The final entries

Well here it is at last ~ the promised final entry to our ride diary.
Sorry it’s taken a few weeks but they are busy lads with work and family so it’s taken a while to get together to finalise the figures ~ well to be honest difficult finding a free evening for us all to meet up in the "Racehorse" and we still haven’t managed that! So here it is and call me a sentimental softie but I have to confess that in respect to my blogging tradition I’ve walked with my laptop 300 metres round the corner to sit in McDonalds and do the final entry ~ would have felt unreal to have done it anywhere else!
Firstly here are my thoughts as The Driver: -
Highlights ~ extremely tricky! And when I say that it is merely because (for me anyway) there were so many. Actually as you’ll soon learn compiling the low points was all too easy. Obviously you’ll have realised from the original diary (a test to see if you actually read it) there was 1 day that stood out above all others with the ride through Glencoe. However, even though the scenery through Glencoe was magnificent for me the most awe inspiring views were those from the bridge at Ballachulish back towards Glencoe and in the other direction over Loch Linnhe. To remind you I again include photos of these. The campsites were all great (well maybe apart from that in the Royal Burgh of Dingwall) and the vast majority of people we met were friendly, helpful and very generous.
Low points ~ as mentioned all too easy for me comprising the driving that 1 afternoon through Warrington and Wigan followed by the next morning in Preston ~ a venture I never intend repeating! There were also those minor frustrations in finding "hot spots" to deal with the blog leading to a delay and severe criticism from all around the world, although I know this was merely from avid readers disappointment! Oh and next time will make sure we have more fruit cake provided!! As to Andy and Vince, their thoughts are below so please keep on reading to the(ir) bottom ~ ooohhh painful.

Overall the trip for me was great fun and I’d do something similar without any hesitation. So what’s next lads?

Ooops nearly forgot ~ latest on the charity donations/pledges! To date their estimates are of amounts that should more than meet their personal targets for each charity so once again heartfelt thanks to you all (especially the immediate families) for the support and for sharing our adventure. Would say hoping you all can join us next time ~ well if I’m spared that is and Vince and Andy are allowed out to play!

Andy says

Highs.........
At no point did I get up and ask why...
At no point did I get up and say I don't want to........
Many good Laughs and memories
A record of the event in Picture, word
Great Cycling/Scenery on many days but Glen Coe was "special"
Good company (Both Old friend and new)
Fine weather for most of the two weeks
Meeting some nice people
Great support from friends, family and supporters along the route and via the blog etc.
Tremendous satisfaction as now when I watch the TV weather report for the whole of Britain I can look at the two points furthest apart and say "I cycled that"
The handshake at the start and finish of each day.
Lows
Very, very few......
Save the odd miles along those Dual carriageways into a head wind and passing discarded half drunk bottles of Irn Bru on the roadside.
The road surface in Crediton and Exeter laid by "Cuff it Fill it and sod it Construction"
Discovering that the bottles did not contain Irn Bru after all ~ I thought it had just gone flat
Waiting for Vince to have his third Pee of the day by about 10-30 every day (Was he nervous)
Eating the last piece of Fruit cake......................
The morning after eating the first piece of Morrisons fruit cake.............
Finding out that the Swedish all girl nude Tandem end to enders took a different route to us.
Seriously......
Realising a few days later that it was all over after many years off talk and a few months of planning and two weeks of effort.
Andy

PS ~ another reminder of link to Andy's donation page ~ http://www.justgiving.com/cyclingpoliceman

Thoughts of Vince

Vince’s Highs & Lows
I would echo Andy's sentiments entirely - having talked about doing Le Jog for at least the last 4 years to have actually done it has been enormously satisfying. Best bits - well as we have all said Glencoe was just breath taking, the people we met along the way - it really restores your faith in human kind - it's incredible just how uplifting it can be just for some one to wish you good luck. Going to sleep on Thursday night having completed the ride in the knowledge that we had indeed done it followed by waking up on the Friday morning knowing that we didn't have to get kitted up and on the bikes. And of course the two Andy's - never a dull moment & never a breath of fresh air! It's been emotional.
Lows - very few - the last ten miles into Annan (bearing in mind that this was about 10 days in to the ride). My chain coming off whilst going full tilt down hill on a narrow road with traffic behind me and in front of me (and given my recent history of abandoning ship). Having to watch Tom Cruise ruin Samurai!
Sponsorship to date is £1682 which will actually mean £2152 when Gift Aid has been added - if you haven't already contributed it's not too late.
Vince.
PS - I did warn Andy not to drink the roadside Iron Bru!

