www.justgiving.com/longwayround2009uktour
THE BACKGROUND:
Just to give you a bit of background on this, some 37 years ago at the tender age of 17, I had a great deal of fun riding a motorcycle until girls, cars and other teenage "pleasures" took over. The bike became a distant memory. Today, I'm married, have two grown men for sons and I've rekindled my love for two wheels even though my wife thinks I'm old enough to know better.
We first came up with this idea in a pub, where else. It was February 08 and Daniel had just got his first bike, Vespa LX50, top speed 29mph! We were having a meal and over a pint Dan, Anthony and I were chatting about what bikes we'd have if we won the lottery. Well you can guess how the conversation went, Harley's, Goldwings you name it and we'd have had it.
Sometime later, June 08, I got my bike, a Suzuki GZ125. It had a bit more umph then Dan's and we soon decided that the LX50 was just too slow so by Dec 08 it was changed for an LX125. Mean time Anthony had also passed his CBT and was waiting for the right time to get his own Bike and he finally got himself a Piaggio Fly 125.
All the while our conversations, generally in the pub, moved from what we'd own to where we'd go. Round Yorkshire was one suggestion, Lands end to John O' Groats, was another. Inspired by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's adventures, we wanted the trip to be memorable, our own adventure to take in as many sights as possible. Once places like Stonehenge, Lands End, Menai Bridge and John O'Groats were discussed in August 2008, we finally settled on a round the UK tour. So that was it, we'd go along the coast as much as possible and see if we could do the whole thing in one, two week trip. The idea to do it for charity followed and so the "Long Way Round UK Tour 2009" was born.
THE PLAN:
Both my sons have scooters and I have a brand new motorcycle all shiny and covered in chrome. We hope to ride from Leeds to Hull then clockwise around the UK taking in the sights of England, Wales and Scotland following the coast wherever possible. The trip will be recorded for posterity on film and in photographs.
THE CHARITY:
We'd like to raise as much funds as possible for Cash for Kids along the way, through various events such as a guess the mileage competition and through sponsorship via:
www.justgiving.com/longwayround2009uktour
THE RIDERS:
My sons, Anthony, Daniel and myself, Nick.
THE BIKES:
Paiggio Fly 125 - Anthony
Vespa LX125 - Daniel
Suzuki Marauder GZ125 - Nick
LICENCES HELD: CBT. So
plates will be visible at all times!OUR MINI TOUR.
On the 15th of April 2009 my two lads and I together with our good friend Peter Hall, went out for a bike ride, from Leeds up to Thirsk, across to Scarborough, down to Bridlington, over to York and finally back home. The trip lasting around 9 hours over a distance of approximately 184 miles. (Including petrol stops, random stretch your legs stops and lunch with a walk around a very foggy Scarborough).
The trip was a mini adventure to test the bikes and more importantly to test the riders, to see if we could ride for a full day. Everything went well; we saw some great views over North Yorkshire and fought our way up Sutton Bank.
Scarborough was cold, damp and foggy. Nothing new there for April.
We’d managed to do the entire day without any problems. The bikes purred along and all was well until at a pit stop some 20 miles outside Leeds disaster struck, on returning to the bikes, Daniel found his bike had been knocked over in the car park and in his rush to pick it up he slipped and fell awkwardly on his arm and injured his left elbow. The air turned blue when he saw the scratches on the bike. Though in pain and upset at the damage we rode the remaining 20 miles home.
By the time we arrived Daniel’s arm had become increasingly painful and after a close inspection we saw swelling. I took him to casualty and after 3 x-rays we discovered he had ridden home with a broken elbow (the radial head).
And so, after this mini tour and despite a major disaster, we were not put off by this set back but felt that doing 180+ miles in a day may be too much for our little bikes and so a new route has been devised still within the 16 days.
13th May 09
Well the plan has evolved again, having checked out the prices of B&B's and Travel Lodge, we've decided to take along camping gear! A three man tent and all the trimmings will add a bit to the weight carried but it'll save us a fortune in cash in the long run. We've picked out a number of camp sites all of which are still on our route so we don't have to make any changes to that. I'm told camping will add to the "fun" we'll see.
30th May 09
Things are improving, Dan's bike is fixed, the paintwork is all shiny again and his arm has healed. We've also added a top box to Dan's bike which will improve the carrying capacity and we've bought a tent and sleeping bags etc. The camp sites have been picked out and we will be making the final bookings in the next few days. So all we have to do now is make sure all the gear fits on the bikes and we can get on our way.
