Thank You

A huge thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me during the ride. It is not logistically or financially viable for me to repair the bike and go back for the last few hundred miles so this will be the last blog entry.
It was an amazing trip with many highs and lows. I met some wonderful people and was inspired by the kindness I received from strangers. Scotland was my overall favourite part of the trip. When the weather was bad it was hard but when the sun shone it was breathtaking. I am glad I took so many photos and at some point will have to catalogue them.
This is definitely a trip I would do again and one I would recommend. If you have been thinking about doing it then I would say go for it. I definitely did it the hard way carrying everything with me. It would be a much easier trip if I had been supported and that's how I will do it next time.
Over the course of the trip I lost a stone in weight despite constant eating and many good fry ups!
Fundraising went well but the final total is unknown at the moment.

Again, many thanks to all who have followed the blog, given me donations and sent me messages of encouragement, it was very much appreciated.

Jon


...........I wonder how far it is from Paris to Rome?........................

Disaster strikes!

Loading the bike this morning I was confident that the problems were sorted. Wrong. 200 yards down the road - same problem.So back to the bike shop,again.I left the bike for another 2 hours while they test rode it. They couldn't figure it out so they stripped down the front wheel and told me that it was fine. So I set off again. Got 8 miles this time then....same problem. After 20 miles of it happening it jammed up and stayed that way. I was now doing 5mph on the flat and pedalling down the hills. Not good. At Shap I stopped at the Bulls Head and put my tent up in their garden.
There was no more I could do so arranged for Allyson to pick me up the next day. So I am now at home and will be attempting to repair the bike this week with a view to returning to Shap next weekend to complete the ride.
Watch this space!

Day 21 - It gave up..

Awoke at 6am and it was raining, no surprise there then! Went back to sleep for an hour when I woke the sun was out so I set off into a fine dry day.  The day started off with a very large climb over a very large hill as it usually does but unfortunately this proved to be too much for my trusty stead and at 12 miles into the ride, the back wheel finally gave up leaving me stranded halfway between nowhere and nowhere else. I was only able to make 7 mph on the flat, 9 mph down hill, don't ask about the up hill! During one up hill struggle, I had stopped to apply yet more oil when a passing cyclist asked if I was ok. Telling him what the problem was, he simply said "ney bother" or "no problem mate"  I will go and get my car. True to his word, he returned 45 minutes later and drove me 40 miles to Lockerbie where I then caught the train to Carlisle (approx 30 miles in 20mins) as this was my nearest cycle repair shop. At Carlisle I took the bike to Palace Cycles  http://www.palacecycles.co.uk/ who diagnosed the patient with "knackered wheelitis". They very quickly replaced the wheel for me & I then retired to a lovely b&b very near the town centre http://www.abbeycourtguesthouse.co.uk/ready to try again tomorrow.
It has been quite a difficult day in some respects but the kindness of strangers got me through - Ian if you get to read this, I can't thank you enough for helping me out today. 

Day 20 - Forth Road Bridge & beyond!

After a shockingly bad night sleep in a bed (in fact in the early hours of the morning I took the duvet to the floor!), I packed up and left the Travelodge at about 8.30am and fortunately 200yds down the road was a Tesco so I was able to resupply with food and get a decent fortifying breakfast. Had a fantastic journey to Inverkeithing on quiet dry gently undulating sometimes flat roads.

Followed the cycle path to the Forth road bridge - no it's not the one you think it is, that's the rail bridge as in this photo! The Forth road bridge looks more like the Tamar Bridge.

Having cycled a mile along the dual carriageway on the cycle path, you get to the beginning of the road bridge to discover it was shut and there was a sign directing me to use the stairs, as in the photo, to go down under the bridge & up the other side and use the cycle path on the other side of the carriageway. A sign 1 mile previously directing me to the different path would have been a lot esier to deal with than 7 flights of steps. However I overcame this obstacle and ventured out onto the bridge, which shakes & wobbles quite badly!



