Photos from the final leg

Tiredness Can Kill. Take a Break

The Final Push

Erskine Bridge

Hamish, Martin and some beautiful Loch Lomond scenery.

We're there. How good does that feel!

Having joined us for the beautiful ride through Glen Coe and along Loch Nes, Paul Brooks loses no opportunity to recruit for the hoops.

Hamish prepares for life after cycling

What Martin's boys want to be when they grow up

And now we're there!

No doubting the best moment of the ride - rolling 5 abreast down the final hill into JO'G with a great feeling of achievement masking the pain in various bits of your body.

The lowest points along the way are when your body refuses to do things you normally take for granted - such as bending or digesting at normal pace! The schlep up to Shap in Cumbria was undoubtedly the toughest section for me. Luckily George's visit to the doctor to sort his hand out allowed me forty winks on the grass verge at the top - oblivious to the passing lorries.

For a mixed ability, mixed age group we got on famously with great humour, encouragement to all and no hissy fits. We even cycled in good formation for very long periods, although I have a feeling Richard will now be working on constructing a dream team to beat this record (maybe North to South as well!).

I will put in an honourable mention for the lovely and very hilly section above Hereford (nearest to my home town of Stourbridge) but the best scenery was undoubtedly Glen Coe on a beautiful sunny day. Simply stunning!

Let's not forget a dishonourable mention for the car, van and lorry drivers of Wrexham and Cheshire whose incompetence and impatience knows no bounds! There are words of four letters that cannot be used here that describe you succinctly.

The near 150 mile days into Preston and Crianlarich were tough, but the first day was still the most brutal with 127 miles and 2700m of hills. The funniest moment, in retrospect, was at the end of that day when we took a wrong turn at the very last moment taking us down into a village we didn't need to go to. When we asked a local lady where we had to go for our B&B she said "you go up that road and up and up .....etc" and both she and the many children with her all pointed enthusiastically upwards. If looks could kill the one on Hamish's face would have wiped out half of Devon.

Finally - while my ability to faff can never be doubted I will mention the total reliability of my old Da Rosa and its derided Campag gears. It may not be the lightest, and the colour wins no beauty prizes - but no drama and no punctures from the little yellow machine while others were sidelined!!

......and on reflection

We didn't break any records, or do anything truly remarkable. We however completed the course quicker than most, despite 3 out of the 5 having relatively few cycling miles in their legs..... .....We also looked the part in our day-glo yellow cycling jerseys.
For me personally it was great to have my two sons on the trip and to see them go through the inevitable down periods and the pure elation of reaching the end of yet another long tough day in the saddle. Some of the climbs, downhills and mountain scenery moments were very special, and some of the the "collective memories" will last for life. We were not all able to cycle at the same pace, but we started together and finished together, and helped each other where necessary. The banter was sharp, very funny and a great reliever of tension. Everyone took and gave stick

Many have analysed why human beings take on these "painful" challenges. The sense of achievement on completion is obviously huge, but my own theory is that its a step out of normal day to day life with two major differences :

1. The lows are lower and the highs are higher. Normal life is relatively flat. Taking on something like this is more of an emotional rollercoaster. Maybe we need these extremes ?

2. There is an elegant simplicity and singularity of purpouse, which is very different from everyday life. All that matters is covering the miles and getting to the next coffee stop or B&B. 95% of thoughts relate to the task in hand. There is no juggling of work, home, hobby, family etc.,

Anyway enough waffle. We will get JOG phptos loaded asap, and finalise the ride stats for other like minded anoraks

Also a reminder that if you are of a mind to (and havn't already done so) and contribute to our MCS fundraising, please go to http://virginmoneygiving.com/team/Cooper9