The end is in sight...

I can hardly believe that I've almost done it, but with 116 miles riding to go today and tomorrow and no more big hills (we did the last of the 'Big 4' yesterday) we're definitely on the homeward stretch! This time tomorrow we'll be donning lycra for our last ride and heading off from Tongue ... I do hope that we can finish in decent weather.

I've woken early this morning and been reflecting on the last 3 weeks - is it only 3? It feels like so much longer. We've travelled through the change of seasons which has somehow stretched it in my mind, seems so long since we were cycling all the way from Cornwall up to Lancashire in short sleeved tops with no jackets! And since then have had 'weather' ... although whilst we have had rain and cold we've been very very lucky - some trips cycle in rain every day .....  For the last 3 weeks my daily routine has been so simple -

Get up at 7am, Breakfast at 8am, Briefing after breakfast. Leave bags at reception. Cycle. Arrive at new destination, Shower/Bath, catch up with emails (if there's wifi), wash clothes, dinner, sleep.

Repeat.

The only variation has been the scenery along the way ... some days finish with a beaming smile feeling like it's been a breeze, some with a smile of relief that the hills have finished (for that day at least!). Yet every day has finished with a feeling of delight .... even on the hardest days there's been such beauty and scenery to wonder at.  I have to commend Bike Adventures for the route they've set, I know that Dad questioned it and he felt that it took in more hills than necessary - which it does, but it does so to keep us off main roads and i have to agree with their choices.  It's only Scotland that has had us cycling on busy routes (through the highlands where there is little other choice) and it prompted me to realise how lucky we were to spend most of the trip on quiet traffic free lanes.

So my first cycling adventure is coming to and end .... Dad has been so much in my mind as i've done it. I still remember my reaction when he suggested that we did it together - i totally ridiculed the idea! Oh how i wish we could re-write history. I would have loved to do this with him, or even talk to him about it and share stories! That's the thing i've longed for most... to chat to him about how he found it.

Way back in Cornwall, on the long tough day that i thought would never end, Geoff told me that at John O'Groats there's a book that people who have done the 'End to End' can sign. Since then i've been looking forward to finding out what Dad wrote in it back in 2007.

I do hope he signed it.

So with that it's time to get up and have breakfast and for the penultimate time clothe myself in more Lycra than is good for anyone - get on the bike and pedal...   you'll hear more of me later.

Have lovely days xxx

... Flower of Scotland!

So here I am - in Scotland and it was a lovely (if slightly dull!) ride from Armathwaite to Moffat ... we crossed the border after 25miles and found that the wind (as ever a headwind!) had blown the sign over!!! .... so a quick krypton factor'esque moment of putting it back together and the 'welcome' that Bike Adventures had put up was back in place...

But .. before we got to Scotland 'Bradley' had a little TLC,  over the last weeks the gears have not been happy and the cables needed replacing... so rather than spending the day off trundling around the Borders finding somewhere to sort things out when we passed through Longtown in Cumbria, just before crossing the border I popped into Bike Seven where Shane gave Bradley some much needed attention... new gear cables, wheel bearings tightened.... brakes checked ... and discovery of wildlife being carried!!! I'd picked up a worm who was nestled on the back brake callipers!!! Big thumbs up all round - thank you Shane! 

So we entered Scotland feeling buoyant - and with warm feet as i've finally succumbed to buying some overshoes... and not just any old overshoes... but 'disco' over shoes! ... passing through Ecclefechan, Lockerbie and across the hills... group dinner to celebrate getting thus far ... and we bade a fond farewell to lovely Geoff who has had to leave us to go home ... a new 'sweeper' will be joining us tomorrow... 

Can he possibly be as nice as Geoff?! 

Anyway it's good to be in Scotland but no early celebrations yet - we still have 438 miles to go - and lets face it, Scotland's not known for being flat!! I've had a lovely rest day catching up with old friends ... and revelling in that delicious feeling of 'picking up again' ... where oh where did those decades go?! 

I have to be honest - the last few days have been really emotional ... coming up through Lancashire, Yorkshire & Cumbria left me aching to chat to Dad.  Maybe because the weather and the hills were tough - maybe because they are areas that Dad was very fond of...  maybe i was tired and emotional! I had a lot of time to think whilst i was cycling ... it was a good thing, but quite unexpected. I so wish i could compare notes with him ... 

So back in the saddle tomorrow... Come on Bradley - only 438 miles to go!!! Let's turn the red line black!!! 

xxxx

Mass photo fest ....

Will try to get them in order!

This was at 7pm ... with a few uphill miles to go on Monday .... the 'bad' day ..... but i was so happy to have left Cornwall!!! 

The last slog home on Monday night ... dusk fell and it was all about determination... 

Tuesday morning ... after a 7 mile slog uphill from Tavistock ... finally made it into Dartmoor...

Typical Dartmoor... heavy mist hung... just after this photo the Bentley roared past! 

 It wasn't long before the mist lifted and the blue skies reigned! 

From Left to Right - Geoff, Emma, James 

 They weren't wrong when they said animals in the road!!! 

For a brief happy moment i thought i'd made it to Scotland!!! 

 Crossing the River Ex - the locals were having some fun! 

 I never imagined i'd whoop with joy to see a 'The Midlands sign' suddenly it felt like we were making progress!!

 Leaving Devon & Arriving in Somerset.... there wasn't a sign ... so we improvised (James, Emma, Mike) Getting into Somerset felt like cause for celebration 'cause everyone says - "Cornwall & Devon are the hardest bit"

And so far... it's true  ... without a doubt! 

 

 Morning coffee in Somerset ... cyclists galore!! 

 The reason that going up hills is a good thing! 

 Happy times... at the top of the Quantocks... downhill all the way to the Somerset Levels... the first day that felt good! 

                            

James & Emma
                            
 Mike & Geoff

Ahhhh the view i have most of the time!!! 

 Or this! 

 

House-dreaming as we cycle through somerset! 

 It's true - the levels are level!