June 19 2017 Truro to Camelford

The heat wave continues to day.  Temperatures were 21 C when we stepped out the door this morning and were headed towards 27 C.  So we rolled out of the bed and breakfast at around 9:00 am after a very nice breakfast of bacon, sausage and eggs. 

The B&B was right on the edge of Truro so we rolled across the street and were in the country riding down a country lane. A couple hundred few further on we got on an old rail line. I was shady and cool under the trees.  Unfortunately this didn’t last long and pretty soon we hitting a bunch of hills. The climbs weren’t few long but were in the 15% range and in the heat they just sapped your energy.   At one point we hit a unpaved section which was so steep and rocky you could barely climb it.  It is hard to understand how this section was put on the National Cycling Network.  We probably lost 20 minutes climbing this hill.  A lot of ups and downs and we came to the King Harry Ferry across the River Fal.  We just missed it an had to wait about 20 minutes for it to come back across.  It was an interesting ferry which pulled itself across the river on these submerged chains. 

More climbs and descents which were so steep all you could do was hang on the brakes.  We pasted a number of interesting sites however we just were not making any time.  We had been on the road for over two hours and only covered 16 kms (10 miles).  Everyone was pretty much all in and we still had 80 kms (50 miles) to go.  So we decided we would cycle on to Mevagissey.   It was another 16 Kms (10 miles) and they were tough miles.  The temperature is around 24 C and 100% humidity with a steady wind of around 25 kms (15 mph) straight into our faces. 

Mevagissey is a very cute little seaside town with a narrow maze of a downtown.   We meet Agnes there for a late lunch and loaded the bikes on to the van.    From there we headed to Lanhydrock which is an National Trust estate home.  It is a huge manor house with large formal gardens.  I took a quick walking tour of the home.  It must have been great to have been part of the landed gentry in the 1800’s.   It was a Downton Abbey flash back.   

I was kind of sad to have to become a roof rider as such an early point in the tour but everyone (myself included was all in).  Bottom line was we covered just 35 kms (22 miles) in 5 hours.  There is just no point killing yourself on these hills in this heat. 

Supper was in this small country pub.  I had the pork chops which were from the owners farm across the street.  There were two chops on the plater and they were among the largest chops I think I have ever had and certainly in the top half a dozen of the most delicious.   What a great place to dine. 

Terry

June 18 2017 Land’s End to Truro

We had a great breakfast at the Cape Cornwall Golf course and were on the road by about 9:30 am. It was a little late and the day was already getting hot.  Even though it was only about 70 F  (20 C)  it you stood in the sun it just bore down and baked you.  We rode down the 7 miles to the Land’s End Visitor’s Center and took the official start of the ride photo and were off.   With the seven miles to the start we had a 54.4 mile (88 kms) day.   The total climb turned out to be 3335 feet ( 1016 meters). 

There was a stiff and steady wind of about 10 mph (16 kmh) out of the east which was straight into our faces most of the day.  It was at times nice as it cooled you off but most of the time is was just another annoyance. 

The goal of the ride was to try and stay off roads with center lines.   So we were on a lot of bike paths today.   Unfortunately the bulk of them were not paved.  I think that bike trails compromised 35-50% of the route.   Of this about a third was sand, a third pack dirt and a third large loose rocks.  The sand and the loose rocks increased the amount of work a person had to expend exponentially. It was very dry and has been for quite a while so the trails were all totally dry.  If it had of been wet or rainy it would have been a total mud bath.   Surly did a great job with his 32 mm tires of maintaining traction and was so sure footed I never felt loose all day.  The trails were really steep as well often hitting 15-16% and Surly’s low gearing powered me up every one. 

It sounds like I am complaining but in reality it was a very beautiful ride. The sun was out and we were riding down oh so exquisite country lanes.  We saw some very cool stuff.  We stopped at Land’s End and took photos. We stopped in a meadow a saw the Merry Maidens stone circle.  This is not on the bus tour stop list but is a 100% genuine stone circle dating back to the same time as Stonehenge.  AND we had it all to ourselves in a beautiful meadow.  We stopped and went for a walk through Mousehole which is a tiny little port which was used by the smugglers/pirates in the 1600’s.  It just doesn’t get any quainter. Saw a bunch of the Cornwall tin and copper mines which were built in the early to mid 1800’s and are now all abandon.  This left huge old stone structures dotted across the landscape.  They are currently part of the UNESCO World heritage Sites.   Agnes went and saw the Levant Mine which started as a copper mine in 1820 and then commenced mining tin in 1852.  The tin is much deeper.  The mine shafts run out 1.5 kms under the sea and go to a depth of 650 m.  It has only working walking beam steam mine pump remaining.   

