Day11 Camborne-Lands End-Penzance-Helston

Day 11 48 miles to go!

Stats; 48.5 miles, 4 hours 10 mins in the saddle, 2583 calories, 2870 feet climbing, average speed 11.7 mph

After finding an Italian open until 10 last night I took Dec's advice and with some ice from Dave the very nice receptionist at the Tyatts Hotel took it with me in one of the plethora of plastic bags Dec has been collecting over the course of the trip and had it on my knee for the duration of the meal and when I got back to the room. It certainly seemed to help and with the swelling easing it looked like we would make it ok today.

We were a little worried about the time we had to get everything done though, so a unanimous decision was made for once we would stop cocking about and all meet with our bags packed ready to go on the bike at 7. Unbelievably this is exactly what happened! This was despite the builder across the road starting drilling and hammering at 4 in the morning keeping Kieran awake since then. As he entered the breakfast room he proclaimed loudly if he could meet the person responsible for the works he'd like to ask them about planning and CDM's to be working that early in the morning. A voice across the room said"that will be me then" as the project manager for the job was sitting on the next table! While we persuaded Kieran not to take him outside for a kicking, we planned the route for the day as our initial route was from St Ives, loaded the bikes and we set off at a record early time of 7.30am for the 25 miles schlep to Land's End.

The day was beautiful and was already hot without a cloud in the sky and we made easy progress towards Penzance where we meet up with the dreaded A30 for the first and last time. Dec's bike was now sounding like a clown bike every time he went up hill as the pedal crank was slowly disintegrating. It had been getting worse since Bristol but Kieran had ventured the opinion that it would be alright because the merge power output of not more than 100 watts that he said Dec was putting out wouldn't be enough to pull the skin off a rice pudding never mind break a crank! This became the running joke every time Dec went past him " how's that 100 Watts back there" etc and it continued to be funny right up until Helston!

It was still holding together despite the massive power going through it and we decsended through Marazion th

e quite frankly astonishing site of St Michaels Mount came into view. We pulled over for some snaps in the glorious sunshine, did a little drive by video and headed down into Penzance. We had a choice of A30 or the beach front cycle path, no choice really so onto the cycle path. I'm not sure what cycles it was designed for but it wasn't heavily laden sports bikes I can tell you that! After nearly losing the front twice in the mostly sand filled path it dropped down to hexagonal sand filled concrete bricks. The cries of "oh my arse" could be heard all over Penzance as we bumped and pogo' along until a proper road disected it  and we were able to turn off laughing all the way to the junction with the A30.

With the official route going along the A30 for some 100 miles, knowing how scary it was in the camper van a couple of years before and also seeing the news that 2 end to end cyclists had been killed in it at the beginning of this year on their first day I was always keen to give it a wide birth. After Penzance however there is no other big towns to get to so it wasn't so bad especially as we saw the Land's End 10 miles to go signpost. However it was not plain sailing as the road rose really steeply out of Penzance for the next 5 miles and with my knee stil being sore I was left struggling at the back. I didn't mind though as it gave me some time to have a think about what we had achieved, to think what my mam would have thought if she was still with us ( she'd be proud as punch but worried sick!) and look forward to seeing Andi and the kids tonight and my dad and my brother in the morning. I may have shed a little tear, but with Dec and Kieran waiting at the top, it was time to man up and gently glide down to the famous sign post.

To be honest it was a bit of an anti-climax. Whoever owns the site have done there best to ruin what is a magnificent view and quite still place with a carbuncle of an "experience" and it was only after getting through all this crap that you could get round the back and see the signpost and the stunning scenery. Even the sign post was commercialised however and you were not able to go up to it and get your picture taken with it without paying some man in a hut a stupid amount of money. There was no way 3 skinflints like us would do that so we asked some Japanese tourists to take a photo of us, took some video and forms the end to Enders sign and had more photos there. Just in time I remembered the rock, cup and bag that Roddy had given us in the first store we visited at Thurso and I had carried all the way so it was out with them to prove we'd done it!

It was hard getting back on the bikes but the journey was Wick to Helston not JOGLE so turning them round and a quick Mars bar break it was back the 23 miles to Helston. Just as I went to get my bike a massive gust of wind blew it over and bent the brake hood on the right hand side over! A few curses and some brute force and I managed to get it into some semblance of position and it was kind of working and that would have to do!

Ah the wind. Turning back into it we realised how ferocious it was! The first 3 miles out from Land's End were done at near walking speed and the plan to stop for something the eat before we met the 12.30 deadline were shelved. We did have the gradient in our favour however and by the time we came round the A30 bypass of Penzance Kieran had full Jens Voight in flow and was battering along at 18 mph with us struggling to keep in the wheels and out of the wind. Eventually the cry came for him to ease off and we stopped chests heaving as we joined the A394 for the last 10 miles to Helston. Into the wind which was now as hot as the sun it took forever for the last few miles to tick by and as with Cornwall most of it was either down or up, but finally we got to the outskirts of town and it was left into the high street and the quick drag up to the shop. As we went into Land's End me and Dec had a conversation about not dicking about today, there would be no racing for the line either at Land's End or at Helston and despite us both not quite trusting the other we managed to behave like sensible adults for once and we crossed the metaphorical finishing line together to be met by Steve and the store team at Helston with much needed bottles of water and an introduction to the photographer. We asked him for 10 minutes as we pulled ourselves round as I think we were all pretty emotional about what we'd been through for the last 10 days and also what Kieran had put himself through for the 3 days he'd been with us. To join at the end for the 2 toughest, brutal days and bury himself for the cause was amazing and without his effort and sardonic wit when things were going belly up I don't think we would have made it.

During the whole trip, Declan has now become a bit of an expert on TOFS as he has now visited 20 of them ( although only 18 were open!) threatening to carry out an audit to see for example if the snug and pillows are stored in the disabled toilet or the men's! He has also been saying to everyone he meets that we sell Adidas Sambas for an unbelievable £40! As he's been such a star I promised him when we got to Helston I'd buy him a pair to say thank you! 

Photo's done and Samba's purchased, the taxi arrived spot on 1.30 ( thank you Tracy!) mid pasty and it was off with the bike wheels and away to the train station with the journey complete.

As I sit on the long train journey home writing the final entry in my blog ( you'll be pleased to hear!) looking at the Just Giving total and the money still yet to come from the shops and Andreas school thought I'd share some stuff I think I've learned from the trip. I'll try and keep mawkish sentimentality at bay!