After crossing the road bridge I found it relatively easy to find my way to Lanark despite several road closures & diversions which in a car can be annoying but on a bike are heartbreaking. The afternoon threw in a couple of very meaty climbs as well but I eventually found myself in Lanark and got the tent up just as the heavens opened, so I managed to keep everything dry. The weather forecast for tomorrow is to be dry - um, do I believe it?

Day 19 - Into The Mountains

Made an early start after a good night's sleep & headed off south to Pitlochry and Perth. This involved a climb up over Drumochter Summit at 457m above sea level, there are warning signs on the cycle path


And yes it is as bleak and exposed as the sign would suggest!


The A9 is a very busy trunk road but fortuately there is a fantastic cycle path which follows it diverting onto some minor roads in places.This keeps you away from the traffic and enables you to enjoy the scenery. It does however involve a few extra climbs! 
The rain started at Pitlochry and got steadily heavier as I approached Perth reaching torrential status with poor visibility and flooded roads so much so I ended up cycling on the footpath. Eventually being thoroughly waterlogged I sneaked into a Travelodge as the camp site I would have been staying on was called the Noahs Ark which must have been some kind of cosmic joke on me today!
It has been an amazing day and been fantastic to cycle through the mountains and if you ever get the chance, visit Bibos cafe in Pitlochry for the best burger you will ever taste....

Inverness to Newtonmore - Day 18

It was a short hop today mileage wise from Inverness to Newtonmore along the A9 but not hill wise - up through Aviemore (didn't stop as appeared very commercialised and very noisy) into the Cairngorms National Park, 46 miles up and down hills, or are they moutains, not sure but definately felt like they were as the day drew on. Aah much better to leave the town and to see such beautiful moorland/hills/scenery and wildlife but exhausting to say the least!  Not saying its cold here, even with the sun out this high up, but I was wearing as many layers on as I had with me and still didn't really stop too much for too long as far too chilly, there is still snow on the top of the hills here!!!

Downhill though at the end of the day to the valley of Glentruim to a campsite nestled at the bottom - picturesque and quiet, great to relax after a very energetic day, looking forward to resting my tired body after all those hills.

Day 17 - Brora to Inverness

You would think after a 10,000 mile migration Artic Terns would have better things to do at 5am than sit outside my tent and shriek at the tops of their voices! Therefore not being able to get any more sleep I decided to leisurely pack up, have a coffee and leave Brora.

I was on the deserted road by 7.30 in beautiful weather, taking it easy making my way steadily down to Dornoch Firth down the A9 passing the 1000 mile mark just outside of Tain. I just had to stop and take these pictures as I just can't believe I've cycled so far!

Travelling on I saw some superb sights and breathtaking scenery and believe it or not, I went past a lovely castle called Dunrobin Castle (small cream building on the right of this photo), it's name made me chuckle......

The bike has been playing up and continued to do so today making it a bit of a struggle at times. However crossing the bridge of Cromarty Firth, will always be a breathtaking sight whatever the weather and despite the state of the bike.

Eventually I came to Inverness and sought out a cycle shop called Tiso Inverness Outdoor Experience  www.tiso.com/uk_shops/tiso_inverness_outdoor_experience/     Walking in the door I saw a repairs area & asked the chaps behind the counter for some advice. They were so extremely helpful and after I had off loaded all the panniers and kit, took my bike into the workshop whilst I went for a coffee upstairs. Turns out one of the ball bearings in the wheel bearing on the rear axle had completely disintegrated. They cleaned it up, replaced the ball bearing & fitted a new rear tyre as the old one was well worn. All done in 45 minutes -  outstanding service and on a Sunday too, thank you very much guys, super job and I'm back on the road fully fixed and raring for more miles.

I am back at Brught camp site tonight in Inverness and ready for a different route tomorrow which will take me down the A9 once more through Aviemore to Newtonmore, right on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, umm bet it's going to be hilly.............