Good Luck Andy, see you Thursday with my fresh legs 😆

Good luck!

Hi WVCC, just dropping you an update - having a fantastic time. Day 1 Cornwall very enjoyable, Day 2 Devon a killer with all the climbs and it rained all afternoon. Just completed Day 3 from Halse, near Taunton up to Tintern in Wales and it's been absolutely fabulous. It's also helped that I was first in of 7 experienced riders, so I'm feeling over the moon. Climbed the Quantocks (v hard) but the drop down onto the Somerset levels was approx 2 miles of gradual decent at 37mph. Sped over the levels and then climbed Cheddar Gorge (awesome). Skirted Bristol on an old railway line and then crossed the Severn bridge with the wind blowing like mad; again a truly memorable experience. Climbed up to Chepstow and up beyond the racecourse and then finally a three mile decent into Tintern. Absolutely fantastic day!

Way to go Andy - the toughest bit should now be behind you, like the wind by the sounds of it.

Overdid it Tuesday and felt shattered all day today. Scenery was great though. WVCC territory tomorrow - I'll be wearing club strip!

Hello Andy
I'm sure you'll find the coming experience very rewarding. When eating an Elephant, one bite at a time.
I hope all goes to plan.
Jed

Hard day today. Heavy rain all morning and strong headwinds and climbs in afternoon. Arrived Charnock Richard very tired at 5.45 after setting out from Ironbridge just after 8.

Great to be accompanied by a WVCC buddy today. Craig picked us up at Market Drayton and cycled with us to Bucklow Hill. Thanks for your company Craig.

1 more day to Penrith before I get a rest day. Looking forward to the day off.

And big thanks to Craig for help and advice when I had some front mech problems - all sorted thanks to his advice!

Good man. Keep at it.

Was good to meet up with you on Thursday, glad I did not let the weather put me off.

Pleased to see you are in good spirits, you are cycling with a good bunch of lads, excellent banter all day.

Enjoy the rest day on Saturday, look forward to reading your twitter account of events 😀

Big debt of gratitude again to Winsford Dave for the revised ride yesterday through Preston to Penrith. A bloomin' hard day as it was but all the better for being 2,500 ft less climb.

Andy
just glad to be able to help with local knowledge - I really felt for you guys over the last couple of days and hope you are sleeping better Andy & the legs are enjoying a day off!! Also hope John is able to rest his knee.
If the legs are still feeling sore are you able to get some embrocation and have a good massage at the end of each day? just a thought.

Keep going, you are doing really well
all the best

This week in Scotland has been tough. Long days in saddle and long steady climbs with no relief fror my knees. Some of the guys have got fitter over the 11 days but I'm getting worse as my knees start to pack in. Tuesday was the start of my problems, up over Glencoe - fabulous scenery. Then yesterday the guys who plotted the route had mistakenly put us on a cycle route along Loch Lochy / Loch Ness that turned out to be fit for only mountain bikes. By the time we retraced our steps and rode out to the A82 then into Tain via the A9 it ended up a 110 mile day!

But this morning should be simpler; just 85 miles along the A9 into John O'Groats. It's been a fabulous experience and the bike has been brilliant. I've had great days (Somerset, leading the pack in) and bad days (limping in an hour later than everyone else to Fort William) but it's all been fantastic. On reflection, the most enjoyable riding was down in the country lanes and villages of the West Country with pubs and Inns around every corner. Scotland is beautiful but the roads are longer, wider and a tad boring to ride. Worse still, the Tarmac in Scotland is the worst I've ever riden - often just bitumen with a course shingle topping; the shakes this induces run through your wrists, shoulders and bum. Exhausting. And the best, most carpet like Tarmac - that was all down in the West Country with very few pot holes.

So, in less than 2 hours I set off and then that's it, done, mission accomplished. Forgive me if you don't see me at Sundays club run but my legs are a bit tired. Hope to see you all the following week.

Cheers Andy

Fantastic effort Andy. Wise move not going on the track up the side of Loch Lochy. I did a mountain bike race on that years ago.

Hope to see you soon when you have recovered. Hope it goes well today