The Fridays Tour 2012

[Aperitif]

(^ Double posting = in tents I.T. ) Naples not staples for Francesco. Naples Yellow is a poisonous colour, well the pigment anyway. Lead something or other... antimony? can't remember... Lead Antimoniate!

 

[Wobblers]

(^ Double posting = in tents I.T. ) Naples not staples for Francesco. Naples Yellow is a poisonous colour, well the pigment anyway. Lead something or other... antimony? can't remember... Lead Antimoniate!

You'll be fine as long as you weren't planning on eating it! At least, that was what I was telling my students in the lab last week...

 

[Wobblers]

I'd be interested in this... though as I haven't any idea where I'll be or doing in a year's time it's a little hard to be definite.

It is often precisely that, but it could be so much more. If the company is right, the route is right (and that, of course, depends on what 'right' is) and there's an opportunity to drink in some of the culture and history then it could be a very fine cycle ride.

Sounds intriguing. Are you suggesting we quaff sample all the real ales along the route?

 

[Speicher]

You'll be fine as long as you weren't planning on eating it! At least, that was what I was telling my students in the lab last week...

Does plumbum enter the equation at this juncture?

 

[Speicher]

I'd be interested in this... though as I haven't any idea where I'll be or doing in a year's time it's a little hard to be definite.



Sounds intriguing. Are you suggesting we quaff sample all the real ales along the route?

In that case I will start some training. Unfortunately Launceston has not got a station.
All the other points have.

 

[david1701]

In that case I will start some training. Unfortunately Launceston has not got a station.
All the other points have.

there are some 10-20 miles ish away though if you do need to bail

 

[dellzeqq]

I've been taking advice and thinking on some of the things said here.

1. There's a very good ride to be had between Cannes to Genova (I found out that a friend of a friend had led one), but it's not a camping type ride - it's sporty. There are stretches which take nerve - cars pass quickly and closely, and some of the downhills are really suitable for road bikes only.

2. If I apply my own test to the London-Napoli idea then it doesn't stack up too well. The ride lacks identity - it hasn't really got a story behind it. There's a six day haul through France, which has nothing to do with the beginning or the end. It falls under the heading of an adventure rather than a tour, albeit a rather truncated adventure. I may think this because I know very little about the geography of France.

3. LEJoG does have identity, but it needs to be a pleasurable ride. That, in A-road Britain, isn't easy south of (say) a line from Worcester to Northampton.

4. Judging by the answers here there'd be more takers for a LEJoG (or portions of a LEJoG) than there would be a London - Napoli. People seem to be interested in the idea of 'plugging' in to the ride for a day or two - and I think that could be great fun.

I haven't reached any conclustions yet, but I thought I'd run this by you.

 

[Wobblers]

Does plumbum enter the equation at this juncture?

Not just pipes, the Romans flavoured their wine with lead acetate!!

In that case I will start some training. Unfortunately Launceston has not got a station.
All the other points have.

I'm sure your cycling good enough that you don't need to train... oh wait, it's not that sort of training you mean, is it? I recommend strengthening exercises for the arm and elbow...

 

[Wobblers]

I've been taking advice and thinking on some of the things said here.

1. There's a very good ride to be had between Cannes to Genova (I found out that a friend of a friend had led one), but it's not a camping type ride - it's sporty. There are stretches which take nerve - cars pass quickly and closely, and some of the downhills are really suitable for road bikes only.

2. If I apply my own test to the London-Napoli idea then it doesn't stack up too well. The ride lacks identity - it hasn't really got a story behind it. There's a six day haul through France, which has nothing to do with the beginning or the end. It falls under the heading of an adventure rather than a tour, albeit a rather truncated adventure. I may think this because I know very little about the geography of France.

3. LEJoG does have identity, but it needs to be a pleasurable ride. That, in A-road Britain, isn't easy south of (say) a line from Worcester to Northampton.

4. Judging by the answers here there'd be more takers for a LEJoG (or portions of a LEJoG) than there would be a London - Napoli. People seem to be interested in the idea of 'plugging' in to the ride for a day or two - and I think that could be great fun.

I haven't reached any conclustions yet, but I thought I'd run this by you.

I don't need to point out to you that the A-roads would be very quiet at night, do I!! A day start from Land's End isn't obligatory: a FNRttC style start at midnight would be more... er, poetic? adventurous? ...as well as missing the worst of the traffic on Cornwall's A-roads.

 

[dellzeqq]

I don't need to point out to you that the A-roads would be very quiet at night, do I!! A day start from Land's End isn't obligatory: a FNRttC style start at midnight would be more... er, poetic? adventurous? ...as well as missing the worst of the traffic on Cornwall's A-roads.

I had given this some thought. It's not the first eighty miles to Launceston that bothers me so much as the Launceston to Exter stretch (once through Exeter the road on to Bridgewater is a lot of fun). It seemed to me (and this isn't a plan, merely a thought) that an early hours start from Launceston, leading to an extended breakfast in Exeter, an extended lunch in Taunton and an extended high tea in Bridgewater might be good....