1) people are in general lovely. With the near £200 I have sat in my panniers donated to me or Dec on the ride by complete stranger don't be telling me about Daily Mail headlines, and people being selfish. I was far from the most cynical person on earth, but I think the trip has restored my faith in humanity.

2) apart from when you put people in a tin box with four wheels then all bets are off! We've been shouted at, sworn at, buzzed by people in cars as they think it's funny and had things thrown at us all because we might have delayed someone's journey by 30 seconds. I know there are still a lot of knobhead cyclists out there as well but spare a thought for that poor guy or girl ploughing up a 10% hill in front of you, there not doing it on purpose!

3) touring by bike is awesome! You see many things you wouldn't see as you rush by in a car or train and the experience of riding around Argyle or over the Trough of Bowland are just 2 of the memories of our amazing country that I will take with me to my grave.

4) B&B's are amazing! Everyone we stayed in was fantastic, the rooms were great, the breakfast were amazing and all our hosts couldn't do enough for us. It's made me think about what kind of places I will be staying in when I'm away for work in the future.

5) the company I work for has a very special relationship with it's customers and community and the staff that work in the shops are what make us great! Me and everyone who has joined us on the way have been treated as friends and the amount of money they have all raised and the effort that has gone into it has been unbelievable. The fact that a cynical ( only in a work way!)  Marketing Director from the city of London can see it from the first shop he went into and actively commented on it speaks, I think volumes. The guys I work with in the property department also merit a mention. Without there help and organisational skills it wouldn't have got off the ground and they will now be spared the sweaty grey haired man coming in to the office in soaking wet Lycra!  

6) my mates. I don't need to say anything more. Or I might bulb. Special mention for Dec. I wouldn't have completed it if he hadn't been along for the ride. FACT. We also wouldn't have collected nearly as much money if he hadn't got involved. Dec thank you. 

7) My family. This is the longest I've ever been away from Andrea and the kids and the last few days it has been really hard. To think that all this came from a conversation with Andrea over a  burger after the Dreamfight premier in Sheffield only 4 months ago seems amazing. Since then she has been a cycling widow as when I've not been out on the bike I've been planning routes or actually doing my proper job! Throughout the ride she's been on the end of the phone when I've talked to her about the things I don't want you lot to know in the blog and she more than anyone has kept me going. Whatever pain and heartache I've had over the last 11 days is nothing to what Mizz and Ev have gone through over the last 5 years. I'll leave it at that, I love you all very much.

Right it's done. No more waffling from me.  It's back to reality tomorrow and I'm looking forward to see my brother and dad to fill in all the gaps.

Thank you all for all your donations, Facebook messages and e-mails it really has kept us going. If you haven't yet done it there is still time!

Apparently Dec says you can get coast to coast across the USA in about 4 weeks on a bike.....

Day 10 Bovey Tracey-Dartmoor-Tavistock-Liskeard-St Austell-Camborne(Not St Ives!)

Day 10 135 miles to go!

Can't get the photos to load sorry! I'll try later....

Stats: 93.4 miles, 10 hours 27 mins in the saddle, 9588 feet of climbing (!) 6002 calories, ave speed of 9mph, top speed 51.4 mph

Another brutal day over and the finish line is almost in sight! There were times today however where it seemed a long, long way away both physically and mentally and if it wasn't for Kieran and Dec's encouragement and making sure I could see the funny side of things my knee might have forced me to give up if I was on my own.

As it was the day started rather well with the owners of the pub we were staying in ( The Cromwell Arms in Bovey Tracey, I would thoroughly recommend it!) had left £15 taped to a compliments sheet on our breakfast table. They had also offered us a free drink the night before when they heard what we were doing. I don't think a pot of tea and a pint of water with some lime cordial was what they imagined we would be having!

No porridge on the menu so it was down with scrambled eggs on toast and the usual cereals and fruit. Finding the bikes had not been knicked from the lean to they had been stored in overnight we loaded up then unloaded as Dec's chain needed oiling. Finally we were underway about 8.30 for the 3 rd day in a row.

Within a mile we had started the massive climb of Haytor Vale onto Dartmoor. Having cycled over Dartmoor before I kind of knew what to expect although I hadn't done it with 900 miles in my legs carrying panniers! As Kieran and Dec disappeared into the distance I just concentrated on keeping a nice even pace up the 6 mile climb. The views on the way up and Oh Jean helped me slog my way to the top. Up ahead I could see the slowest ever race to the summit as Dec ever so slowly reeled in Kieran at the the front. At the top I had 2 versions of the same story with Kieran saying he thought it was me behind and he slowed up waiting to pace me to the top, Dec's version being that he could see Kieran slowing up and went for it.....

After 45 minutes of relentless climbing I finally reached Kieran and Dec waiting at the stones at the top with only the famous Dartmoor ponies for company. It was time to have a drink (it was already baking hot) and admire the scenery. Not since the Trough of Bowland had we seen such amazing countryside, so it was a few snaps and onto the decsent into Widdecombe on the Moor. In a pattern that would last all day we would spend lots of time climbing only to have to take our brains out for the stupidly fast and steep decsent straight onto the next climb.

After racing down the next decsent to Ponsford bridge their was just a wall of road in front of us. With my knee already hurting, I made the sensible decision to in lip and push the bike up the 30% gradient that met us on the start of the hill. Fair play to Kieran who just pushed his big Jan Zurich legs round at about 2mph and managed to grind his way up the climb. Even though we were both pushing, he wasn't to far ahead of us when it levelled out to 15% or so and we got back on to spin to the top. No sooner had we got back on then it was the 25% downhill into Dartmeet and the slog up to the radio mast signalling the highest point on Dartmoor. Stopping at the bottom we had done 19 miles in just over 2 1/2 hours. It was not looking good for how long we would be in the saddle for today! We decided to have some tea after the very, very fast decsent into Tavistock (51 mph!) and take stock.

A coffe and a panini seemed to make things better and when Kieran commented that he hoped the doctor had one of them caravan sized water holder for Dec's urine sample for his medical on Wednesday coffe was spat out and an uncontrollable laughing fit started for all 3 of us. The good humour didn't last long however and we began the first of a succession of 2 miles climbs of excess of 15% followed by very steep very hairy downhills. We were now on the A390 and we would stay on it
for most of the day and it was also a busy road not helping when your climbing at between 3 and 5 mph with the traffic getting stuck behind you.

