Barbs's Big Bike RIde

This year I have decided to stay and enjoy an English Spring. It has been a long time coming but at last it is here and I am off to explore my own back yard. Well actually travelling up the UK mainland as far north as possible before 21st June and see how close I can get to the Midnight Sun.


After my travels along the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain last September on my trusty old iron donkey, I have bought a lighter bike in the hope that I can get up a few more hills and by going from Lands End to John o Groats (LEJOG) I can avoid the killing headwinds of the Spanish meseta.


So here she is, we had a jolly naming ceremony on Saturday and hopefully the good friends, food and weather I enjoyed will carry me through to the farthest northern climes. Thank you all for a great send off, admirably topped off with one too many pints The Village Bike listening to Mojo Triangle.


And she is called Eleanor, isn't she beautiful, I hope I still have such tender feelings after 6 hours in the saddle, but probably only in the nether regions I fear.


The map link on the right will show a rough itinerary and route and I will try try to update with my actual route, if I can work out how and where I am as I go along, you know there will be little correlation but I will get there or somewhere in the end!


If you want an email update, submit your address in the box also on right and hopefully it will find its way through the ether to you.

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

End notes and returns

I think once I turned south I just had to keep going or I would just stay.
I totally, is that totes? fell in love with the highlands and islands.
I knew I should log an end note but it seemed so final and I found myself unable to do it, except now that I am back, more later.

In short I found the whole trip of around 1300 cycling miles plus the odd ferry, plane and train journey as hard, exhilarating and exciting as my previous adventures to Africa and Bornoe.
I have found my own backyard to be full of stunning scenery both ancient and modern; fascinating history and mysterious culture even if it is explained in my mother tongue and kind, curious, interesting and helpful people apart from the odd ,very, motorist and pedestrian not happy to share their world with a similarly odd itinerant cyclist.
I feel very grateful to have survived in body and much greater spirit.
I am not the greatest patriot and it gives me a peculiar pleasure to say thank you Great Britain and your great people for this great experience.

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