The Fridays Tour

[rb58]

buy insect-repellent and sudocrem. Use both liberally!

Just be careful not to mix them up!

 

[dellzeqq]

iirc it is quite well signposted, or was, last month. Follow the (lucky) 7's and not the 77 alone

All gets a bit counter intuitive after crossing the bridge though. You go back on yourself and then turn right only to have to cycle up a tarmac covered cliff. One chevron really doesn't do it justice.

that's right. I'm going to tell people to change in to their lowest gear for the right turn. There is a kind of tarmac on-ramp leading to the western side of the bridge - you have to loop to the left, and then turn right

 

[StuartG]

Be careful of the hi-viz. Flies just love yellow ...

 

[ianmac62]

When I did a van supported London-Paris a few years ago, we had a camping style elastic washing line that we strung across the back of the van to dry our shorts and cycling shirts. It worked very well although we had to overcome the protestations of the miserable bastard van driver. Why object ? Everything smelt of washing liquid.

We had a splitter van with the washing in the "crew" part where there was a draught from the open windows/air-con. And there were only 8 of us................

Thanks, Andrew. I've packed four hanks of soft washing line (thinking of the journey south and tying bikes into place). Happy to use one to help dry things during the day. Just made note to pack pegs!

Perhaps you'd show me (either at Wellingborough when we swop or at Bingham at the end of Day 1) how you rigged up a line for a through-flow of air.

When I volunteered to drive I told DZ that I'd been on one supported ride (Channel to Med last September) and had learned (a) what I appreciated about the driver and (b) what I didn't! Hope to provide service based on (a).

I'm sure DZ will get this point across, but can I make an early emphasis? On my supported ride, we were small in number and all stayed at the same accommodation each night. On this ride, we're large in number and staying at four, five or more places overnight. In the morning, DZ will say that luggage from place "x" has to be ready for the van at time "y". Please stick to this and none of us will be miserable bastards upset. I plan now to pack two alarm clocks and order early breakfasts!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm sure DZ will get this point across, but can I make an early emphasis? On my supported ride, we were small in number and all stayed at the same accommodation each night. On this ride, we're large in number and staying at four, five or more places overnight. In the morning, DZ will say that luggage from place "x" has to be ready for the van at time "y". Please stick to this and none of us will be miserable bastards upset. I plan now to pack two alarm clocks and order early breakfasts!

Good point well made Ian. We've signed up to a group ride and that means cooperation and collaboration all day every day in every aspect of the logistics and out on the road.

Even for individualists like me.

 

[ianmac62]

Photos of the Tour! I have created a "collection" in Flickr called "LonJoG". Within the "collection", there will be daily "sets".

To get it going, and to check that you can all see it, I've posted one photo into the set "Day 1 ..." (It's my usual signature photo.)

The link, I hope, is http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianmac55/collections/72157630062966957/ although if you know a quicker way to access this, let me know.

You could pass the link on to nearest and dearest. I aim to upload a new "set" of photos each day.

 

[StuAff]

Good point well made Ian. We've signed up to a group ride and that means cooperation and collaboration all day every day in every aspect of the logistics and out on the road.

Even for individualists like me.

Hear hear!!!
In other news, this weekend some of the other participants in last year's travesty (I can't really say people I rode with, because I didn't ride much with them) are doing an orbital London ride in honour of the Falklands War anniversary. In two days. With about 10 rest stops (yes, I mean rest stops, not just pull-off-the-road-and-have-a-banana). Suggestions that they might do it in one go (as Adam, 'teef and others did a couple of years back) were rejected. I pour scorn on their mileage-handling abilities, so should you.

 

[StuAff]

I hope that the next week is going to be a positive healing process for you Stu.

I know it will be entirely positive.

 

[rb58]

The Met Office is showing a following wind for the start. Which is a huge relief as I've spent the last 4 days cycling into a headwind and my legs now need all the help they can get.

 

[StuartG]

Sadly the tailwind forecast has weakened ... we may even have to pedal!

 

[ianmac62]

I'm going to have a go at writing a blog each evening. I did start one months ago so I brought it back to life with an entry today. Can you see it at http://ianmac55.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/the-fridays-tour-london-to-john-ogroats-lonjog/? I hope it's publicly viewable and again nearest and dearest can view it. Again, there's probably a quicker way to access it, maybe just up to the .com/ part.

 

[StuAff]

It works, and yes you only need the domain bit, just checked that too.

 

[martint235]

Hear hear!!!
In other news, this weekend some of the other participants in last year's travesty (I can't really say people I rode with, because I didn't ride much with them) are doing an orbital London ride in honour of the Falklands War anniversary. In two days. With about 10 rest stops (yes, I mean rest stops, not just pull-off-the-road-and-have-a-banana). Suggestions that they might do it in one go (as Adam, 'teef and others did a couple of years back) were rejected. I pour scorn on their mileage-handling abilities, so should you.

Stu, you really have to let this go. It's time.

 

[redflightuk]

I'm going to have a go at writing a blog each evening. I did start one months ago so I brought it back to life with an entry today. Can you see it at http://ianmac55.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/the-fridays-tour-london-to-john-ogroats-lonjog/? I hope it's publicly viewable and again nearest and dearest can view it. Again, there's probably a quicker way to access it, maybe just up to the .com/ part.

Works fine for me Ian. I've put an rss link to my own blog page http://redflightuk.blogspot.co.uk/ and a link to the flickr page.

 

[mistral]

Stu, you really have to let this go. It's time.

Has the rucksack mystery finally been solved, does it contain the proverbial 'monkey'