Friday 27 August 2010

LEJOG day 0.25 False Start

Whoa, what a busy week! Was still in a haze after 'Beautiful Days' festival where I stayed until Monday. On Tuesday I forced myself to go for a short spin - just 18 miles, the only training miles completed this week in preparation for this LEJOG 2010 challenge menace! Wednesday was busy with on-call duties and Thursday was the 'night before' which was spent packing and drinking at the Lark with friends to suppress any feelings of anxiety... And then, bang, it's Friday, the (supposed) start of my latest challenge. Despite efforts to start challenge today, (was originally a 9 day challenge, then folk opted to start early - a whole quarter of a day early) it didn't happen. My day started ok, I went to work and hugged work mates goodbye. Some folk from work thought it might be the last they see of me, so photo's were taken with various individuals and some commented 'have you wrote a will', 'where's your teeth guard' and other random comments. Carmel and Max escorted me to the train station. My train was seriously delayed, over an hour. Train was also packed and slowly made it's way to Exeter, where further delays developed. Eventually I boarded another train and got to Plymouth where I was informed that the next train to Plymouth would not come in till 6pm (should have arrived at Penzance t 5.30pm)! Horrors! Phoned Guy (1 of the 8 other cyclists doing this challenge with me) and he too was seriously delayed - having major troubles with roof rack and trailer. The rail company were pretty cool to be fair and organized a taxi to take me to Penzance. This taxi was fun - it was shared with a German guy, a Spanish girl, 3 bikes and a trailer! I took this taxi as far as Truro, deciding I would start LEJOG tomorrow and stick with the original 9 day challenge.
Was hoping we would have a common sense of team spirit and all cycle together, but 4 of the 9 cyclists started out today. Hmm! I was picked up at Truro by a Allison Jones and escorted back to her abode. At her abode I met her husband and 2 daughters and some 'Brown' family members who made me very welcome. My blogging was disturbed and I was treated to chilli and rice - mmm delicious! I now await the return of the rest of the cycling group and various others who are all crashing out at the Jones' tonight.

(Sadly, I have forgotten my camera lead so will not be able to download any photo's till after my challenge. Please check back in a couple of weeks to see pics I have taken, or find me on face-book where I will add photo's at completion of trip).

2 comments:

  1. all sounds like precision organising & execution mate!
    Bet you'll be glad to get on the road at last....

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know you're problem Doo, no Jo to keep you in line. Now come on, you need to kick on!!

    Best of luck...

    ReplyDelete

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