LEJOG August/September 2021

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Solocle

Solocle

Über Member
Location
Poole
Day 14 - The Grand Finale(?)
IN PROGRESS

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Still a long way to go!

Café stop in Tain after the Cromarty Ferry. About 1/3 of today's ride now done.
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Leaving Tain cycled past the Glenmorangie Distillery. The smell of whisky from the road was, well, intoxicating. A9/A99 from here.
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Distances a wee bit outdated!
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10 photo limit.
 
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Solocle

Solocle

Über Member
Location
Poole
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I can see why the NC500 is popular.
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You know you're in the highlands when... WHISKY!
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Food stop in Helmsdale. 50 miles and imminent big climbs to go
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Well done! That was some going, especially today to finish it off :bravo:. It took me 2 days to get from Tain to JoG :laugh:; but in my defence I went the more scenic route via Lairg, Altnaharra, Bettyhill, and along the north coast.
Hope you picked up a bottle of that whisky earlier so you can have a wee celebration now. Sláinte!
 
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Solocle

Solocle

Über Member
Location
Poole
Well done! That was some going, especially today to finish it off :bravo:. It took me 2 days to get from Tain to JoG :laugh:; but in my defence I went the more scenic route via Lairg, Altnaharra, Bettyhill, and along the north coast.
Hope you picked up a bottle of that whisky earlier so you can have a wee celebration now. Sláinte!
The support crew parents brought a bottle of cava! There's also some Talisker that's yet to be broken into... but I'll start with food.
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I figured that with 200k to go, sure, I could split it into two normal days. That was the backup. But the timetable would then be a bit pressed for getting back south, plus, I figured that, with only 100k to go, why stop?!

It was tough going, of course, particularly Helmsdale etc, even the last hill before JOG was a bit of a beast with 200k in the legs. But the end was within sight!
 
Fortune favours the brave, looks like the weather was perfect

Congratulations on the ride and thanks for the images and the write up 👍
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
Well done! That was some going, especially today to finish it off :bravo:. It took me 2 days to get from Tain to JoG :laugh:; but in my defence I went the more scenic route via Lairg, Altnaharra, Bettyhill, and along the north coast.
Hope you picked up a bottle of that whisky earlier so you can have a wee celebration now. Sláinte!

LEJOG is not something to be rushed. The longer the better if you have the time available. Plus remember this was a supported version which makes longer distances per day easier.
 
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Solocle

Solocle

Über Member
Location
Poole
LEJOG is not something to be rushed. The longer the better if you have the time available. Plus remember this was a supported version which makes longer distances per day easier.
I have to say, my setup wasn't so far away from a credit card touring setup. I could have been rigorous with washing the kit in the hotel sink every night, and an ever so slightly bigger backpack would have fitted a change of clothes alongside my mascot. The one mechanical was actually two miles from a bike shop, I'd probably have acted a bit differently there were I unsupported.

I found the pace was generally perfect. I made reasonable progress every day without rushing past everything. Sure, I did Cornwall/Devon mostly at night, so didn't see so much... but then again, I live in Dorset, so it's not like I'm a stranger to those counties!

Even the final 200k leg to John O'Groats, I wasn't rushing past everything. I pretty much always found time to stop and take photos (or take a snap while still moving if I didn't feel like stopping).

If I were to do it again with more time available (that's what the timetable fundamentally boiled down to), then I wouldn't go any slower. I'd just go further on a more roundabout route. Maybe head up Durham Way, or do the West Coast/Isles.

But even that would miss out some of the most stunning riding of the entire journey I did.
 
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