Matt's JOGLE 2008

Day 11 Okehampton to Lands End

2008-08-11T02:37:00.001-07:00

Day 11 Okehampton to Lands End
On any normal day I wouldn't be out on my bike. Weather better than yesterday but still windy which is worse than rainy when cycling. Looking abel I can't believe I managed more than 5 miles yesterday. The going was hard because of the hills which in some ways are worse than in Scotland or Cumbria. Lower but much steeper. I figured I would have to ride 100 miles to the finish but of course it was a bit further. My body seemed to be protesting to what I was doing to it and all sorts of aches and pains were developing to make riding very uncomfortable. The afternoon seemed to go on for ever but eventually I reached Penzance and the home straight. 11 miles to go and it was getting dark. The signposts seemed to be contradicting themselves about the miles left and it was 6 miles to go forever. Even this point the thought crossed my mind to finish in the morning but I pushed on and crossed the line at 9.15 where Alice greeted me with a party popper and a can of lager.
Finished. Not sure exactly but must have ridden almost 1,100 miles in 11 days. Will to the maths when brain has started working again. Now for a quick sleep and then the ride back to London ;-)
114 miles
Av 13.4mph
Tis 8h26m

Day 10 Wookie Hold to Oakhampton Really

2008-08-09T14:05:00.001-07:00

Day 10 Wookie Hold to Oakhampton
Really bad.
It started raining as soon as I got up and I was soaked through and cold by the time I had packed up the tent. Took some short cuts to save some time but the rain and wind got worse and worse as I went on. It got a bit frightening at times because the wind was blowing me across the road and it was hard to see with all the rain. Eventually I had to give up as I was worried that the busy Devonshire weekend traffic couldn't see me even with ties dog lights on. Yet more nice old ladies insisted on refusing payment for my lasagne at lunchtime which was the only good part of the day. Hotel's nice though too I suppose. Big day tomorrow if I'm going to finish.
Miles 85
TIS 6h15m
Av 13.6 mph
Sorry no pics

Day 9 Leominster to Wookie Hole, nr Well

2008-08-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

Day 9 Leominster to Wookie Hole, nr Wells (no star wars jokes please)
Funny how this works. Day 8 was horrid but today was great. Felt much better and although it was still tough I felt in better spirits. Net a couple of guys on a three day tour and rode with them to the Severn Bridge. Time flew by once distracted from own thoughts and staring at the bike computer. Didn't rain all day and was warm but not too hot so good cycling weather and nice to camp in a dry field too. A nice family made me a cup of tea when I arrived, I obviously looked a bit of a state, and I chatted to them for a bit. Definitely going to be 11 days as I still have just over 200 miles to go. Miles 116
Avs 14.2
Tis 8h6m
Nipped in for quick cup of tea with Pat on route

Day 8 Nantwich to Leominster. Fantastic

2008-08-07T13:35:00.001-07:00

Day 8 Nantwich to Leominster.
Fantastic morning and beautiful weather. Felt like a proper English summer day. Sometimi happened after lunch and I felt really tired. It started raining again and I was really struggling. May have been not enough food or drink. Cyclists call it 'bonking' and it's not very nice. I tried to grind out a few more miles and managed 90 before finding a hotel. Plan is to eat and sleep as much as possible. I've done 800 miles and Should only have 230 left according to the schedule. However, there are footnotes to the route that say milage may differ as the notes have evolved over time. I reckon I have 312 left. This has almost certainly messed up my plan to do it in 10 days. 11 looks more likely unless I can figure out some shortcuts or ride further than I ever have on two consecutive days. We'll see. To help things I think I have 2 cold and the palms of my hands have lost all feeling. All good fun though.
Ironbridge-18th century iron bridge (sorry, no other pics today)

Day 7 Inglestone to Nantwich Didn't set

2008-08-06T15:49:00.001-07:00

Day 7 Inglestone to Nantwich
Didn't set off until 10. Started raining immediately and didn't stop all day. Warm too so had to decide whether to stay dry and overheat or get soaked through. In the end I seemed to get soaked and boiled. Not a very scenic day. Found a way around the hills that I dodged last night (they started at 17%) and had to navigate through Preston and south. Lots of stopping to check map which means it's hard to get in to a rhythm. Again had to call on Alice to find me a room as I couldn't face putting up the tent in the rain and everything still being wet tomorrow. Felt good though and still quite cheery. Curry for tea again!
111 miles
14.9 mph
7h27m
Small dead frog dried to my bike.

