Girls on Cogs

Cyclists: Emma, Hels, Dan, Stav, Mat, Anna, Charlie

Estimated miles: 110
Estimated arrival time: 6.30 pm

Actual miles: 113
Actual arrival time: 10pm

Average speed: 10.7 mph

New bikes 2: Em’s sparkly new Trek, Charlie’s Dawes Galaxy
Mountain bikes: 1 Dan – but he did have a fetching BMX helmet to complement

Weather: Cold, wet and very windy….
Numbness rating: 5/7….all hands and feet at some point (except Mat and Anna – well preprared with new neoprene overshoes)

Route:  Leicester A5199 to Creaton, cross country through Sywell, to A509 at Wilby to Bozeat.  Small roads through Harrold to Bedford,  A600 though Shefford, Stotfold, Baldock, Buntingford, A10 to Harlow, A414 in dark to North Weald.

We were setting off in 3 groups and planned to meet up at the destination point, North Wealde, Essex. Em, Dan and myself were cycling together, and met at 8am to start Day 1. It was cold, and windy and threatening to rain, and I was running at about half-lung capacity and wheezing well. Obviously it was not an option to be too ill to cycle to Paris, so popping lemsip capsules and puffing away on an inhaler, we set off out of Leicester on the A5199…..Em and Dan cheerfully optimistic and me feeling like I should still be in my sickbed. Ohhh well…it’s only just over 100 miles today….

It wasn’t long before we all had numb hands and feet with the cold, so after around 25 miles, we treated ourselves to a hot chocolate in Harold. We saw Stav and Charlie briefly in Harold (and they had set off around 9.30….) After several more miles in the cold, blustery wind, we had our sandwiches in Baldock with 5 minutes of sunshine. We were running a little behind our time schedule and had heard Mat and Anna were near Beford. We needed to crack on so back on the bikes along the A507 through Buntingford, and a short stretch along the A10, a fast, horrible dual carriageway towards Harlow. It was now around 7.30 pm and only a few miles to North Wealde. With fading light, we seemed to take ages making our way to North Wealde, much checking of the map and stopping for dextrose tablets! Finally we arrived at the Little Chef to meet our friends, and snaffle a plate of fish and chips, thanks to the exceptionally cheerful, uber helpful staff member, who seemed very happy to serve us a few minutes after the official closing time! Thanks to Phil, Jo, Sharyn and Mike who had come to meet us and offer encouragement on the first gruelling day and persuade the Little Chef to cook us some food.

All still smiling, although there was mention of a ‘little train’ option for tomorrow….

21st March 2010

Well the Easter cycling trip from Leicester to Paris somehow is fast approaching….. 2 weeks to be precise and I have done zero training!!! I think the fear factor has gone since Hels and I completed the LEJOG trip.
Although Hels and I have both cycled throughout the winter months to and from work and we have had some harsh weather.
The other issue, is my continuous drama with optaining a new bike. After last years disaster with Ribble Cycles delivering the wrong bike 2 days before LEJOG and having to borrow a bike, I decided to go with the bike to work scheme. I ordered the bike last week only to find out the delivery date for it is in 3 weeks time. So I have now ordered the TREK 1.5 instead of the 1.2 at an extra £150. There does not seem to be a lot of difference, although I did prefer the colour of the 1.5. I did not want to be a complete ‘girl’ and order it for that reason, so I am secretly pleased!
Anyway back to the bike ride. Mat, Stav , Charlie and I headed out of Leicester through Victoria Park and London Road. Then towards Stoughton and Tilton on The Hill. From there we headed for Oakam, up and down some big hills. Not enjoying my heavy hybrid, especially alongside (or far behind) Mat and Stav on their roads bikes. Although Charlie seemed to be coping on his mountain bike, he did walk up a few hills (sorry Charlie!).
Arrived in Oakham and bought lunch and decided to head for Rutland Water…. another big hill!
We had a quick whiz round Rutland Water which can only be described as ‘very pleasant’. We then headed back to Oakham for a quick half pint in the Grainstore.
Made it home in the dark and managed 60 ish miles.
Mmm can’t imagine doing many more miles………
Hope that bike arrives!

Day 3:  Tuesday 23^rd March 2010,   Parkhead Station to Tynemouth

Miles completed: 40

Elevation profile:  All downhill!

Weather forecast:  The best so far

Having completed all the remaining climbs before Parkhead, we had a gentle 40 miles ahead of us to the coast, all downhills or flats.  Lovelely!  It was Annie’s birthday today, so we tied some balloons to her bike before setting out over the moors towards Consett, passing steel sculptures dotted along the way in parks, housing estates and on the roadside.  We took Hadrian’s way along the Tyne through Newcastle, all impressed with the route through Newcastle centre, the buildings and bridges lining the route.   We followed the path beside the Tyne, past some nice harbours, some industrial bits and on to  Tynemouth – our final destination.  We had our photo at the signpost, and then headed to Quayside for some beautiful fish and chips.

