First up a sponsorship update – we passed the 1K mark today and if we include gift aid (which we do!) are over
1,250 and heading towards the 2K target!
Thanks so much to everyone for their support! Full detail (and final-ish
opportunity to contribute) here:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/lejogstory
Overview/Highlights:
- Its been an interesting two days, for the full picture we’re
splitting the team report:
- Taylor has had a challenging time of it – after slogging
through the rain in the north of England and coming off the bike twice (once on
a busy main road in Carlisle with a lorry behind, the second, more amusingly
for everyone else, and certainly less terrifying, on arrival at lunch [photo below thanks to our leader - i'm surprised he managed to hold the camera steady enough through his mirth]) he stopped to buy so much
wet-weather gear (including a jaunty hat) that he was cycling looking like the Michelin man, sadly no
photo available… after that things got worse, after his knee said absolutely no
more at the end of stage 6, today (7) was worse, at first unable to pedal (or walk) and
hitching a lift along in the van, he could then hardly make the bike move after
lunch, getting left hours behind the peleton and needing to be rescued over 30
miles from Fort William in the pouring rain, having spent 5 hours moving at
roughly 5 miles per hour (see videos below for evidence of the horrow)… tomorrow will be a
challenge...
- Sharpy’s two days have been similar in terms of
sentiment but not in terms of outcome – cracking on heroically after Taylor’s injury,
Sharp, on the ridiculously tough 125 mile stage 7, was leading the whole group until just after lunch. While Taylor was going backwards down the mountain while
facing forwards, Sharp manned-up and made it all the way to the hotel just
after dark. Although a sense of achievement was to be expected and is well
deserved, the quote of trip so far greeted Taylor’s tardy arrival, “I wouldn’t
go through that again for a million pounds”, 2 million? “no, no way, never, not
for anything”
- Not too much to add beyond rain and long hours in the
saddle as chat between the team and traveling companions has quieted somewhat as the group have become strung out.
- The scenery in Scotland has been amazing, the poor phone
photos below do not do it justice, personally I would settle for a crappy field
and a few sheep if the weather could just stay fair for 5 minutes
- Taylor had haggis for dinner, was superb
What we’ve learned:
- Scotland – cold, rainy, hilly and with poorly tarmac-ed roads
- Taylor has had to drop the mountain goat moniker, due to
it now being hugely inappropriate, to the point of sounding ironic
- small children can go faster than Taylor without working knees
Daily difficulty rating (6 and 7):
MS: 11/10 – “the worst day of my life”
JT: 10/10 – body cracked, and beaten, knees in pieces, cold, wet etc (and 11/10 is technically impossible)
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| Lovely spot for lunch (sun shining you'll note as we weren't on the bikes) |
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| This was funny for 5/6 of the group, even those that didn't witness it |
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| With Sharpy being a hero miles in front, i made a new friend, if you look at it cross-eyed it looks like it's been crushed flat into a rug, that is what i wanted to do to the little s*** |
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| Does no justice whatsoever to the unpleasantness of the situation - the black sky behind looks blue only due to the flash on the camera! |
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| Sharpster looking happier than he was for much of day 7 |
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