22nd June 2009
Gadgets !
Well we're really getting hi-tech now...!
We have a proper set up for a sat nav on the Marauder as well a a mounted video camera. These are fixed to the handlebars but the camera can also be attached to our helmets so where we look, it looks too! We also have a three way intercom so we can talk to each other.
We've had a few test rides to Skipton and back from here, Leeds, via Harrogate and over to Fewston and Menwith Hill (The big military Golf Balls!) The area is known as Blubberhouse Moors and has spectacular scenery. Then we come back via Ilkley and Otley. Its a great little run which takes about an hour and a half and is the perfect test bed for all the gadgets.
We're also going to have a trip up to Kendal for a weekend camping to check out how the bikes perform with all the gear. (I shall also be testing my back to see how it fares with sleeping in a tent on the floor!) watch this space..
And finally, no trip is complete without a mascot and so without further ado, I introduce to you...Henry Biggles..
24th June 2009
The Media!!!
Fame is heading our way...
We've had an invitation to Radio Aire & Magic 828 to be interviewed by Glenn Pinder on his morning show. So listen out for us during the week 13th to 16th July.
Rumour has it we might even get a mention in the Yorkshire Evening Post!
5th July 2009
We finally found time to set up the tent today though I was unable to help as I've hurt my back, sciatica! so Anthony and Daniel did all the work. I was supervisor! The 5 minute three man tent went up in ten minutes and it was snug, or cramped might be a better word. Either way, however you look at it we were nose to nose in there! and I think we'd have to arrange a rota for breathing in and out! We need a BIGGER tent. Mean while everything else is ready to go, the bikes are booked in at Dyrons for a service to make sure everything is ok.
6th July 2009
The camping store exchanged the tent for us and we now have one that is more suited to our needs. It has a sleeping area as well as an area for storage or sitting in if it rains. It is a bit heavier then the other one by about two kilos but its worth the extra weight for the comfort. This is it....
PS: With my bad back it took me as long to get in as is did for the lads to set it up!
12th July 2009
Oh dear, I'm not a happy camper!
We set up camp in the wilds of our back garden on Saturday night and all was well until we went out to sleep in it for the night. It was raining, well no problem, it often does! We got in the tent and settled down for the night. The gentle drizzle hissed gently on the surface of the tent and then the monsoons came! The noise was deafening, it was like sitting in a drum and this went on from 10pm till 4am. I managed to get some sleep however by morning my back was not in the best of shape. I have sciatica as mentioned above and the prospect of camping for 16 nights with this condition would make it impossible to ride comfortably for 2 weeks. So it’s either camping and not riding, or riding and not camping. No argument then! The tent has been shelved. (to make it worse, our tent leaked!)
So it’s back to our original plan of B&B and guest houses.
15th July 2009
Scuffs, Scrapes and Aire Waves!
We had a fantastic day today, we were interviewed this morning on the Glenn Pinder show on Magic 828 which was recorded and will be aired tomorrow on his show. The great people at Radio Aire also confirmed that the Yorkshire Evening Post are very interested in doing an article on our adventure. Then at lunch time we rode up to my office and we had a few photos before setting off to Selby.
Henry Biggles came too!
We drove through the countryside along the A63 through Monk Fryston. We spotted a Norman Church and a thatched house along the way. The earlier rain dried up quickly and the sun was warm on our backs.
We reached Selby and were no more then a few hundred yards from the town centre when things went really pear shaped. On a mini roundabout which was deserted except for us, Anthony, despite going slowly, managed to find the only slippery bit of road there, and took a very slow speed tumble. His bike has a few scratches on it and he also managed to tear his jeans and graze his knee! The repairs are very minor and will be sorted out before we go on the trip. His knee will of course heal in its own time.
28th July 2009
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
We had a visit from a nice chap from the Yorkshire Evening Post on Saturday the 25th July and he took a million photos of us from all angles and directions. It was a great bit of fun watching him running around us. Then after he'd gone we had another visit from the paper's reporter, a lovely young lady who took lots of notes and studied our maps. I think she was impressed as we drew a finger along most of the route and pointed out the places we hoped to visit and sights we looked forward to seeing. We chatted about how the plan came about and what we looked forward to. "It'll be in the paper next week" she said "on page three."
So look out for us!
29th July 2009
Fame at last..
