Land's End to John O'Groats: Plans
Aug. 26th, 2010 10:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andygatesNext year, I'm forty and my do-it-all bike is ten (even though he's a bit like Trigger's broom now). I know sixty is the new forty, but it's an excuse for a midlife crisis ride and in the UK, that means Land's End to John O'Groats. I quite hope to do it with friends, for chunks of the ride at least, if any of them can stand me wittering on for that length of time.
LEJOG is 880 miles, give or take, and I'll probably take it easy over three weeks with a rest day or two, tentatively in May as that's the bike's birthday; basically, in the nice months because wintry Scotland is as grim as a grim thing. I will be camping: this is one of those take-your-home-with-you gigs, because it makes me smile (the camp-over after Dunwich still makes me smile despite the Night Of The Earwigs).
After talking around, I'm going to go uphill. Coming from wild-and-lovely to crowded-and-familiar is what you do after an expedition, not during it. Plus I'll have a tailwind.
(Wow, I've had that bike for nearly a quarter of my life? It doesn't feel like it! But I can't easily imagine it not being around.)
But first there must and shall be modifications! The current rig is all utility commuter, the ride's a bit harsh and the luggage capacity unbalanced. First: a front pannier rack (Avenir, as there are no braze-ons) and some luggage (Ortleib Front-Roller Classic - collecting at the weekend). Then some fatter, plusher tyres (Schwalbe Marathon or fatty Marathon Supreme) Then perhaps a look at a carbon or suspension seatpost for my old bones (that Cannondale / Brooks combo makes visits to Surprise Buttsecks Island eventually: it's the thudslap drumming).
I've got all the camping gear except a full-scale Trangia to cook on, and anyway I might be eating out lots; the Pocket Rocket is a perfect tea-boiler. And navigation will, natch, be covered by OpenStreetMap though I can never resist some pimpy paper maps too. I'll need to think about a gadget-charger.
LEJOG is 880 miles, give or take, and I'll probably take it easy over three weeks with a rest day or two, tentatively in May as that's the bike's birthday; basically, in the nice months because wintry Scotland is as grim as a grim thing. I will be camping: this is one of those take-your-home-with-you gigs, because it makes me smile (the camp-over after Dunwich still makes me smile despite the Night Of The Earwigs).
After talking around, I'm going to go uphill. Coming from wild-and-lovely to crowded-and-familiar is what you do after an expedition, not during it. Plus I'll have a tailwind.
(Wow, I've had that bike for nearly a quarter of my life? It doesn't feel like it! But I can't easily imagine it not being around.)
But first there must and shall be modifications! The current rig is all utility commuter, the ride's a bit harsh and the luggage capacity unbalanced. First: a front pannier rack (Avenir, as there are no braze-ons) and some luggage (Ortleib Front-Roller Classic - collecting at the weekend). Then some fatter, plusher tyres (Schwalbe Marathon or fatty Marathon Supreme) Then perhaps a look at a carbon or suspension seatpost for my old bones (that Cannondale / Brooks combo makes visits to Surprise Buttsecks Island eventually: it's the thudslap drumming).
I've got all the camping gear except a full-scale Trangia to cook on, and anyway I might be eating out lots; the Pocket Rocket is a perfect tea-boiler. And navigation will, natch, be covered by OpenStreetMap though I can never resist some pimpy paper maps too. I'll need to think about a gadget-charger.
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no subject
Date: 2010-08-27 09:38 am (UTC)Have you route idea yet?
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Date: 2010-08-27 10:24 am (UTC)There are pretty standard routes, I'm told. My local bike shop (Bike Shed in Crediton) is on one of 'em and gets a lot of through trade from lejoggers.
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Date: 2010-08-28 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-28 01:42 pm (UTC)