Mice
Guru
Probably, hopefully the only time I will have ever start an FNRttC in a cab. Bike, luggage and me to Grosvenor Crescent just behind HPC. Slightly apprehensively (understatement obviously) as I have never cycled 119 miles in one go before, never mind at midnight to be then followed by seven more days cycling. I cycled up to HPC and joined the rest of a buzzing collection of cyclists.
The anticipation amongst us was practically visible. Once we were all hello'd up, DZ spoke of bollards and bungalows and we were off. Up Park Lane at midnight - another first. Along the A5 all the way to Elstree, past St Albans and on to Hockley and Olney where we stopped at McDonalds who were most efficient, friendly and had opened just for us.
It was here that I realised we were 39 not 38. 38 bicycles and one special, magical one. Bicycle 39 had four wheels, two people (to start with), an engine, quite a lot of luggage and the most fantastic attitude I have ever known. Rather than be a courier travelling from a-b which was a big enough task in itself with the logistical luggage delivery and collection requirement, it stuck with us. It regrouped with us, waiting with others for the TEC shout before moving on and was absolutely there with us all the way.
Andrew Br and Diana were the driving team for the first part of the trip and set a standard of selflessness that practically had me in tears it was so humbling. It was a selflessness that Ian62 personified all the way to John O'Groats and this really did in fact bring me to tears several days later in Newtonmore when I was physically exhausted, having cycled into a headwind for the day, was mentally broken, was now trying to take my (overpacked) luggage to my hotel a mile down the road, but carrying things my body simply, literally, couldn't move another step. I have back issues which means I can't carry heavy objects. My feet wouldn't move, I was stuck in the street, on my own where I started snivelling like a child. I managed to drag myself across the road to a cafe where the owner let me leave my luggage. I walked back to the van and my bicycle, to Ian, where I was still sobbing like a fool, feeling horrendous that despite the enormity of what Ian was doing for us I couldn't even meet the one simple thing I had been asked to do.
Through the tears and the blubbing I tried to explain what had happened and how sorry I was. Ian took one look at me, smiled and said calmly and cheerily "Dont worry Mice, you show me where you have left your luggage and I'll follow you to where you are staying with it." I could have hugged him - actually I think I did. I got on my bicycle, he retrieved my luggage from the cafe and I burst into tears, howling all the way to the hotel at the unbelievable level of kindness, care and supreme selflessness given the incredible task he was carrying out with goodness knows how many pieces of luggage and numbers of hotels, B&B's, hostels and campsites, maps, routes and a zillion other LonJog cyclists issues he was dealing with - not to mention his own accommodation and food requirements. On top of which both he and AndrewBr are FNRttCers and have given their time up to be off their bicycles looking after the rest of us. I am frozen at my keyboard just thinking about it.
As I re-read that last paragraph, I realise there are qualities described in Ian, Diana and Andrew Br that can also be described in several others. Adrian, TC, GregCollins, Mistral, Tail-end-Charlie-Charlie, Michael, Mika, Redfalo, RB58 to name a few - and the ultimate stars of the day - Simon and Susie.
A realisation has just occurred in my small and sleepy brain. In the FNRttC blogspot, it is clearly marked "it is all about the bike". Mudguards (the removal of), racks (the removal of), pumped up tyres, oiled chains and things are all advised for the FNRttC. But as far as the team of peeps mentioned above, to them it seems it is all about the other riders - it's about the rest of us. Encouraging, cajooling and guiding us along, assessing our bikes, spirits and speeds, knowing whether we are floundering (in my case actually crying) and gently bringing us along the way using humour, chit chat, goalposts, achievements - whatever is the most appropriate for the individual to keep us moving. If this means they are out in the rain the longest, cycling more miles up down the line, communicating with each other, fixing, repairing and assessing things only to end up at the back of the food queue, the last to have a drink or something to eat, they say nothing. They join the queue and wait regardless. The rest of us fally around with "can I have chocolate on that chocolate cake please" perfecting our lattes and cappucinos, keeping the orders complicated, the queue long and slow and they just wait, continually checking that everyone else is ok. These are the qualities that make FNRttCs what they are. A real example of putting others before themselves. I am truly humbled to the core.
Obviously not everything is perfect though. I mean if I hear one more reference to trains.....!
The LonJog route was fantastic. We rode through parts of the country I have never seen before, northern England, County Durham was stunning. Rolling up and down, somewhere was the Hell of the North and somehow I just kept pedalling. The variety of sheep, cattle, birdlife, horses, - cycling past fields where we could just be part of the environment without bringing in intrusive fumes or engine revs.
The steep climb up to the border with Scotland was amazing. We had been on cycle paths, abandoned parts of the A9 as visibility was horrendous, we had been soaked to the skin so many times. User13710 had swimming pools in each shoe, Adrian was wearing footwear which was less Vivien Westwood and more Tesco plastic bags/sandals (although you never know, it might catch on).
There were days when we were beaten by a headwind which would not go away. I found myself pedalling downhill. On the other hand a couple of days earlier I had ridden 1.5 hours with a rolling average of 15mph. 15mph??? Note to self - don't stay too close to Ross! I can't sustain 15mph as a rolling average - this is a tour to John O'Groats!