I've not really thought this through, but....

Lands End to Launceston 79 miles. Not bad. Traffic west of Camborne isn't light, and there are some do-able diversions which reduces the travel on the A30 to about 50 miles

Launceston to Bridgewater 79 miles - early fast start, latter half of the day very pleasant

Bridgewater to Moreton in Marsh 91 miles - through Bristol which is interesting, but slow, and then on to Cirencester. Lots on the A429 which I don't know anything about

Moreton in Marsh to Gunthorpe 83 miles Fosse Way. The latter part of the day would be quite wonderful. Gunthorpe is on the River Trent and marks a kind of boundary....

Gunthorpe to York 75 miles. A lot on A-roads, but southerners will be surprised by the lack of traffic

York to Tow Law only 70 miles, but the last 15 miles is tough

Tow Law to Jedburgh 66 miles but very, very tough

Jedburgh to Glenfarg 79 - early start and breakfast in Old Reekie. There's a sweet diversion through Nether Blainslie. The road to Glenfarg is superb.

Glenfarg to Kingussie 82 - a delight

Kingussie to Dornoch 82 - even more of a delight

Dornoch to John O'Groats 79 - transcandental cycling happiness, with all your hopes and dreams rolled in to one ecstatic ball...........

Of course you're right about riding at night. It would be nice to include a night ride or two, but it would leave people feeling a bit knocked out afterwards.

 

[Ravenbait]

Given plenty of notice I'd be more than up for joining in at breakfast in Embra.

Sam

 

[CharlieB]

I had given this some thought. It's not the first eighty miles to Launceston that bothers me so much as the Launceston to Exter stretch (once through Exeter the road on to Bridgewater is a lot of fun). It seemed to me (and this isn't a plan, merely a thought) that an early hours start from Launceston, leading to an extended breakfast in Exeter, an extended lunch in Taunton and an extended high tea in Bridgewater might be good....

I've not really thought this through, but....

Lands End to Launceston 79 miles. Not bad. Traffic west of Camborne isn't light, and there are some do-able diversions which reduces the travel on the A30 to about 50 miles

Launceston to Bridgewater 79 miles - early fast start, latter half of the day very pleasant

Bridgewater to Moreton in Marsh 91 miles - through Bristol which is interesting, but slow, and then on to Cirencester. Lots on the A429 which I don't know anything about

Moreton in Marsh to Gunthorpe 83 miles Fosse Way. The latter part of the day would be quite wonderful. Gunthorpe is on the River Trent and marks a kind of boundary....

Gunthorpe to York 75 miles. A lot on A-roads, but southerners will be surprised by the lack of traffic

York to Tow Law only 70 miles, but the last 15 miles is tough

Tow Law to Jedburgh 66 miles but very, very tough

Jedburgh to Glenfarg 79 - early start and breakfast in Old Reekie. There's a sweet diversion through Nether Blainslie. The road to Glenfarg is superb.

Glenfarg to Kingussie 82 - a delight

Kingussie to Dornoch 82 - even more of a delight

Dornoch to John O'Groats 79 - transcandental cycling happiness, with all your hopes and dreams rolled in to one ecstatic ball...........

Of course you're right about riding at night. It would be nice to include a night ride or two, but it would leave people feeling a bit knocked out afterwards.

Reads like the words of a man of experience, Dell.

And all that sounds amazing to a newbie to this kind of adventure. What accommodation would be envisaged at those interval points?

Night rides, perhaps saved for the less spectacular and / or more dangerous sections?

 

[david1701]

it would add on some time but the LE up stretch could be done along the coastal roads which are quieter and more beautiful but a lot more hilly (so slow going)

 

[dellzeqq]

they could, but with something like due deference to your part of the world, the story of the ride is that Cornwall is the beginning. There's something definitive about Lands End, for all that the building is a bit of a non-event. Thought of as a story views of the sea are about the end of the ride, rather than the beginning, and the crossing of the Forth, Dornoch Firth and the run down to the sea at Golspie are hints of arrival. Going via (say) Bude is kind of like saying you haven't left.

The journey from Lands End to John O'Groats is about going through the country, appreciating the make up of the geography both physical and human. Launceston, Camborne, Redruth and Bodmin are, in their own way, important, besides being markers along the way. Moreton in Marsh, Gunthorpe, Selby, Tow Law, Corbridge, Jedburgh and the like mark out the route just as much as the big cities like Leicester, York and Edinburgh and the geographical features like the Cotswolds, the River Trent, Carter Bar and the Ord of Caithness.

 

[fimm]

Tow Law to Jedburgh 66 miles but very, very tough

Where's Tow Law? You're not planning on going over Carter Bar, are you? If you are I WANT TO COME TOO!!!