We spent the night at Ardlui Hotel, situated at the North end of Loch Lomond. The view of the lake was stunning.
After a superb full Scottish breakfast with porridge and everything, we collected our bikes from where the hotel manager had locked them up for the night. We then made preparations for the day ahead. This usually involved a smothering of Assos cream (for your sore bits), mixing the drinks bottles with energy powder and distributing the energy bars we ate to keep us going.
There was a really long and sharp climb out from Loch Lomond. The highlight of the day was passing Glen Coe wich was breath-taking. We climbed over 1000ft then had the pleasure of coasting all of the way down to the bottom. Andy and I lost Paul on the climb but he soon caught us up by slip streaming a caravan!
Natalie flew to Inverness and caught the train over to Drummendroichit where Becky picked her up. We all met up at Loch Ness then carried on our way to Dingwall.
When we reached Dingwall we met with Becky and Natalie then drove to Inverness where we planned to stay the night at the Youth hostel there.
Saturday, 31 May 2008
Friday, 30 May 2008
Day 6 - Dumfries to Loch Lomond
The weather finally changed for the better today. Knowing that we had broken the back of the ride we were feeling pretty pleased with ourselves but cautious that we had a long ride yet before reaching John O'Groats.
I think that the Scottish countryside is stunning. I have little recollection of Scotland since my parents took me as a child. I vaguely remember lots of castles and complaining alot about the long drive from South Wales.
From leaving Dumfries we followed a cycle route through the hills. This was a welcome break from the dual carriageways we had been navigating.
On route we visited a Drumarrig castle. After getting a lady at the
he castle to take a picture of us outside the castle, she said that we must visit "Riks bike museum." The duke who owned the castle had helped Rik fund the mountain bike trails around there. The mountain bike there are for all abilities, you can even hire a bike and get lessons there.
Paul's spoke snapped about 25 miles from Kilmarnock, we were lucky that we had Becky to call on. When she arrived in "the beast" we managed to switch Paul's broken wheel for one on Becky's bike. Becky was able to take the broken wheel to a bike shop called "Walkers" in Kilmarnook.
When we arrived in Kilmarnook, Becky was sat outside the pub having a drink. It was her birthday after all! The people in Walkers were very welcoming. The lady in the shop made us a cup of tea because she knew how hard the trip was since she did it with her husband on a tandem in 1996.
We got a bit lost around Glasgow and a helpful chap on a bike took us out of his way along the urban cycle paths, to get us back in the right direction. He even made a donation for the cause. He was a really kind chap and if we ever get his name I'd like to thank him again for helping us out.
The last stretch to Loch Lomand seemed to take forever. The lake was breathtaking which helped me take my mind off my knees. I recommend a mountain bike if you take these roads as they were terrible. After all of the mishaps with the bike and getting lost, this was the longest day of cycling we had done so far. We arrived at the hotel at 8:45pm, just short of a 12 hour day in the saddle.
Pictures to follow!
I think that the Scottish countryside is stunning. I have little recollection of Scotland since my parents took me as a child. I vaguely remember lots of castles and complaining alot about the long drive from South Wales.
From leaving Dumfries we followed a cycle route through the hills. This was a welcome break from the dual carriageways we had been navigating.
On route we visited a Drumarrig castle. After getting a lady at the
he castle to take a picture of us outside the castle, she said that we must visit "Riks bike museum." The duke who owned the castle had helped Rik fund the mountain bike trails around there. The mountain bike there are for all abilities, you can even hire a bike and get lessons there.
Paul's spoke snapped about 25 miles from Kilmarnock, we were lucky that we had Becky to call on. When she arrived in "the beast" we managed to switch Paul's broken wheel for one on Becky's bike. Becky was able to take the broken wheel to a bike shop called "Walkers" in Kilmarnook.
When we arrived in Kilmarnook, Becky was sat outside the pub having a drink. It was her birthday after all! The people in Walkers were very welcoming. The lady in the shop made us a cup of tea because she knew how hard the trip was since she did it with her husband on a tandem in 1996.
We got a bit lost around Glasgow and a helpful chap on a bike took us out of his way along the urban cycle paths, to get us back in the right direction. He even made a donation for the cause. He was a really kind chap and if we ever get his name I'd like to thank him again for helping us out.
