Charity cycling

[jimboalee]

The reason I started cycling was because I'd agreed to do C2C as a charity ride and realised I needed to train. This time last year I would have regarded intending to ride 50 miles a day on a bike as completely bonkers.

For another route, we hijacked one of Scotmitchy's threads with a route around bridges. It basically started in Inverkiething and included: -

• Forth Bridge
• Menai Bridge
• Ironbridge
• Severn Bridge
• Clifton Suspension Bridge
• Tamar Devonport Bridge
• Tower Bridge
• Humber Bridge
• and the Tyne Bridge (with a few others)

Anyone fancies it it's only 2100km . I'd count that as mad

Whose idea was that? They must be mad.

 

[jimboalee]

This gives me an idea for an Audax DIY.

The Forth Road Bridge, the Menai Bridge, the Severn Bridge, the Tamar Devonport Bridge, Tower Bridge, Ironbridge, the Tyne bridge and back over the Forth Road Bridge.

Ah, here's the madman.

 

[mcshroom]

Yeah no idea who came up with that one

I did plot out a potential route

 

[CopperBrompton]

What has it got to do with island dwelling?

As Arch says, it's about literally being unable to go any further on that ride. With a land-locked country, it's an arbitrary journey because you could just cross either border. With LEJOG, you physically cannot cycle any further.

It is not even as if LEJoG is a true end to end, it goes to neither south most or north most points

You're missing the point: it's end-to-end because it's the longest continuous journey you can make.

 

[jimboalee]

As Arch says, it's about literally being unable to go any further on that ride. With a land-locked country, it's an arbitrary journey because you could just cross either border. With LEJOG, you physically cannot cycle any further.


You're missing the point: it's end-to-end because it's the longest continuous journey you can make.

Untrue.

There is the 24 x 200km rides that make the 'peneperipheral'.
5000 km with some extra bits.

AUK do say that rides over 2499 km are ridden 200 km per day, so you'd have to do it in 24 days.


There is also the Midlands Mesh.

Land's End to Berwick on Tweed is 1060 km, and if you rode it 'There and back', it would be 2120 km.
Being between 1900 and 2499 km, it has a minimum speed of 10 kmh.

 

[Arch]

Forget LEJOG, today I saw the definition of exertion for charity. It was the York Jane Tomlinson 10k run this morning, started at 9am.

About midday, I was cycling off the Millennium Bridge heading out to the racecourse cyclepath. At the end of the bridge, they were packing up the feed and water station, and at the end of the road that leads off the bridge, two 4x4 broom wagons were pulled up, hazads on - I assumed they were taking the signs down. Until I got level and saw the chap on crutches. I don't know what his disabillity was, cerebral palsy possibly, but he was taking one difficult step at a time - his crutches were clearly a part of his life, not down to an accident.

3 hours he'd been going, and he was clearly determined to finish.

That's effort. When you're able bodied, you can train, and train, and make yourself fitter, and therefore make the challenge easier, but if every step you take is limited and made harder by a disability, you can't break through that particular wall. Yes, you can be a fit as you can, but you're continuously fighting uphill, so to speak.

Chapeau! to him.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

why is it always LEJOG..?

Because a route of Aberdeen, Rochdale, Stoke to Exmouth would just be rude....

 

[CopperBrompton]

Untrue.
There is the 24 x 200km rides that make the 'peneperipheral'.

Pedant! 'Journey' being defined as A-B, not A-A.

 

[Headgardener]

Re your OP Downfader isn't PorkyPete involved in a LEJOG with a church in Chandlers Ford or Eastleigh?

 

[downfader]

Re your OP Downfader isn't PorkyPete involved in a LEJOG with a church in Chandlers Ford or Eastleigh?

I dunno. Might have a search later when I have a chance.

 

[just jim]

Having just completed my lejog yesterday I would say that though it may have been done before - perhaps even more than once if the rumours are true, it's bound to be a totally unique experience to anyone who cycles it. A lejog/jogle still retains the "wow" factor when you let slip you've ridden one. And what's wrong with a bit of wow now and again?

I feel as if I've packed lots of great rides into a small time frame; the Severn Bridge crossing, the ride up to High Bentham, over the Moorfoot Hills to Edinburgh and the best till last yesterday - from Lairg to JOG via Strathnaver and Bettyhill.

It's a complicated little island with it's array of creases, folds and flat bits and will always be worth riding through so long as you don't mind the cars.

 

[longers]

Well done Jim!

 

[Jezston]

I'm planning on doing the south coast next march (was going to do it this september but will be too busy with work) for the charity my late Dad used to work for, as he was a keen walker and he had always planned on doing this walk (technically did, but not in one go!).

I understand it's pretty hilly, but is it a worthy challenge compared to LEJOG? Especially for someone who hasn't ridden further than 25 miles yet?

 

[rich p]

I'm planning on doing the south coast next march (was going to do it this september but will be too busy with work) for the charity my late Dad used to work for, as he was a keen walker and he had always planned on doing this walk (technically did, but not in one go!).

I understand it's pretty hilly, but is it a worthy challenge compared to LEJOG? Especially for someone who hasn't ridden further than 25 miles yet?

The thing that always strikes me about this sort of geographical route is that you'd be forced to ride on some pretty unpleasant roads if you take a purist's attitude.
Personally, if I do a long distance route, I prefer to wiggle around, change the route en-route, detour to an interesting place etc.

 

[martint235]

And yes, it's something a lot of people don't like, that cycling is made to seem like something hard and unpleasant in order to get sponsorship. When I said I was going to do the next LEL, a woman at work said I should get sponsored. "but", I said, "I'm doing it anyway. What am I being sponsored for? Would I get sponsored to go on my summer holiday?"

I went on the pootle in Kent yesterday. When I first heard it was going on I thought it reasonable to cycle to the start point in Ashford from SE London and back once it had finished. A total distance I reckoned of 150 miles. I told my missus what I was up to and she said why didn't I get sponsored for it. My response was similar to yours, "But I'm doing it anyway. Why would anyone sponsor me for doing it". Anyway, 163 miles later and a charity is £350 better off thanks to me having a fun day out. Everyone is a winner.