Surprisingly I felt pretty positive about the day for most of it until the brutal climb out of Gunnislake. It went on forever and was getting steeper and steeper. The pain in my knee meant I could only turn the granny gear over, any higher going up hill and it would be unbearable. It took seemingly hours to finally get up up it but then it was straight down to Callington and no rest bite what so ever.

Pulling into Liskeard it was 2.30 and we had come 40 miles in 6 hours, done 5500 feet of climbing and we were cooked. Not wanting to go into the town as it meant another down and up we stopped at a bakers and had some coke and cake. I phoned Tracy in the office to ask if she could let Redruth know that we wouldn't be getting there while they were open and with me and Kieran sitting on the step outside in the shade, Dec sat down on the bench and promptly fell asleep! Trying to get a photo he woke up just as we were about to take it but he said it we stayed any longer that would be him for the day. Pausing only to take a photo of me next to a poster advertising a Proclaimers gig, it was back
on the rollercoaster of the A390 and ontowards the 20 miles to St Austall where we would stop again for something to eat. With me lagging at the back the relentless grind continued only with the added rush hour traffic added to spice things up. With Dec and Kieran holding their pace to keep an I on my and Dec keeping reminding me that we were in fact on holiday we rolled into St Austell at 5.30.

Stopping at a garage that didn't have any toilets we ploughed round the ring road until a Costa appeared as if in a mirage and we turned off and slumped down.

At this pace it was not going to be until around 11 o'clock until we dragged our sorry backside into St Ives and as the only reason we were going there was because we all liked it there seemed no point crucifying ourselves to get there when everything would be shut. Looking at the map Camborne looked about the right place as it would shave 11 miles of today and add on only 5 in the morning. Decision made and we managed to find a couple of rooms in the Tyatts hotel in the centre. With the mood bouyed by the fact we had 31 miles to go instead of 42 we set of in lessening traffic and headed for Truro.

I can't really remember much about this bit apart from how much my knee hurt and for the first real time on the trip thinking this isn't much fun. To keep me entertained a couple of cyclists cam past us and said some patronising comment as they went past. That was enough for Dec and engaging the turbo off he went after them. Me and Kieran tried to follow but we'd left it to late and my knee meant there was no chance. In the distance though we could see that Dec was up and passed them. Catching him up in a layby a couple of miles later he said their expressions were priceless as he cam round the outside one of them saying the only reason why he caught them was that he'd had a 12 hour day, to which Dec's response was " so have I on this chuffin bike!" Brilliant!

Arriving at Redruth at 8.45 we took a picture of me outside the empty and barren store and headed
the 5 miles into Camborne. On the way in With Kieran out in front Dec had a quiet word with me thanking me for letting him come on the trip so trying not cry I told him I couldn't have done it without him or indeed any of the people who had joined us and sat in the wind. He did say however if I ever asked him to come on holiday again he would put the phone down on me.....

So it's nearly done. There's a bit of time pressure in the morning but I'm sure we'll get there. Day 11 blog will follow hopefully on the train tomorrow......

Day 9 Bristol-Wells-Glastonury-Chard-Honiton-Exeter-Bovey Tracey

Day 9 245 miles to go!

Stats: 109.2 miles, 10 hours 43 in the saddle(!) calories 6191, climbing 7795 feet, ave speed 10.2 mph.

Well that was a pretty brutal day! Rolling into Bovey Tracy after 9.30 having set off from Bristol at 8.30 was certainly not what I had envisaged when I planned the route. The 12 mph average speed I had reckoned we would achieve, and pretty much did for the first 3 or 4 days did not take into account the toll that so many 100 plus days in a row take it out of you physically. It's funny but looking back at the blogs at least until the last 2 days, the majority of my fears were all mental in their demons, and being able to cope with the demands on your attention and resolve looking at such a mammoth task ahead of you.

As can be seen by the tumbling average speed the issues now are mainly physical as despite the time we were out on the road today, the most climbing of any day so far (but only for 1 day, just wait until tomorrow!) the terrible weather this morning and the joint biggest distance of any day so far, I kind of enjoyed it! I'm sure my mam and dad must have dropped me on the head when I was a bairn......!

Sit-rep  on the physical stuff isn't so good. Both me knees are killing me and the ibroprofen are just about keeping me mobile. My lips are all split and chapped as are my hands. Because they are so sore I can't wear gloves any more as they become to itchy. As a result I've bruised both my palms where they are holding the bars. My little fingers are going numb after about an hour of riding without a break and I've had several nosebleeds in the last 2 days. My big toenail is black, and not even going to mention my unmentionables! However it's all about still functioning but the energy just isn't there like it was at the start. Still I think there enough in the tank just to get it finished!

This morning started out with Dec's kids taking me and Kieran's bike for us as they posed for a picture with their dad at the hotel entrance. This was after the usual piss poor Holiday Inn Express breakfast where I managed to get down 3 pastries, 3 bowls of cereal and pinch all the bananas put out for later.

After saying good bye to Ali and the kids, with team TOFS/Dreamflight being 3 with Kieran Campbell joining us it was out into a dry Bristol morning. Or at least it was for about 100 yards. Then the heavens opened and wouldn't stop until after dinner (not lunch Dec). As we had done a reasonable job of keeping faff to a minimum this gave us ample opportunity to make up for it. With the stopping to don overshoes, gloves and jackets we had missed the road to Staple Hill. As it was only 8.30 on a Sunday anyway it was unlikely anyone would be there so I made a mental apology and we road down the empty roads into Bristol.

5 mins of gentle decending and a women on a shopper bike with panniers came past us. Dec wasn't having that and a few seconds later he was off in hot pursuit much to be and KC's amusement. After he had slipstreamed her then got passed her he seemed happy and rejoined the peloton saying how he should have trash talked her when he went past!

Within minutes we had the fist no-hander master class from Kieran as he ate he'd and messed around with vent zips on his jacket. Me and Dec had been talking about Kieran's particular skill in this the other day and we reckon he could instruct a whole Pilates lesson without having to hold the handlebars! A quick stop for a video and photo of the Great Western and it was on and upwards on the way out of Bristol.

