Day 11 Wash out

65 miles today, not too strenuous, but rain pretty much all the way, so obscuring any nice views. What was thought to be a water proof pocket that his mobile was in...wasn't and the mobile was found to be dead in a pool of water. So apologies if you texted today and didn't get reply. Spare mobile being sorted for tomorrow, will pass on number when I've checked it.

Interesting ride through depressed, ex mining communities, now experiencing high unemployment. Rode over moors, sadly in pouring rain, on approach to Glasgow.

Richard is staying tonight with Hugh, a work colleague from the Scottish office..and I believe his clothes and kit are strewn all over trying to dry it out. A nice image to conjure. Thanks to Hugh and family for a good meal and warmth!

Day 10 Over the border

Leaving the five star welcome at JOhn and Julie's early, ready for 100 mile challenge. Richard has enjoyed meeting and staying with friends, and making new friends, but he feels he has also had to say a lot of goodbyes too, which is sad.

100 miles clocked up today, taking the total to around 600 miles, approx two thirds of the way and crossing into Scotland. His last full day cycling on his own tomorrow, with Adrian flying up to meet him tomorrow night in Glasgow.

A lovely day's riding, mainly through quiet lanes in lovely countryside; lots of interesting wildlife, like big birds of prey (circling for cyclists fallen by the wayside), deer and other bird life.

Highlights included Gretna where he managed to rock up as a wedding party with a bagpiper were in full swing. Welcome to Scotland! Cycing along the Solway Firth was lovely too, even though the tide was out, and he enjoyed the estate of Drumlanrig Castle, home of the Duke of Buccluech. The river Nith was also pretty, and peaty brown.
The highlight of going through Carlisle was the castle which is at the end of Hadrian's Wall (he resisted the temptation to detour along the whole wall).

Staying in a nice B &B tonight in Sanquhar, a fair sized village. Richard heading out...on the bike...to the chippy, to bring back to the b & B. The landlady made a donation and also persuaded other guests to part with cash too!

I am getting a lot of questions about how his backside to coping! You will be pleased to hear that legs and backside are coping well, though the legs obviously tired. The neck which he had been worried about, following the whiplash injury last year, so far, fingers crossed, so good. The only niggle is some numbness in his hands inmthe position of riding, the weight of the body is thrown forward on to the hands.

Sophie returned from her travels at 6.30 this morning so 3 out of 4 Wallingtons home now! She kept saying on the way back how green and clean everything was here. Trying to keep her awake at the moment as Delhi is 5 hours ahead. She has lots of stories and great memories, and amazing photos; I don't think it has quite sunk in what she has done.

Day 9

Since Penny is off enjoying herself in the West End today I get to complete my own blog entry tonight! Today was a fantastic run, from Lancaster (nice city) to Windemere via lots of backroads (a bit hilly but very picturesque), and then on through the lakes to Grasmere, Thirlmere, Keswick and finishing at Bothel.

67 miles today and quite a few hills, but the Lakes more than compensates. This is one of my favourite areas anywhere.The weather continues to hold - quite grey, but no rain to speak of - long may it continue. I managed to resist the lure of the pencil museum at Keswick and pushed on to Bothel where John & Julie have given me a royal welcome and are looking after me in fine style.

I only managed to collect £4 today, I must be losing my touch! People continue to approach me and discuss the challenge and offer words of encouragement - this has been a recurring theme. There are lots of great people out there, many of whom are prepared to donate money to a complete stranger (I know - they don't come much stranger!) Fantastic.

The body is holding out, and I'm over halfway now, with the Scottish border tomorrow (but there's still a long way to go - 1 day at a time). Tomorrow is a big one - 94 miles which will be a toughie.

Thanks to so many of you who have been reading the blog, posting comments and sending me texts - keep them coming, they really do help. I'll post some pics when I'm able.

DAY 8 Half Way

A relatively light day, with just 55 miles, to bring him to 499 miles, which is exactly half way, wow!

The first part from Westhoughton to Preston was pretty uninspiring, and not designed for bikes. Richard commented that it would be a tough call between where Sophie is today...the Taj Mahal, or being in Preston! Once north of Preston though, it started to become more rural and pleasant again. An interesting place along the way was Glasson Dock, formerly a bustling port. A £2 donation from a 70 year old at Glasson Dock who had plans to do the "end to end" one day!

Staying tonight at a nice B & B just off the town centre of Lancaster, another town that Richard was quite taken with.

Tomorrow it will start getting tougher heading in to the Lakes, for 65 miles, with a nice bed, company and a lot of teddy bears beckoning with John and Julie at Wishing Well Cottage.

