Thank you Ruth

I just wanted to publicly say that Ruth is the best C2C back up driver there is. She knew all of the best places to stop en route and had snacks and drinks ready every time we reached the car. Her combination of matronly care and cutting sarcasm was exactly what was needed to keep us going through the tough bits. Well done Ruth and thank you.

PS I love you xx

C2C reflections

It's half past seven in the morning of the day after the C2C and I am lying here too tired to move and too sore to sleep asking myself "Was it worth it?".

The answer is a resounding YES!

There were too many highlights to list but here are a few of my favourite quotes over the past few days; Thanks to everyone who contributed.....

"There's nothing as angry as a drunk wasp"

"Sudocrem. It's the way forward"

"Your energy drink has made my insides go wrong"

" Why does Ruth only take photos of us when we are arriving at the top of a hill panting and sweating? (Us that is, not Ruth)"

"I've been cycling for 40 minutes and Hartside Cafe has got no nearer"

"Watch out for that dog Paul"

"I feel like Patrick Swayze in the film Ghost. Remember that bit where he separates from his body and his sprit looks down on his dead self? I feel like the shell that was left"

"According to my heart rate monitor I'm dead"

In the pub in Nenthead. "Beer is good for cycling"

On the climb out of Nenthead. "Beer is bad for cycling"

Question. "Be honest. Is the climb up to Hartside going to be the worst experience of my entire life?"
Reply. "Of course not.......The climb out of Garagill will be"

"There is nowhere on my body that isn't sweaty"

and now a couple of signs that we read along the way.

"Beware Red Squirrels" - Are they dangerous?

"Tek care Lambs on't road"

Appologies to anyone reading who thinks these are just a bunch of unfunny out of context ramblings; but to me, it's quotes like these which make me look forward to half killing myself all over again next year. Roll on the next epic.

We made it!

Just finished! Pictures to follow as I'm too exhausted to sort them
out. Today's time from Allanheads to Roker was 3hrs 33m 23s.

That makes a total cycling time of:

12hrs 11m 33s.

Last one back to Whitehaven gets the beers??

Stanley

Just leaving the picturesque market town of Stanley after lunch. It is
saturated fat that's best for athletes isn't it?

Now for the last leg...

Day 3

We've had a quick 1hr 30m this morning and just made it to Consett.

Allenheads

Made it into Allenheads last night, the land that mobile phone signal,
computers and bathroom hygiene forgot. It was a long tough day with
lots of breaks but actual cycling time was quick: 3hrs, 33m, 34s.

Animal cruelty update: Jeff nearly hit a rabbit and Paul killed a wasp.

Effigy?

Hmmm I've twitted Lance and he's rootin' for you all. He says that Papa Lazarou is harmless. He did point out, however, that the cycle man in Nenthead is a known effigist!

It appears he's a big fan of Edward Woodward's early films and doesn't take kindly to his services being taken for granted. Be on your guard for 20ft sculptures, especially if they are made from any wicker or straw based product (he's got very good at sculpting wicker wheels).
Lance warned that the Basque separatists had nothing on 'Nenthead Norm'.

Onwards you should go to the chapel brethren at Ireshopeburn. Be wary, wicker wary.......

Nenthead

After another mammoth climb at Garrigill we've arrived at Nenthead.
Not sure of the time at the minute as I can't see anymore. This is the
climb out of Nenthead that awaits us. Only 7 more miles today.

7 more miles...
7 more miles...
7 more miles...

Hartside

Made it from Penrith to the top of Hartside in 1hr 42m of cycling
time. It's been constant climbing all morning and now we get to go
all the way down the other side and back up again- twice!

Day 2

Damn, they're still working. Was hoping we could retire through broken bikes...

The Pyrenees

Lance famously said (I don't stalk him, that was never proved), that the climb up Hartside was one of the most challenging of his career. Beset by Hell's Angels and ropey based sausauge products from the 'bleakest cafe in living memory', he looked forward to the end of stage stop at Allenheads.



Alston seemed a nice little town but all those cobbles and horse brasses in the 21st Century? Nenthead was eerie. Had someone forgot to swotch it on? The ride was challenging and all that lead mining was heavy for the heart. He entered the sleepy village and was heartened by the sight of the red post box, the village green, the stoney, stoney cottages and the warmly lit public house....... but wait what was Papa Lazarou doing behing that curtain?........






(Papa last seen in Wearydale, 2010)

End of day 1

Made it to the end of day 1:
51 miles, official time 5hrs, 6m, 36s.

We probably could have done it quicker if I hadn't spent half an hour
complaining about my legs hurting and eating Kendal mint cake.

The weather cleared up this afternoon so the going was a bit easier.
The highlight of the day (aside from Paul using a border terrier as a
bike stand) was definitely the descent through Whinlatter forest. It
was a bit hairy in parts with the wet weather but good fun. Think the
bikes will need some running repairs before starting tomorrow though.

Right, there's a big bowl of pasta with my name on it- and some
specialist sports fluid (made in Belgium with only four ingredients).

Keswick

Made it to Keswick, total cycling time 3hrs 9mins. Pretty good going
with driving rain, whinlatter pass to navigate, and Paul hitting a
dog. On to Penrith...

Ready steady go

Next stop Keswick...

Whitehaven

It's raining!

Think of the driver!

Hold on to the back of my vehicle, well I suppose it's safer than the front. I'll just draw attention back to my car history, a right off, the snow and a horse.

Maybe not as stylish as Michael J Fox in any movie!!!