I met some fabulous new peeps and caught up with others that I know and love. I laughed out loud more times than I can remember, I rode up a 13%er on the middle ring as my gear lever is broken, I have been leant a rear wheel as mine is buckled. I have learnt how to climb hills with gears and to accept that some people are just superior cyclists - LeoQueen is going to shock the next ride she does on a bicycle that weighs less than a tank. Dib-dib, dib-dib, dib-dib, up she went. We all used every bit of cycling technology known to man and LeoQueen just used her legs. Awesome. Susie, User13710 and I got up those hills, we survived the rain, the wind, the juggernauts and we were all at John O Groats somewhat elated.
McShroom sang to me, Rachel baked a perfect cake, Ross nearly killed me with his 15mph rolling average - and yet he, GregCollins and Adrian saved my ride by making me realise I didn't need to carry every accessory known to man on my bicycle or around my waste. (Am sleepy, cant spell waste). Stuaff flew up and down hills as though his wheels weren't touching the ground, Stephen and Rachel sang with Susie and I for three miles inbetween Wick and John O'Groats. The longest 17 miles into Wick I have ever cycled and I loved the A68. I thought I was going to hate it and I loved it.
In fact (apart from the over luggage walk which was entirely my fault) I loved all of it. I loved the fact that User10571 and Mark Grant came to see us at the start. I loved that Butterfly, Clarion and the Halls came too. I loved seeing Flying Dodo and Rebecca Olds just standing on the roadside at 2.30am to join us. I hated that my chain came off and jammed so badly I nearly had to go in the van - right up until Adrian flew by, whipped my bike upside down, fixed it and I carried on. I loved it when Gordon came by saying "If you want a lift, help yourself", when Xi and Jacob cheered me up with how awfully strong the wind was, how Michael smiled for 670 miles and we all laughed for England and Scotland. I loved it when we rode through two villages one after the other - the first was called Brompton and the second was called Moulton and that Ian62 could cycle with Mark on their Bromptons to be joined by Redfalo on his Moulton. And I especially loved Aviemore where we found iLB and his crew from Lands' End.
I loved the camaraderie that DZ and Susie inspire through their total sense of care, consideration and complete awareness to the entire group. I have to say an enormous thank you to all of you, I hope to see you on Friday if not another one and here are some (quite a lot actually) photos (they are best thought of as reminders rather than photos as some of them are a bit blurry and a bit rubbish!) https://picasaweb.google.com/108733...authkey=Gv1sRgCJPi6rL4gqWGkwE&feat=directlink
Mice
The anticipation amongst us was practically visible. Once we were all hello'd up, DZ spoke of bollards and bungalows and we were off. Up Park Lane at midnight - another first. Along the A5 all the way to Elstree, past St Albans and on to Hockley and Olney where we stopped at McDonalds who were most efficient, friendly and had opened just for us.
It was here that I realised we were 39 not 38. 38 bicycles and one special, magical one. Bicycle 39 had four wheels, two people (to start with), an engine, quite a lot of luggage and the most fantastic attitude I have ever known. Rather than be a courier travelling from a-b which was a big enough task in itself with the logistical luggage delivery and collection requirement, it stuck with us. It regrouped with us, waiting with others for the TEC shout before moving on and was absolutely there with us all the way.
Andrew Br and Diana were the driving team for the first part of the trip and set a standard of selflessness that practically had me in tears it was so humbling. It was a selflessness that Ian62 personified all the way to John O'Groats and this really did in fact bring me to tears several days later in Newtonmore when I was physically exhausted, having cycled into a headwind for the day, was mentally broken, was now trying to take my (overpacked) luggage to my hotel a mile down the road, but carrying things my body simply, literally, couldn't move another step. I have back issues which means I can't carry heavy objects. My feet wouldn't move, I was stuck in the street, on my own where I started snivelling like a child. I managed to drag myself across the road to a cafe where the owner let me leave my luggage. I walked back to the van and my bicycle, to Ian, where I was still sobbing like a fool, feeling horrendous that despite the enormity of what Ian was doing for us I couldn't even meet the one simple thing I had been asked to do.
Through the tears and the blubbing I tried to explain what had happened and how sorry I was. Ian took one look at me, smiled and said calmly and cheerily "Dont worry Mice, you show me where you have left your luggage and I'll follow you to where you are staying with it." I could have hugged him - actually I think I did. I got on my bicycle, he retrieved my luggage from the cafe and I burst into tears, howling all the way to the hotel at the unbelievable level of kindness, care and supreme selflessness given the incredible task he was carrying out with goodness knows how many pieces of luggage and numbers of hotels, B&B's, hostels and campsites, maps, routes and a zillion other LonJog cyclists issues he was dealing with - not to mention his own accommodation and food requirements. On top of which both he and AndrewBr are FNRttCers and have given their time up to be off their bicycles looking after the rest of us. I am frozen at my keyboard just thinking about it.
