Starting LEJOG

I have been lucky. I managed to get a place on the HSBC Land's End to John  O'Groats cycle ride in August 2019.  OK, cycling 950-odd miles over ten days might not  be everyone's idea of a small lottery win, but I am chuffed to bits.

I have to pay £1,500 myself and also have to raise £3,000 in sponsorship. Initially, I thought this might be harder than the cycling. However, I've just done my first 70 mile ride (round the Isle of Wight) and the cycling is really going to be tough. After my first 30 mile test ride, I took to my bed for an afternoon nap. I'm not sure that is the kind of 'full support' that HSBC are going to dishing out on the ride.

I plan to do the bike on my home-made bamboo bike (see my blog https://bambooshkabike.blogspot.com/ on how I made the bike).  It held together well during my IOW ride but the gears need some attention. Although I learnt loads when I built the bike (and had to set up the gears from scratch), I think I might need some professional help. There is always the chance that the organisers will laugh a little too heartily an tell me that they can't take the risk with a bike held together by glue and cloth. To be fair, part of the gear cabling did once fall off - I had to put it back on with sandpaper and glue. There is always a bit of a fear that the cold and wet of a Scottish summer might be too much to take. Also, the Scottish roads are notoriously rough - I do fear that the constant juddering might be too much (actually, it's not just the bike that I worry about).

Anyway, that's it for now. Attached is a picture of the bike. If I get the technology, working, I will also post a test video of my ride round the Isle of Wight.

Hopefully, this video of my ride round Isle of Wight should work - as I say, it say it is a bit of a test as I need to work out a good way of keeping people updated during the ride:

Relive 'Morning Ride'

How you can help

To sponsor me: please go to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/EdThompsonLEJOG

For regular updates on my preparation and the ride itself, please follow me on twitter: @BambooLEJOG


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