In hindsight the route I'd chosen was very picturesque and quiet but the bad surfaces, constant changing of direction and steep gradients were having there toll.after what seemed like the 10 th steepest climb in 10 miles on footpaths and unclassified roads and the ave speed resting at 9mph, it was time to get out the map and go to plan B. When we stopped Dec did his usual feral dogs trick of stopping every 100 yards to mark his territory and had picked what looked like a deserted farm track. Just as Dec was getting started an enourous 4x4 with a horse box on the back indicated in and faced with Dec half way through, a Mexican standoff ensured. Luckily the lady was laughing as hard as me and Kieran and showing magnificent control manger to stock, shuffle over to the verge and let the lady by on her way.

As we calmed ourselves down a look on the map showed the next 10 miles was much the same as the last so the decision was made to  follow the B roads instead to Chew Magna before we started the big climb over the Mendip hills. It looked steep on the profile of the day and it was horrible. Pretty much 15% all the way up, there were sections up to 17% and I was forced to zig zag across the road to help ease the gradient and stay on till the top. With Dec's panniers considerably lighter as he had ditched as much as he could with Ali and Kieran's fresh legs they both disappeared into the clouds waiting for me at the top to catch our breath and we all had a jolly good moan about how cold and miserable it was. Riding in the clouds across the top of the Mendips it was soon time for the scary descent with visability low and the roads steaming wet. By the time we got to the bottom my rear brake was also next to useless so we were glad to finally roll into Wells and stopped at the Costa to try and warm up and get something to eat. While Dec was in the toilets washing his socks out in the sink and drying them under the hand drier, Kieran thought the best way to warm up was tip his coffee all over his lap and down his legs!

It was 11.30 and we had been on the bikes 3 hours and had managed only 28 miles. Funnily enough though I didn't feel as bad as a couple of days ago and after checking the weather forcast to see the rain would stop soon and brighten up we donned the coats ( apart from Dec who had given all his rain gear to Ali this morning!) and set off for Glastonbury. Coming the other way were hoards of marshalling on motorbikes readying to sort the traffic out when it was kicking out time from the festival, but we had some momentum going and with Kieran on the the front of the train into a very strong head wind it we were making up some time.

Just after Glastonbury we were passed by a cycling club and a group of 10 or so riders. Dec motioned for us to get in the back for a bit but it looked like they were going a bit to fast for us and with still a long way to go decided discression was more important than valour and they slowly went away. But only slowly. At the next set of lights we caught them up and passed them then the hammer went down! I'm not sure what these guys must have thought as these three old blokes with massive panniers went past but all they did was tuck in behind out of the wind! We kept it going for a couple of mind and just as Dec asked them if they would like to do a stint on the front they said they were turning off in a minute! I mean really!

With our spirits lifted and the judgement call to miss out another 10 miles of twisty slow single tracks it was brave pills in and on to the A303 for the stint of 8 miles to Chard. Despite it being a Sunday the road was incredibly busy but it did have a strip of hard verge that we were able to make our own the only problem being the headwind and the sunken drains every 20 meters or so. With Kieran doing a monster stretch on the front then Declan doing an even longer one we done the 8 miles and pulled off at the services on the A road to Chard as Kieran was struggling with his shoulders and he thought the A303 was not the place to do his funky chicken no handers on.

A quick drink and we were soon rolling into Chard and a warm welcome from Ruth the supervisor and a well needed cup of tea. They had a collection bucket out and when Dec hobbled across the shop floor to the staff room one women asked what was wrong with him. When she was told what he was doing it she said "oh the poor thing" and got a fiver out! Collecting the double ration bag (we knew it would be a hard day!) it was now off into the hazy sunshine for the 2 big climbs out if Chard and then out of Yarcombe. Having driven down this road about 1000 times in the 2 years it took to do the Chard store I knew the climbs pretty well so put it in granny and span to the top happy as Larry in the afternoon sunshine. Finally getting to the top and the A30 we were on joined the A303 and got busy again so it was KC on the front again as we just got the miles in to Honiton.

Arriving at Honiton we stil had 31 miles to do and the vicious climb from Exeter to get over. and it was 5.30. When Kieran mentioned he knew a really good Italian in Honiton, our mind was made up we'd have tea on route instead of risking getting to Bovey Tracey and there being nowhere to eat. 3 bowls of pasta, 2 garlic pizzas and a bowl of onion rings washed down by 9 cokes was soon demolished. We hadn't eaten the second garlic bread so Dec was nominated to be the slowest pizza delivery boy in the world as he had emptiedhis panniers and it fit in perfectly! Now me and Kiren had no intention of eating it when we got there but thought it would be good to get him to carry it anyway!

In the now lovely weather we set off for Exeter along the old A30 and soon we were through it and climbing up towards Dartmoor, and up and up. In just over 2 miles we had climbed over 1300 feet and after 100 miles it began to take its toll. Dec stopped up ahead to take yet another video of me wheezing up a hill and I had to stop and take a breather as well. Setting off again I eventually caught them again at the top of the steep climb and we were off again only to be met with a small uphil bit to the summit. With the usual greeting I was passed both of them and sprinting to to top. Only Kieran excepted the challenge this time and we were full out sprinting when the junction at the top came into view and I nosed past him by a wheel! I'm taking that even if they did have to wait for me at the top of the real climb!

It was then a fast descent to about 2 miles from the pub where we staying at and on the now flat roads Kieran made a jump for the stage win. Coming from behind I managed to get past them both until the road went up hill and I went backwards. Dec came passed with the usual abuse and from somewhere I found some energy and got past him again. At this point Kieran decided enough was enough and fell back only for us in the heat of the battle to forget he didn't have the sat nag route and as we took a right at the junction we were out of his sight! Coming to our senses we knew he'd carry on so I went back to find him while Dec tried phoning him. Of course tortoise and hare simile alert,  by the time we'd got hold of him he was sitting outside the pub the victor!

So another day done. 2 to go. We did have conversations of making tomorrow less brutal and changing the finishing point, but we're going to give it a go and have tea out on the road again.

146 miles to go!

Day 8 Broseley-Bidgnorth-Stourport-Pershore-Gloucester-Bristol

Day 8 356 miles to go!

Stats: 110.1 miles, 10 hours 12 mins in the saddle, 5472 calories, 5324 feet climbing, 10.75moh average speed.

With the sun shining in through the window of the B&B reluctantly it was time to done the jersey and get down to the early breakfast we had arranged with Michael the B&B owner last night. Being first down at 7, there was still no sign of Dec by 7.15. Finally Frankie showed up to let me know that Dec was running late as he had taken Mark's challenge to add a further £50 to the pot if he shaved his legs! Arriving at 7.25 with legs like chicken skin and complaining it had taken him 40 mins to do, it was down to not making the same mistake as yesterday and having a hearty breakfast.

