Reentering the blogosphere

I've decided to start sharing again. Don't know if anyone will notice, but here goes. Jimbo and myself started this when we were doing the c2c a couple of years ago. We have been talking about a followup escapade but so far its not got past talking, fancy the west highland way, unfortunately its not looking likely for May now, as work and illness have been conspiring to keep me off the bike.
Managed to get myself out this morning on a beautiful crisp winters day. Rode over past jack and Jill to the beacon and down through some of BrightonMTB.org's twiddly bits over Stanmer way and home.
Lovely ride, ground firm undertyre only small patches of ice on the road. I didn't even mind my chain exploding, easily fixed and on my way again, got to love a speedlink. Brighton and Hove deaf and dumb ramblers were out in force though, at least that's my assumption as to why they don't return a friendly 'hello, beautiful day' greeting. It's not like I was hurtling past at light speed crashing them out of the way. Actually come to think they probably would say something then! It's not like I'm asking personal questions or looking for lifelong companionship. Perhaps I expect too much.
The first few miles on the road should be the easy bit, right? Just to get warmed up, but I'm sure I go faster when I get off the black stuff. Tarmac sucks I'm sure of it. Maybe I need a road bike to understand. Maybe ignorance is bliss.
Better stop ignoring the kids mi suppose. TTFN.

unbelievable

We manage all that coast to coast business and then after a lovely post-work blast over holmbury hill in Surrey I manage to successfully lock my keys in the car. I managed to pack everything in the car first. Except my phone and wallet fortunately. I can see the key and my fleece. So here I am sat on a log, wrapped in Ollie's blanket waiting for the recovery company to turn up and save me. They said 60 minutes 55 minutes ago. Stil its not actually dark yet and its too remote for street lights.
I don't hear banjos yet.

Routes and Pictures

This will show you each days route with photo's attached where they were taken (hopefully).

Day 1 - St Bees to Ambleside
Day 2 - Ambleside to Kirkby Stephen
Day 3 - Kirkby Stephen to Grinton
Day 4 - Grinton to Osmotherley
Day 5 - Osmotherley to Glaisdale
Day 6 - Glaisdale to Robin Hoods Bay

This is the photo album, which is also geotagged.
http://picasaweb.google.com/pnik69/C2C02#

Jumbled Memories

Click to make it biggerer

Epi-blog

Some numbers

202 miles
24,461 vertical feet of climbing
32 hours and 6 minutes out with the bikes
Maximum speed 38.6mph
Average speed 6.7mph

But it's not about the numbers it was always about taking a week out of life to 'just do it' instead of wondering what it would be like. Being 40 was an excuse to take on a challenge, it was one hell of a challenge too. Whilst we were out cycling Sir Ranulph Fiennes conquered Everest on his 3rd attempt, I know its not the same but I felt close to my limit at times, and I felt alive too. The varied beauty of the English countryside not to mention the hilliness of it!

I got blisters from walking in cycling shoes, cold feet from wading through rivers carrying our bikes, wet everything from going over the handlebars and landing face down in a bog. But I was mainly smiling even at the time, the sheer daftness of it.

Another aspect I wasn't expecting was the people we met out on the trails and in the Hostels, the 2 guys that ran Wainwright's route in 6 days! The 2 couples from from Surrey who did a version on road bikes. The tirelessly chatty lady who walked it in 3 weeks with a husband who appeared not to speak, ever!

What next? hmmm still thinking about that.

What a trip!

Over the last week, we traveled across an amazing range of countryside, scrambled up some astonishing hills, looked over miles of land from what felt like the top of the world. We waded knee deep across streams with bikes overhead, literally dragged ourselves out of peat bogs. Mad descents down what were effectively riverbeds. There were some picture postcard vistas rolling along the dales, millions of sheep and some interesting people met along the way.

With Nik's intricate planning and his 'thing' for maps, it all worked. Yes it did! The extra layer of mapping software and our GPS units, meant that we were able to move along, knowing that, yes, there really should be a bridleway across this this sodden moor. The helpful beep from the handlebars when we shot past our turning again. Thankyou Nik.

Our packhorse for the week was Nik's wife, Karen. The car, I am sure will never smell the same. Planned lunch stops in the middle of nowhere, water refills, cheese rolls & Soreen. Thankyou Karen

There will be an accumulation of C2C photos from the various cameras and phones. Nik is considering working his technology magic & doing something with actual route & photos. Watch this space.

James. Sitting on a comfy chair, with nowhere to ride to, bike in bits.

PS., oh yes, NO PUNCTURES!

We made it! 202 miles later.

We rolled into Robin Hoods Bay at 2pm, James mashed his gears 4 miles from the end and finished with one gear. More later.