Day 7

Moving from the rural idylls of the welsh borders to the delights of Lancashire., 88 miles in total. Possibly the lull before the storm, as there weren't too many hills, but the Lake District isn't too far away now!
The paniers on the bike continue to attract attention: Howard came out of the Co-Op in Malpas to find Richard in conversation, and being made a donation. At Ellesmere they got talking to a man who is responsible for the upkeep of the cycle routes who gave Richard £10, as his Dad has Parkinsons.

Howard spent most of the day with Richard but had to catch a train home at Runcorn. He described how some kind elderly cyclists gave advice on getting onto the Runcorn bridge, which was his last view of Richard weaving in and out of traffic. Richard describes this town as a C**phole! A double downer for him really, as he has a few days on his own now until Ade meets him in Glasgow; he has enjoyed riding with company and sharing debates about navigation. So texts will be particularly welcome but he can't always reply immediately.

NB The photo looks like he is about to go on the PepsiMax at Blackpool...that would be worth a few quid for charity, but it is the aforementioned Runcorn Bridge!

Sounds like the last stretch was a bit of a trial, and the rain started just to add insult to injury.

Richard is staying tonight in Westhoughton (near Bolton) with Helen, one of my flatmates from final year at Birmingham Uni. We haven't seen her for a few years so there'll be lots to catch up on!

Day 6

An idyllic day, zig zagging backwards and forward, in and out of Wales, following close to Offa's Dyke. Grey skies but no rain, again thankfully. Staying tonight at Criggion...to the west of Shrewsbury, just inside Wales. Hopefully all our welsh friends haven' t got together to wreak some evil trick while Richard and Howard are outnumbered...

Although 80 miles was covered today, it was enjoyable cycling as the back roads travelled didn't cut through many towns, very rural and little traffic. I didn't ask how many sheep. Richard was particularly struck by Golden Valley, full of cider apple orchards, west of Hereford. He also admired the small town of Bishops Castle. It was also fairly flat, except for a short cut that Richard suggested to save 5 miles; once they were beyond the point of no return, they came across a 25% gradiant hill. Richard can join Tracy in the bright ideas for short cuts corner.

The last 12 miles, it was quite flat so they managed to get a good speed up...about 23-25mph, as there was little traffic too.

Installed now in a B & B, and heading off, on foot, to village pub the Admiral Rodney. Word had spread from the B & B about the cyclists, so at the pub, they found themselves the centre of attention, including free drinks!

Day 5

A riding committee of Sue, Mark and little Thomas escorted Richard as far as Axbridge before he headed off into the grey! They cycled on the Strawberry Line, a disused railway line that is now for walkers and cyclists.

A tough day, 74 miles. Navigating Bristol/ Avonmouth docks area wasn't too pleasant by accounts but cycling across the old Severn Bridge was spectacular.

He met up with Howard Garland at Aust Services so good to have cycling company again. Having Howard alongside is particularly special: Howard's wife Angela, who lost her battle with cancer was an inspiration, saying "don't just talk about it, do it, I don't want to hear excuses." I'm sure she'd be so happy to see them both cycling along together.

Richard liked Monmouth in particular.

In a lovely b & b The Old Rectory tonight at Ewyas Harold (Herefordshire), a lovely place and a b & b that he describes as stepping into a Jane Austen novel (though I believe Mr Darcy didn't wear lycra shorts). These B & Bs look so rough, poor things.

The rest of the travelling Wallingtons: Jake has now returned home after 2 weeks afloat off Turkey. We had an email from Sophie who sadly had to come down from the mountain after developing headaches, between base camp and the summit around 5000m; to put it in context, Mont Blanc is 4800m and Kilimanjaro 4500, so we are pretty proud of her. She sounds very very happy and excited about the trip, and above all is well.

Day 4

Cooked breakfast to set us up for the day and a couple of residents gave Richard a tenner towards the fundraising!

We then separated, me in comfort and Richard not! Thankfully skies were blue and we arranged to meet up in Wellington. More hills, so at least I was able to load the paniers into the car to help slightly. Roxy and I went to Kilvington Hall National Trust stately home, where we got tutted at for being in the wrong part of the gardens; beautiful grounds though.

Wellington was quite a sweet little town; we had a picnic lunch on the sports ground; the dog filched half the BLTs.

Next meet up was at Glastonbury; we got there an hour and a half before Richard so I mooched around the witchy shops, and then hauled the dog (or did she haul me?) up the Tor to hug a tree or two. When R arrived, we indulged in a cream tea at the Somerset Museum, where we resisted the draw of the cheese making history, and a very strange little man who looked like a pixie was demonstrating braiding to kids wearing birkenstocks (the kids, not the man who was wearing a weird pointed woolly hat and wooly sleeves not attached to a matching jumper)! Maybe we should have bought some magic legs spells!

The Devon hills ended, being replaced by a nice flat run towards Glasto, which made him feel he was flying along.

