2016 lejog planning in progress

[jnrmczip]

Hi all,

So here we go today I sat down and started planning my lejog

So far I have made a list of all I'm going to need to take with me on the trip what I already have and what I need.
I have worked out how I'm getting to the start and back from the finish.
I know I will need to plan places to stay but this will happen when I have created the route I'm going to use and decided how far I want to travel each day as well as how many days in total I want to complete the challenge in.
I have researched some routes but was interested in viewing other people's routes to help create my own. I'm looking to complete the cycle taking in some nice scenery want to avoid major roads as much as possible also. But would also like to not be to far away from civilisation all the way.
If anyone wishes to suggest routes they have used or going to use this would be very helpful any pictures of routes being used would also be nice so I can plan my own around viewing others.

Thank you in advance for any help given it will be much apriciated

 

[robgul]

Pop along to www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk for loads of resources

Rob
(Cycle E2E webmaster)

 

[jnrmczip]

Pop along to www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk for loads of resources

Rob
(Cycle E2E webmaster)

Thank you for the heads up I will have a look over the page tonight

 

[vernon]

Hi all,

So here we go today I sat down and started planning my lejog

So far I have made a list of all I'm going to need to take with me on the trip what I already have and what I need.
I have worked out how I'm getting to the start and back from the finish.
I know I will need to plan places to stay but this will happen when I have created the route I'm going to use and decided how far I want to travel each day as well as how many days in total I want to complete the challenge in.
I have researched some routes but was interested in viewing other people's routes to help create my own. I'm looking to complete the cycle taking in some nice scenery want to avoid major roads as much as possible also. But would also like to not be to far away from civilisation all the way.
If anyone wishes to suggest routes they have used or going to use this would be very helpful any pictures of routes being used would also be nice so I can plan my own around viewing others.

Thank you in advance for any help given it will be much apriciated

Don't over plan. It spoils the surprises.

You start in Land End and you finish in John o'Groats it's about a thousand miles. Divide that by the number of days and there's your average daily mileage.

Look at Robgul's site to give you some idea then strike out on your own and create your own route.

If you've not done cycle touring before get some in this year and your equipment list will evolve into what's workable.

I camped so had the flexibility of being able to choose my break points.

I have a checklist that's evolved and has become my packing list for every tour since 2010.

I reckon it's a tad early to put a lot of effort into planning. I'd leave it until next year. The decision that you might have to make this year because of work commitments, is your dates to fit in with your leave entitlements. Spend the rest of this year having fun on shorter tours to get a feel for the experience. If you are travelling by train, you can't do anything about booking them until three months before travel.

 

[jnrmczip]

Don't over plan. It spoils the surprises.

You start in Land End and you finish in John o'Groats it's about a thousand miles. Divide that by the number of days and there's your average daily mileage.

Look at Robgul's site to give you some idea then strike out on your own and create your own route.

If you've not done cycle touring before get some in this year and your equipment list will evolve into what's workable.

I camped so had the flexibility of being able to choose my break points.

I have a checklist that's evolved and has become my packing list for every tour since 2010.

I reckon it's a tad early to put a lot of effort into planning. I'd leave it until next year. The decision that you might have to make this year because of work commitments, is your dates to fit in with your leave entitlements. Spend the rest of this year having fun on shorter tours to get a feel for the experience. If you are travelling by train, you can't do anything about booking them until three months before travel.

Very good advice @vernon the biggest problem is work comments so need to do some planning but I do understand what your saying about not over doing it. I've yet to decide on the camping option or not but think it may be far more suitable as I will save a lot of money. The only thing that's bothering me is time constraints would much prefer not to have to set a number of days and just enjoy the ride set a new point each morning to reach and take in all the different places fully but that's not a luxury I have yet.