As I re-read that last paragraph, I realise there are qualities described in Ian, Diana and Andrew Br that can also be described in several others. Adrian, TC, GregCollins, Mistral, Tail-end-Charlie-Charlie, Michael, Mika, Redfalo, RB58 to name a few - and the ultimate stars of the day - Simon and Susie.
A realisation has just occurred in my small and sleepy brain. In the FNRttC blogspot, it is clearly marked "it is all about the bike". Mudguards (the removal of), racks (the removal of), pumped up tyres, oiled chains and things are all advised for the FNRttC. But as far as the team of peeps mentioned above, to them it seems it is all about the other riders - it's about the rest of us. Encouraging, cajooling and guiding us along, assessing our bikes, spirits and speeds, knowing whether we are floundering (in my case actually crying) and gently bringing us along the way using humour, chit chat, goalposts, achievements - whatever is the most appropriate for the individual to keep us moving. If this means they are out in the rain the longest, cycling more miles up down the line, communicating with each other, fixing, repairing and assessing things only to end up at the back of the food queue, the last to have a drink or something to eat, they say nothing. They join the queue and wait regardless. The rest of us fally around with "can I have chocolate on that chocolate cake please" perfecting our lattes and cappucinos, keeping the orders complicated, the queue long and slow and they just wait, continually checking that everyone else is ok. These are the qualities that make FNRttCs what they are. A real example of putting others before themselves. I am truly humbled to the core.
Obviously not everything is perfect though. I mean if I hear one more reference to trains.....!
The LonJog route was fantastic. We rode through parts of the country I have never seen before, northern England, County Durham was stunning. Rolling up and down, somewhere was the Hell of the North and somehow I just kept pedalling. The variety of sheep, cattle, birdlife, horses, - cycling past fields where we could just be part of the environment without bringing in intrusive fumes or engine revs.
The steep climb up to the border with Scotland was amazing. We had been on cycle paths, abandoned parts of the A9 as visibility was horrendous, we had been soaked to the skin so many times. User13710 had swimming pools in each shoe, Adrian was wearing footwear which was less Vivien Westwood and more Tesco plastic bags/sandals (although you never know, it might catch on).
There were days when we were beaten by a headwind which would not go away. I found myself pedalling downhill. On the other hand a couple of days earlier I had ridden 1.5 hours with a rolling average of 15mph. 15mph??? Note to self - don't stay too close to Ross! I can't sustain 15mph as a rolling average - this is a tour to John O'Groats!
I met some fabulous new peeps and caught up with others that I know and love. I laughed out loud more times than I can remember, I rode up a 13%er on the middle ring as my gear lever is broken, I have been leant a rear wheel as mine is buckled. I have learnt how to climb hills with gears and to accept that some people are just superior cyclists - LeoQueen is going to shock the next ride she does on a bicycle that weighs less than a tank. Dib-dib, dib-dib, dib-dib, up she went. We all used every bit of cycling technology known to man and LeoQueen just used her legs. Awesome. Susie, User13710 and I got up those hills, we survived the rain, the wind, the juggernauts and we were all at John O Groats somewhat elated.
McShroom sang to me, Rachel baked a perfect cake, Ross nearly killed me with his 15mph rolling average - and yet he, GregCollins and Adrian saved my ride by making me realise I didn't need to carry every accessory known to man on my bicycle or around my waste. (Am sleepy, cant spell waste). Stuaff flew up and down hills as though his wheels weren't touching the ground, Stephen and Rachel sang with Susie and I for three miles inbetween Wick and John O'Groats. The longest 17 miles into Wick I have ever cycled and I loved the A68. I thought I was going to hate it and I loved it.
In fact (apart from the over luggage walk which was entirely my fault) I loved all of it. I loved the fact that User10571 and Mark Grant came to see us at the start. I loved that Butterfly, Clarion and the Halls came too. I loved seeing Flying Dodo and Rebecca Olds just standing on the roadside at 2.30am to join us. I hated that my chain came off and jammed so badly I nearly had to go in the van - right up until Adrian flew by, whipped my bike upside down, fixed it and I carried on. I loved it when Gordon came by saying "If you want a lift, help yourself", when Xi and Jacob cheered me up with how awfully strong the wind was, how Michael smiled for 670 miles and we all laughed for England and Scotland. I loved it when we rode through two villages one after the other - the first was called Brompton and the second was called Moulton and that Ian62 could cycle with Mark on their Bromptons to be joined by Redfalo on his Moulton. And I especially loved Aviemore where we found iLB and his crew from Lands' End.
I loved the camaraderie that DZ and Susie inspire through their total sense of care, consideration and complete awareness to the entire group. I have to say an enormous thank you to all of you, I hope to see you on Friday if not another one and here are some (quite a lot actually) photos (they are best thought of as reminders rather than photos as some of them are a bit blurry and a bit rubbish!) https://picasaweb.google.com/108733...authkey=Gv1sRgCJPi6rL4gqWGkwE&feat=directlink
Mice
to see you all as you turned off to Hill o' Beith (where Zee was directing you) on your way to Kinross.
)
CHAPEAU 