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Leeds-family39s-trip-of-a.5502906.jp
Well it went in the paper today actually on page 9, but what a write up! we got almost a full page and a great big photo too. We were doing a bit of shopping this evening and Anthony overheard some guy say to his friend "it's those guys in the paper" finally, we have recognition!
Also, I forgot to mention that on Saturday, the good people at Dyrons Motorcycles in Leeds donated all the oils and lubs for the bikes so we can keep them running smoothly. Thanks guys.
Well, there's nothing left now but setting off. We'll be going at about 8:30 from home to the Queens for a couple of photos then at about 9am we'll set off for my office on Global Avenue off the ring road, for some more pictures. 9:30 should see us on the road for the first leg to Selby, then on to the Humber Bridge, if you have a bike and have nothing to do, please feel free to join us on that first leg.
NB: The paper printed a couple of mistakes, firstly we are going Clockwise around the country, not anti-clockwise, and secondly Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman went from London to New York, not the other way round as printed. Apart from that the rest is correct.
Saturday 1st August 2009
and they're off....!
Rain, cloudy bit windy and far too early.....
So here we go. Here's a picture of our start miles...2438.7
Rain rain and more rain! It absolutely poured it down, almost all day. Peter followed us as far as the A63 to Howden and we took it from there. The road wasn't too busy but what traffic there was, was going very fast, so we had to keep out of the way. We set up the handle bar camera just before the Humber Bridge and then rode across it. What an unbelievable view, it was brilliant! The rain had stopped and we could see for miles on either side. We rode towards Grimbsy and then south through Louth, Spilsby and Boston and eventually reached Long Sutton by 4:30pm
It was a great ride. Tomorrow we are heading down to Cross in Hand via the Darford Bridge.
2nd August 2009
Which way is south...?
Well we left Long Sutton this morning at 9am and went the 11 miles to Kings lynn. There was an old Norman Arch built over the the main road and which was just wide enough for the lorries passing through.
We then headed south towards the Thames to cross at Dartford. That was the plan. However the best laid plans of mice and men....well we stopped at Sudbury for a sumptious lunch, well actually it was a couple of cheese and ham sandwiches which we made up from the local Aldi store. Then we set off for Chelmsford. When we reached at Colchester, we realised that we were going the wrong way, particularly when I spotted a sign for Sudbury again! 40 miles later we were back in Chelmsford again. From there we managed to get finally to the Dartford Bridge. Spectacular but for all the traffic! I have never seen so many cars in one place. However the best part was that motorcycles went over for FREE! Last laugh and all that!
We finally reached Cross in Hand at 8:15pm 11 hours and 240 miles later.
Tomorrow we will have a lie in and set out to Ilminster with Stonehenge on route.
The archway at Kings Lynn with the bikes.
3rd August 2009
"There's a cow on the horizon" and "Dad... why can I see the sea?"
Well we set off from Cross in Hand this morning with every intention of ridding directly to Amesbury to see Stonehenge. Our route was set and we had notes and everything, but we didn't bank on the sat nav lady (Sally Sat Nav) in having plans of her own! Off we went, we rode on and on but we never saw any of our chosen towns. Instead we went south to the coast, clearly Sally wanted to see the sea. We disappeared through tunnels as long as mount blonc and thought we were in Italy. High on the hill, at the very point that the earth touches the sky, I spotted what at first appeared to be a solitary tree till it moved. It was in fact a cow, yes daisy was on top of the world! As I was admiring this vision I heard a voice in my ear, it was Daniel who said "er...why can I see the sea?" and sure enough there it was! Sally had found the coast near Brighton.
Sally and I had words, and finally, though reluctantly, she agreed to play ball. Off we went again and this time we went through Winchester and Petersfield till finally we reached Amesbury and just beyond, Stonehenge. The sight of it as we rode over the hill of the A303 was amazing to say the least. As we got closer it was even more stunning. We parked in the visitors car park and took our camera's to record this for our permanent records. All too soon it was time to leave and sure enough it started to rain. So with waterproofs on we sploshed our way to Ilminster. The closer we got the heavier the rain felt. Sally had given up and gone to bed claiming her battery was flat but I think she just didn't want to get wet. It was 8pm when three sodden bikers squelched there way into the Travelodge, with Sally and Biggles secure, warm and dry in their respective bags.
Tomorrow Plymouth, and Sally has promised to behave!
Outside the Cross in Hand Pub in Uckfield
Stonehenge in all its glory
Ancient ruins and Stonehenge!