Unbelievably I managed a full English, 3 shredded wheat, 2 weatabix, a bowl of cornflakes, 7 slices of toast and a bowl of fruit! It is quite extrodinary how much food you can stuff down if you need to!
Broseley House B&B kept up the fantastic standard of B&B's we have experienced on the trip and even when I had to wake Michael up last night as I had left the Garmin on the bike he assured me it was no trouble. Talking with Roz over breakfast about the trip and why we were doing it she produced another £20 for the kitty, and another £10 soon followed from other family members in the lounge. She then tried to charge me less for the rooms! I've said it before in the blog but the ride has restored my faith in humanity!

Saying farewell and thank you to Frankie with a goodbye photo, it was on the road again back to just the 2 of us since Mark had joined us in New Cumnock at the end of day 4. With the weather looking lovely for the rest of the day, my mind was certainly in a better place than it was yesterday thanks in no small part with the long conversation I had with Andrea last night. Soon 8 mostly downhill miles were done and we were into a very busy Bridgnorth for our first TOFS of the day. Making a quick pit stop picking up the ration package from Sue it was a quick photo and on to the next port of call Stourport.

Turning into a bit of a hill just after Bridnorth I was still trying to push up them on the middle chainring. One of the things about yesterday I think was that for some reason I wanted to not use the small ring all day so had ground up the hills in a bigger gear than I needed to use. Don't ask me why I did this as I have no idea it was just there in my head. As I started to grind up the hill the voice from behind me told me to listen to my inner Stu Grainger when he told us yesterday " never make it any harder than it needs to be". It was onto the granny ring from then on in for the next 10 hilly miles to Stourport and less self imposed pressure on me.

For the first real time on the trip the Garmin route turned up a very rutted and debris strewn farm track. Looking at it we both agreed that it wouldn't be a great idea and we should stick to the road as there was bound to be a left hand turn on a better surface sooner or later. Up 2 really steep hills and the left hand turn didn't materialise. Finally giving into Dec's insistence that we stop and have a look at the map on phone/iPad it was quickly apparent was the reason that there was no left hand turn was the bloody great big River seven running parallel to were we were riding! Having to ask a lady at the bus stop and a few wrong turnings we worked out a way to get us to Bewedley and then onto Stourport.

By the time we had rolled into Stourport with only 40 miles under our belts and it being  noon already we were kind of resigned to the fact that today was going to be another long one, but the sun was out it was flatish and I was feeling much better than yesterday. Another warm welcome at the shop and a cup of tea and we had a discussion on whether to get something to eat here or to push on to Pershore. Reasoning it would be easier mentally if we pushed on, it was a banana, an energy bar and of into the sunshine to Pershore.

The route again was on very quiet country roads and once again we came across a rutted bridle way. Aware that the first one had cost us around 30 mins to go round it was a prayer to the puncture goods and off down the bridle way. It went on for quite a while but luckily it was gently sloping downhill and we were able to free wheel for most of it. It wouldn't be the last off road excursion today either. Coming out at the bottom Dec pointed out if we go down anything like that tomorrow when Kieran
gets here and there would be trouble.....

Down a nice B road I suddenly became massively tired, like I could fall asleep right here and now like you do sometimes when you have driven a long way. I reasoned with myself that it was only a couple of miles to Pershore and a break and sit down would sort me out. Pershore came into view and
with the bunting out and a cake stall and bucket for collections at the front it was time for more cake and a cup of tea. Jan had set 2 recliners out at the front and we collapsed into them. I could have quite happily have fallen asleep right there and then but with only 52 miles done we knew we were not even half way and it was already 2.30. Bidding farewell to the store we stopped in the town to have an excellent ham sandwich from a deli eaten sitting on the kerb outside and we got out the iPad and looked if there was anyway we could make faster progress on the rest of the route.

I had planed the route so we avoided the A38 but the unclassified country roads whole being pretty were not helping the average speed. Looking at the map the once we got to Tewksbury we could join the A38 and it was 12 miles from there to Gloucester. Decision made to try it for this bit and look at our options in Gloucester it was time to put the helmets back on and set off. The first 6 miles or so out if Tewksbury were in fact ok as they had a cycle lane and with it being a Saturday there wasn't,t to many HGV's. When the cycle lane ran out it still wasn't as bad as we thought and we averaged something like 13mph on the stretch into Gloucester. It also cut some mileage off to compensate for the extra we'd put on with the diversion round the farm track this morning.

We caught up with the route on the ring road and pulled in to a garage to top up the water bottles and
another sandwich. Pulling in a women in her car said how quick we were as she'd passed us miles back! It's the little things that keep you going! It was 5.30 and although we had passed the 80 mile mark there was still 33 to go. Further discussions about the route took place but we decided to stick with it for a bit as it led out to the Bristol Channel and we were back on course for a 8.30 finish.

Spinning out into the lovely evening the route took us out to the very pretty villages including Frinton on Seven were Dec regailed me with stories on his ex boss and a magnificent restaurant in the town. We had been chatting quite a lot today about everything from football tours we'd been on to traveller camps and international terrorism and it seemed to help the day go quicker. Once again the road ran out and we were faced this time with a rutted canal towpath. With no alternative route it was again a prayer to the puncture gods and the 3 miles down the canal was dispatched although the pounding we were taking didn't do us or the bikes any good.

Coming back off and over the canal the we conferred once more on the route and seeing the A38 was only a few miles away we headed that way for the final 12 miles of the day. We knew we faced a decent climb into Bristol we had a pit stop at the bottom and Dec set off first I was struggling a bit but with only 12 miles to go I knew we'd make it today so with Dec as the target up front I slowly began to real him in. With about 50 m to the top of the climb I went passed him with the usual greeting but I was cooked and he eased past me to the top to take the points.

From here it was 8 miles mostly downhill into Bristol so as Dec made the choo-choo noises it was into a train taking 1/2 mile turns on the front and we rolled into the hotel carpark another day done.

With Dec's wife Ali and their boys Cameron and Kieran waiting for him and Kieran Campbell also arriving I had spotted a Nandos next to the hotel and when Dec said he'd never eaten at one ( never eaten at Weatherspoons or Nandos how posh is Dec?) it was off for tea and a double chicken burger, large peri peri fries large rice and pitta bread and dip!

