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Slipstreamers 2003 Email : admin@slipstreamers.info |
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Tuesday 3 June - The Final Entry
Now the dust has finally settled on the ride and we are into the hard work of collecting and banking cash I thought a few reflections on the trip were appropriate. Firstly I'll start with a brief summary of the final days events:-
Our first rain free day - somewhat ironic given that we only had the ten or so miles to cycle today to the airport. Ann and I did a morning walk that turned into a hike but at least we did get the required viewing of Arthur's Seat. Consequently we were a little late for our lunchtime appointment with Morgan and Veronica. It was a lovely sunny lunch - just a pity that a few had to get earlier flights so couldn't join us. I had the haggis - the things I'll do in the cause of sponsorship. Actually it was with a whisky sauce so it did have its bonuses and was very enjoyable.
Then it was off to the hospital to see Carolyn. Julie, Colin and Anna had taken her out in the morning so we stayed in at Carolyn's request and played some dominos. We all won a game so honours shared. The time passed far too quickly and soon it was time to head back to the Hostel and the duel with the A8 to the airport. We made it safely enough and didn't have too much dramas with the bikes once we got there and figured out the use of the rails around the side of the terminal - to assist with pedal removing!!
Poor Anna was delayed and left to her fate at Edinburgh while we settled into our easy flight to Gatwick. The flight itself was easy but getting into Gatwick at the other end was somewhat more difficult as the bus drivers had to wait for the non existent security staff to turn up. Eventually I think they just gave up and let us in!! The luggage service was somewhat interesting as a trolley suddenly appeared with bags and bikes a plenty and a free for all developed. It was then that we discovered a pedal on the loose. Initially we thought it must be Colin's as ours had been packed in our panniers, so we thought. However closer inspection showed that one of Ann's pannier bags was undone and both pedals were no longer there!! We were about to get them to go search the plane again when one of the baggage handlers pointed out that they had found a loose pedal and placed it within the survival bag - closer inspection showed it was still there. Phew!!
The great baggage pfaff meant we just missed the Horsham train and had a fair while to wait for the next one so we put our bikes back together again on the train platform. Here we discovered a few dents in Ann's frame and some damage to my bar bag holder. Still nothing bad enough to stop us cycling back home in the dark and finally getting to use those lights that had been carried all 510 miles from London to Edinburgh!!
And so to some final trip statistics (from London - Edinburgh this is) :-
and some more subjective votes:-
Finally a big thanks to my 9 colleagues. By the end they were clearly getting bored and kept trying to lose themselves by heading towards Carlisle, Glasgow or on the fast track to Edinburgh (perhaps next time more people will think about maps?). It was great cycling with you guys. Particular thanks for Richard for once again allowing us to share this story with the world by heroically carrying his laptop all the way (I'm glad I don't have to be your camel every day, Rich!!). Thanks also to those people who showed interest in what we were doing and supported us on the way through sponsosrhip and/or support. Finally, thanks also to Morgan and Veronica for their emails of encouragement and the visit to the hostel in Edinburgh. I hope our efforts give some inspiration to Carolyn. Already looking forward to Edinburgh - Cape Wrath in 2004.
Kevin
Sun 25 May 2003
Well here we all, are (even Gary), whiskeyed up courtesy of Morgan and Veronica and feeling very pleased to have finally made it to Edinburgh. If truth be told today was one of the nicer days on the weather front but we still got showered on around lunchtime - hence the fatal coffee shop stop while Gary cycled on and on and on and on...along the A7 to Edinburgh, while we had a nice dry lunch. Number 43 came up a few times so we had extra toasties and were able to take a sandwich on for Gary for when we thought we would meet him around the next corner. Meanwhile Annie was cycling on towards Glasgow....Perhaps next year there will be more than just me with maps!!
The minor road after Galashiels was once again a lovely diversion from the A7. We kept glancing across to the busier A road in the forlorn hope of spotting a Gary or an Annie but there was probably more chance of seeing a wolf!! However just when hope was fading and Noelie was coming up with his "they will have got together and be cyling on to Edinburgh theory" up pops an out-of-breath Annie from behind us. Ooops. Then followed a superb descent that cracked a good few miles towards Edinburgh along the A7.