4th August 2009
Why does it always rain on me......
"it's only 75 miles or so, it shouldn't take more then a two and a half hours..." We had three types of rain today, heavy,torential and biblical. I was wet up to the elbows on the inside of my bike coat and my shoes were full of water. We could wring out our gloves and even then they were still sodden. We rode on from Ilminster in terrible conditions but pressed on for as long as we could. We reached Exeter and finally gave in to the elements and to the offer of warmth and food in a nearby pub called the Dartbridge. It was a welcome respite in all that rain. We had a lovely meal of locally produces ham and eggs and refreshing cups of tea and coffee. No booze, we're driving!
It was six o'clock before we reached the travelodge in Plymouth.
Hopefully, we'll have a drier day tomorrow.
This was the view across Dartmoor!
5th August 2009
Here we are at Lands End!
What a fantastic day! We set off at 11am the weather was perfect, are headsets however wern't. It seems that all of yesterdays rain had gotten into the works and messed things up a bit. Nothing so serious that shouting down the headphones couldn't fix. We rode through some great countryside with specacular views across Bodmin Moor. It was Penzance before we could see the sea properly and we reached lands end only a short hop after that. The views looking out over the Atlantic were crystal clear. We found the marker post easily and we were allowed to bring the bikes into the photographing area, the man taking the pictures even put the name of our tour and where we were from on the post, Leeds being only 410 miles away. That was a perfect end to that part of the day. The 85 miles back did not seem to take long and after a stop for dinner at the Little Chef we were back at the Travelodge for 8.40pm, the longest day yet, but by far the best so far.
6th August 2009
Oh dear, gippy tummy...!
OK so I had the chicken & mushroom pie, it seemed fairly safe. Boy was I wrong! This morning I felt as though that particular chicken had decided to take out it's revenge on behalf of battery hens the world over! Anyway so as not to upset the delicate disposition of my readers, suffice to say there will be somthing in Plymouth that will forever be part of me!
Plymouth itself was not much to talk about, though it did have one or two interesting sights, in particular a church which was bombed out during WW2 and unusal architecture in the city centre. The ride to Bridgewater was uneventful though we were delayed by a couple of minor traffic accidents within the space of 500 metres on oppisite sides of the road! Again the countryside was refressing and cool and the road meandered it's way through one sleepy village after another, even the cows were relaxed!
The bombed out church placed on the roundabout
Unusual architecture
Cows relaxing as only cows cud!
7th Aug 2009
Fatigue is a powerful enemy, it makes a distance seem insurmountable and sows seeds of doubt in the mind. Last night I slipped into the deepest trough possible. The constant riding had sapped me of all my energy and I decided to throw in the towel. Where I sought incouragement I heard non and so I slept. This morning the sun is shining and the darkness has been lifted in more ways then one. My spirit has improved. Rather then give up at the first hurdle I've decided to press on. Our next stop today is Oswestry some 160 miles away and we have all day to reach it. And so we continue.
We had a fantastic day today. We rode through Bristol with a perfect view of the Clifton Susppension Bridge, then on through Gloucester and Ledbury, which was full of flowers and colour. On we went to Leominster and Shrewsbury and finally into Oswestery. On the way we saw hills and valleys all coated in glourious sunshine. We'd covered 166 miles today and have exceeded the 1000 mark. Tomorrow, Southport via Anglesey and Lanfair PG.
The Clifton Susppension Bridge
Countryside views along the way
8th August 2009
Oh, I'll get by with a little help from my friends.....
What a fantastic day! We left Oswestry at around 11am and made for North Wales. The road led us away from the built up areas and out into the countryside ans straight into a massive traffic jam. Llangollen was packed with tourist traffic and our progress was at a snails pace. 25 miles in one and half hours!!! Then came the Snowdonia National Park. Breathtaking, spectacular and amazing are words which will never fully discribe the views. Blue slate was everywhere, in the walls along the road and even in the mountains. Then we saw the lake, it was like something from a movie. We finally made it to Anglesey and though we saw the Menai Bridge our approach along the A55 meant we could not cross it. Sadly there was nowhere nearby where we could safely stop and take photos. We did, however get lots of photos of Llanfair PG. Southport beckoned and we had to leave. We drove along mile after mile of coastal roads aiming to get the ferry accross the Mersey, sadly in true Lojik fasion we got there too late for the last crossing! so we had to take the tunnel instead. Sally gave up for the day too soon for us to locate the Guest House and unfortunately our details of the place had been lost too. It was getting late and we needed a back up. Peter was pressed into service to try to locate the address and though he managed to find it on the internet, we were still unable to get there. When in dire straights there is only one person who can help. Enter into our tale SUPER DORA! We called home and my dearest Dora managed to save the day, she found the details, the phone number and provided directions. She is one in a million! Thanks Dora. The people at the Sunnyside Guest House were very welcoming even though we were so late. They looked after us wonderfully and even made us provided us with some supper. So here's a very big THANK YOU to them.