We had all made it – even enjoyed it (despite some misgivings before the trip),  and beaten the weather!

Happy Birthday Annie  – the coast to coast achieved for your 50^th birthday!

Day 2:  Monday 22^nd March 2010,   Gamblesby to Parkhead Station

Miles completed: 32

Elevation profile:  Best not looked at too closely!

Highest points: Hartside (1903 feet before breakfast!), Nenthead, Allenheads, Rookhope, Parkhead

Weather forecast:  Awful – but improved over previous 2 days from  ‘heavy rain all day’, to showers during the day’ to ‘a band of rain around lunchtime’

The consensus was that as long as it was dry in the morning – we’d give day 2 a go!  Having completed a few extra miles on the first day, we were aiming to tackle all the hills in day 2, in around 30 miles and avoid too much rain if we were lucky.

We had a grey, but dry start from Gamblesby, launching straight into a long, steep ascent up Hartside, but on the promise of a big cooked breakfast at the Hartside café on top!  Having rewarded our climb with eggs, bacon, sausage and much coffee, we felt more able to face the rest of the hard climbs ahead. It was very blustery so no great speeds achieved on the descents, but at least there were some tail-wind gusts giving us the odd push up the climbs.  It was getting very cold though with blustery showers so we planned to stop in Allenheads for some hot refreshments.  Very disappointingly, nothing was open – the visitor centre had a sheltered bench in a porchway, but we were too early for the easter opening.  Sadly, it was a short stop for water, dried mango and flapjacks only.  Boooooo!

Rookhope was a few miles further down the very drizzly road, but as we came into the Village there were lights on at the Rookhope Inn!  Hurrah!   We had pots of hot tea and coffee, a beautiful hot beef baguette and a little warm by the woodfire.  From here, our options to reach the B&B at Parkhead station were around 7 miles along the busy and steep road, or about 5 miles up the rough track across the moor.  We took the moor option – we had to push our bikes up the rocky path and around some quite deep patches of snow, but it was a beautiful route across the moors and the sun was shining.

We spent the night at the renovated and only recently un-snowbounded Parkhead Station, situated in a lovely, but remote spot on the moors.  The owners were very friendly and accommodating and it was a very pleasant evening.

Day 1:  Sunday 21^st March 2010,   Whitehaven to Gamblesby

Miles expected:  40

Miles completed: 63

Punctures: 2 (both H)

Broken frames: 1

Terror rating:  quite high!

C2C challengers:  Annie (the organiser), Debbie (my cousin), Quentin (Debbie’s husband), and of course myself.  For the first day we were also joined by Annie’s son Charlie and Annie’s friend Sue (the proper keen cyclist).

Day 1 saw a group of ethusiastic (well maybe 1 enthusiastic, 1 terrified and the others somewhere in between) individuals ready to embark on the C2C challenge.  Obviously we had all been training very hard for this 3-day cycle route totalling 135 miles – Debbie had done 20 miles in the past week, Quentin 10  miles, and I’d cycled to the pub and back on Friday.  Annie I think had also clocked up a few miles.  So all feeling confident and well prepared!

We arrived into sunny Whitehaven around 10.00am, dipped our tyres in the sea, took some obligatory photos and set off on the C2C bike path.  Almost immediately, Sue discovered her bike was broken – the back fork had rusted through completely – nightmare!! It was quickly taped up and we were back under way.  Then I had a puncture, so after a quick replacement inner tube, we broke a match (to complete the run of 3 things, superstitiously speaking)  and tried again.  We had completed 2.5 miles in around 30 minutes – excellent!!

We followed the path climbing up through Cleator Moor, Kirkland, Lamplugh, Loweswater and High Lorton (great views along the way),  and past Derwent Water to Keswick for a lovely and soup and sandwich lunch at the Theatre Café.  After an hour or so, we were back on the path heading towards Annie’s place at Greystoke, where she runs Quirky workshops and a cycle café – What a brilliant place to have a hot drink and a flapjack!  We still had over an hour of light, so we pushed on towards Gamblesby, a mere 63 miles from the start.

So for 2010, a trip to Paris seems a good idea. Normally, this would be a London-Paris cycle trip, but since we live in Leicester, well we may as well start from Leicester instead…the extra 100 miles could be fun!!

Having rounded up 7 interested cyclists for the trip over Easter, we set about booking the ferry, some cheap accommodation and the Eurostar for return. Top tip: book early for Eurostar, those that left it til 2 months before the trip paid twice as much.

So all that’s left now is a bit of training, as we go in about 2 weeks time….we’ve had a harsh start to 2010 weather wise, some very boozy weekends, (obviously not Helen!) and not enough light for evening rides so who’ll manage to get some training in first?!!!

Well the girls on cogs have been to Cyprus and a very different one from the last. Along with 3 other friends Caroline, Stav and Rich we headed to Paphos in Southern Cyprus. Rather than the early starts and the driving rain, we got up late, lazed on the balcony looking out over the sea and read books, whilst soaking up the gorgeous weather. Only getting dressed to go out for lunch or move to the pool. We managed a bit of sightseeing and of course a few nights out!