It was good to see Carolyn at the hospital and she wasn't phased to see so many cyclists around her in the green T shirt, which she was also sporting. In fact she seemed to revel in it and and we heard her first words from her for ages. May there be many more to come. It was also lovely to see Morgan and Veronica this evening and we much appreciated them coming out to the hostel to see us so late in the day.
Finally a first occurred today - Lockie overtook The Col on a hill. That must have been his highlight but I'm sure his continued tendancy to fall off will not feature so highly. Meanwhile there were also two punctures one of which retains an air of mystery as the phantom puncture - a hole could not be located. This was in the Melrose bottom bracket triangle - to be avoided at all costs in future.
Total mileage - 55 miles
Sat 24 May 2003
A quick morning diary update as we didn't arrive in Hawick until 8.45 pm last night and we had to get straight into ordering food mode as orders had to be in by 9 pm. All very tired but with the bonus of a lie in this morning (breakfast isn't served until 9 am) we decided to go for the morning diary. Not sure I'm really a morning diary sort of a person but here goes.
It was the longest day in the saddle yesterday but not quite the longest day in miles, the wettest day with several heavy showers and definitely gave the feeling at times that the sponsorship money was being earned the hard way. Having said all that it was also probably the most scenic days cycling with plenty of sightseeing too and a few testing hills thrown in for good measure. We began with a steep climb from the hostel and then a descent to the Tyne and our Roman cultural experience where we visited the Chesters Fort. Julie wasn't sure how long it had been there and the EH guy on the desk got in before me in saying 'since the Romans left'. Caused great hilarity at the time but perhaps you had to be there. Very impressive ruins of the Fort and Bath House with the bridge foundations across the River.
Ann and Bernie didn't come with us so had an hour start on us as we set up the next hill. Colin shot his bolt too soon, missed the turn and was well on his way to Carlisle. It was that steep that none of us were volunteering to go after him but we did attempt shouting in unison to no avail. Fortunately someone had had the foresight to put a bit of ruined wall there at the turn off (so that's what the Romans did for us!!) so we photo-ed whilst recovering and found a couple of tourists heading in the right direction to pass on the message that we didn't really fancy a Carlisle diversion!! He did turn up a few minutes later, which in the scheme of the day as a whole was not that serious.
On to Bellingham with a few rain shelters along the way and there we had lunch in a phone box almost on the run as we were well behind schedule. It had been a tough morning and we had hardly covered any miles (around 17). Fortunately the next few miles were somewhat easier as we headed along the Tyne towards Kielder Lake. There were a few breakaways along the way but Anna, Julie, Mark L and I made it to Kielder castle where Annie and Bernie were about to depart. A much needed tea stop and therefater the riding seemed much more comfortable and how good was it too? Excellent I reckon as even the bits I was worried about turned out to be fairly flat. By now we were 6 as the other 4 had gone on ahead and taken the more direct route, arriving in Hawick around 1 hour before us.
This year they remembered to tell us when we got into Scotland although I think then prevelance of midgies across the border gave the game away. Photo-ed up we headed on through glorious scenery towards last years route at Hermitage castle. There was time for one of those Slipstreamer shelter under trees moments from yet another shower and a cashew nut refuel before we hit the hill. Slow and steady but with more views this year. I was sure it would have been scenic last year but for the weather and this year we proved it was. A spectacular rainbow at the top of the last climb and then down, down, down into Hawick. Marvellous. Now onto our final destination - could be another late one with the later start than normal but I feel sure we will also get rain at some point during the day (just for a change). See you later Carolyn!!
Total mileage - 67 miles
Fri 23 May 2003
Top day of the tour so far. The route did everything it said on the tin (well almost) which was just as well as I was fearing a lynching if it hadn't done. Just the two steep climbs to report as promised and we had two tea shop stops so that worked out as a one to one ratio, which everyone was able to cope with. Not only that but there was the excellent High Force waterfall and the first red squirrel sighting of the trip. Only downside was the didgi failure which occurred up the top of the 2nd climb. Batteries and the cold contributed to the failure but fortunately the Co-Op in Allendale came up trumps and didgi power was restored.