The last stretch to Loch Lomand seemed to take forever. The lake was breathtaking which helped me take my mind off my knees. I recommend a mountain bike if you take these roads as they were terrible. After all of the mishaps with the bike and getting lost, this was the longest day of cycling we had done so far. We arrived at the hotel at 8:45pm, just short of a 12 hour day in the saddle.
Pictures to follow!
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Day 5 - Kirkby Lonsdale to Dumfries
Just woken up in Kirkby with sore everything! The rain and wind seems to have followed us up the country but we are in good spirits.
Better had get on with breakfast.
Kirby Lonsdale to Kirby Stephens was a beautiful undulating ride through the countryside. We took the ride relatively easy because at this point our knees and quadriceps had been burning from the ride.
We passed Hadrian's wall although we didn't get to see it then made our way through Longtown to meet Becky for a soup stop which had become acustomed to.
A short ride later and we were through the Scottish border and Gretna Green. Dumfries was a bit of a rough ride and Paul picked up the first puncture of the trip just a couple of miles away from where Becky was going to meet us
We all stayed in Mabie forest bunkhouse which is an excellent place to stay especially if you like mountain biking. The bunkhouse was run by Pam and Geoff who decided on a career change and took over the bunkhouse 2 years ago. They made some slight improvements, a sauna and a hot tub supplied by a spring in the forest.
Once we had unloaded that van and used the facilities, Pam cooked us a great lasagna for dinner then we bedded down for the night.
Better had get on with breakfast.
Kirby Lonsdale to Kirby Stephens was a beautiful undulating ride through the countryside. We took the ride relatively easy because at this point our knees and quadriceps had been burning from the ride.
We passed Hadrian's wall although we didn't get to see it then made our way through Longtown to meet Becky for a soup stop which had become acustomed to.
A short ride later and we were through the Scottish border and Gretna Green. Dumfries was a bit of a rough ride and Paul picked up the first puncture of the trip just a couple of miles away from where Becky was going to meet us
We all stayed in Mabie forest bunkhouse which is an excellent place to stay especially if you like mountain biking. The bunkhouse was run by Pam and Geoff who decided on a career change and took over the bunkhouse 2 years ago. They made some slight improvements, a sauna and a hot tub supplied by a spring in the forest.
Once we had unloaded that van and used the facilities, Pam cooked us a great lasagna for dinner then we bedded down for the night.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Day 2,3 and 4
Day 2.
The rain and wind woke most of us up that night. The other people were woken up by Andy W’s snoring. It was so bad that John got up in the middle of the night and went to find a different bed!
Conditions in Dartmoor were thick with mist and rain. I had to really take it easy costing down the hills for fear of sliding off the road.
Later that day once the rain had cleared up and the sun came out, for all of 5 minutes, we passed the same 2 lads in the garish orange t-shirts we saw on day 1. After climbing a really big hill, I pulled in for a quick drink when one of the lads stopped by us. He was doing Lejog also and was waiting for his friend to catch up because he had a slow puncture and had to keep pumping up his tyre every 15 mintutes. When John asked why he didn't just change the innter tube the lad replied that they didn't have any! Andy Q gave him a spare tube and some food too(they didn't have any left) and wished them well. Hats off to the lads, they were doing lejog raw, in 10 days, with no back up, no food and no spare inner tubes!
We extended the cycle a bit more that day so that we didn't have to drive back into Bristol city centre the following morning. We pulled into a pub and waited for Andy to take us to Cardiff where we would be staying with my mum.
On day 3
It was really great to see my mum and sample some of her home cooking. Needless to say we all ate really well that night.
We packed our bags and drove back from Cardiff to where we finished up yesterday, somewhere just outside of Bristol (Andy W will have it written down). The weather started bad and got worse. The rain and wind was hitting us straight on and was really impacting our progress. On average we were doing about 21km per hour. It was a case of heads down and tuck in behind each other to get out of the wind.
After a few hours the rain eased off and we all started to enjoy ourselves again. We passed through Button Oak which was a really beautiful forest on our way to Ironbridge. Ironbridge is incidentally named after the Ironbridge which was built there which kicked off the industrial revolution in the mid 17th century. We all stopped on the bridge to have a photo taken on until Konrad pointed out that the “Ironbridge” was 300 years old. Just at that moment Paulette and Steve (Andy Q’s parents) turned up and bought us all dinner.
