which she replied: "get your kit off then !!"
We pressed on up the coast and almost stopped at Dunbeath but didn't because when you stop you loose all your heat. Unfortunately the bloke with the buckets of water at the side of the road had been to Halfords and had armed himself with a new pressure washer which he was having great fun with, much to our annoyance.
Wick was very, very welcome, some 52 miles of cycling through the wind and rain later.
We booked in to our B&B and showered and tried to dry our cycle clothes a bit. At about 6:45pm once it had stopped raining, we all donned our partially wet gear and set off for the last 17 miles to John O'Groats.  The wind this time was the thing to deal with, gusting 30mph from the North. Oh whoop-ee!
We eventually arrived at 8:30pm. They had taken the sign down and the wind freshened to about a force eight, making some of the cycling somewhat comical.
Martin & I had ordered a taxi to take us & the bikes back to Wick. I'd have put money on Rob joining us but he chose to ride back instead !
So there we have it. End to end in 12 days on bicycles ( and a little bit of train for me when I was sick)

Looking forward to being back home tomorrow night with my family.

Day 11 - The World falls out of my Bottom

I dreamt last night that we had set off on the bikes, only for me to have to dive in to the local hospital for treatment. I woke up, it was 4am and I had been projectile vommitting everywhere. What's more, both ends had lost any decorrum.  I was then faced with having to rush to the loo every half hour or so amidst trying to clear up the mess as best I could, which as anyone will tell you is not easy given you're not feeling well. It didn't help that I'd had the Tomato soup to start....
Breakfast consisted of 1/4 slice of toast and a pint of water with Dioralyte thanks to the landlady who was very helpful.
The 3 of us then trawled through all the options available to us.  There was no way I was going to be able to cycle today. Even without the loo rush problem, cycling when dehydrated does not work and could make matters even worse.
We all have to be back at work on Wednesday so our options are very limited. I didn't want to stop the other two from finishing their goals.
Martin, bless 'im paid for my room for another night and I've spent most of the day asleep. Rob left me a message to say that the Aviemore climb is a gradual one, but I now have less than 44 hours to cover the remaining 170 miles feeling like death. I've chosen to catch the other two up by train to Golspie.
You will appreciate that this isn't an easy call after 10 days of slog.
In truth, I'm gutted.
So there you have it , Im now traveling from Lands End to John O'Groats, 11/12ths by cycle and 1/12th by Train.  :O(

Day 10 - Into the Highlands

Hats off to our friend John and his culinary skills. Full Scottish breakfast was on offer and was enjoyed tremendously,

And so to the hills, or rather Ben as they call them round here.
We went from Auchterarder to Creif which has a 1 in 4 upwards high street and then Amulree and on to Aberfeldy. Martin had got his usual man of the mountains spurt on but today phone coverage was scant so were unable to contact him nor him us apart from phone messages that arrived long after the event
Rob & I decided we needed a coffee and found a top class establishment called the Watermill. It has a coffee shop, and fruit cake to die for.
It turned out Martin had gone on to Pitlochry whereas Rob followed my route over the hills to Glen Garry. Rob was staying close to me because he discovered that he had bent his frame yesterday in the crash and must be very weakened. I needed to be able to get help as required should the worst happen.

We then all followed the A9 to our overnight stop on Kingussie.
That sounds easy, but with a fresh Northerly wind laced with cold drizzle, it certainly wasn't. Martin reckons it was his toughest day thus far.

We went out for food to the Tipsy Laird Bar Restaurant in the town. It turned out to be the biggest mistake of my trip.  I had the Vennison medallions which smelt a bit odd when it arrived ,but not being a Vennison conosoire I got on with it and Joked to Martin on the way home that when I'm up all night its thanks to dodgy Vennison.

Day 9 - Pear Shaped, Just for a mo..

The day started so well, I cooked Martin & I Bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast (watch out Jamie Oliver), but Rob was having none of it and insisted on the B&Q approach. I even washed up!
We cycled to Queensferry and could see the iconic Forth Bridge as we approached. Luckily Rob had packed his megaphone which he used to shout at me to stop going down the A9 which was banned to cyclists from that point.
Unfortunately this meant we had to squeeze down a narrow cycle path and when Martin chose to stop to take a photo, Rob chose to weigh up the full aesthetics of the shot by eyes-righting and promptly rode into the back of Martin. The subsequent arc that Rob's bike made in  the air with Rob still attached was impressive. Luckily Rob didn't break anything of his own but managed to shear off Martin's derailieur. I can't say much else about it as I saw it in full and await a letter from Martin's Solicitors...

Whilst Martin went to find a cycle shop over the fourth, Rob & I cycled over the road bridge and then along to Stirling.
We cycled right in to the quad at Craigforth.
I then visited a few work colleagues dressed in my rediculous garb and Rob did likewise.
We then tried to visit an old mutual friend in causewayhead, who had obviously got word of our arrival and went out!

Undeterred we headed off through Bridge of Allan and then Dunblane and round the back of Gleneagles before arriving at Auchterarder. Here we met back up with Martin.

We all stayed with an old friend of ours and his wife in their stunning house. I'm well jealous and am currently working out how to get a work transfer to Stirling. Ok so the rest of my family are allergic to rain and don't speak the local lingo but there must be ways round that?
We had a lovely evening with the now health food of choice, chicken curry & naans washed down with red wine & cider.
Great evening.

Day 8 - Edinburgh gains 3 Tourists

Fantastic breakfast again ! The hotel was posh enough to have the manager walking round the restaurant, greeting guests and chatting to each table. She offered us a voucher for tea for two at the hotel for a charitable donation.
We all set off up the A703 on the Edinburgh road. Martin stopped to don his wet weather gear because the man who chucks buckets of water at you when riding in Scotland had started again! I carried on for a bit only to get a phone call from Rob who had had to turn back to go and find his gloves which he'd left at the Hotel !!
Gel gloves were essential for this particular ride because in places it was like riding at speed over crushed building rubble. On high pressure skinny tyres it can shake your teeth out!
Martin & I had hot drinks in a French cafe in Penicuik until Rob caught up. We then all rode in to Edinburgh together. I did nearly cause an RTA by spilling my blood monitoring meter into the middle of the road for the 2nd time this week. The car only skidded for a small distance....

When we arrived at Martin's work's office, I discovered I'd also shed at some stage one of my two flip flops. This meant I had to click my way round Edinburgh in cleats until I found some new flip flops. You get some odd looks from people because when they turn round they expect to be being followed by someone in stillettos!
Martin went off to get a power nap whilst Rob & I walked up the Golden mile to the Castle.
Hopefully this will be a good break before we enter the final third tomorrow when we set off for Stirling and then Gleneagles.

Day 7's pic

Here we are, going in to Scotland.