Day 2

Jeff, first of all I'd like to say well done on taking the lead in
graph-based-cycling-thingies. The use of the adjective 'tinker' though
is on a par with using 'whoopsie-daisy' when dropping something with
no children nearby...

As for day two, is that really about 1200 of climb in 2.5 miles? Can I
just hold on to the back of the car like Michael J Fox in back to the
future?

CC Evlevation diagrams

I have tried to set the same scale for all 3 days. As you can see - day 2 is a bit of a tinker.

Minty power!!

I have stocked up on Kendal mint cake today, special offer 15% off. At those prices I thought the boys deserved it!!

I thought it might clear the pallet between flapjack snacks. Variety is the spice of life after all!!!

Training?

Family cycling. Done a gentle (as gentle as it can be pulling two
children) 6 miles. With a break in the middle for a bottle of wine and
ice cream. Does that count as training?

A serious undertaking

45 miles today. 30 of which were either into the teeth of a gale, up a steep hill or both.

I am well and truly spent, really satisfied and my bum hurts. Not a phrase I use often......

King of the Mountains?

Paul and I did 12.5 miles today which, according to memory map, involved about 2000 feet of climbing. Next week's ride is a big one as I would like to add this route to last week's route to make a six hour epic. Ruth- sudocream at the ready please!

I can't let that slur go!

I may have been a little green around the gills but I'm surpised Daniel noticed from his position at the rear of the pack! Mind you, that all changed when climbing Maiden Law bank where his weight advantage really paid off! I'm at a stag night next Saturday so it will be an early ride for me next week. I was thinking of starting at the Waskerley cafe and doing the rest of last week's ride first.

30 miles...again

My legs are very sore today from the 30 miles yesterday. Average of
10.3mph with 1800ft of climb. I'm sure the average speed would have
been much faster but for finishing with Maiden Law Bank!

We didn't quite manage the 43 miles we set out on (mainly due to the
fact Jeff was looking green at one point). The official reason was
'the wind' not sure if Jeff was referring to atmospheric conditions or
his own personal conditions .

Still, pretty good for a first ride all three of us, and most
importantly the food kitty was born!

Gone with the wind........my legs that is.

Srcambled egg and beans on toast came to the rescue though. Guilt free food - I love it.

30 miles version 2

Paul and I did 30 miles from mine to Sunderland and back at an 11 miles per hour average too. Unfortunately the cappuccino and cranberry cookie at the glass centre put paid to the spent calories long before we arrived home.

30 miles...

Did a good ride earlier, 30 miles with average of 11mph- including
1000ft climb from Lanchester to Stanhope.

The best part is I now have 1400 kcal to make up this evening- <homer
simpson voice> woo hoo!

Post Glastonbury day ride

As predicted, it didn't happen! Tomorrow's another day....

Food shame

I had a McDonalds at work, Jeff brought his lunch today in an Evans
Cycles bag. I am not worthy. If he puts a Lance Armstrong picture on
his desk that's it, I'll have to throw the towel in.

Update from Paul

Up to Annfield Plain and back on Saturday. The wind changed round when I headed back so it was blowing a gale in my face both ways!  

22 miles and counting...

My longest ride so far with Jeff yesterday- 22 miles. Though
embarrasingly slow average mph. Think Jeff was taking pity on me. If I
can't be as fit then I'll continue to make people train with me to
bring down their fitness levels!

I got in the saddle again today a little gingerly, not sure my bottom
is up to the strain (a phrase I've never used before).

Update

Did 30 miles at an average of 14 mph yesterday. Good times
Did zero miles and had fish and chips for dinner tonight. Bad times

Anyone up for a ride on Saturday? - 10 o'clock start?

I have resently been researching energy snacks for cyclists but keep getting distracted by other issues such as how to maintain plasma volume, minimising saddle sores, the use of caffine to enhance performance and how to tint windows.

I think I might be getting closer to the perfect snack for cycling - I saw some on special offer in Tesco!!!

My training ride.........

Remote, wild and desolate was the training ride I did this weekend. For an hour and forty minutes I cycled across moorland and through forest tracks without any sign of another human being. However I passed a group of 4 cyclists in the one hour and forty first minute, nodded a quick hello, hit a rock and went arse over tit. I flew over the handle bars and landed on my back with my bike on top of me....... they all ran up and asked if I was okay and I resisted the urge to say "What does it bloody look like?" . I picked myself up, cycled round the corner, did a quick limb count and limped home.

The good news is my bike isn't damaged, the bad news is I can't decide which is more battered and bruised, my ego, my thighs, my arm or my abdomen.......... it's my ego.

Onwards and upwards though - I'm cycling home tomorrow, eyes firmly on the track and ingoring anyone who says hello!

Training - with a bike - begins

Went for first ride today. Did 10 miles and nothing broken (me or the
bike). I'm no mathematician but that must be at least half the
distance of the c2c...

I'm impressed

sponsors!

Got my first £30 in sponsorship last night. Only 20 to go and we're in profit!

Raining !!!

No training because there is a bit rain in the air.

I think we should start by building up some stamina, what happened to the saying "no pain, no gain"?

Not training tonight - raining!!

Training update, 61 days to go...

Training is going well, Jeff has reportedly clocked up several thousands of miles in the saddle over recent weeks.  Paul meanwhile has been spotted cycling to Penshaw Monument before breakfast every morning, drinking raw egg and listening to 'eye of the tiger'.

Whilst I wait for my bike to arrive my training consists of putting on cycling shorts and staring at really really small photographs of two people on bikes far far away.

Is it too late to try and back out...

Jeff, when you said 'write a journal' I presume this is okay.  Or do you want me to use one of those old-fashioned stick things that leaks on to paper?