Day 6 Langholm to Inglestone Got an earl

2008-08-06T15:16:00.001-07:00

Day 6 Langholm to Inglestone
Got an early start, hoping to get some extra miles in. Was in England after 9 miles. Got 50 in by lunch and awarded myself a long pub lunch. Couldn't stop laughing at the old couple next to me having the 'put your hearing aid in'. 'sorry, I can't hear you' conversation over and over again. I think they noticed. Hit a big hurdle just as I was hoping to push over 100 in the form me 30 miles me remote hills. It was wet, cold and getting dark so I got Alice to rescue me and book me b&b while I backtracked 5 miles. Bit depressing but b&b was great. Felt like I made progress though today having left Scotland and passed through Cumbria, Yorkshire and in to Lancs.
101 miles
13.5mph
7h35

Day 5 Kinross to Langholm Comfort of hot

2008-08-04T14:07:00.001-07:00

Day 5 Kinross to Langholm
Comfort of hotel meant I didn't leave until 10 after loads of the best porridge ever. Good weather today and a nice ride to and over the Firth bridge to Edinburgh. Getting out of town was a rain and slowed me down loads. But once I got off the A roads i had the best 45 miles or so me the trip so far. Was even enjoying the hills for once. Campsite is a bit weird as only me and one other tent here bus it's nice and quiet apart from a stream just outside my front door. Bit worried that i'm still in Scotland after 5 days although I'm only a few miles from the border. Up early tomorrow to try and put a dent in the miles. Still feeling pretty good despite the now obvious mistake vibr was last night's curry.
Miles 106
Tis 7h30
Av 14.1 mph

Day 4 Brechin to Kinross Felt really str

2008-08-03T16:22:00.001-07:00

Day 4 Brechin to Kinross
Felt really strong today. The sun was out and after yesterday I was really enjoying myself again. The hills were present as always but nowhere near as bad. It started raining in the afternoon. Really raining. Proper 100 mile an hour vertical jets rebounding a foot back into the air off the road. Hid in a bus shelter and luckily it faded after 30 mins.
All ok thereafter and I felt good for an extra few miles. Edinburgh was in the way though and so had to stop as few campsites about and, with the festival on, little chance of a room. The last campsite before E was Kinross but when I got there it turned out to be a bit on the frightening side. All dilapidated static caravans and no people at all. I headed in to town and scored a really nice room with clean towels and tv and tea and biscuits and everything! I got a bit overexcited about the luxury and the girl that showed me to the room obviously thought I was a nutter. I've spent most ot the 400 and a bit miles I've ridden thinking about eating curry. The Kinross Raj Mahal got me even more excited. I'd be surprised if they'll ever let me back after I nearly choked on my onion bhaji and coughed it half way across the room.
99.93 miles Tis 6h52m Av 14.5mph Hairdresser's window in Firth.

Day 3 Ringorm to Brechin Woke up late an

2008-08-03T15:47:00.001-07:00

Day 3 Ringorm to Brechin
Apologies to Ringorm.You're not named after my least favourite parasite after all. Easy to misread things when tired. Today I thought local news said '300 scouts suffer drink related death a week.' It was 'Scots though'. Woke up late and didn't set off until 10am. Felt worryingly rough after 20 miles and the whole day was a bit of a blur. I do remember the hills though. I struggled to keep my front wheel on the ground when the gradient sign warned of 12%. Then it went to14%. Coming down was almost as hard. Bottled it every time I hit 50mph and when the brakes started smoking I had to pour water on then to cool them off. Eventually managed a decent days miles. Steak dinner was a plus. Boggy campsite a minus.
95.5 miles
Av 13.9mph
Was tempted to stop here after 10 miles. Luckily it was closed.

Day 2 Lairg to Ringworm Wet. I was woken

2008-08-01T14:09:00.001-07:00

Day 2 Lairg to Ringworm
Wet. I was woken by ducks outside my tent and was soaked through by the time I packed up. I didn't think it would ever stop and it made the going hard. Stopped at a church cafe where am old lady gave me a towel down. Probably to stop me dripping everywhere. I resigned myself to completing only 70 miles but then the sun came out and I felt uplifted enough to keep going. I was further cheered up by a shop owner I got chatting to refusing to let me pay. I saved the hills for last arriving at this unfortunately named place to find no done shops for 5 more miles. I settled for the camp shop tin of potatoes and a tin of beans. After todays effort it tasted like 5 star michelin fare.
Miles 107
Time in saddle 7h07m
Av 15mph again
Only 1 pic eve to rain. About to cross the Kessock bridge to Inverness

Day 1 JOG to Lairg VERY hilly. The wind

2008-07-31T11:47:00.001-07:00

Day 1 JOG to Lairg
VERY hilly. The wind helped a bit today but only on the downhills when I didn't need it. Whenever I went up it was in my face. The scenery has been stunning and I enjoyed all but the last 20 miles of uphill slog for which I blame the old lady who recommended the campsite. Weather has been lovely but I can hear rain falling on my tent now.
Distance 108.5 miles
Time in saddle 7h11m
Av 15.0 mph

The day before Sleeper to Inverness-own

2008-07-30T12:38:00.001-07:00

The day before.
Sleeper to Inverness was fun. Had a beer with 19th best decathlete in Europe. Stunning scenery on way up but 20 mile ride from station turned in to an epic thanks to an extremely strong head wind that almost brought me to a halt. A puncture did. 1st of many. Hopefully wind will stay in same direction and push me half way to LE tomorrow.