Wednesday, 24 September 2014
St Andrews Coast to Coast 2014
So, its very nearly here, a cycle ride from Southport on the west coast to Grimsby on the east coast.All in aid of raising funds for St Andrews hospice in Grimsby. A GREAT cause !So follow our progress, and see how we all do. Its going to be fun, hard work and most importantly, DRY!!!
The blog will be updated at the end of each day, do come back please and follow our progress !
Friday, 26 September 2014
Day 1 – Southport to Kelbrook – 53 miles
An eclectic group of intrepid cyclist from North east lincolnshire, taking the opportunity to raise funds for St Andrews hospice.
Survived the 1st day! One 20 something wiggo wanabee, a glamorous lady and 5 fifty something blokes with memories of distant youth.
The day started from The Bold Hotel in Southport, with us trying to find the pier, though we struggled to find it!
Almost immediately the 1st mechanical occurred, Wiggo lost his crank arm though quickly fixed, serious garmin issues became apparent, with next stop ” Peterborough”. Support driver located us, though drove off with the rear van doors open, (who was last in the back !!) so nearly loosing our kit.
Weather at first wasn’t the best with the Irish sea mist dropping, bringing with it drizzly rain, resulting in 7 soggy cyclists, not to be disheartened, spirits remained high, all encouraging each other, lots of banter and laughter at each other etc. Six blokes in lycra,not a pretty sight , though the visual impact softened by Jane wearing a Wallace & Gromitt cycle jersey.
Lunch stop destination 12:00hrs “pub carpark”, home made butties by ourselves with energy levels topped up with ” julie’s” (perry’s Mrs) flap jack!!.
Afternoon session presented more challenges, some big hills crossing over the Lancashire West Yorkshire border.
We continued along the highways & cycle routes for a further 15miles, everyone maintaining a steady pace, with some harder climbs and fast descents. All encouraged by the prospect of arriving at the Old Stone Trough for a welcome shower & comfy bed.
The first tumble of the day with Meyerman making a comedy dismount in the car park, ending up with his Spanish bike on top of him!!
First day riding complete, all presently sat around tables & comfy chairs in the bar, post mortem of the day’s cycling related incidents/ performance, stories of cycling and other related injuries, though thankfully we refrained from showing off scars & old wounds.
The magnificent 7 ride another day!!
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Day 2 – Kelbrook to Selby – 62 miles
Magnificent 7 commenced day 2, 09:30hrs, and went straight into a category 3 climb, the toughest & longest of the day.
Everyone had been set up with a good breakfast for the challenge. It was though an eventful climb for Meyerman paticularly. First mechanical with chain coming adrift, fixed and back on the tarmac within a few minutes, only for his Lancashire breakfast to make a re-appearance 50 yards off the summit.
Chris on his Claud Buttler deserves special mention leading a good number of the 15 climbs this morning eating up the gradient and miles, even stopping part way up an ascent to point out a lonely little owl sitting on fence post watching us go by!!!
Jane minus the wallace & gromitt outfit made sterling efforts climbing the ascents, dwarfing anything in the lincolnshire wolds, by this time many of us experiancing saddle issues!!!!
Father and son pairing Jon and Mark (aka Wiggo with those side burns) dueling on the climbs, the outcome remains classified.
Must mention additional team member who arrived last night “Amanda”, Martyn’s ( tour leader) Mrs. Without doubt a pivotal member of the challenge today, having gotten lunch prepared all ready for our arrival with ” kettle on”. Leaving Martyn the opportunity to get on the bike & ride out with the 7.
Lunch break completed, and everyone back on the saddle, with the serious hardwork over, not quite downhill to Selby, just another 30 miles to go to destination!! Despite father of Wiggo getting lost in the woods looking for the Loo!
After a few miles into the afternoon, passing Leeds Bradford airport in the distance, not quite being buzzed by easyjet etc.
Wiggo & Meyerman dueling on the smaller ascents this afternoon, clearly someone got their mojo back!!
Everyone hyped up at the challenges today brought , 15 climbs, all catergory 3 & 4 ascents with over 3600ft climbed! A serious challenge for everyone. Well done to everyone.
Captains Log
What a great bunch of people. Varying levels of ability and bikes, but from the very beginning they had determined to ride as a group, encouraging and supporting each other. Everyone deserves your support. Please give generously to this fantastic cause. St Andrew’s Hospice, Grimsby.
Sunday, 28 September 2014
Day 3 – Selby to Cleethorpes Pier (Then back to St Andrews) – 60+ something miles!
Everyone was up early this morning, breakfasted and looking forward to the final push to the finish. Longest distance today, though assured all on the level etc. Trouble with the flat there’s no chance of a free wheel etc.
Negotiated our way out of Selby ,via a couple of housing estates, picking up a sustrans route following the canal, not the best of routes for those of us on road bikes, large cow pat droppings to negotiate, with the occasional unpleasant spray from the wheel in front!
We continued onto and picked up National cycle route 65, RV-ing with Martyn & Amanda at the Humber bridge country park on the North bank. Feeling a bit like gate crashers at an event, as there was a big leukaemia charity ride taking place as well, though great to see so many riders & families out riding together.
All revitalised with lunch, and fuel back in the tanks etc, for the final push to Cleethorpes, we climbed up onto the Humber bridge always a great experience crossing the water.
Back onto familiar roads and working our way through the estuary towns and villages, within a few miles passing the Humber bank oil refineries, and heading towards Grimsby.
Everyone staying together encouraging each other along, last climb of the weekend up Isaacs hill onto Cleethorpes High street dropping down onto the Pier promenade.
On a very busy afternoon, we all made our way onto the pier promenade for a photo shoot, lots of back slapping & handshakes, what an achievement we all felt.
We all achieved our goal of riding together and finishing together, an experience we all shared together and will all have fond memories of in the future.
Many of us didn’t know each other before meeting up on Thursday evening, though all quickly became friends, supporting & encouraging each other throughout the weekend, there will always be that common experience between us in the future.
Who knows the magnificent 7 may ride out again!!!!
Captains Log
Well Done Guys. It has been a brilliant weekend. Congratulations to you all, very very well done.
