Bell on a Bike - LEJOG

With the ever expanding popularity of cycling over the last few years, LEJOG, Land's End to John o'Groats for those experiencing a puzzled frown, has become an ever increasing challenge for budding cyclists. After a trekking expedition to the Himalaya with a school group, shortly before I retired, I decided to use LEJOG as a means of raising money for CAN (Community Action Nepal) after I retired. However, I had no desire to gaze at endless miles of tarmac each day, surrounded by earth shattering juggernauts and impatient motorists, exposing my lungs to saturation with noxious fumes. So I decided to attempt the whole challenge on Sustrans routes, shown by those little blue signs with a bike on which seem to be popping up everywhere and are also now being developed at an encouragingly healthy rate. Avoiding busy roads and using only country lanes, canal tow paths and disused railway tracks I planned the adventure to last three weeks carrying everything I needed to be self-sufficient apart from the luxury of a bar meal in the evening and a flat pitch on a designated campsite with hot showers. My journey through the British countryside turned out to be more of an adventure than anticipated, from confrontations with a herd of 'Escape to Freedom' cows to attacks by the most savage of all animals - the Scottish midge. Meeting many different characters throughout my journey generated many humorous episodes. When cycling long stretches it was easy for my mind to deviate from the task in hand to recall past memories of the places I'd just cycled through, recollecting incidents that made me laugh out loud even twenty or more years after they occurred. There were days and occasions when I hit rock bottom and felt like giving in but I found that, thankfully, the vast majority of people I asked and who offered assistance were only too keen to help and encourage me on my way. Unfortunately there were still a few, no matter how exhausted I looked, who seemed to relish in making me feel even more dejected - which fortunately for me made me even more determined. LEJOG is well within the capabilities of most people who are reasonably fit and inspired and the adventure experienced entirely on British soil is well worth the effort if you have a spare three weeks. I hope that I can inspire you with this book.