After an excellent dinner at the local pub near to the youth hostel we were staying at, we said goodbye to Andy’s parents and soon after Dawn, who had come to take John and Konrad back to Manchester.
Day 4 - Ironbridge to Kirkby Lonsdale.
Andy and I had already done most of this route in a previous training ride so we were confident we could make it. We really pressed on today and made good time to Warrington.
Andy W was leaving us half way through the route and we were without support for a few hours until we met Becky. Andy did a fantastic job looking after all of us and getting that temperamental minibus working again. Without him I would have probably been still walking around Penzance trying to find a place to get my bike fixed. The ride through Warrington was long and tedious due to the thousands of round about there. We were glad to get past there.
We made it through and met up with Andy W’s parents – Joe and Paula. They had brought us tea and biscuits to keep us going and cheered us on.
The ride to Kirkby Lonsdale was stunning, I think it had the best scenery of all of the places we had been. My knees were playing up at this point and I was in a bit of pain so we eased up and and took it steady into Kirkby. When we arrived Becky was there in “the beast,” a large 4x4 which Lex donated to us for the remainder of the trip, complete with balloons and champagne celebrating the half way point in our trip. Jo (Becky's mum) cooked us the most amazing dinner. I think she said it was a South African dish called 'Bobotie'.
The rain and wind woke most of us up that night. The other people were woken up by Andy W’s snoring. It was so bad that John got up in the middle of the night and went to find a different bed!
Conditions in Dartmoor were thick with mist and rain. I had to really take it easy costing down the hills for fear of sliding off the road.
Later that day once the rain had cleared up and the sun came out, for all of 5 minutes, we passed the same 2 lads in the garish orange t-shirts we saw on day 1. After climbing a really big hill, I pulled in for a quick drink when one of the lads stopped by us. He was doing Lejog also and was waiting for his friend to catch up because he had a slow puncture and had to keep pumping up his tyre every 15 mintutes. When John asked why he didn't just change the innter tube the lad replied that they didn't have any! Andy Q gave him a spare tube and some food too(they didn't have any left) and wished them well. Hats off to the lads, they were doing lejog raw, in 10 days, with no back up, no food and no spare inner tubes!
We extended the cycle a bit more that day so that we didn't have to drive back into Bristol city centre the following morning. We pulled into a pub and waited for Andy to take us to Cardiff where we would be staying with my mum.
On day 3
It was really great to see my mum and sample some of her home cooking. Needless to say we all ate really well that night.
We packed our bags and drove back from Cardiff to where we finished up yesterday, somewhere just outside of Bristol (Andy W will have it written down). The weather started bad and got worse. The rain and wind was hitting us straight on and was really impacting our progress. On average we were doing about 21km per hour. It was a case of heads down and tuck in behind each other to get out of the wind.
After a few hours the rain eased off and we all started to enjoy ourselves again. We passed through Button Oak which was a really beautiful forest on our way to Ironbridge. Ironbridge is incidentally named after the Ironbridge which was built there which kicked off the industrial revolution in the mid 17th century. We all stopped on the bridge to have a photo taken on until Konrad pointed out that the “Ironbridge” was 300 years old. Just at that moment Paulette and Steve (Andy Q’s parents) turned up and bought us all dinner.
After an excellent dinner at the local pub near to the youth hostel we were staying at, we said goodbye to Andy’s parents and soon after Dawn, who had come to take John and Konrad back to Manchester.
Day 4 - Ironbridge to Kirkby Lonsdale.
Andy and I had already done most of this route in a previous training ride so we were confident we could make it. We really pressed on today and made good time to Warrington.
Andy W was leaving us half way through the route and we were without support for a few hours until we met Becky. Andy did a fantastic job looking after all of us and getting that temperamental minibus working again. Without him I would have probably been still walking around Penzance trying to find a place to get my bike fixed. The ride through Warrington was long and tedious due to the thousands of round about there. We were glad to get past there.
We made it through and met up with Andy W’s parents – Joe and Paula. They had brought us tea and biscuits to keep us going and cheered us on.
The ride to Kirkby Lonsdale was stunning, I think it had the best scenery of all of the places we had been. My knees were playing up at this point and I was in a bit of pain so we eased up and and took it steady into Kirkby. When we arrived Becky was there in “the beast,” a large 4x4 which Lex donated to us for the remainder of the trip, complete with balloons and champagne celebrating the half way point in our trip. Jo (Becky's mum) cooked us the most amazing dinner. I think she said it was a South African dish called 'Bobotie'.
