I have really enjoyed myself on our little ride. The puffing and panting, the rain, the wind, the idiot drivers, the shocking road surfaces and the aching backside will not be the main memories. They will be replaced by the scenery, the wild life, the people and places where we stayed. Even dressing in Lycra for that long will be forgotten. I will however, never forget the crucial part played by Sudocrem.
Now it is all over I will have to revert back to a more sensible diet and it is going to be hard. Fifteen Full English or Scottish breakfasts have been a bit of a treat. We really have eaten what we liked including cake with morning and afternoon breaks and a full lunch and dinner. The energy bars that were bought have remained largely uneaten due to their tasting like pooh and the availability of chocolate.
Cycling for 5 ½ hours a day for fourteen days with the same companion has resulted in some strange and amusing conversations. The back-up team has caught us laughing at stuff that I am sure they could not find funny. On several occasions it was inferred that we were in fact, due to the arduous nature of our task, on the edge of hysteria. This of course is not true as we always found our drivel to be erudite, pertinent and humorous. Ha......Ha Ha......Ha Ha Ha!
Is there going to be another challenge, well speak to Gary, as he was the fool who came up with this one. Signing off for the last time on this blog. Enjoy below a Glossary of Terms that have arisen on this trip and also a list of useless information !
Glossary of Terms
Draught; Slipstreaming (don’t do this in the rain unless very thirsty)
Dietary Supplements; in our case, taken totally inadvertently, because it’s difficult to keep your mouth closed whilst panting up a hill.
Take the weight off your twer’nt; The clean version being that the twer’nt is the place where a gentleman’s anatomy comes into contact with the saddle.
“Oi …..ing get back here!” Gary’s attempt at talking to the animals. ( A deer made off before he could bring the camera on his phone to bear.)
Defunct Airline; To describe a particularly difficult hill. (Not BEA, the other one.)
A Bell Ringer; A pothole severe enough for my bell to ring by itself.
Useless Information
Cycled 1044 miles
Average speed 14.2 mph
Average cadence ( speed we turned the pedals per minute ) was 80 throughout the period
Average daily mileage on bike 73.5
Average time in saddle daily 5.17 hours
Total time in saddle 72.3 Hours
Total turns on pedals 347830 each !!
Total counties passed through 20
Overall mileage 2400 driven by support van
Best B & B - Muddifords Court Country House, Cullompton, Tiverton http://www.muddifordscourtcountryhouse.co.uk/Best Breakfast - Hilton Lodge, Dornoch
www.hiltonlodgebedandbreakfast.co.uk/
Best Dinners - Red Lion, near St Tudy. Douglas Arms, Langholm and Luigis in Dornoch http://www.luigidornoch.com/
Best View - Ben Loyal Hotel, Tongue
http://www.benloyal.co.uk/
Best Shower - Ye Olde Talbot, Worcester
www.oldenglishinns.co.uk/worcester/
Best Bath - Muddifords Court Country House, Cullompton, Tiverton
Biggest Bed - Hilton Lodge, Dornoch
Best Duvet - Border House, Langholm
Smallest Bed and Shower - Sunnybank, Sennen and Border House, Langholm
Longest wait for dinner - Ye Olde Talbot, Worcester
Best Value for Money - Preston Premier Inn for B/B and dinner.
Friendliest/Most Helpful Staff - The Garth, Granton on Spey, Premier Inn, Preston and Muddifords, Thrumpster House, Wick.
www.garthhotel.com/
Award for faded glory, Thrumpster House, Wick, Scotland www.thrumster.co.uk/
Best impression of chocolate box B&B pipped at the post for best breakfast, Polrode Guest House, St Tudy, Cornwall www.polrodeguesthouse.co.uk/
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