LEJOG - Stage 1

In bed before ten and the best nights sleep for a while set me up for the start of this monumental task ahead today of getting to the tip of Scotland from Cornish pasty central. Waking at 6am with howling winds, waves crashing against the rocks and rain rattling the windows didn't exactly make me want to whip on the Lycra.

With the hotel only starting breakfast at 8am and our rolling start time scheduled for 7.30 we needed fuel before we got going. We had been given a doggy bag that was left at reception to give us some form of nutrients for the big day ahead. However a muffin and yoghurt didn't really cut it.

Before leaving the hotel we both signed the all important end to end guest book at the Land End Hotel and in 9 days hopefully we will do the same in John o'goats. 

All kitted up, bikes at the ready and my 11kg bag stuffed and now firmly strapped tightly to my back we stepped outside the hotel and in to the dragons den with the elements out to finish us before we had started. Would you want it any other way though on a challenge like this!?

Our ride started immediately with tough hills, clothes soaking rain and driving winds that make your face burn. This didn't really let up for 5 hours. Food and nutrition will play a huge part on this challenge over the next 9 days and I learned my lesson early. With a small breakfast, a shared pack of two ginger nuts with Andy at 30 miles and no proper food until 50 miles I was really bonking (cycle term for feeling delirious from lack of food). More importantly I was out of water so hydration was also on the wane. We tried to find somewhere to eat for lunch but found this a real problem being in the middle of nowhere. When at my weakest a costcutter appeared from out of the blue giving the opportunity to recharge. A large bottle of water, a weird green antioxidant smoothie and a currie slice did not exactly mix well in my stomach or when I got back on my bike to start pedalling again. This will not be repeated. Andy had a chocolate boost! We agreed we need some proper food as soon as we could find somewhere selling hot food. We travelled another 20 miles without finding anything. Then the small town of Camelford crept up on us and if you didn't take your cleat out the pedal you would be out the other side before you knew it. This was now over 70 miles and 6 hours in and importantly no real food had been consumed by either of us and I was now starting to feel ill. There were two pubs in the town and Andy checked them both before making the call. So we sat out in the garden as the sun had just come out and we wanted to dry off. We took off all most wet stuff that we could dry and then went to see about food to be met with. We do t serve food! The long process of gearing up took place and the off to the other public house. The Darlington Arms. WOW! As we approached a girl on skateboard that looked "interesting" was heading up the hill. We dumped our bikes outside the boozer and asked the batman of they served food to which he was stumbling around for words and then in walked skater girl to which the batman grunted at her "can you cook".  He then offered us a chicken a mayo sandwich. So we took the offer and sat down in what can only be described as spit and sawdust place. Jeremy Kyle candidates frequented this place with a dirty dog also running riot in the kitchen and the main pub area. I couldn't wait for my food to come. Then I see the batman run out and 2 mins later he hot foots it back in with a fresh loaf of kingsmill. We left fairly sharpish. On exiting he said let say tenner. Paid up and off we popped.

With 40 miles left it was a tough finish to the day. Lots more hills, weather inconsistent and water running out fast. This was one of the toughest rides I have aver done and the worrying thing is that this is day1! We also arrived a lot later than anticipated at gone 6pm.

Arrival at the B&B was greeted with a hallelujah from but of us and that feeling of reaching the finish for the day was an amazing feeling. The guesthouse was excellent and Mark the owner made us feel incredibly welcome and really went the extra mile with a few things for us.

A pizza dinner in a restaurant we saw on the way in to Okehampton really hit the spot and the food was incredible but it would have had to try hard from the intake we had today.

Total ride time = 8hrs 6 mins

Distance = 174kms

Calories burnt = 4413

Elevation =1835m

Okehampton to Bath tomorrow for Stage 2