That was gruelling. It ranks in my top
3 hardest days on a bike:
Ascent of Mont Ventoux -1900 metres of climb on gradients of 8-13% and the odd stretch over even that
My first and probably now only “Century Ride” – an uphill 107 miles to Betwys Coed into a headwind, alone
Today – 79 miles of long 8% hills on a nasty and busy main road
Having had a slow start to the day,
after a full Cornish breakfast at Trevedra Farm, I only ended up crossing the
start line at 11:30.
It took me around 5 hours on the bike,
but 6 1/2 hours to arrive – thanks in part to one slow puncture then a full
puncture after 44 miles. The joys of riding in the gutter on an A road, with
all the road kill and metal shards from lorry tyres!
Couldn’t help but think about
the two Scottish cyclists, as I passed the place where they were both
killed by a Lorry, just 40 miles in to their LEJOG attempt. Sobering and sombre
though. Having recently been hit by a car myself, the sound of every
approaching Lorry made me wince, until they’d gone by.
I got a few things wrong today, despite
the planning, so will be looking to improve on that at least tomorrow. It was
very warm today and I didn’t hydrate well enough, and my food choice left a lot
to be desired as well.
I just made up for that though, with a
pie and a pint in the Eliot Arms, in Tredagillett, which seems a cracking old
pub! No client hospitality tonight, and to be honest its “basic” to say the
least, so I’ll say nothing!
Well, I’ve completed Day 1, which as a
standalone ride is a pretty decent achievement, and I’m one day further into
getting into the right mental approach.
I’ve no intentions of racing this and
trying to finish first. Its just about finishing!
I’m writing this, sat in our trusty VW
camper, overlooking Sennen Cove and have just watched a fantastic sunset over
the sea with my wife, Jane and son Charlie.
Our location is down to the generous
support from Wendy & the Nicholas family who run the Trevedra Farm Campsite
and impressive Ocean Blue café, where I had my “last supper” before tomorrows
Grand Depart.
I’m packing and repacking my pannier
even though I’ve got it down to a fine art. Its just nerves. I had too long to
contemplate the challenge ahead whilst driving down the route I will be riding
back up north, and too much of a view of the rolling hills through Devon and
Cornwall, along the unhealthy looking A30.
All I’ve read about the “LEJOG”
suggests that its this first 2-3 days that are the hardest, before you get
“into a rhythm”.
An early night ahead, but unlikely I’ll
sleep well. I’m just wanting to get on with it now…
As you may be aware, I’m now only a few
days away from the beginning of my Lands End-John O’Groats solo ride attempt,
so I thought it was about time I updated you all on progress to date:
I’m now physically recovered after
being hit by a car on the A34 bypass, and have replaced my written-off bike
& most of the kit.
I’ve been training “fully loaded” with
all of the kit I will be taking, even whilst on hols in the hilly Dordogne.
All accommodation & travel
arrangements are now confirmed, including some generous offers of accommodation
from Airangel clients (very much appreciated!)
To increase the challenge, I am
attempting to ride this “unaided” – I will cycle alone and without the help of
a support vehicle, the length of Britain. So! It’s just down to me now, getting
on my bike and turning pedals for 13 days, climbing 80% of the height of Mount
Everest (over 23,000 feet!) and over 900 miles.
I hope you can take the time to read up
on the charities and keep in touch with me throughout the ride by following me
on here, on twitter @chrisairey, & for those “in the know”, via my personal
social accounts!
My route is as follows:
I’m hoping that the ride will allow me
to raise awareness and donations for the charities below, so would hope that
during the ride, I’ll be seeing donations coming through for both. It would
certainly spur me on, when my heads down and the wind’s in my face!
I have personally been involved with
this charity since 1995, through friends who lost their daughter to a rare yet
curable metabolic disease. Such diseases are so rare that individually, it’s
difficult to gain the required focus on research and support, hence the
coordinated efforts of CLIMB.
CLIMB is a national organisation
working on behalf of children, young people, adults and families affected by
metabolic disease. The National Information Centre for Metabolic Diseases is
part of the Climb Group. Climb (Children Living with Inherited Metabolic
Diseases) is the United Kingdom’s foremost provider of free metabolic disease
information to young people, adults, families, professionals and other
interested groups.
Their vision is to provide Metabolic
Disease specific information, advice and support to children, young people,
adults, families and professionals in the United Kingdom and to provide
information and support to families worldwide, to fund educational and primary
research programmes and to investigate treatments and medical services.
Millies Trust was established following
the loss of the daughter of a friend and former work colleague.
Joanne & Dan Thompson, Millie’s
parents, co-founded Millie’s Trust together on December 16th 2012 following the
passing of their beautiful 9 month old daughter following a tragic choking
incident whilst at nursery. As parents, they believe that first aid should
be an essential part of your knowledge whether you are a parent or the carer of
a child.
Millies Trust want to help people feel
confident about administering first aid if you ever find yourself in a
situation that you need to use it in. They aim to raise funds to promote
Paediatric First Aid awareness and provide courses to those who could not otherwise
afford them or know where to look for them.
That’s as much as I need to update you
all on right now, so my next post will be as part of my attempt!
Wish me luck and help me keep turning
those pedals!
Specialized Tarmac Sport carbon road
bike with Shimano 105 upgrades
Harry Rowland handbuilt wheels – Mavic
OpenPro rims, 36x Sapim spokes (both front & rear) on Ambrosio hubs
Profile Design Century ZB Cycling
Aerobar Road Handlebars
Plescher seatpost Pannier mount
Axiom Columbus DLX Pannier
Velotrac pak (modified)
Cateye lights (front & rear)
Topeak Road Morph G Bike Pump
Specialized bike lock
2x 1 litre drink bottles
Bike Tools & Repair
Cable ties
Electrical tape
2x QuickLink chain repair links
Spare inner tube x 3
Alien multitool
Puncture repair kit
Spoke spanner
Tyre levers
Clothing
Specialized Propero II Helmet
Maxpro sunglasses plus spare lenses
Rapha Team Sky short sleeve jersey
Probike PBK Newzealand Champion short
sleeve jersey
Endura XTract gell bib shorts
Gore Bikewear gel bib shorts
Socks x 2
Endura neoprene overshoes (winter)
Funkier Winter leg warmers
Garneau Winter arm warmers
Agu Secco lightweight rain jacket
Specialized Bodygeometry gel gloves x 2
Uniqlo underpants x2
Evening Shirt (Dare2B Base layer
Teeshirt)
Evening Pants (Cargo Mid-length Shorts)
Neoprene Beach Shoes
Toiletries & Consumables
Contact lenses
Toothbrush & travel toothpaste
Razor & oil
Sudocrem (transferred into a flat tin)
Suncream
Tablets (paracetamol, hayfever,
proplus)
Tech!
Garmin FR60 with Speed/Cadence &
Heart rate monitor
Sigma speed & distance cycle
computer
Samsung Galaxy Tab2 tablet & charge
cable
GoPro Hero 3 Silver camera, bar mount,
helmet mount & charge cable
Powergen mobile Juice Pack 12000 and
charge cable
Masterplug Surge protector USBx2 mains
charger
Apple iPhone4S and charge cable
That was absolutely everything, as all
of the above had to pack into my Axiom. I love my Axiom – like the film,
Wall-E, it was my mothership for 13 days.
Note:
The photo shows my bike setup prior to me being hit by a car (the day after
this photo). The bike was totalled, and was replaced with the Tarmac
Sport.