Although I suspect Hels and I are both missing the cycling still! Sadly I had to return the lovely borrowed road bike (big thanks to Jude), so its back to the heavy mountain bike and the only cycling either of us have done is to and from work! and it is now quite dark in the morning when I head out and the temptation to take the car is very strong!

Oh well, we have been plotting again and decided London to Paris next Easter is on the cards.

So it was another sunny Tuesday for cycling and we headed out on a similar route to last week. Well it had worked well, we could do some fast miles and no-one could come up with another suggestion. I think Em also wanted to enjoy a faster run on the borrowed road bike and not get burned off by the boys!

After a few arguments about who would lead our peloton (loosely speaking as there were only 4 of us!), we headed out through Anstey, Rothley, Cossington, and up to Hoby. Having completed around 20 miles we found a pub with a beer garden and a menu that suited Mat (a creamy rabbit casserole), we chose our food and sat outside while the sun set. Lots of discussions about the politics and the future of certain cycle shops in Leicester, broadsheets and the internet, not too much beer for me (I’d been indulging heavily at Leicester’s Summer Sundae festival over the weekend) and then back on the bikes through Syston, Thurmaston and arrived in Leicester before 11! Just over 30 miles in total, and no sugar crashes this week!

So we’ve been back 2 weeks and despite out tolerance for rain whilst on LEJOG we have not been tempted out on a Tuesday night. Both Hels and I have been cycling to work as usual but nothing else, but both agreed we are really missing the cycling.

Anyway the sun was shining last night and it felt great to be back on Jude’s bike (which I still haven’t returned!). I have been back on my very heavy hybrid to work everyday and its been hard work by comparison. So Stav, Hels and I headed out of Leicester via Beaumount Leys, Thurcaston, Rothley, Quorn,  Six Hills and Seagrave. Bit of a nightmare getting out of Leicester, which seems to be a fairly regular problem. We all seem to have a mental block how to get out of town? We were all at cross purposes where we were going so kept loosing each other.

Finally on the open road and I had a massive blood sugar crash despite my massive piece of cake before heading out the door. Had some Lucozade and headed off again. Weather was lovely and there were quite a few other cyclist out. Finally reached Six Hills and I had another blood sugar crash and felt terrible. Luckily I bought 2 bottles of lucozade. Headed to Seagrave for much needed pie and chips. That finally sorted out my nutritional needs and we had a really good blast home. I think even Stav thought we held are own!!!

Miles: 35 ish – Hels had the computer

Destination: Helmsdale – John O’Groats

Daily miles: 59

Total Miles: 1035!!!

Average speed: 10.4

Weather:  Horrendous…nice to have wet and wind to finish as well as start….

So, after a big bowl of porridge (following a few beers the previous night to celebrate almost reaching our final destination with a couple of other end-enders, and Emma having to wrestle the small bottle of whiskey we had purchased from me in the early hours….) we set off up the big hill.  We had been told the hill was 9 miles long, in fact it was only 4, followed by a little downhill, then a further 2 miles uphill.  Weather had started nice and sunny, but quickly deteriorated to the point we had to stop in a bus shelter as we couldn’t see where we were going.  We were cycling in literally rivers of water flowing down the side roads and creating waves!  I particularly enjoyed the speeding car that didn’t slow down through the lake at the bottom of the hill, completely covering me.  Emma helpfully said that ‘well, we couldn’t be any wetter!’  We had originally planned a route passing Dunnet Head as the most northerly point, however due to the very poor weather and the extra 15 miles this would add, we aborted this idea in favour of reaching JOG as quickly as possible.

We had to stop for coffee and a cake (and had lots of congratulations from the old people on the bus at the coffee shop). We had to ask the shop assistant to mop the floor after us for fear that a little old person might slip in the pool of water left around our seats.  It was slow progress up to Wick, battling against both wind and rain, and we decided to have a nice warm lunch here until the rain subsided a little…gutted to see two lads we had met in the Castle had already finished and were looking nice and dry on their way home…

It was only 17 miles from Wick, so we bought our pasta dinner and a bottle of wine.  We were approached by some young lads who had heard about us in the pubs (?!) and were about to embark on the end-end from John O’Groats – advised them bivvying was very brave in the current climate!! and so we set off for the final leg.  The weather had dried up a little and we bounced along to John O’Groats, heading to the lighthouse at Duncansby Head as the most NE point.  We took some photos here, holding our bikes like trophies above our heads, then headed to the sign-post at JOG. It was now after 5pm, so the official sign where you have to pay to have your photo taken, had been taken down (very mean we thought!) So, the final photo had to be taken outside the first and last gift shop! 

We made it!! and had a really good time (despite the weather), we didn’t fall out and still had stuff to talk about .

Many thanks to everyone who has supported us along the way, it really did keep us going.

Hels and Em xx