We're on battery power so I'll keep it short tonight. We survived the rain by hiding in a pixie sized hole in the wall in Allenheads and by the time we got a couple of miles down the Allen valley it had stopped. Top river award though goes to the Tees. And by the way the downhills - well scary at 49.8 mph on wet roads with minimal brakes due to the rain. Heeeelllllppppp!!!!!
Total mileage 52 miles
Thurs 22 May 2003
Bike pfaff day - beginning in Ripon with Richard's broken wheel hub that left his spoke hanging out. Got a new knickname out of that to add to Pesky Imp and Urban Dwelling Troll. Now I am a camel having carried out the beast of burden role in carying Richard's tool kit to lighten his load until we reached Richmond. The only problem with that was that it meant I had to climb the big hill out of Richmond twice in one afternoon. Now, no camel should ever be subjected to such cruelty so I'm going to complain to the RSPCA!! I think my legs were also complaining to me in Richmond Castle whilst climbing up the tower - definite lactic acid attack. Going back to the bike though and we subsequently discovered that we had a broken axle problem too - just as well we were throwing that wheel away!!
The trip to Richmond was noticeable for a marked change in the scenery as we skirted the Yorkshire Dales and got some excellent views. The rain threatened all day but nothing more than light drizzle ever materialised and our sighsteeing was largely uninterrupted. We did visit the hallowed brewery in Masham where suitable homage was paid to the Theakston barrels (see the photos) and then in Richmond, Julie got to finally play her joker in the form of her English Heritage card to get into the Castle. Nice castle too and good town although the tea shop was not to the same standard to which we have become accustomed, although I couldn't fault the quiche.
Later in the day we had our final bit of sightseeing with a superb view across the River Tees to the Abbey on the outskirts of Barnard Castle. This followed the biggest ever Pooh Sticks challenge into the River Tees. More like Pooh branches actually given the size of some of the 'sticks'. We're a long way north now and the accents are changing too and it's cold so the locals are all out in the shirtsleeves. Just had fish and chips and a pint of Theakstons so life is good.
Total Mileage - 44 miles
Weds 21 May 2003
Sorry too tired, gone to bed!
A day late but a quick update on our heroic close-to-seventy mile run to Ripon via York. We began with a look at Beverley Minster and later had the opportunity to compare it to York Minster. I think that whilst York was on a grander scale, that Beverley's little carved stone figures just got the nod. It was also the day when we started to see proper rivers again. We arrived late into Ripon and were grateful for Ann's decision not to visit York so that she got to Ripon ahead of us and was able to secure the rooms for us. Thanks Annie!!
Total Mileage - 67 miles
Tue 20 May 2003
Today it was the chance to indulge another of the Slipstreamers favourite pastimes - crossing bridges. The Humber crossing definitely qualifies as the highlight of the day but the little packhorse bridge surrounded by scarecrows at West Rasen came a very close 2nd.
The wind had switched to a more westerly direction so it was tougher cycling today without the tail wind. It also got a little hillier too the further north we progressed. Counties up here are a little confusing though, as we passed from Lincolnshire into North Lincolnshire (with the plot so far) and then back into Lincolnshire again (now what's that all about?). The day began with chaos on the roads as we departed Lincoln via a steep hill. I'm not one to normally raise my voice too loudly, but the sight of several Slipstreamers stopping on a corner on a main road and on a steep uphill section did it for me. Not once, but twice did I scream 'keep going' at the offending parties. Some were too shocked to move at this unheard of level of anger while the desired effect certainly happened with Julie who ran off the road with bike in tow as though her life depended on it.
Then we took a minor path across country. Now on my map it looked like a footpath but the poor farmer was sent out by his 'haven't got a life wife' to severely reprimand us for continuing on the 50 metres across their land that took us to the road. Poor chap was rather embarassed and had a fine line to tread. I hope he's not sleeping in the dog house tonight.