By time I got in I was totally beat.  I was out of water and all in.  If it had of been another mile with one more climb I would have called a taxi.

Jos and Patrick ran out and found giant chocolate milks which were great.  Then off to supper in a historic downtown pub.  The chicken curry was great.   An after dinner walk around the Truro cathedral topped the day off.    

Yes it was a tough first day but a lot of fun and one which will go down in legend.

Terry    

I"ll get some of Agnes pictures up in the next couple of days.  Just too tired to night.  The quick preview looks awesome. 

June 17 2017 Farnborough to Land’s End Cornwall.

We were on the road by 9:00 am this morning on the way down to Land’s End.  Google made the distance 262 miles and 4 hr 44 min.  Jos was saying 10 hours. We were close to about 6.5 hours and we never stopped for lunch.  We did however have a 30 minute delay where a double decker tour bus and a motorhome were trying to get past each other on a small road.  

The scenery along the road was very impressive; large rolling hills with stone walls and green pastures.  Off in the distance you could catch glimpses of the ocean.   At one point we drove past Stonehenge.  It is not on the tour until later in the week we did not stop (but I was still impressed anyway).   I did catch a couple of photos out the van window.   The road down to Land’s End starts as a multi lane divided highway and narrows down until it becomes a track.  

As the day was so nice we decided to go do the Land’s End museum and visitor center this afternoon and then skip it tomorrow which is the first days ride.  We will still ride past it so visiting it early will not actually shorten the ride.   The little museum at the visitor center did have a lot of interesting facts on the trip.  It is the longest distance in the UK and it has been traversed in all manner of ways; everything from walking to bike to wheel chairs.  Plus a myriad of the unusual such as walking backwards, motorized tool shed, motorized toilet seats, crawling, roller skates etc.  It also noted that only 3000 people per year actually complete the journey.  While still a large number compared to how many cross the United States which is only around few hundred it is dwarfed by pilgrimages such as the Camino de Santiago which numbers around 250,000 per year.  So a little patting on the back as we are in an elite group. 

The views from the visitor center are totally amazing.  Huge cliffs with crashing waves.  WOW.   The visitor center is kind of commercial as they want 4 Pounds to park and 10 pounds to have the privilege of taking your picture under the Land’s End markers sign. 

Supper was in an amazing old pub in St Jude and down to Cape Cornwall for sun set.   We are staying in the guest house of a 1900 century manor house which is now a golf course. It has been totally modernized and is totally stunning. 

Tomorrow is the first ride day.  We have 53 miles and close to 4000 feet of climb.  I haven’t been on a bike since April 5 so a little bit of trepidation.  Surly is mounted with a 28 inner rink in front and with 32 large rear rings.  However Patrick’s bike has a 24 inner front ring and a 38 on the back and he is talking about how tough the hills look.

Terry    

July 16 Farnborough Logistics Day

After yesterday’s hectic travel day today was a day to recover and get prepared for the big adventure in front of us.  As a result everyone slept in.  There was no lost luggage to chase down so we kept it pretty low key. 

In the morning we went for a walk down to the shopping mall which is just a few blocks from the condo.  Agnes and I got sim cards for our cell phones so we are all now on the air and talking.  The pay as you go cards here are only 20Pounds which would compare to a monthly bill of close to $70 Canadian.  This makes owning a cell phone pretty cheap.   If you go on a monthly rate with a 12 month commitment the price drops to only 10 Pounds or around $18 cdn.    

After a quick sandwich Jos and I took our bikes out for a quick shake down ride.  Not far or fast but enough to figure out what needed adjusting and what was working fine.   My mirror was crooked and needed work and my front brakes were dragging a bit.  So a few minor tweaks and on the way.   Surly reall shifts nice with all the new components and  fresh cables.  

Jos and I circled the Farnborough air hanger from WWII and rode up and through the old zeppelin hanger which was used to house the zeppelins which were on submarine patrol.  All that is left is the metal skeleton of the hanger which has been left in place and is now the center piece of a park.   After pictures we were off to complete a couple of other shopping missions.  Finding a new cable lock for the bikes and getting additional keys cut for the van and roof mounted bike racks. 

Tomorrow we are off to Lands End.  It is approximately 260 miles  so we will probably be on the road most of the day.   

Terry

June 14-15 Vancouver to Farnborough

What day is it really?  Somehow I always lose a day on these trips to Europe.