Looking forward to KC joining us tomorrow and sheltering behind his massive legs, although slightly less looking forward to the length and elevation. Only 3 days and 256 miles to go......

Day 7 Rawtenstall-Bury-Manchester-Holmes a Chapel-Market Drayton-Broseley

Day 7 459 miles to go....

Stats: 103.3 miles, time in the saddle 9 hours 9 minutes, calories 5191, climbing 5416 feet, ave speed 11.29 mph.

Well day 7 done and the toughest so far despite, or maybe because we thought it would be the "easy" one of the days remaining. There were surprises from the off, the first was seeing both Dec's and Frankies bags packed and on the bike when I came down stairs at 7am! I believe the phrase was "put that in your blog" from Declan. As such I have an idea if either Nikki or Ali Frankie and Dec's other halves want to change other parts of their behaviours maybe let me know, I'll put it in the blog and hey presto!

Equally as amazing was the fact that Stu Grainger my guru on all things cycling for the past 5 years had come down dressed in cycling SHORTS! If I've heard him say, "if it's below 20 degrees you need to cover your knees up" once, I've heard it a 1000 times! To be fair he hasn't been on the bike for a while so it may have slipped his mind!

It was however me who was delaying things this morning as I was all over the place, couldn't find my phone, then packed away my lovely, lovely Sudacream and had to unpack again to find it, and so on and so on. Eventually feeling flustered and also not having enough to eat at breakfast as the fantastic B&B ( Chapel House in Cloghfold) didn't have any porridge it was out into the Lancashire drizzle.

First of all however it was time to say a very, very reluctant goodbye to Mark. Dec had one more go at persuading him to travel down and meet us in Bristol in Saturday for another day at the front but horse chiropractory waits for no man and having first hand experience as he diagnosed a problem with a horses shoulder over the phone while we were getting ready for diner last night, out loss was an equine gain! He is a top man and his day on the front on Day 5 might be the reason when and if we finally get over the line. Oh and he got some belting suntan as well!

Starting what we thought would be the easy roll down to Manchester at sometime after 8.30, the really built up urban areas around Bury and then Manchester where really busy and we were constantly in and out with the cleats for traffic queuing and red lights. Taking Marks place for the first 25 miles the steam ship that is Stu Grainger sat on the front and eventually when we kept telling him to slow down  as he disappeared over the horizon he got the measure of the rest of our (slow) pace. He then proceeded to give us a master class at how to "make progress" through a busy urban environment! I like to think that although not a fantastic cyclist in how fast I am, I can handle a bike pretty well having ridden bikes and motorbikes all my life. However Stu is a natural and soon he was showing of his plethora of skills, track stands so he didn't need to up clip, bunny hops on and off the bike paths around Bury reading the traffic and generally being in the right place at the right time. With us taking his lead as best we could Ramsbottom and Bury were soon done and it was on towards Manchester.

With Dec spotting a cyclist up ahead and being the competitive sort(!) he upped the pace to catch them up. Being a long straight downhill road I then sat and watched as Stu used the Fiat Panda in front of him as a massive wind break getting up really close and freewheeling up easy as you like!

Making decent progress now and hitting the outskirts of Manchester Team TOFS/Dreamflight suffered the second puncture as Frankie's rear went flat. Pulling up at the side of the road the Glencorse/Grainger repair team went into action with me dealing with the inner tube and Stu checking the tyre. Finding a piece of glass embedded in the tyre, Stu managed to get it out without to much bother and with a minimum of cocking about the rear wheel was in and we were back underway.

We were now in Frankie's "manor"and so with him leading the train for the next 10 miles through the less salubrious parts of Manchester (quote of the day " if you puncture here, you'll just have to leave the bike, it's not worth it...) "Big vern" as he was known in his Uni days led us through to the new Salford Quays media city and it was a photo of Pudsey bear before crossing the river at the Lowery and on to and past the football and cricket grounds.

As a staunch Leeds United fan I wanted a picture of Stu in front of the ground he loves so much! I even said I'd add another £10 to the pot if he'd give it a thumbs up on the picture. See below to see if he could bring himself to do it......

With Frankie still leading the way it was back to his house which was only 4 miles away, for yet more weight shedding to lighten his very heavy panniers, and also a chance to give the tyres some much needed air with his track pump and oil the chains on the bikes. It must have been incredibably tempting for Frankie to say, I tell you what chaps that's over 100 miles over the last 2 days, my hips killing good luck, I'm staying here! To his credit he didn't and instead led the way out to the next port of call Wilmslow were we would be picking up 2 of Frankies friends dad and son combo John and Chris Novak who wanted to join in at least sons of the route and show their support.

On the run out to Wilmslow Stu knew I was struggling ( he'd seen it often when we had been out for a ride together!) and gave me the last of the Muesli bars he had and dropped beside me some words of wisdom and encouragement. They were what I needed at the time, and as Stu has previous with doing similar things (check out the Danny Porter Foundation if you really want to be impressed about fundraising on long distance bike rides) it was grounded in common sense and learned from experience!

Finally we were at Wilmslow (an hour late!) and only 32 miles into the day. John had provided however probably the best 2 bacon sandwiches I have ever eaten, as well as a couple of mugs of tea, a bakewell tart, and some haribos! Down it all went followed by the biscuits from the B&B last night. Finally feeling a bit better it was time to say goodbye to Stu who had work in Manchester in the afternoon but had more than done his bit not only on the front but by getting my head straighter on what lay ahead both today and for the rest of the trip.

Looking at John and Chris's bikes, then at the size of their calves it was clear that they would be in for a somewhat slower afternoon than they were used to! (I've attached a photo of Chris's bike for all you bike porn fans out there) taking there position on the front they dragged us out of Manchester into the Chesire countryside. Around Alderly Edge it was a nice change to be buzzed and abused by people in Aston Martins and Bentlys!

Making decent progress onto Holmes Chapel a second puncture befell Chris so the gentlemen we are me, Dec and Frankie rode on knowing they'd catch us pretty easily. Within 10 mins they had although not before someone not paying attention brushed Dec's panniers as he drove past.....

