The Hard Work
For the previous 2 years we had been cycling about 10 miles, 3 times a week in the Cumbrian fells, using this as a platform we upped the work to 20 miles, 3 times a week and a Sunday ride of at least 35 miles, we also decided to split the route into 50 ish mile sections so that we knew the way and what to expect, we did one of these sections every second week, from April onwards we stuck rigorously to this as did our own personal rain cloud, it rained every night when we trained for the first two months, one night it actually started as we stepped out of the door on a glorious spring day. This training was to prove invaluable for the day that was to come; we got lost numerous times and discovered hills the guides don't mention.

Sods Law Explained
While training you can expect it to rain at every opportunity, the only exception to this is during the hilly sections where it will snow, blow a gale or as it did to us on one epic occasion be a similar temperature to the Sahara Desert on a particularly hot day. You will never have a puncture unless you are very tired or the weather is very bad, you will always have more punctures than the number of spares in your bag when on a long ride, the person with you will not have a single puncture during the whole course of the training. Any getting lost will require you to climb a hill, getting back to the right road will also require you to climb a hill; all the large hills will be on the way home. You will fall off at some point, but this must coincide with either maximum embarrassment or greatest effect on morale/team spirit. Your bike will only malfunction when it is far too late to do anything about, but more of that later.

Planning for the event
While riding the route we had timed all the sections, we used this to plan our stops & meet our back up, we added 10% for getting tired time, but this turned out to be pathetically inadequate. Our itinerary was:
Start 5.00am
Keswick - Top of Whinlatter - 15 minute break
Penrith - Safeway's car park - 30 minute break
Hartside - Hartside Cafe - 30 minute break
Nenthead - Mining Centre - 30 minute break
Stanhope - ??? Pub - 15 minute break
Arrive 7.30pm
We gave our driver & his wife (Brian & Linda) our approximate arrival times for these points, and gave John's wife Karen a large fix of caffeine to get us to Whitehaven for 4.45. The night before we loaded the van with spares, tools, food, drink, clothes etc, most of which we brought home still in the packs, but better safe than sorry.

July 19th 2003 - day of the event
Weather - Fine & Clear. (Suspicion of downtown Sahara in the air) Wind - Light, from the northeast. (Why! It's meant to be behind us) Bikes - Still hiding their secrets with silent glee. Riders - Tired but confident. Rest of the World - Really not bothered in the slightest.

Whitehaven to Keswick
Started bang on time, I don't get the opportunity to say that later so I'll get it in early, being local had no problems through Whitehaven, but foreigners beware. Not a sole about, leisurely ride out of town, 1st of many nature breaks, energy drinks religiously being slurped.

About 5 miles in 1st mini accident, I, funnily enough it was usually me throughout the entire 3 months, yes I rode into a tree branch overhanging the path & cut my eyebrow, after a bit of a panic we realised it was only a flesh wound & continued, at this stage we were still chatty and happy, the drag up to Crossdale passed uneventfully, zoomed past Loweswater, struggled up Whinlatter & reached our stop ahead of schedule.

More nature breaks & food, I ate Bananas, John Apples, John explained that he didn't like Bananas, but if an Apple was shaped like a Banana, he would, for some reason this seemed very funny, a good five minutes passed before we could continue

Keswick to Penrith
Zooming off Whinlatter John had his first encounter with a bird, feathered unfortunately, during training he had managed to hit, but not harm, several birds with his bike, this had earned him the name Wile E Kirkbridey, and he continued this feat on the day. The ride along the railway path, complete with Deer was stunning, then the pull up alongside the A66 towards Penrith, by this stage the heat was rising & we were beginning to feel the strain, but we continued to our stop uneventfully & arrived bang on time, the last time we could say this. Brian & Linda were ready with our supplies & we had a well-earned rest.

