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Over a week later...

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The Stats Distance:    1,139 miles Climbing:    70,176 feet What an achievement! What an adventure! After 90 hours in the saddle over 15 days, five punctures (Richard x 2, Paul x 3) and one new set of cleats (Richard) we made it from Land's End to John O'Groats. And along the way we’ve already raised over £6,000 for Phyllis Tuckwell, Hospice Care . Looking back, the ride has prompted a few thoughts: Preparation is under-valued. Having planned routes and organised the right equipment, not sure how far we’d have got without training. Train, train and train again – together! The difficult can be fun. Scaling climbs in the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales was slow going but gave us time to really appreciate the stunning views. Purpose helps. The combined goals of raising funds for a worthwhile cause and getting fitter along the way spurred us on. Take opportunities. Fortuitous encounters on the road led to new friendships, great conversations, and much laughter. A good ...
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Stage 15: Tongue to John O'Groats

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The last push Distance: 63.72 miles Climb: 4,455 feet        This is the day that we dreamed of and trained for! After yesterday's epic ride, we opted for a more leisurely 09:30 start - after listening to Richard guest star in episode 25 of Pushing It Uphill . Listen from wherever you download your podcasts. Adrian Smith is joining us for this final leg (or are we joining him for his last leg?) Avid readers of our blog may remember our chance meeting with fellow LEJOG lads, Ado and his mate Peter Gee - read  Stage 12: Linlithgow to Pitlochry . Sadly Pete is still on the waiting list for an operation on his broken elbow so, never a team to leave a man behind, two becomes three for the finale. And then the journey home...but NOT by bicycle. Fun Fact:  This village is named after Jan de Groot, a Dutch settler who came to the area in 1489.   Post-ride Debrief: We did it! It’s only just sinking in, but we did it! After 15 days in the saddle LEJOG is co...
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Stage 14: Inverness to Tongue

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Nearly there! Distance: 96.01 miles Climb: 4,196 feet           The end is so close we can almost see it as we set our compass due north for Sutherland. Our last big day in the saddle! Hoping the midges don't find us as we plunge into some of the last true wilderness in the UK.  Fun Fact: Tongue  is a geographical term in Old Norse that refers to a piece of land shaped like a spit (or tongue).  Post-ride Debrief For our Scots Gaelic readers: fàilte gu blog ìre 14. Welcome to a day of wilderness, natural splendour and northern delights. Before all that thanks to Alison, Graham, Lorna and Sandy who looked after us royally on our rest day evening. Great food, great friendship and wonderful company. Congratulations to Alison for winning “best cake cooked by a relative”. More professional athletes should consider the merits of sticky toffee pudding. Our penultimate mornings began in a different fashion. Paul spending his first waking hour sipping tea, ...
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Rest Day 4

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Totals so far Distance:     979.52 miles Climb:         61,525.33  feet Fun Fact:  That's nearly 3,500 feet more than the equivalent of cycling up  Mount Everest TWICE! Half of the team spent the day walking around Inverness, with a spot of retail therapy in a spectacular outdoor retail store. The other half opted for bird watching, dolphin spotting and generally gazing at the view of Beauly Firth. Taking advice from a recent BBC news report A daytime nap is good for the brain ,  we later discovered that each had managed to squeeze in a short snooze (the first of our entire trip). The team reunited in the evening to meet Paul's friends, Alison and Graham who'd driven up from the West Coast, for a delicious homecooked meal chez Lorna and Sandy. A superb end to our summer solstice rest day.
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Stage 13: Pitlochry to Inverness

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Mouth of the River Ness Distance: 98.44 miles Climb: 4,255 feet        A long day in the saddle awaits, with the first 25 miles generally upward but thankfully followed by 20 miles of down.  We wend our way along the western edges of the Cairngorm National Park, the Glenmore and Abernethy National Nature Reserves, through Aviemore's ski resort and on to Inverness. Fun Fact:  Inverness is regarded as the capital of the Highlands, famous for the Battle of Culloden and Starz hit show  Outlander . In a slight change to our usual start routine, we began the day listening to Episode 21 (Day 11: New mates make the miles easier) of Ado and Pete's entertaining podcast, Pushing It Uphill . Thanks for the mention: great day riding with you guys. Hopefully see you again en route. Post-ride Debrief A day of two redheads – but more of that later. Our progress up Scotland, a deceptively long country, continued…helped by gentle climbing and favourable winds (too many ...
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Stage 12: Linlithgow to Pitlochry

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From the Lowlands to the Highlands Distance: 75.75 miles Climb: 4,646 feet        Passing the 75% total distance milestone. After 24 hours to rest our weary legs and enjoy Donald and Jen's superb hospitality, today we go from West Lothian to Perthshire, crossing the Forth Bridge towards Dunfermline, through the Loch Leven National Nature Reserve and around Perth.  Fun Fact:  Pitlochry is best known for its fish ladder and dam. Completed in 1950, the Pitlochry Dam is part of the Tummel hydroelectric power scheme of interconnected power stations in the highlands. Post-ride Debrief Leaving the warm embrace of our rest day in Linlithgow, and with half an eye on the clouds, we set off on our 12th day of riding. Within a few miles, we’d managed to sneak into the magnificent gardens of Hopetoun House for a quick nosey. Looking one way the three-hundred-year-old home to the Marquess of Linlithgow, the other gives glimpses of the three bridges over the Forth. As th...
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Rest Day 3

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Totals so far Counties:    17  Distance:    805.33 miles Climb:         52,624.33  feet A loch, a canal, palaces fit for queens and pigeons, plus delicious BBQ with the Braehead Place posse, cheese and a wee dram! What a marvellous way to spend our rest day.  We're relaxed, refreshed and raring to go. Day 12 here we come... Fun Fact: P igeons were kept as their poop contains a compound called saltpetre which is one of the three major ingredients in gunpowder. Saltpetre was extracted from the pigeon guano and mixed with charcoal and sulphur to make gunpowder, a necessity in warfare after the advent of the gun.
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