Enjoying 10 mins tucked behind Chris living out the fantasy that this is the closet I'd be to being a pro bike racer (Chris rides for the amateur Rafa Team, and is doing London to Edinburgh in 24 hours later this year...!) it was all to soon to say goodbye and thank you to John and Chris, knowing it would be the 3 off us for the rest of the day. Immediately we turned on to the A50 for an 8 mile stretch which was unavoidable. Never a brilliant road to cycle up, it was obvious something was wrong on the M6 running parallel to it. All the traffic North was gridlocked. As we were going South this presented big problems for us as the road is narrow anyway and now nothing could get past us as the traffic the other way was chocka. All we could do was ride a bit, pull in to let the HGV's that had been sat behind us for a mike at 10 mph past then try and get back in the road when there was a gap. It was a nightmare and only served to bring our average speed down even more.

After what seemed like 2 hours we finally were able to turn off onto cycle route 70 and crisscrossing over the M6 we could see people out if their cars and the air ambulance coming in to land in the distance. As bad a days as I was having it made me think that at least one person was having a much, much worse one. Following ccycle route 70 was very pretty and quiet but not very fast and the demons that had been with me most of the day were back. It was meant to be an easy day yet here we were only 60 miles down and it was already after 4 o'clock. With still Market Drayton to get to we stopped for a quick sandwich then onto TOFS Market Drayton.

Another slowish 12 miles and just after 5 pm we pulled into the shop having endured 30 mins of pretty persistent rain just to make our state of mind just a bit brighter. A quick cup of tea with Debs the store manager and a photo outside and it was in to the last 28 miles to Broseley.

I can't honestly remember anything much about this bit apart from Dec seeming very strong, Frankie pacing me up on of the steeper hills near the end, going through the middle of a town with the main road closed so a massive fun fair could take it over, seeing a kestrelsitting looking at us on a phone wire and Frankie dropping the bike at 1mph while we tried to find a suitable break for a toilet stop! You'll notice there was no messing about with KOM or silly sprints today. There would have been no point as I would have gotten trounced by Dec and the voices were making sure I knew it!

Finally with 2 miles to go the decent down to the bridge at the bottom of Broseley was here. We also knew however that between the bridge and the B&B stood a horrible 1/2 mile climb at 20%, the steepest we would face over the whole route! Just what you need after 101 miles......

But it was done, day 7 was done and Frankie had popped his 100 mike in a day cherry, a massive effort for a guy who should be getting surgery to replace both of his dodgy hips. Chapeau my son chapeau!

With the pubs not serving food after 9pm we had a walk around town and I phoned Andrea to ask how the day had gone at school as they were holding a dress differently day for the ride and Dreamflight. She told me they raised £900! Unbelievable! I must admit I had a bit of a moment in the high street, but it helped end the day on a really positive note. With the money fromScissett middle school and the money to come in from the shops, £10k is a real possibility.

I'll keep that in mind while I'm fighting the negative thoughts off in the 112 mile day just me and Dec have in store tomorrow. Bristol here we come!

Day 6 Penrith-Shap-Kendal-Lancaster-Clitheroe-Burnley- Rawtenstall

Day 6 563 miles to go!

Days Stats: 94.3 miles, 7 hours 53 in the saddle, calories 5587, ave speed 11.79mph, climbing 7488 feet (!) and a knew one for today, max speed 49.88 mph!

As 2 became 3 yesterday so 3 became 5 today! With Michael Timmins joining us from the start today in Penrith and Frankie O'Brien one of my best friends (and Dec's brother!) joining us at Oxenholme mid morning it was looking good for Mark who would have at least some chance at a breather today after his massive effort yesterday! After the usual excellent standard breakfast from the Eden gate B&B (guess what I had?!) it was out to meet Michael and his lovely wife Susan who turned up dead on 8am (unlike most of his signage deliveries! Only joking Michael!) and you would not believe this but WE WERE READY TO GO! I blame this entirely on Mark who had his bag packed and was down for breakfast for 7.15. It's a good job it was his last day today as he was getting kicked of the tour anyway as we cannot have this sort of professional organised behaviour on this trip

As ruminated yesterday I had struggled with the notion of putting the bags in the car for the day for a number of reasons. Having thought about it again I decided that I would keep them on. Discussing it with Dec last night he was also thinking of keeping them on as I had called him out over it on the blog. He thought about it long and hard again this morning. The conversation went something like "hello Michael, I'm Declan. We're in the car do you want me to put my panniers?"

After day 2, today was to be the hardest apart from Day 10 still to come and I was a little concerned that my moral supremacy and general self righteous smugness at keeping the bags on may not do me any favours as we climbed over 4 very high a steep climbs, but seeing the size of Michaels thighs as he climbed out the car allayed my fears, now here was someone I could tuck in behind! Despite working with Michael for over 7 years I'd never been our cycling with him although I knew he was a keen cyclist. He is also, I'm sure he won't mind me mentioning it, 58 years old. I want to be as fit and strong as Michael when I grow up!

Setting the pace on the A6 up to Shap Michael and Mark soon had the train going well up the gently sloping but long gradient up to Shap. Climbing to 1400 feet the weather started to close in and it was on with the lights as it started to rain and we went up into the clouds. Despite the bags the legs felt good today so as usual after Michael and Mark did the grunt work up to the summit it was time for me and Declan to mess about, sprinting past them with the summit in site. Like 2 bald men fighting over a comb it was wheel to wheel over the top with me just half a wheel length in front. Fighting for breath we not agreed to call a truce today as this was getting silly, and we were precisley 10 miles into a 95 mile day.....

Stopping for a photo in the mist at the top, it was straight down the other side to Kendal with the only thing limiting my pace being I'd lost my cycling glasses a couple of days before and the rain was making my eyeballs hurt over 35 mph! As we descended down through the clouds, the rain stopped a bit and we were able to enjoy the really fast decent into Kendal. Throughout the day the support/broom wagon driven by Susan would be pearched in a lay by to check we were ok and for Michael to check that Susan knew the way!

Charging through Kendal we made it to Oxenholme train station precisley on time to meet Frankie of the 10.30 train. There was a problem however. There were now 2 O'Brien's to cock about! Slinging 1 pannier in the car, Frankie tried to fit the one left to his rack. Just as Susan pulled off the retaining clip came away. Cue tools out as we reattached it only to realise we had it on the wrong way! Tools back of as we slackened it off and reattached it.........

Finally setting off 30 mins after the train had arrived, The Noble express was back up and running for flat run into Lancaster, giving Frankie a bit of a baptism of fire as we spun down the road at 20mph for around 8 miles into the outskirts of Lancaster. Frankie coped manfully, but a catching foot on the panniers meant the remaining one went into the back of the car at the next stop.