Penrith to Nenthead
In training this had been our Sahara section, as we set off it was overcast but very humid, by the top of Fell Lane (Everest foothills) I was feeling rough, we stopped for aspirin & continued at a slower pace, John kept up our spirits & we made reasonable time until disaster struck, halfway down a hill just past Langwathby my front brake calliper parted company with the rest of the bike, somehow I stopped.

John said he heard a noise then I said something (possibly "oh dear!") , at this moment true to form the heavens opened, we couldn't find the stray bolt so rang Brian for spares, anyone who claims their Mobile network covers the whole country is lying, Johns covers 1m wide bands 100m apart.

We managed to get the gist of the problem to Brian at Hartside Café & he set off for Penrith. I was overly confident I could make Hartside Café with no front brake; Johns face told me he wasn't as confident, one hill put me firmly in his camp. Luckily, at the next junction there was an unknown service van for another group, such is the camaraderie he offered me a spare bike! In the end, we stripped the bolt off his mudguard & fixed the calliper, many thanks whoever you were.
Off we went again, John who was riding behind to gee me along remarked that my back wheel was not round anymore, I replied, Oh dear! About 6 spokes had worked loose, I tightened as best I could but the wheel was far from round, as we joined the main road up Hartside Brian appeared coming back from Penrith, he had the same bolt we had scrounged (again provided gratis by Arragan's of Penrith).

Another rest followed, I told Brian I would stop at Nenthead if I didn't feel better, but don't tell John, John meanwhile had said he expected me to stop soon but didn't tell me.

The Downhill was great & put me back on top form, no more retirement thoughts, John loves downhill's, he rides like a lunatic scanning the horizon for feathered targets.

The hill out of Garrigill was as much fun as I remembered, we passed a couple who said they had been told this was the last major hill, we tried not to laugh too much, on the way down to Nenthead we passed another couple, one of whom was towing a trailer!

We made such good time that our support was not ready, we were forced to lie under the trees waiting, this enforced rest was the only reason we suffered later, and it was not on our plan.


Nenthead to Stanhope
This was the only part of the route we had not seen as the practice over this section was cut short due to 3 punctures and 2 spares (all me need you ask).The scenery was spectacular, the up hills very nasty (about 4), the downhill's long & welcome, both of us had melting brake pads during this section, John swooping down spotted a bigger target & frightened a sheep into my path.
The pull out of Rookhope towards Stanhope saw John at his lowest ebb, energy drinks had overcome his digestive system, it was hot, sticky & I was still whinging. The zoom down into Stanhope brought relief & our last rest. I took the opportunity to straighten my back wheel, which had returned to "off round".


Stanhope to Sunderland
Apart from a very nasty hill out of Stanhope, we were both looking forward to this, flattish & near the end. After dragging ourselves up the hill,with the weather as hot as it had been, we joined the Waskerley Way & paradise, we had Christened this the Rascally way after Johns slight ( I had not noticed until he told me) Jonathon Ross syndrome.
After suffering up the hill in the heat we were then hit by a monsoon, we showed our country instincts by sheltering under a tree in a thunderstorm, both of us keeping a tight grip on our metal bikes. We continued the zoom down, until puncture struck (yes me), after a muttering repair we set off, through Consett, luckily we had done a recce as the signs are hard to follow, some of the sculptures into Sunderland are very impressive, but the most impressive was the Marina with Brian & Linda's smiling faces.

12 hours & 20 minutes of hell had ended.

After the Day
We had set ourselves a target of 10 - 14 hours and ended in the middle despite a few disasters, we had photos of the day to look back on & a real feeling of having achieved something.
We had raised over £500 for charity, not too bad really.
But the whole thing from April till August was worthwhile, we are both fitter & slimmer, and have seen things we would never have seen under normal circumstances, Brian & Linda had a great day out & intend to visit the areas at a more leisurely pace in the future, Brian has started to cycle as has Johns wife Karen.
After a couple of weeks off we have both started cycling again & after saying never again are just starting to come up with future plans, we floated the C2C - Reivers loop in a long weekend last night, it may be a bit ambitious, but that's what we said last time.

Watch this space!