View accross the valley
Snowdonia National Park
9th Aug 2009
So how many times did I say wow?
We woke up to a grey Southport today though the sun did try to break through a few times. The town was already awake of course and the vendors of grease were busy with their burgers and sausages. The caroselle was in action and provided a colourful background to the promannade. A collection of big Harley-Davidson motorcycles were lined up to one side adding a modern contrast to the traditional childrens ride. We left at 11:30am and made for Penrith and finally the sun broke through. We rode through Preston and Garstang where we saw people dressed as cowboys and girls stood at bus-stops. Out into the countryside to Lancaster which had its modern and impressive, side by side with the old mills. From there we moved out to Carnforth, the original retirement place for the Flying Scotsman before it was moved to York. Then from Kendle we skirted the Lake District and that's when I had to stop at every verse end to take photos. Where Snowdonia was ruggied and rocky, here the mountains were softened with greenery. The hill rolled off into the distance changing shape and colour as each cloud cast it's hand over them. Finally we reached the travelodge at Penrith at 4pm just 90 miles from our start point today. WOW!
The Sunnyside Hotel Southport.
A view of the hills
10th August 2009
Penrith was wet when we got up and remained so when we were ready to leave at 10 am. We had our full wet weather gear on which when stood still in the room is very hot but when riding is cooler. We spent the day chasing the sunshine and from time to time we were close enough to feel it's touch, only to loose it again and be replaced by more rain. In a little while we reached the Scottish Border and Dumfries was our next port of call for a little break. Then on again towards Kilmarnock. Sally took us for a bit of a sight-seeing tour through some winding country roads but then she got bored with that and put us back on track for Glasgow. The sign for the Erskine Bridge came up and once again we were high above the world crossing the bridge with Glasgow laied out for us to see to our right. We saw a sign for Dumbarton soon after and also for Loch Lomand, and arrived at our hotel for 4:45pm and 155 miles later.
NB: My entry on the 8th Aug had a spelling mistake for Llangollen, which I have now corrected, actually most of my scribbles will have them but this was spotted by Catrin who works with Dora. Now it's bad enough that this should happen anyway but as this was spotted by a Welsh person makes it twice as bad. Sorry Catrin, well spotted! Good luck on your new home and venture in Wales.
The river at Dumfries
11th August 2009
What would Scotland be without the rain!
It seemed to me that from Dumbarton to Inverness is all up hill! We set off this morning at 11am and it felt as though we were climbing all day. Loch Lomand was shrouded in rain and riding through Glen Coe was wet and windy. Occasionally when the sun did get through, the views were fantastic. At Fort william we got talking to a couple of bikers who were doing a tour of Scotland, they were impressed with our progress on our little bikes and once they knew we were raising funds for charity, they very generously donated £10. Just goes to show that there is a definate sence of community amoungst bike riders even though they may be complete strangers. We also found out that they raise funds via "breast Way Round" in aide of Breast Cancer. So well done to them! It was sunny as we passed Loch Ness and we collected lots of photos. I also spotted a monument to John Cobb who in 1954 lost his life on Loch Ness in his attempt to break the speed record. He reached 206 mph. At one point I did think I'd seen Nessy eating an elephant but it turned out to be an Americn tourist eating a burger!
We reached our lodgings at 6:30pm. Tommorrow John O' Groats.
The mountains of Glen Coe
The Commando Monument
12th August 2009
We're suffering wind problems!