Just before Lancaster I felt something solid and warm hit me in several areas as I was in slippers, pipe and mini bar position at the back of the mini peloton. Looking down a bird had done the most enormous dump all down the front of my shirt, shorts and legs! Unlucky Alf strikes again! Much merriment and Mickey taking and a mini pack of wet wipes later I was sufficiently cleaned up for the Noble express to lead us into Lancaster where we diced with the inner ring road to find the B road out  to the shop and the road over the trough of Bolland. The morning had gone really quickly and before we knew it the 51 miles to Lancaster store was completed.

It was good to see Stuart again, although I was worried slightly about the reception I'd get after having to cancel his refit AGAIN for the 5 th year running! He and the staff were fantastic, made us all a cup of tea and handed over the sponsorship money they had raised and the all important goodie supply bag Caroline W had dropped off last week.

A quick(!) sandwich and some fantastic pis taken by Susan and we were off and up at 1.30 for the 26 miles to Clitheroe. We were under some time pressure today as we had to be at HO for around 5pm as a photographer had been booked and the office closes at 5.30. Ample time to get to Clitheroe for 4pm then. As it turned out it was nowhere near enough time!

Straight out of the store car park and you are straight out onto Castle Hill the first of the three Bowland climbs. And it was horrible. Ramping up to 17% almost immediately the devil came back for a brief time congratulating me in my moral high ground and the fact that this was going to mean I wasn't going to make the day and how smart would that be? As I watched Michael, Mark, Frankie and Declan disappear into the distance I calmed down stuck it in granny and decided that although 3.5mph wasn't particularly fast it would eventually get me there!

I must also apologise to all the motorist coming the other way this afternoon as the weather had changed completely, being really warm and muggy as such there was no option but to unzip the jersey fully exposing these poor people to a vision of sweaty man with his bib shorts and flapping Jersey and that's all! Soon I was joined by a chap out on a hybrid bike pulling up next to me asking me if it was hard with all the weight on the back! Resisting the temptation to spell out the bleeding obvious and through gasped breaths it turned out he'd done LEJOG 3 years ago. Is it me, or has everyone I now ever speak to done this!? After the usual end to end discussion about routes, how long, unsupported or not etc, etc we were nearly at the top and he was off with his mate down the other side.

Waiting at the top we had a photo at the castle at the top of the hill and it was time for some excellent defending with Michael before the next slog up the Trough Of Bowland. As one by one everyone came back past me, the little voices started again. Taking heed from Bradley Wigins who thinks of his family when times are tough (he has his kids initials tattooed on his thumbs so he can focus on them when time trialing) I thought about Andi, Mizz and Ev a lot up the second climb as it was now a week since I'd seen them, the longest time we've ever been apart. It did help a lot, then as if from nowhere came Oh Jean by the Proclaimers! I love them and I love this song as I kind of builds and builds in a very repetative way. It was just the job, and a few shut up legs and singing to myself brought me round just as Declan had pulled in and got his phone out to video the sorry site and give me some abuse/encouragement as I passed. Sorry dad but I may have given him a rude gesture as I passed.....

With me and Dec respecting the truce he cruised up to me and we over the top and down into the trough of Bowland. Can I just say that this 26 miles although hilly is a magnificent part of the country and the view from the top also helped the spirits. Cruising down the other side it was jam your breaks on as the Shepard had his sheepdog out and was herding the sheep up the trough towards us! It's not the usual traffic jam I experience and we were suddenly encased completely in sheep! A few whistles and commands and the dog had done its thing and the sheep were on their way and we started the 3rd and final climb out of the trough to Waddington. The same process as before with family and Jean helped me up the very very steep slopes to the top with Declan stooping to get yet more footage of my suffering and then it was helmet on and down the 2 1/2 miles 13% hill into Waddington. I knew this stretch really well and I was secretly hoping to break my top speed on the bike so a hard pull to start and then tuck right in and with the extra weight on the back I reckon I could crack 55mph. I got to 49mph then the bike started to weave a bit. Keeping on a massive hay lorry then started coming up towards me knocking branches off and onto the road ahead. Time to call it a day and brakes were applied to cruise through Waddington and one to Clitheroe.

The issue now however was that it was 4.30 and we still had to get to Great Harwood and Padiham before HO. This wasn't going to happen so reluctantly I asked Clitheroe to phone Gt Harwood to say we couldn't get. It made it even harder when the staff at Clitheroe had said they'd raised £190! Top job and thank you. With just enough time for a photo thank them for the money they'd raised  and admire the fancy dress costumes it was time for Michael to climb into the car with Susan, the guys to strap there bags back on and get behind the Noble fast train to Padiham and onto HO. The 9 or so miles was probably the hardest of the trip so far as we had a massive day already and we know had real time pressure for the first time on the whole trip. Doing a virtual drive by photo of Padiham it was up the hill and into the car park at Burnley with minutes to spare. Being met by Tracy P and Caroline D it was fantastic to see them and both  got a big sweaty hug, lucky girls, not! Having saved some cake from the cake sale, it was tea all round as I admired the slightly odd sensation of my ugly mug everywhere in reception! Thank you to all in the property office for all the help in the organisation of this jaunt I couldn't have done it without you!

Refreshed and now led out in a scooter escort by Darren T we only had the 8 miles up to Rawtenstall to complete the day. With KOM completely dominated by Michael and everyone out on there feet it was a very slow journey for Darren! Finally after another 3 miles if climbing it was all down hill and with Dec way off in the distance I asked Mark if he fancied catching him up. Let's give it 200 yards he said so it was off and past him at 20mph! Looking back I told Mark he was cooked and he could sit up. However as he later confirmed to me he had to get back as it would be in the bloody blog and he wasn't having that so with a monumental effort he was up and past us to take the stage. I was properly cooked so sitting behind Frankie we cruised into the B&B (also excellent) another day done!

Just to finish the day off, my boss James and Paul one of my colleagues came out for tea in a great pub sorted by Tracy P where Frankie, Mark and Dec probably shared a little too much info on my adolescent past that maybe did not make it onto the CV so hopefully I'll still have a job in the morning! To top it off James stood for the meal, top man! Just as we were leaving More reinforcements arrived with another friend if mine Stu Grainger arriving for lead out duties tomorrow now Mark and Michael are done!


It is now way past bed time but only 469 miles to go......