Eye of the tiger

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Welcome to my first blog.

These pages will be a way for anyone with an interest in my leg-powered jaunt through the British Isles to keep up with the preparations and eventually the main event itself. I will be raising money for CICRA - Crohn's in Childhood Research Association.

I am taking my bike, plus a trailer containing everything I need for my journey except food and water. The journey begins from John O'Groats and leads through Scotland and the Lake District to Lancaster, then on a ferry to Douglas, around the TT circuit back to Douglas before heading to Belfast from where I will Zig and Zag through Ireland via Dublin, Galway and Cork. Once at Cork it is a ferry ride back across the Irish Sea to Swansea, for my triumphal homecoming, when the streets shall be hung with bunting and crowds will throng to to catch a glimpse of the fabled end2ender. From Swansea I make a small detour to Swindon for the wedding of Frosty and Natalie, before embarking on the final leg to Lands End.

I've just booked the train tickets. A (painfully) early morning start in Swansea on Tuesday 18th July gets me in to Thurso at 21:39. I booked the tickets as separate singles via Crewe and Glasgow, rather than as a single booking from Swansea to Thurso. Doing this made the total cost of the journey £73.50, as opposed to £140.

Other preparations include assembling and disassembling my trailer numerous times so I am familiar with its workings - I am aiming to get an assembly/disassembly time of sub 2 minutes. I have been shopping for my first lycra. It is a novel thrill to feel the tight yet yielding grip of a well fashioned cycling jersey against my torso. Skin-tight, black shorts complete the ensemble. Photos will follow in short order. I have been advised to take at least two pairs of shorts since wearing cycling shorts which have been sweated in the previous day can lead to all manner of uncomfortable groinal problems. A lotion named Sudocrem has been recommended to keep these problems at bay (other lotions are available).

Right, I'm off out for a cycle ride in the glorious Swansea sunshine.

You can donate to CICRA here

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Photos

trusty steed
relaxing in the sun after a hard ride

Comments

[AndyC]

Sudocreme
Ah good ol' sudocreme ... my son used to use this for nappy rash, but then we discovered the delights of Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter - all natural ingredients of olive oil and chamomile - I would take a pot of this for a treat after a long days ride. Also, having been an obsessed cyclist myself many years ago I would really suggest you get some cycling shorts, lyrca if you wish, but with some padding in the groinal area ... you may have chosen this already, very comfy on those sharp racing bike seats.