I got up at very reasonable time and we had an crappy  in hotel breakfast of bad waffles and then off to the airport.  We tried a new car park thing this time which was a valet parking.  Leave your keys in the car and walk away.  Worry about where it will be in 35 days.  The check in was really smooth, as we had opted for the AirTransat Options Plus which put us in the priority line.  What a great deal Options Plus is.   The only glitch was the bike bag check in which had to go down the fragile oversize line.   The security officer opened every zipper and pulled and ripped off my so carefully placed and tapped foam. Really is there a big problem with exploding bikes.   She finally sent it down the belt but left me worried about how much of the bike padding was still in place.   Through security and watched the divers feed the fish in the big Vancouver airport aquarium.

The plane was a very nice new A330.   A 9 hour flight but then a 7 hour time difference and before you know it you are short a day.  How you get that day back is a total mystery to me.  Maybe I am a time traveler and just don’t get it.

The electronic boarder security machines were down in Gatwick so it was a long line to clear passport control.  However we did get through and found Jos.  Off to the van and over to the other terminal and picked up Patrick and off to the Airbnb condo.   It is a very comfortable place.

It took about an hour to put Surly back together.  It all came through ok foam torn up notwithstanding.  The only thing is that one of the fenders was missing an adjustment nut.  Who knows where it went.  A  quick trip to the local bike shop remedied this. 

The Airbnb condo is out in Farnborough which was a famous WWII air base.  There is a large air museum here and we will head over there tomorrow and check it out.

Terry

June 13, 2017 Kelowna to Vancouver Bird Show

I was awaken early this morning by a group of Saurman’s spies who had landed in the dry snag which is just behind my house.   How Saurman got as far as he did relying on these clowns is really hard to comprehend.   I think that the Haida legends which had the raven as a trickster and clown are much more correct.  This pair was playing on the snag, pecking at each other and calling each other names.  A little game of pushing and shoving to see who would fall off the perch first ensued.  All the clawing called in a third buddy.  A game of king of the castle followed with each bird trying to take the top branch.  It was a great show.

I ate my breakfast while I enjoyed the bird show and then Agnes and I loaded the luggage, made a final check to make sure we had passports and everything and were off.

The flights from Kelowna was Kelowna – Calgary – Toronto – London for some ridiculous travel time of 27. 5 hours.  However a person could drive to Vancouver and overnight then take an 8.5 hr direct flight.  As it is only a 4 hour drive down to the Vancouver airport we chose to make the drive.    A totally non eventful drive ensued and we are in a totally non-descript Days Inn a few blocks from the airport.  Perfect!  Lazy breakfast in the morning and we are on the plane and London England bound.

Terry

June 10 2017 Lands End To John O Groats - Surly Gets Ready

June 10 2017  Kelowna BC  -- Surly Gets Ready

June 10, 2017

When Agnes and I returned from Phoenix I took Surly down from his hangers in the garage and dropped him at the local bike shop for a refit.  Surly has not been out for a major tour for a few years and was starting to feel pretty neglected.  So he was pretty happy to be taken down, and he knew something big was in the works.   The Surly has been on more than a few major trips; Los Angles to Boston, West Coast USA, Paris to Istanbul, and Rockies I, plus a couple of Golden Triangle rides and a couple of Florida rides.  In the bike shop he was fitted up with new rear cassette, chain, new cables, brakes, saddle, handle bar tape, all the bearings repacked.  All refitted Surly is like a brand new bike.  The Surly Long Haul Trucker is a great handling bike and has a great road feel.   It is going to be great to hit the trail with an old friend.

The Lands’ End to John O Groats (LEJOG) ride is a classic bike ride and one which all bike touring folks talk about.  Lands End is the very farthest South west corner of England in Cornwall.  From there we will travel to John O Groats which is the very furthest north east corner of Scotland.  The distance is 603 miles as the crows fly and 874 miles by road.  However we plan on covering 1250 miles.  It is going to be a bit of a site seeing tour.  This trip will be 35 days long including travel time to Land’s End and returning from John O Groats.  The idea is to cover the distance without seeing any roads which have a center line.  There will be lots of bike trails, tow paths and country roads. 

Jos and I have been taking turns being tour director and this is Jos’ turn so I get to sit back and learn some new tricks.  The places Jos has lined up for us look absolutely amazing.  Old manor houses, country inns, old forges which are now B&B’s, Edwardian town houses, ultra-modern ocean view condos, house boats and all sorts of everything in between. 

There will be four of us on this tour; Jos as tour director, Agnes driving support and luggage van, and Patrick and myself as riders. 

Surly is in the bag and most of my stuff is packed.  We drive to Vancouver on July 13 and over night there.  On the morning of July 14 it is a direct flight to Gatwick where we met up with Patrick and Jos.  This is going to be one terrific trip.

I have posted some pictures of Surly getting into his bag and a map of the places where we will be staying.  The following is a link to my Google map.  If you follow the link it will take you to the map where the places are posted.   LEJOG Map

Thanks for following along on this adventure.

Terry