Richard came across two more "end to enders" who had spotted him in Padstow and remembered him (sound like stalkers to me...); they have compared notes and have similar routes planned so he may well see them along the way. Or they are really stalkers...

It was strange saying goodbye for 2 weeks then as R headed off to Cheddar where he is staying with Ade's sister Sue and her family. Should have checked out the cheese history.

Day 3

The luxury of a car trip started the day as Nick brought Richard back to Wadebridge. He stopped off at the Post Office to get a stamp on his "official" Lands End to JOG form; you have to get 6 "proper" stamps from places along the way to prove you're not cheating. Signatures don't count but Richard has collected a couple of those too.

This was a tough day, with even more hills; Richard admired Launceston and Okehampton as he passed through. I drove down to meet up with him but sadly the M5 was a car park and the diversion off it that I took didn't help much so sadly I didn't get to catch him along the way, a particular shame as by mid afternoon, the hills were proving hard work physically and mentally.

A couple of amusing stories...he got stuck down a country lane with a farmer herding sheep; how rustic! Anyway as they walked behind the flock they got talking and the farmer gave him all the money he had on him...£1.20...for Parkinsons (though he did invite Richard back to the farm house to pick up more, but that was about 3 miles in the wrong direction so he declined!).

Richard also bumped into his first " end to ender" (someone else doing the trip); this poor chap was camping and had tons of gear to cart along. He asked Richard to sign his map as a souvenir, and he did the same to Richard's, quite a nice touch.

The B & B at Crediton was interesting! Independently SAT NAV and Multi map took us both separately into the depths of a council estate on the top of a hill...rather confusing when it was meant to be a farm house. To add insult to injury it also started to rain. Richard finally got there first (I had taken the dog on to Dartmoor for a quick walk on the moor) and rang and rang at the door, no answer. Eventually it was opened slowly in an Adams Family kind of way! The poor dog was very confused when Richard came down the stairs when we got there.

Excellent pub meal at the Rose and Sceptre, Newton St Cyres.

Day 2

Blue skies and sunshine all the way today, passing through 54 miles of lovely scenery, albeit with hilly hills which were fairly challenging.The coastline along by Newquay was beautiful and craggy, though Newquay, I am advised by Richard, was downmarket and horrible.
At Newquay, Nigel peeled off to pick up the train back, after his part in the adventure.

Richard then carried on to Wadebridge, where Nick picked up him and bike and drove back to his parents Jenny and Pat at Truro for the night, where Caroyn, Nick and the kids Josh and Laura were staying on holiday. Jenny has had Parkinsons she was 40. Richard needed no better reminder why he is trying to raise money for this charity.

He will be returned to the exact spot tomorrow morning so no cheating!

Day 1

The day dawned...after quite a sleepless night! Richard left at 7.00 to pick up Nigel and they headed off for the easy bit..train to Penzance! I was able to text Sophie's GCSE results to Richard on the way. Auspicious to send him on his way with good news.

Apparently the weather got worse and worse on the journey but thankfully once the ride from the station to Land's End started (about 12 miles) they were in the dry. Land's End was a bit of a theme park; in true RW tradition Richard refused to stump up cash to have his name put on the signpost to John O'Groats...but had pics taken near it!!!

Hopefully he may be able to download pics tomorrow. Going to the Land's End hotel was interesting where you sign a book and get a stamp to prove where you started. There were 5 or 6 people setting off today, on foot, bike and motor bike (easy life). Lots of emotional messages about people's motivations too. Richard has the Parkinsons logos on his paniers and people were coming up and saying "well done" and asking questions.

The first stage of the ride was hilly, as expected...very hilly, but thankfully still no rain, and interesting stuff on the way included disused tin mines.

Now ensconsed at Nanterrow Farm B & B at Hayle near St Ives on a working farm; Linda, the landlady greeted them with tea and cake and has given them a lift from to and from the pub! Thanks Linda & Glyn!

Richard commented that it was all quite surreal, like when you go somewhere famous for the first time, that's it's as you expect. He had planned this...train ,then to Lands End then off, and it was just as expected. I think that's good! By the way, very limited bike spaces on a great big Great Western train that had to be pre-booked months ahead; well done to GW for joined up transport solutions..NOT.

Anyway, having never blogged before, bear with me; I may have got the hang of this by the end of the trip!
21/8/08

Countdown

It's now 36 hours until Richard leaves; final checks on the bike and trying to get the paniers packed. For information the paniers weigh about 10 kilos so Richard has been having to train with fully loaded bags in preparation. Fundraising is now up to £2000 which is amazing, but the more he can raise the better to combat Parkinsons. I have my list of instructions and b & bs already booked along the way.

The only slight problem is route planning, as you can see in the pic.

Thanks to everyone for their support.

I'll try and keep the blog updated so you can track his progress.