“The calm before the storm” (Wimbledon to Lands End)

LEJOG BLOG!!

Day 0

“The calm before the storm” (Wimbledon to Lands End)

Route -  Cycle from Wimbledon to Paddington

               Train from Paddington to Penzance

               Cycle from Penzance to Lands End

Stats:

Distance = 30 miles

Average Speed = 12 MPH

Day Zero of our seventeen day stint got off to a flying start for Rosie, Joss and me. We managed to navigate our way safely across London to Paddington, leaving the support Crew (sailor Jerry) to pack up the van. Day Zero did not start quite so well over in Bethnal Green, where Camillo woke at 8:45 am with a bike to collect from London Bridge, a pannier rack to attach, panniers to pack; all within a tidy hour. Obviously he had been working hard the night before to get some essential last minute carb loading (of the liquid kind of course), so his lateness was excused. Despite coming up with the ingenious ‘back rack’ (an idea which originated from not having had time to fit the pannier  rack prior to our departure this morning, hence came the brainwave notion to strap it into his rucksack and hang the panniers off the side, so that they hung in a bat wing like fashion from the side of the rucksack). Sadly, and for those of you who were thinking they might patent this idea, it failed quite spectacularly resulting in a mad taxi dash to Paddington arriving with 3 minutes to spare before the train ride. Camillo likes to live on the edge……meanwhile Jerry had gone MIA due to a slight technical hitch with his phone, leaving us crewless on our arrival in Penzance.  After a quick (take this ‘quick’ with a heavy pinch of sarcasm) trip to the Penzance bike shop to have Camillo’s panier rack fitted we set off to Land’s End. There were some fairly impressive hills en route, one of which Rosie had a small fight with and came a cropper at the bottom of a nasty hair pin bend. First fall of the bike ride and we hadn’t reached our starting point. Sailor Jerry was still nowhere to be seen, but we arrived safely at Land’s End which is rather tackier than we had imagined, but the mandatory team photo was taken in front of a misleading sign listing John O’Groats as a mere 874 miles away. The total distance will be, in fact, and for anyone who feels cheated that they sponsored us to cycle 1000 miles as claimed on the JustGiving page, over 1000 miles. We then set off the three miles to the Youth Hostel which is down a most picturesque country lane outside St Just, and we thankfully found the support van and Jerry halfway down this track, mega cup of tea in hand.  We are all fairly tired, and Rosie and I now terrified of the upcoming 2 day trek through Cornwall and Devon.  Still we have a massive English breakfast ordered for the morning to set us up for Day One of the official Lejog ride…..watch this space.