James's Last Post

How Hard Was It?
We knew it would be tough, and it was. 9 days averaging 110 miles a day was not easy, but was achievable. The main feature was the relentlessness of the days. Up early and on the bike for 0830. Ride 50-60 miles and stop for lunch. Start again after about an hour's break knowing that we'd be riding until around 7pm. While leg muscles needed to be fit it was also, as Matt put it, the "muscle between the ears" which also needed exercising. This was especially true on around day 5 when we still had "Another 4 days of this" to go!

Was It Fun?
Undoubtedly - yes. The feeling of achievement at the end of each day was great - and the feeling at the end of day 9 was fantastic. While bits of me hurt at times, pushing on and making it to the end was a great feeling.

What amazed me was the beauty of the countryside as it slowly changed from Devon and Cornwall to the Somerset Flats through the Welsh Borders and up to Scotland. We'd always expected Scotland to be beautiful, but the hidden surprises around Cheshire and Lancashire were great. We also met some very kind people along the way - Alison who showed us the way to the bridge in Runcorn, for example.

Would I Do It Again?
Ask me in a few weeks - when I want to look at a bike again. Maybe another challenge awaits.

I Couldn't Have Done It Without...
First of all I must say a huge thank-you to Matt and Joe for accepting me into their team, and especially Matt for having the initial idea and doing all the planning. Without your work Matt, this wouldn't have happened - thank you.

Of course, we definitely couldn't have done the trip without the amazing support of Cathy who lugged our bags up the country in the car, phoned ahead to accommodation, sweet-talked washing facilities from proprietors and was always brilliantly supportive. With Clare arriving in Largs our support team was doubled and the encouragement more than doubled. Thank you both for all your help.