 

[neil_merseyside]

You'll need to know how many days (nights really) to work out average day length as Vernon suggests and have some idea of route being W/E of River Severn, W/E Pennines, W/E scotland etc and then you can have an idea if nominal daily distances actually coincide with a place to stop... But you probably need to shorten lumpy days and to balance lengthen the flat ones and then see if those changes coincide with a place to stop!
In actual fact only Scotland is likely to be shy of places to stay (but wild camping fixes that). Can you ride the distance that 1000m/time available suggests?

 

[snorri]

Don't over plan. It spoils the surprises.........I reckon it's a tad early to put a lot of effort into planning. I'd leave it until next year. .

The wisest tour planning advice I've seen for a long time.

 

[Ticktockmy]

The problem with long term planning is it gives you too long to change your mind and route and worry about what if's. When I did the Durness to Dover route, it was a last minute decision made 3 days before, the only thing I booked was the night sleeper to Inverness and it was the rail company who decides my start date, due to availability of a berth. Accommodation wise I used a mixture of B&B and camping, with nothing booked before hand.
Route planning was done each evening as I progressed South following whatever whim I took a fancy to. It took me 18 days to complete the trip.

 

[jnrmczip]

You'll need to know how many days (nights really) to work out average day length as Vernon suggests and have some idea of route being W/E of River Severn, W/E Pennines, W/E scotland etc and then you can have an idea if nominal daily distances actually coincide with a place to stop... But you probably need to shorten lumpy days and to balance lengthen the flat ones and then see if those changes coincide with a place to stop!
In actual fact only Scotland is likely to be shy of places to stay (but wild camping fixes that). Can you ride the distance that 1000m/time available suggests?

I have started training and will be increasing miles every couple of weeks from now till then. I can do 50 miles so far quite comfortable. So within a year I should be able to advance on this a great deal by training. Also commuting to work and back most days of not all. As I stay in glasgow I ride in every variety of weather and don't shy away from it I enjoy it no matter what. I would say I'm not as fit as I should be just now but with determination and training I should be.

 

[vernon]

I have started training and will be increasing miles every couple of weeks from now till then. I can do 50 miles so far quite comfortable. So within a year I should be able to advance on this a great deal by training. Also commuting to work and back most days of not all. As I stay in glasgow I ride in every variety of weather and don't shy away from it I enjoy it no matter what. I would say I'm not as fit as I should be just now but with determination and training I should be.

Training?

I did the ride having done only four 60+ mile rides in the month beforehand. Prior to these, my max was around 50 miles. I weighed 24-25 stones at the time. I don't know what your daily target is but someone's fired the starting pistol a tad early.

 

[jnrmczip]

I want to be able to do 100 miles easily so whatever target I set for each day is achievable and I can enjoy the trip also.

 

[snorri]

. I can do 50 miles so far quite comfortable.

In that case you are ready to go.

 

[jnrmczip]

In that case you are ready to go.

Hopefully this is the case

 

[snorri]

Hopefully this is the case

If you cannot get the time to do LEJOG, perhaps this summer you could do some short tours to get used to the idea of cycling on consecutive days, finding accommodation/campsites etc.
I really don't think it would be particularly helpful to simply work on increasing your miles per day figure.
LEJOG is a great adventure but is only a starter for ten (as some old quizmaster used to say) which will lead you on to tour further afield and cover greater distances.

 

[vernon]

LEJOG is a great adventure but is only a starter for ten (as some old quizmaster used to say) which will lead you on to tour further afield and cover greater distances.

LEJOG opened the doors to me doing a Channel to Med ride. Doing the Eurovelo six route from The Atlantic to as far as Belgrade in instalments. and onto my latest adventure.

I'm flying to Seattle at the end of June to do the Northern Tier cycle route from the Pacific to the Atlantic hugging the US Canadian Border. I haven't got around to picking the start and end dates yet - that will come about later today when I book my flights. I won't know where I'll be spending the first night on the route until I reach it - the rest of the stops will be decided mid afternoon each day . My training will be confined to a shakedown mini tour - a UK coast to coast in ten days' time to test a new tent and a revised packing list for the panniers. Otherwise my planning has been confined to buying the maps, negotiating extended leave and applying for an extended US visa.