The ride from Inverness to John O'Groats was exciting to say the least. We had a couple of very long bridges to cross over the Moray Firth and Cromarty Firth both of which had increadible cross winds to endure which on lightweight bikes such as ours is no mean feat. We pulled up hills endlessly on the way to Wick and then the terrain changed again. Where there were pine forests now there were non only to be replaced by heather and grass. Perfect for the Grouse, especially today! The sun kept the day bright but did nothing for the tempreture as the air was chilled all day. The extra layers provided by the waterproofs kept us warm. Finally we saw the sign for John O' Groats and we had only 13 miles left. Then comming the other way were the two bikers whom we'd met on the way to Inverness, they tooted their horns and waived, it was good to see them again. Pity that we didn't get the chance to have a chat as it would have nice to have had a few minutes to thank them properly for their donation. John O' Groats was windy and cold though the sun was out and we had our picture taken with the bikes in front of the post. Then we made our way to the guest house, Sally got lost! she sent us up the wrong road but a kind local chap pointed out her error and sent us on the right road. The land lady then explained that this can happen up here as reception was poor in this area. Tomorow we're heading back to Inverness and the start of our journey home.
Here we are at John O'Groats with Biggles and Baaarbra!
13th August 2009
If I'm honest I was a little disappointed with John O'Groats. I imagined there would be more there, at least a bit more then just a couple of gift shops an a tourist information. The chap taking the photos was a bit grumpy as well! Anyway, today was the return trip to Inverness so theres really nothing new to add. There were also a couple of excellent photo oppertunities such as the view of Dunrobbin castle but unfortunately there was never anywhere to stop safely to take it from!
14th August 2009
"I't nay canny weather for bikes"!
Guess what, it was raining again! No, really, it was! We left Inverness this morning and it was already raining. The sky got greyer and greyer and about a million gallons of rain fell all at once. We passed through the Cairngorns but couldn't see them. We passed Avimore and couldn't see that either. Then we caught uo with thr traffic jams. The first one had no obvious reason (don't you just hate that!) then there was the accident where someone had run into the back of someone else who did the same to a third car, oh dear. We were held up for about half an hour there. Then we came accross the road works, no one moved at all for ages. Engines were switched off, people walked their dogs and we played "I Spy". R - rain. T - tree - C - car. It was all pretty easy really. We were there for at least two hours. What seemed an age later the Travelodge in Dunfirmlin came into view and at 6:45 we finally checked in. NB: the floor at the receiption resembled a kids paddling pool by the time we had our keys!
15th August 2009
And all good things come to an end..but that means we can start to plan the next one.
We had a later start today, 11:30 was soon enough for us. The rain was stopping and the sun was starting to come out. Most of our gear was still soaking wet from yesterday so it was a case of finding space for the "wet" bag. A bit of rearranging soon had it sorted and we were off. We rode round Edinburgh on the ring road and accross the Forth Road Bridge giving us an excellant view of the old iron railway bridge. We made our way to the A68 headed for Jedburgh and it was a fantastic ride through the countryside. We passed valleys and hills of purple heather, pine forest and eventually the Scottish, English border. On we went for mile after mile of stunning scenary which rolled away as far as the eye could see. Eventually the sign for Newcastle on the A696 came into view and we were looking for Birtley, the home of the Angel of the North. Along the A1 we rode and suddenly there she was, a fantastic acheivment of engineering and art.
Our trip is comming to an end as all things do, but we still have tomorrow to make our way home to Leeds, or should we turn around at the last minute and go round again. We will be leaving Durham in the morning at around 11am and will approach Leeds via Ripon, and should arrive at 3 - 4pm. Look out for us at the Queens. See you there.
Scottish / English border.
16th August 2009
WE DID IT !!!!!!!
I can't believe it, we actually made it. I am so impressed with my sons they rode with care and attention, never once putting a foot wrong. We were always safe and managed to keep out of everyons way. We've experienced sights sounds and yes, smells too as we rode the roads. There has been rain, wind and sunshine and we took it all in our stride. Never once did I see anyone who didn't greet us with a smile and we met some interesting people. Brian from Wolverhampton who runs a petrol station in Bora in Scotland who said there was nowhere else he rather be. Lorraine at the ASDA in Dumfirmline who's quote we used above, "Its nay canny weather for bikes" The senior gentleman whom we met in Edinburgh who has been riding bikes all his life and currently has two bikes. He told us that he still enjoys it when pulling into a service station and watches the admiring glances of the young ladies drop as he removes his helment to reveal his long grey hair, he's 78!
We set off today as planned and left Durham with the Cathederal in full view. Later joining the A1 at Scotch Corner we had to watch the cross winds which could sneak up on you without warning. Soon we spotted signs for Ripon and we peeled off the A1 and made for the town centre where we stopped for a quick lunch and photo break. We were ahead of schedule and found ourselves nearing Leeds soon after. At 2:50pm we pulled into the car park at the Queens on Harrogate Road and Dora was there to welcome us back.
