Whitehaven to sunderland coast to coast in thirteen days time

[Angry Blonde]

Basically im doing the coast to coast in thirteen days time....with no training.......Gulp. anyone got any input for me. Im taking five innertubes with me, spare chain links, tools, my garmin 810, a spare tyre, gas inflator. Anyone have any other suggestions what I may be overlooking and anyone else done this ride... is it bad. Doing it over two and a half days for ball cancer.

 

[Archie_tect]

When you say no training.... do you mean no cycle rides at all?

 

[ComedyPilot]

13 days to ride coast to coast is plenty of time.....

 

[albion]

Gently spin up the hills and you will be fine.

I've met a few with cramp problems,likely from using too high a gear. The body often fails to cope for the extended period.

 

[Soltydog]

If you are carrying all your gear yourself I'd cut down on the amount of stuff you are taking That was the first route I toured alone & I over did it will all the gear. I took clean clothes for every day & it makes the hills much harder. I ended up posting some clothes home on the 2nd day to lighten my load
I'd take 2 inner tubes & a repair kit rather than 5 tubes & do you really need a spare tyre? If your tyres are not too good, change them before the ride rather than carrying a spare.
For what its worth, I didnt get a single puncture on the whole route, although I had warnings of broken glass on the east of the route, I didnt find it too bad

 

[Spinney]

off road or on road?
Spare tyre not likely to be needed.
Are you staying in B&Bs or hauling camping gear as well?

 

[albion]

..., although I had warnings of broken glass on the east of the route, I didnt find it too bad

It is quite bad at the moment towards Sunderland, yet thorns are still higher risk.
'Sunderland, City of glass' seems very apt when you all see all the broken bottles scattered along the Wear surfaced path.

 

[DefBref]

I would re title your thread, as if you are really taking 13 days to do it thats only about 11 miles a day. You can walk quicker than that.

How many days are you doing it over and where are your stopover points. Living in Whitehaven a few friends and I do a coast to coast of sorts most years. Ours this year is over three days, doing Whitehaven to Penrith, then Penrith to Haltwhistle and then Haltwhistle to Newcastle, so this basically combines the C2C (To Alston) and the Hadrians NCN 72 via NCN route 68.

Be warned if your doing the usual C2C route its hilly, Whinlater, Hartside etc.

More info on C2C : http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/

 

[Angry Blonde]

Cheers chaps im doing it over two and a half days, on a mtb... to be fair its brand new, so I wont bother with a tyre. And training wise I have only peddled 12 mile, dont get me wrong I go out 20 miles and that but, since I changed me job I havent had time for the past two months to get out.

 

[Angry Blonde]

Also with a back up van, so I wont be carrying all my cans haha to the b n bs.

 

[Spinney]

I think your main problem may be a sore bum! And sore legs...

Once you get to Parkhead Station you've cracked it - long downhill to Consett, and the rest is easy peasy.

When I did it, one cheat I did was to go up to Hartside on the main road from Melmerby, rather than the minor roads that the C2C follows - the main road has a shallower gradient and isn't too busy. But on a MTB you will have lower gears so that kind of cheating probably isn't necessary!

 

[DCLane]

Take it steady; there are some big hills near Kendal, Penrith, Hartside & Parkhead Station.

It's a fairly gentle ride at the start and gentle from Parkhead.

I'm planning to do it this year having ridden it in 2012 in a day and a half, but in a day this time.

 

[Angry Blonde]

So I might enjoy it haha, everyone in my family have laughed at me and said ill quit.....or have a heart attack, but I think I will manage no problem. Got a big tub of vaselene for nappyrash and that haha

 

[tudor_77]

Nothing to add as I have no experience of cycle touring (yet) but wanted to wish you good luck all the same.

 

[Angry Blonde]

Cheers @tudor_77