Driver update, days 3 and 4
Okay, the guys are so knackered each night that it's up to me to put something here to show the world what's happening!
Day three (Monday 26th May) was a tough one. The wind was gusting gale force and the rain coming down like stair rods. Morale dropped because of this; I think the "it's a new adventure" feeling was wearing off and cold reallity setting in.
Here's a pic of the start at Bristol - just outside The Swan pub at Almondsbury:
The minibus only cut out a few times and the accelerator stuck just now and again so things were looking okay. Most annoying was the squeaky clutch!
The pace was good considering the weather and the guys just got on with cycling into the northerly wind. Faces were reddened and clothes soggy, but determination drove them forward. I sourced some soup for lunch which I warmed on the gas stove to keep up spirits. Here they are, huddling in the back of the bus (with soup):
During the day I liaised with Andy's parents and Dawn (John's girlfriend) to arrange meeting up for dinner - which we did in Ironbridge. We had a lovely restful evening, good grub and a few beers.
Sadly, this was where we saw Konrad and John leave us (work commitments) and we were down to just three cyclists.
Day 4 (Tuesday) saw us depart from Ironbridge. After a quick photo, we headed up via Whitchurch up the A49. Stopping briefly for a brew in Sandiway with my parents, I left the guys to cycle on up through Warrington (while I sourced lunch) and met again at Newton-le-Willows. This was to be our last meeting - I then returned the minibus and handed the mantle over to Becky (Andy's girlfriend) to assist these brave chaps on the second half of their journey.
At this point, I'd like to add that I'm sorry to be missing the rest of the journey but I wish Chris, Andy and Paul a safe run to the end. Look after them, Becky!
(Oh, and Chris, how much will you put to charity for me NOT to publish THAT photo of you being massaged?)
Andy the driver
Day three (Monday 26th May) was a tough one. The wind was gusting gale force and the rain coming down like stair rods. Morale dropped because of this; I think the "it's a new adventure" feeling was wearing off and cold reallity setting in.
Here's a pic of the start at Bristol - just outside The Swan pub at Almondsbury:
The minibus only cut out a few times and the accelerator stuck just now and again so things were looking okay. Most annoying was the squeaky clutch!
The pace was good considering the weather and the guys just got on with cycling into the northerly wind. Faces were reddened and clothes soggy, but determination drove them forward. I sourced some soup for lunch which I warmed on the gas stove to keep up spirits. Here they are, huddling in the back of the bus (with soup):
During the day I liaised with Andy's parents and Dawn (John's girlfriend) to arrange meeting up for dinner - which we did in Ironbridge. We had a lovely restful evening, good grub and a few beers.
Sadly, this was where we saw Konrad and John leave us (work commitments) and we were down to just three cyclists.
Day 4 (Tuesday) saw us depart from Ironbridge. After a quick photo, we headed up via Whitchurch up the A49. Stopping briefly for a brew in Sandiway with my parents, I left the guys to cycle on up through Warrington (while I sourced lunch) and met again at Newton-le-Willows. This was to be our last meeting - I then returned the minibus and handed the mantle over to Becky (Andy's girlfriend) to assist these brave chaps on the second half of their journey.At this point, I'd like to add that I'm sorry to be missing the rest of the journey but I wish Chris, Andy and Paul a safe run to the end. Look after them, Becky!
(Oh, and Chris, how much will you put to charity for me NOT to publish THAT photo of you being massaged?)
Andy the driver
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Driver view of the first couple of days
The drive down was a 7 hour slog (with no working radio) - from Manchester to Tavistock. We stopped off once we'd left the M5 for fish and chip supper. The last few miles were narrow lanes, carefully selected by the satnav to make it difficult for a large minibus.
At one point, all within about 5 minutes, the accelerator stuck on, we hit a large rock and the driver's window winder fell off. The sticking accelerator kept recurring and we had some Blackpool illuminations on the dash to add to the thrill.
After 30 minutes of getting lost and driving back and forth, we found the farm with barn and soon got to bed.
After an early start (5.30 a.m.) we reached Land's End at 8.30. After discovering the 'official' sign post is only 'brought out' at 9.30, we made do with a few pics of us before setting off just before nine.