It's hard to put into words how I feel about this tour ending. Its been a rollercoaster ride of up's and down's over the last two weeks and I don't just mean the hills. I'm proud of my lads and glad to be home.
Now for the next trip......
Back at the Queens, 16 days after setting off.
The map of our route
The speedo after the trip. 2361.2 miles total.
26th August 2009
Wow is it nearly two weeks since we got back! where has the time gone?
The trip seemed to take so long in planning and organisation that it felt all along as though we'd be traveling for longer. Anyway we did have a brilliant time and saw a lot of fantastic sights and we won't forget it, ever.
The charity has received lots of donations for which we thank you very much and the funds are still comming in!
Our plan now is to try to put our story together with the photographs, in a book.
Watch this space for details of the final total collected for the Charity, and of our next trip which we hope will be to the Isle of Man!
18th September 2009
Well the final donations are accounted for and we have a total of £1884.00 raised for Cash for Kids. Check out the Radio Aire website for details.
Here we are outside my office with Ros Raine from Radio Aire handing over the cheque.
THE ROUTE
Saturday 1st Aug
Leeds to Kings Lynn
Sunday 2nd Aug
Kings Lynn to Cross in Hand Sussex
Monday 3rd Aug
Cross in Hand to Ilminster via Stonehenge
Tuesday 4th Aug
Ilminster to Plymouth
Wednesday 5th Aug Day off
Thursday 6th Aug
Plymouth to Bridgwater
Friday 7th Aug
Bridgwater to Shrewsbury
Saturday 8th Aug
Shrewsbury to Southport via Llanfair PG
Sunday 9th Aug
Southport to Dumfries
Monday 10th Aug
Dumfries to Dumbarton
Tuesday 11th Aug
Dumbarton to Inverness via Ft William
Wednesday 12th Aug
Inverness to John O’Groats
Thursday 13th Aug
John O'Groats to Inverness
Friday 14th Aug
Inverness to Edinburgh
Saturday 15th Aug
Edinburgh to Durham via Birtley (Angel of the North)
Sunday 16th Aug
Durham to Leeds (Home)
Things to see:
Humber Bridge
Dartford Bridge
Stonehenge
Lands End
Menai Bridge
Llanfair PG
Lake District
Loch Ness
John O'Groats
Angel of the North
Fund Raising Events:
We plan set off early Saturday morning on the 1st August, and a web page has been set up so that people can contribute to the charity.
Additionally I hope to record the trip on video and would like to have it properly edited with a view of selling copies and all proceeds put to the fund.
At the end of it all we want to have done two things, one is to have had a really great time and the other is to raise as much as possible for charity.
Thanks for your support.
Nick, Anthony and Daniel Lojik.
www.justgiving.com/longwayround2009uktour
Just for a laugh...
After a long day Biggles needed a nap
Theres nothing like a bed that fits...
Splat goes another bug!
Biggles checks out Stonehenge - it's behind you!
Biggles takes charge!
Biggles admiring the view at Lands End
Oi a bit of privacy.. please!
True love was found in Wales for Biggles when he met the soon to become Mrs Biggles, first name Baaaarbra
Biggles gives Baaaarbra a traditional Scottish wedding
Henry and Baaarbra ay the Angel of the North.
After seeing the fun we had Biggles and Baaarbra are planning a trip of their own.
8th May 2010
That was so long ago it seems like a distant memory now.
Well that was then, this is now...
The tour continues, the Isle of Man beckons as we are destined to go.
We've booked the ferry and will be setting off on the 15th July to Heysham for the 2:30pm sailing. We'll be setting off at around 8:30am and our route will take us through Otley, Skipton and Settle on the A65 (we will be stopping at the Little Chef just outside Skipton for an early brunch) then through Burton in Lonsdale, Wrayton and Hornby on the A683 before reaching Heysham. We have to be there no later then 1:30pm. We're only going to be on the Island for a couple of days so this time we will not be asking for sponsorship but if you like, feel free to donate to any of the CANCER RESEARCH charities.
We plan on doing a few laps of the TT course though not for us the white knuckles, screaming engine's and shoulder scraping leans around the corners. We will be doing it at a more sedate speed, so that we can take in as much of the landscape as possible.
So follow my new blog 2010 Isle Of Man Tour, for more photographs and comments....