Now Lincolnshire has a lot going for it but the villages are sleepy to say the least and lunch was deferred until after 30 miles had been covered due to the unavailability of any open shops that served anything remotely approaching a Slipstreamers lunch. Eventually lunch was secured at Wrawby, as the bread delivery had just arrived. Classic lunch under a tree, which came in very useful after the first shower of the day. Up until then it had been blustery but dry (you can see why there are so many windmills in this part of the world) but thereafter we had a few short showers.
Then we had the approach to the bridge and finally the crossing itself. Windy and spectacular it was too and quite similar to the Severn crossing last year. Plenty of photo pfaffing too and the then followed the long haul along the A road into Beverley.
We had a few technical pfaffs - Gary got a puncture and the tried to make it worse by using a cheese grater to roughen up the inner tube and my chain came off and lodged in the back wheel. Richard heroically helped whilst the wheel was extracted for frame and then chain but I think he went a bit too far by using his nose to do it!!(check out the picture). Finally on the way into Beverley we were accosted by a group of youngsters one of whom had heard about Noelie's reputation and felt obliged to pinch his backside - unfortunately the youngster in question was a male!!
The Friary here in Beverley is lovely and we've just enjoyed a pasta feast. Yummy. Carbo-re-loading or what. Probably needed as I think it will start to get serious from hereon in.
Total mileage - 59 miles
Mon 19 May 2003
People may think the Slipstreamers are food obsessed and they would be right!! Today's weather forecast was for more heavy showers at times, some prolonged. Fortunately whenever they occurred we managed to be in close proximity to a tea shop (more of shortly) with the one exception of the outskirts of Branston when we got in a bit of a pickle and dived into the nearest hedge or whatever else was available at the time. The RAF have obviously been following developments via the website as they sent out several AWACS planes to initially search for us and then track our location on the final stretch from the hedges into Lincoln.
Earlier in the day we had a very pleasant wind assisted first twenty miles or so - in fact we had covered 10 miles before 10 am - surely some mistake? The clouds were gathering and the didgi was still functioning but in a constant zoom mode which was not very helpful for getting photos of the 8 sail windmill at Heckington. Still as the photo page will show, better to have a dodgy didgy than no didgy at all.
Then we hit Ruskington and were all set for tea from the flasks outside the bakery when the heavens opened. Cover at Clintons helped but by the time it stopped our spirits were suitably dampened so we headed instead for the tea shop for sustenance and what a great choice that was as we nearly cleared the shop of all their cakes, bread and sandwich fillings. By the time we emerged the sun was shining and we were feeling very positive with only 15 miles to go to Lincoln.
As mentioned above, the next downpour resulted in various tangles with foliage but we arrived in Lincoln reasonably dry and set out to see the sights. No chance of a digi repair so we headed up the hill in search of tea and sustenance (again) and at 4.20 pm found a tea shop that was due to close at 4.30. The friendly owner Marie decided to stay open to feed Julie, Ann and I, but put up the closed sign. Fifteen minutes later the heavens opened and several damp looking Slipstreamers appeared at the window outside looking forlornly in. Tongues hanging out and very sad faces what more could the poor girl do but open up again to let them in for peppermint teas, cappucinos and more toasted teacakes. Surely deserving of the Slipstreamer heroine of the day award.
Time for my poetry effort:-
There was a Slipstreamer called Noelie(Thanks to Anna for the middle section)
Finally, a new record was set today - average speed of 13 mph, which breaks all previous tour records. Not bad for an urban dwelling troll or even a pesky frozen in stone imp, come to that.
Total mileage - 40 miles
Sunday 18 May
After yesterday's tired and uninspired effort (I blame it on the slow computer myself which played havoc with my punctuation), I hope that today's effort is a better read. I'm writing this with a great concern for the rest of the trip as I've now got a dodgy didgy!! Whilst trying to show The Col a particularly attractive photo of the Burridge Bird the didgy managed to smash into the cross bar and now I've got a defective zoom. Now I'll have to cycle even further ahead of the others in order to get photos for the website as it's stuck in the zoom position.