I hoped to find a coffee shop and seek out a bacon butty, but the plans went out of the window when Chris called with a broken derailleur - only 8 miles in to the trip. A quick dash to Penzance secured a pattern part, fitted by "The Cycle Centre" on New Street - many thanks to them for their speedy service and help mobilising Chris. With only fumes left in the tank, I returned Chris to the A30 and sought fuel.
For lunch I sought Cornish Pasties from Truro for the guys. When we met up, the guys pulled off the road to join me - except Andy, who flipped off his bike and rolled along the pavement! Thankfully, no harm done. The good news is I caught it on video camera - to be on YouTube soon!
Later on, the cig lighter packed in - so no satnav charging now. I switched to manual mode (road atlas) to conserve any remaining power.
The day was hard for the guys who were expecting a tail wind. It was on the nose for the whole 108 miles. John got leg cramps toward the end and dropped back a little. And then we lost him. He'd missed a turn. An hour and a half later we tracked him down to a closed pub, making a fuss of the resident cat and dog and drinking coffee! And there we were - worried...
Day two started a little gentler, time wise - starting from the farm we were staying in. It was still windy - and now raining. I spent a few minutes trying to sort the cig lighter but to no avail - there was no power to it any more. I got away quickly to get back into mobile 'phone signal land in case I was summoned.
Within a mile, all power vanished and the engine management light came on again. A quick restart on the hoof cleared it.
I took an alternative route between Moreton Hampstead and Tedburn which for the most part was smaller than the bus. By the time I'd reached the other side, the plant matter had forced the mirrors flat against the sides of the van. I stopped to fold them out and check our special magnetic signage was still attached and then pressed on.
I had arranged to meet everyone at Bickleigh, but the route the cyclists took was closed while two bent cars were scraped off. Once through, we had a group photo!
I headed on into Somerset and through Taunton. When I passed the guys, my friendly 'beep-beep' never happened as the horn had gone the same way as the radio, cig lighter, door handle, etc. Hey-ho.
At an interim afternoon stop, we helped a couple of lads also doing a Land's End to John O'Groats. They didn't even have tyre levers, but their enthusiasm should get them a long way.
We were making very good time today and arranged to meet north of Bristol. Great views of the Clifton Suspension Bridge! However, the inclines out of the city at the end of a long day meant we finished up just north - at The Swan. Andy Q's friend Matt joined us here for a beer. His wife's due to have a baby TODAY, so good job he got out while he can.
Spirits are high, injuries low (okay, Chris came off in Bristol, but escaped relatively unscathed...) and the mood's optimistic for our journey into the Midlands.
We shoved everything into the van and headed to Cardiff for the night - at Chris' mum's. I managed to blag getting the bus through the bridge toll as a car (£5 instead of £10) and we put the difference in the charity pot. Every little helps...
And it's from Cardiff I now type, after lovely dinner, with a mug of tea and cake - thanks, Margaret.
At one point, all within about 5 minutes, the accelerator stuck on, we hit a large rock and the driver's window winder fell off. The sticking accelerator kept recurring and we had some Blackpool illuminations on the dash to add to the thrill.
After 30 minutes of getting lost and driving back and forth, we found the farm with barn and soon got to bed.
After an early start (5.30 a.m.) we reached Land's End at 8.30. After discovering the 'official' sign post is only 'brought out' at 9.30, we made do with a few pics of us before setting off just before nine.
I hoped to find a coffee shop and seek out a bacon butty, but the plans went out of the window when Chris called with a broken derailleur - only 8 miles in to the trip. A quick dash to Penzance secured a pattern part, fitted by "The Cycle Centre" on New Street - many thanks to them for their speedy service and help mobilising Chris. With only fumes left in the tank, I returned Chris to the A30 and sought fuel.
For lunch I sought Cornish Pasties from Truro for the guys. When we met up, the guys pulled off the road to join me - except Andy, who flipped off his bike and rolled along the pavement! Thankfully, no harm done. The good news is I caught it on video camera - to be on YouTube soon!
Later on, the cig lighter packed in - so no satnav charging now. I switched to manual mode (road atlas) to conserve any remaining power.
The day was hard for the guys who were expecting a tail wind. It was on the nose for the whole 108 miles. John got leg cramps toward the end and dropped back a little. And then we lost him. He'd missed a turn. An hour and a half later we tracked him down to a closed pub, making a fuss of the resident cat and dog and drinking coffee! And there we were - worried...
