Finished!!!!!!

We arrived back in oldham at 3pm welcomed by friends and family, exhausted but happy having completed 655 miles in 10 days. For our final leg we were meeting up with our friend James in Holmfirth at midday which gave us a very leisurely start of 10am. With the sun shining we climbed the hills out of Sheffield and arrived into Holmfirth to a folk festival.

We met our James and  got a slice of cake while we enjoyed the festival for about 30 mins before heading over to Oldham for what would be the hardest leg of all.

 

The wind on the tops was incredibly strong making cycling difficult and slow. We powered on and eventually we came to the desent and we wheeled down to Oldham. Tired we got off the bike and went and met our friends and family in the pub.

 

It was a fantastic achievement and I would like to thank everyone that supported us throughout the  trip. Those who cycled with us, donated or just followed the blog, cheers for all your support and a special mention needs to go to Will for updating the blog every day and Colin for printing off maps and being ready to help whenever we rang him.

Approaching the End..

After yesterdays huge 108 miles today we clocked up 92 miles making it 200 miles in two days. Over these two days we have both hit phyiscal and mental exhaustion but we did not admit this to each other until tonight with everything completed.

As we both went to university in Sheffield we had friends we planned to meet up with, but due to how tired we both are we are just going to go out for some food then hit the hay.

We are almost finished now as home is just 40 miles away.

JOIN US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO – CYCLISTS AT SHEFFIELD TRAIN STATION AT 10AM OR FOR CELEBRATORY DRINKS IN THE DOG INN, CHADDERTON, OLDHAM AT 3PM.

SEE YOU THERE!

The longest day

Day 8 – Bishops Stortford to Stamford

Today we have cycled 108 miles, and arrived into Stamford tired and hungry, but happy, having acheived such a huge distance, and arrived at the reasonable time of 6.30.

We set off this morning revitalised after a great feed and a good nights sleep, and just powered on this morning. We had  just a couple of short breaks, stopping for snacks and to check the maps. By the time we stopped for lunch, we had already clocked up 76 miles.

This was not a day for a leisurely pub lunch, so instead we went to the local co-op, grabbed whatever we needed to refuel, and slumped in a carpark next to our bike, devouring the food and drink without much concern for the surrounding landscape or social convention.

Revitalised, we pushed on: hopefully this stretch has not had too much of an impact on our bodies, as we’ve got another 80 mile day tomorrow!

BBQ and Beers set us up for biggest day yet!

Day 7  Beaconsfield to Bishop’s Stortford (Beth’s brothers)

Today’s total mileage was 51 miles so a relatively easy day! We cycled through sunny Hertfordshire fields arriving at Gideon’ s (Beth’s brothers) at 3pm. Here we were met with the luxury of hot showers, a washing machine and comfy seats for a clean and relaxing afternoon. Once we had stopped cycling and sat on sofas we realised just how tired we were!

Before tea we walked into the town for some supplies both feeling that walking is now a foreign motion and longed to be back on the bike! With tomorrows big stretch of 95 miles ahead we tucked into a pre match athletes meal of BBQ and beers!!! 

Lance Armstrong once said when asked about his love of cycling he does it for the pain not the pleasure and that’s what we will be repeating in our heads tomorrow!!! Fingers crossed we make it!

Day 6 – Bourton on the Water to Beaconsfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We travelled a good distance today, clocking up 72 miles, energised after our day off, and managing to arrive at the Beaonsfield camp site just before 5, which was lucky, as were warned we wouldn’t be able to get into the campsite if we arrived after then.

We had a nice sunny afternoon, which we particularly enjoyed, after hearing that it was raining in Oldham, and arrived into Oxford to pick up Charlie, an old friend of mine, who did a bit of cycling with us – always nice to have a bit of company.

We hunted out supper in a pub with a big screen, hoping to catch Man U in the champions league semi final. We were all set to continue our detox, which we started yesterday afternoon – having not had any fizzy drink/chocolate/alcohol/coffee since. The match has put this detox to an end already – the excitement of the match being just too exciting, and putting a chippy and pints on the menu! We’ll see if this is just a temporary blip or permanent end to the detox tomorrow…

Day 5 – The Worlds Press Descends on Cheltenham

Cheltenham to Bourton on the Water

There must have been a major news story breaking in Cheltenham as only the Gloucestershire Echo was able to attend the photo shoot. We paraded up adn down the promenade, posing for shots, enjoying our 5 minutes of fame, with even the local fire thrower pausing out of intruige to find out what was going on.

Our day off (a mere 16 miles) began with a full english breakfast after a good nights sleep in a proper bed. Feeling revitalised we made our way to Cheltenham town centre in search of an internet cafe and a rumoured lido (outdoor swimming pool). As we manouvered through the town centre we were rocked by a bollard rising from beneath us, clipping a pedal on the tandem causing us to lose our balance, but luckily we din’t topple. This moving bollard is designed to stop cars going down bus lanes – it seems tandems aren’t welcome either!

I was further rocked this morning when quietly sampling a slice of carrot cake in a local cafe when a friendly local declined Will’s offer of moving his chair to let him pass. This gentleman stated ‘it’s only my big coat, I’m quite skinny underneath’: he then drew attention to my quiet self by pointing to my stomach and exclaimed ‘look at the podge on him!’ He then promptly left, leaving me to devour the cake with slightly less pleasure, but you don’t want to let good cake go to waste. Finding the lido to get some initial exercise in was all the more urgent, where Phil and I managed to put in a good few lengths, while Will spent his time on the water slide.

7 miles on, for lunch that afternoon I decided that 2 courses were sufficient, rather than 3. The ibuprofen as been seeing Beth and myself through the pains in our knees and ankles, but soldier on we did. We arrived to set up camp in Bourton in the Water, and back to the realities of our cozy tent, after the luxuries of the Cheltenham B&B last night.

Day 4. Aches and pains but still going

Well it has taken four days but our bums have finally adjusted to the time in the saddle but riding has brought on aches and pains to the legs that we could really feel today.

Beth’s Achilles heal is giving her grief and my knee is causing me some discomfort. But with 300 miles to go there is no time for injuries (but there is time for Little Chef).

Despite this we have enjoyed today’s cycle stage in gloriously sunny conditions and met with friends Will and Phil in Cheltenham today’s destination stop.

 

We have sun kissed faces and a beer in our hands and we are enjoying the Cheltenham Jazz Festival with a rest day tomorrow to recover from the last few days riding and a couple of extra beers tonight

Day 3. Finally get to wash clothes

Shorter ride today for we cycled from Much Wenlock for only 40 miles and arrived at Townsend farm in Pembridge near Leominster in the mid afternoon in glorious sunshine, this gave us the time and the first opportunity to wash our clothes for the first time in three days. Much to the relieve of all who have recently met us in the last day or so as ridding tandem all day certainly works up a sweat.

Then having washed our clothes and put up the tent we wandered into town for some food and a few well deserved beers.

Day 2 – Overton to Old Church Stoke

We’ve arrived at our second destination having now clocked up 162 miles in total, putting in 84 miles today. We’ve had an excellent day pedalling through sunshine and rain in and out of England and Wales along country lanes in the company of Beths parents Howard and Trudy.

It turns out the lady who owns the campsite here is from Werneth in Oldham, so she gave us 50% off!

We’ve also been lucky with the restaurants and pubs we’ve found along our route. Lot’s of good places to get a good hearty meal. Except for last night, when we arrived at our camp site in the grounds of  a pub to find the pub was closed.. It was already 8 in the evening, and we had travelled almost 80 miles, with the odd unecessary diversion along the way. We had to put another 3 miles to the nearest pub!