Now for the food section. We managed to try a number of new sweet things today a particularly fine fruit cake, courtesy of Gen, coconut haystacks and caramel squares. Karl was a star too and brought Mars bars and lucozade but no matter how hard we tried we did not get stopped at a level crossing so the chcocolate and banana cake remained untouched, except for Bernie's heroic rescue of it fromthe lunchtime rubbish bag.
It was great to see Karl who joined us for a stretch around the North of Peterborough from the excellent Crowland with it's especially photogenic (even with a dodgy didgi) arch until we began to head North again. Not a particularly fair stretch for him as most of it was into the strong south westerly wind. Lucky for him his rusty old bike was up to the challenge, whilst fortunately for us this was the exception rather than the rule and we had a helping breeze behind us for most of the day.
Today we've seen a lot of water, from the punting along the river in Cambridge through to the fenlands and not to mention a fair quantity that descended on us from the sky at fairly irregular intervals. Almost a record for the number of changes of clothing during the course of one day. Still the sight of cumulo-nimbus and the tell tale drop in temperature of 2-3 degrees always gave sufficient notice of impending downpours and gave sufficient time to don the necessary protection.
It was also very flat so today's max was fairly feeble and the average was impacted severely by 'Julie's shortcut'. Still, it did give some excellent photo opportunities and plenty of additional backage in the form of caked on mud. My spokes still play a musical tune despite the use of the spoke key. Perhaps it is because it's the wrong key?
Until tommorow's latest instalment on the health of the digi, hasta luego
Total mileage - 68 miles
Saturday 17 May
Kev's bit (after all it is Kev's diary!!)
Well I have finally visited Much Hadham and the search for Tone managed to find a very grand house called The Lordship or something along those lines. No mini parked outside though. The legend lives on. The M25 certainly proved to be a turning point as the cycling became more enjoyable once we had gone beyond it - possibly partly psychological but later in the day there was some glorious cycling too. Some hills but nothing that a bit of Rosie's chocolate and banana cake couldn't help overcome!! So good in fact that any opportunity to sample was taken even if it did mean failing to get across a level crossing and having to have an extra bit!! The Cup Final was exciting and definitely worth the break but Noelie was so disappointed by the result that he promptly threw himself to the ground and refused to get up again. A scary moment but hopefully no major damage done.
Dinner showed two things - Julie needs to attend a course on distinguishing fords from rainfall and the slipstreamers fame precedes us, as the diners at the next table in the restaurant already knew that we were due to arrive in Cambridge that evening. Sorry, Kev's diary was disrupted here by a technical computer pfaff, and what with deadlines and all he'll have to fix it tomorrow..
Total mileage 56 miles.
Annie's bit...
Highlight of the day: 45 miles done dusted....only 10 miles to go and feeling like a cream tea. At least we had talked about it at 40 miles when the guys went to the pub! Cycling down a lovely down hill and hear a Mr Wippy van coming up from behind. He turned the music on and stopped just as he passed me. Kids ran towards the icecream van........ Low point of the day: Annie had to quickly cycle on because everyone else was way ahead. I left Mr Wippy behind and have not seen him since.
Wednesday 14 May
Good day in London Town getting maps to Julie for copying and sleeping bags to Terry for Friday Night. Had some "fun" meetings at work so needed a physical workout and discovering that Ann was not yet home and her bike was missing (she actually cycled home the 30 miles from work and is up at 6 am to go back again tomorrow), I went out for an evening spin (no panniers) covering 15 miles in just over the hour in a highest ever average speed of 14.2 mph. Roll on Friday I reckon, when the real show begins. Could have some support on the weekend along the way too.
Saturday 10 May
The bike is back from the shop with new brake blocks, a new tyre and a much straightened front chainset to fix the damage caused by Noelie's friends, the baggage handlers. So best check it out. Ann and I did a brief 23 mile saunter that also involved checking out part of the Surrey cycle route - hopefully more plans on this soon. Bike feels good, rider still in need of some work.