PPS ~ Here's a reminder of link to Vince's donation page ~
http://www.justgiving.com/vincekearney

We've made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 14 ~ The Final Spurt ~ Dunbeath to John O’Groats 38 miles
They’ve made it!! With minimal argument or cross word, Vince and Andy have managed to cycle 943 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats (245,180 rotations of the pedal ~ approximation as Andy claims he isn’t sad enough to have counted them all!) and I don’t think they took a wrong turning once. And believe me that must be some sort of record.
A bland day’s cycling with some fairly boring stretches into a strong wind so they were delighted to roll into our destination at 12:40 Thursday 6th September 2007 14 days after setting off from Lands End. The most remarkable feature of the whole adventure in this most dispiriting of summers was the fact waterproofs hardly featured at all. Even today when it rained on me in the van they in truth were not quick enough to get wet with the brief shower being over before they caught it up. It also has to be admitted that there can be few more depressing places in the UK than our starting and finishing points both which have clearly had their heydays long ago. However they served their purposes in enabling this (foolish) dream being achieved!
After some time for reflection I’ll put our thoughts of high and low points on these pages so don’t give up looking yet! Thanks for joining us in their adventure and for all of you have provided support in whatever fashion ~ well just thanks. (More cake would have been nice as the Morrisons Rich Fruit cake we had to purchase had unfortunate side effects!)
P.S. It has been said on many occasions that time spent on reconnaissance is very rarely wasted and this has proved to be very true. The time and effort that Andy our stoic Driver, Map reader, Paparazzi and gofer has invested on this adventure has been invaluable and allowed us to make good progress. Andy has been able to record our journey both in picture and in word and we are both deeply indebted to him. A BIG THANK YOU.
Vince and Andy

penultimate ride

Day 13 : Dingwall to Dunbeath 77 miles
After previous nights a less splendid visit to Dingwall campsite, with trains making their way to Wick passing fairly frequently in the early evening within yards of our pitch, the town redeemed itself on leaving this morning. Well at least Ross County Football Club did whose ground was a stones throw from the site by letting us pose by the pitch for the morning photo shoot and the lady receptionist passing over a donation to the causes.
The lads set off on what was to be their last long day with the idea of making the final ride into John O’Groats a doddle of 38 miles ~ lightweights!!! I set off a personal visit of my own to visit Kiltearn Burial Ground, overlooking the Cromarty Firth, to visit the grave of my sister-in-law’s brother tragically killed in a car accident at too early an age.
I then caught Vince and Andy up in order to hear their moans when they met up with 2 minor climbs of 747 and 500 feet ~ did they curse but they had to make the most of it as they’ll find it dead flat tomorrow.
Vince and Andy did say they actually found the much maligned A9 a pleasure to cycle for both scenery and road surface. One problem I did find with the van was it demonstrated an alarming desire to swerve to the right when I passed the Glenmorangie Distillery ~ could be a problem on the return drive!

In search of Nessie

Day 12 : Onich to Dingwall (84 miles)
A long long day with none of the grandeur of yesterday, although in other circumstances you might have thought it was impressive. However for Andy the day promised the highlight of his whole trip with a pilgrimage to the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge. He stood in silent contemplation holding back his emotions, fully supported by his colleagues as you would expect!
Fairly overcast all day and both Andy and Vince found it hard going, or any rate a long day. Mind also cursing me, now nicknamed "The Assassin" when after 60 miles they turned into 15% climb for three quarters of a mile, though Andy is questioning the parentage of the cartographer on that distance. Then none too chuffed when I told them there was potentially another 80 mile day tomorrow, though as I explained this was their fault for wanting a gentle relaxing morning ride into John O’Groats Thursday.
Also have to say the campsite tonight is not in same league as those of Sunday or Monday. And then to top it all, the warden made my day by asking why I wasn’t getting the senior citizens discount (over 55 I hasten to add) but overall he worked a flanker on the night’s cost by treating Andy and Vince as backpackers!
And to top it all did half the length of Loch Ness but only saw green cuddly Nessies!

Apologies

Hi all.

A couple of days posts but unfortunately I discover the number of photos you can include with each posting is quite limited so here's a couple more I've sneaked in from yesterday. Keep up comments please as lads have two very hard days today and tomorrow ~ and the cakes have run out so if you could courier some up it would be appreciated!