21 May – Final Reflections

And so my LE2JOG adventure comes to a satisfying end. What a 2 weeks!

I feel so lucky because the weather was excellent for the whole trip. Whenever the wind blew, it was generally a welcome tail wind. I think I picked the right time of year to do this trip because it was an ideal temperature, not too hot and not too cool. The sun shown often giving a gratifying warmth as a cycled.

The only notable rain I experienced was a very light shower at the beginning of Stage 11 lasting 40 minutes as I left Pitlochry. I have a renewed appreciation for the beautiful country which we are so lucky to live in.

I feel humbled by the fantastic support I have received from friends and family. I can’t emphasise enough how important and motivational everyone’s words of encouragement were to me each consecutive day of cycling.

I have learnt a lot about myself. I’ve always known I am a focussed and ambitious individual with a clear sense of purpose. I very much enjoyed the planning and preparation each day. I found myself in situations which required patience and self-resourcefulness, which both pleased and surprised myself. I loved the interaction with others. I believe people are inherently good.

But I would advocate taking one’s self outside their comfort zone, as it very often leads to hugely rewarding experiences and helps increase self-belief and confidence. So if you have an inclination to try something or you have a goal you want to achieve. Formulate a plan as to how you see yourself achieving it, don’t think twice, just do it. You wont regret it. You might just surprise yourself.

I have received many questions from interested observers and I thought an appropriate way to address these would be to include a Q&A in this final post;

2. Would you have done anything differently ?

There were only two things I contemplated:

Firstly, I reflected on my experience of the first couple of days, sticking religiously to my LE2JOG guide book. I was a little frustrated at the challenging hills in Cornwall an Devon and did not feel I was making the progress I would have liked, as the  country roads were very windy with little interaction with others. Therefore, I relied more on my Komoot cycle satellite navigation. That tweak proved positive.

Secondly, there is always the dilemma and fine line whether or not I would prefer to cycle with others, part of a group. I was not averse to this, but it does require each participant to be sufficiently committed i.e. fitness, adequate planning & preparation, time, finance, determination and resilience. There are Pros and Cons whether you cycle solo (as I did) or with company;

Solo + you can make quick impulsive decisions and as a result you are more nimble in the journey. I am comfortable in my own company so this was not a problem

– When you are feeling low, there is no one there to pick up your morale

– Being on the bike for 8 hours a day each day, you can miss conversation

Group + conversation, banter, morale, share cost of accommodation

– Small decisions (onward route, stops/breaks/photos, choice of accommodation) need a consensus and can be time consuming

– It is crucial to get the right personality chemistry otherwise it is an even longer 8 hours per day on the bike  

I thoroughly enjoyed Neil, my Dad, Paul and David joining me for various parts of my cycling experience.

3. What did you take with you ?

Weight is a crucial aspect of bicycle touring. Before I started my LE2JOG adventure I set out the things I thought I would need, realised I had too much stuff, I started again with only the essentials.

I set off with 2 x pairs of cycling shorts and 2 x long sleeve T-shirts and washed them after use, ready for my next stage. I also had one full body lycra suit for the cooler days. I had one change of clothes and spare pair of comfortable, light weight sports shoes for wearing in the evenings. I needed to have adequate clothing should I experience adverse weather, so I had hat, gloves, waterproof jacket, waterproof over-shoes and thermal socks. I took my laptop to keep an eye on work-related matters and the source of blog writing. This was all stuffed in my yellow pannier bags which attached to the cage on the back of my bike. My handlebar bag contained my LE2JOG guidebook, mobile phone, wallet, snacks and battery chargers. + 2 x water bottles.