Day two started a little gentler, time wise - starting from the farm we were staying in. It was still windy - and now raining. I spent a few minutes trying to sort the cig lighter but to no avail - there was no power to it any more. I got away quickly to get back into mobile 'phone signal land in case I was summoned.
Within a mile, all power vanished and the engine management light came on again. A quick restart on the hoof cleared it.
I took an alternative route between Moreton Hampstead and Tedburn which for the most part was smaller than the bus. By the time I'd reached the other side, the plant matter had forced the mirrors flat against the sides of the van. I stopped to fold them out and check our special magnetic signage was still attached and then pressed on.I had arranged to meet everyone at Bickleigh, but the route the cyclists took was closed while two bent cars were scraped off. Once through, we had a group photo!
I headed on into Somerset and through Taunton. When I passed the guys, my friendly 'beep-beep' never happened as the horn had gone the same way as the radio, cig lighter, door handle, etc. Hey-ho.
At an interim afternoon stop, we helped a couple of lads also doing a Land's End to John O'Groats. They didn't even have tyre levers, but their enthusiasm should get them a long way.
We were making very good time today and arranged to meet north of Bristol. Great views of the Clifton Suspension Bridge! However, the inclines out of the city at the end of a long day meant we finished up just north - at The Swan. Andy Q's friend Matt joined us here for a beer. His wife's due to have a baby TODAY, so good job he got out while he can.
Spirits are high, injuries low (okay, Chris came off in Bristol, but escaped relatively unscathed...) and the mood's optimistic for our journey into the Midlands.
We shoved everything into the van and headed to Cardiff for the night - at Chris' mum's. I managed to blag getting the bus through the bridge toll as a car (£5 instead of £10) and we put the difference in the charity pot. Every little helps...
And it's from Cardiff I now type, after lovely dinner, with a mug of tea and cake - thanks, Margaret.
Friday, 23 May 2008
Day 1 - Lands End
We started out our first day brimming with energy and excitement pointing out all of the prospective lejoggers beginning their own journey, notably two lads on their bikes in rather garish orange t-shirts with backpacks.
12km out of Lands end, disaster, my bikes derailleur snapped off. My brand new Bianchi! A quick call to Andy our support and I was back on my way with the rest of the guys within the hour.
The route we were following took us down every valley and up over every hill. From speaking to some ‘end to enders’ about the ride beforehand, they told me that the first couple of days were the worst due to all of the steep hill climbs.
Reaching Dartmoor was a milestone for us. We had stayed the previous night in a farm there on the way down to Lands End and aimed to conclude our first day of cycling there.
Dartmoor didn’t have hedges like the first part of the day to shelter us from the wind, it is a pretty bleak place. The wind was relentless here and gave everyone a hard time getting up the hills. We also lost John there. John had got cramp in both legs and had to walk up one of the final hills. The rest of us waited for him at the top for a while before calling Andy to see if he could make sure that John was alright. John took a wrong turn and ended up at a restaurant where he was able to call Dawn (his other half) before she managed to call one of us. Needless to say we found John thanks to Dawn but not before he had to cycle up a 1 in 5 hill, with cramp in both legs.
The pub dinner was welcomed that night before we settled down for the night to begin day 2.
12km out of Lands end, disaster, my bikes derailleur snapped off. My brand new Bianchi! A quick call to Andy our support and I was back on my way with the rest of the guys within the hour.
The route we were following took us down every valley and up over every hill. From speaking to some ‘end to enders’ about the ride beforehand, they told me that the first couple of days were the worst due to all of the steep hill climbs.
Reaching Dartmoor was a milestone for us. We had stayed the previous night in a farm there on the way down to Lands End and aimed to conclude our first day of cycling there.
Dartmoor didn’t have hedges like the first part of the day to shelter us from the wind, it is a pretty bleak place. The wind was relentless here and gave everyone a hard time getting up the hills. We also lost John there. John had got cramp in both legs and had to walk up one of the final hills. The rest of us waited for him at the top for a while before calling Andy to see if he could make sure that John was alright. John took a wrong turn and ended up at a restaurant where he was able to call Dawn (his other half) before she managed to call one of us. Needless to say we found John thanks to Dawn but not before he had to cycle up a 1 in 5 hill, with cramp in both legs.
The pub dinner was welcomed that night before we settled down for the night to begin day 2.
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