Sunday 27th April
Terry did the honourable thing and captured 8 Slipstreamers on film for the website before we set off once more upwards over the North Downs. The road once we reached the top was beautiful, a delightful countryside route with a gentle downhill. As we approached the Thames estuary things did start to get a little bit more built up but we got pretty close to the Dartford Crossing before we encountered any serious traffic. The views of the bridge and motorway were good if that sort of thing is your cup of tea. The crossing itself with bikes on a police trailer and us in the 4 wheel drives accompanying it was very quick and efficiently dealt with. Even our usual pfaffing levels seemed to disperse in the face of such efficiency. Abandoned in Essex was another story. Not pleasant for a good few miles before we eventually got onto more minor roads after South Ockendon. Fortunately lunch was looming and after food Essex seemed much more manageable. In fact by now we were in Pringle territory and we had a pleasant ride to Terry's with some great views of London and some nice villages visited along the way. The sun even shone for us for a while.
So the warm up completed, tea, cake and sandwiches at Terry's and all in good time. That should give us plenty of confidence for the real thing in a couple of weeks time.
Total Mileage - 41 miles
Saturday 26th April
Now the first thing to talk about is that which we are not allowed to talk about. You see now we are 8, the three of us who took part in an exciting adventure during 2002 have been banned from mentioning said event by the other 5. So a new code is developing amongst the three with sly glances, knowing nods and hidden grins. Still one thing is constant - we've got caramel squares (yippee!!). Something else remains the same too - some rain during the course of the day. Still it's good to test out the old waterproofs (or in some cases the new ones).
We also started with a hill up out of Dover before descending into the mayhem that was Folkestone where we nearly lost one of the party in some fairly unbicycle-friendly traffic. Somewhere along the way we also had the first puncture pfaff of the trip in Capel Le Ferne - for those involved in fixing it, at an opportune moment as the rain had begun and there was some convenient cover nearby. Then followed the first real split of the sexes when we hit the seafront. The guys descended to the pebbles to do boyish things like throw stones into the sea while the girls were probably doing girly things like discussing what was happening in Eastenders. We then had a nice leisurely ride along the cycle path that was the prom (Worthing take note) on to Hythe. There we left the coast and began to climb again on a fairly direct route towards Tenterden. Good progress was being made until Col decided that his tape on the front wheel was in need of repair or his ballbearings might spray randomly across the road. There then followed plenty of technical pfaffing trying to get ballbearings where we thought they should go by Colin, Anna and I before we gave up and stuck some new tape on instead. Col was still worried with some quote expressing his concern that this wheel might not actually go round. Meanwhile we imagined the rest of the party having lunch in Tenterden. Little did we know... until the mobile phone went..that they were just a few miles up the road waiting for us. So we all ended up late for lunch and Col went off to find a bike shop, whereupon a diagnosis of a broken axle was made (so perhaps he had a point after all!!).
Anyway good lunch but due to pfaffing and repairs to be done (Gary's gear cable had also snapped and I needed some oil, which was in Colin's pannier at the bike shop) we decided to split into two parties. So Lockie went off with his harem and Gary, Col and myself headed to the bike shop. It was a longer stop than expected as Gary's gear cable took a bit of fixing due to a shredded cable the first time around and some fun getting the nipple on!! Anyway we did get there in the end and set off in swift pursuit of the other party (after all they had the caramel squares). Cranbrook looked a nice place but it's windmill was unfortunately covered in scaffolding. We then hit a nice flat area (the Medway flood plain) and made good progress eventually arriving in East Peckham in need of tea and caramel squares. Luckily the others hadn't yet left so our wish was granted.
It was then a mostly uphill slog towards Kemsing and by this stage of the day tiredness was definitely a factor as we closed in on 70 miles. Not the time really to find that the Youth Hostel was not where we thought it was. Still we knew Kemsing pretty well by the time we eventually got there, safely over 70 miles. Good to see Terry and Rosie but probably not for them as most of us were on our last legs by the time we hit the pub.
Total Mileage - 71 miles
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Slipstreamers 2003 Email : admin@slipstreamers.info |
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