4. How did you plan your overnight stays ?

Some people asked whether I had organised all of my accommodation before I commenced my LE2JOG adventure. There were a number of reasons I did not. One was there are too many variable i.e. weather, bicycle malfunction, whether my body would be able to complete a particular journey. The benefit of travelling solo is I was able to book whatever accommodation I wanted on the day or, if I was concerned about availability, I would arrange a few days in advance. In the main, this proved successful. There were a couple of occasions I could not find availability in my intended destinations i.e. Penrith, Alness, Tongue and John O’Groats, so I had to look further afield, but this wasn’t a big problem.

I thought long and hard about taking camping equipment. In the end, I opted to leave this behind and hope there would be adequate bed & breakfast guest houses or reasonably priced hotels to meet my requirements. This all worked out marvellously.

5. Mechanical breakdowns

I was so lucky because the only ‘mishap’ I experienced over a 1,000 miles of bicycling across Britain was a puncture on Day 2. The cycle chain came off about 3 or 4 times but other than that ‘The Black Bullet’ was a solid and reliable touring bike. Simon, from The Bike Chain in Taunton was correct. The replacement tyres he put on were puncture-proof and kept me going for the remainder of the trip without incident.

6. How do you feel physically … and how is your rear end ?

There is no denying, my body is physically tired after my 2 x week adventure.

Each morning, my thigh muscles were stiff and sore. I would take time to stretch my leg muscles before setting off on my 8 hours on the bike. I wasn’t so good or disciplined at stretching and warming down after my journey.

A number of people have shown great concern about my rear end. At the time of writing, it is nice to be enjoying the comfort of a soft sofa now. For 2 x weeks, 8 hours a day, one’s gluteus maximus could feel the rigours of sitting on a cycle saddle. However, my touring bike has a very comfortable seat, and my titanium back-side has become quite hardy over time. So this was not a problem.

At the end of each journey, I was meticulous in ensuring everything was properly cleaned to avoid unwanted chaffing or sores developing. Fortunately, I had nothing to report on that front.  

7. Have you ever felt at risk while on your bike ?

No. Never.

The majority of routes took me through quiet country lanes or off road cycle paths.

8. What were your favourite bits or the ones that most surprised you ?

I always say that these trips are defined by the people you meet.

I was pleasantly surprised cycling along the canals around Wigan as I found them to be very picturesque with wonderful toll-paths. I would love to experience that again one day.

The scenery in Cornwall, the Lake District and The Highlands was fantastic. Travelling on a bicycle is a great way to take in and appreciate this natural beauty at a slow pace and at ground level.

My son Robbie, for helping me get my blog website up and running.

My very efficient and loyal work colleague, Venetia, for keeping our business ticking along and responding to our client’s requests during my absence.

My Dad (Sandy) and brother (Neil) and Paul & David for joining me for part of the cycle.

Mike, Jackie & Lauren for allowing me to raise funds in Jess’ memory.

Fes, my trans-American trail soul mate, who I am indebted to for what he did to support me 10 years ago whilst https://bicycleacrossamerica.wordpress.com/ and for getting in touch and supporting me once again. What an incredible person!

For all those who messaged me via my blog, text, WhatsApp or social media with words of support and encouragement. I can’t thank you enough.

I am humbled and grateful to the more than one hundred contributors to my charity fundraising. I will keep https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/scott-wallace open until the end of May before distributing all funds + 20% gift aid uplift, to the nominated charities on a proportionate basis.

Thank you to anyone who who showed interest and read my blog. I was astounded that one of the postings generated over 1,300 views in a signal day.

Ian was a regular cheerleader on my blog offering valuable encouragement, banter and keeping me real in equal measures. Over the years, The Ranchers see him as the responsible one, his seniority commands a certain respect. Well that’s maybe stretching things! But, I am eternally grateful for him arranging such a special journey to surprising me on finishing. Thank U

Finally, I want to thank my boys, Jamie and Robbie, for their words of encouragement and to Janey for believing in me and for the patience she has shown in recent months while I pursue all sorts of personal goals. She has been a true soulmate for over 30 years and knows me better than …. I know myself. I love you all, forever and always.