End to End 2002 – By Tom White
16 th June 2002 – The Day Before – Nuthurst to Lands End
I left Horsham to go to Penance on the train, which was not as bad as I thought it would be. Except when I was trying to get on the train I was told to go to coach Z, which I thought would be at the end of the train after Y, but instead it was before A. The train arrived at Penzance 5 minutes early. I then biked to Lands End; there was a very strong south westerly wind, which will be very good for tomorrows biking. When I finally got to the hotel I booked in and I was very surprised to find that they didn’t have anywhere to put my bike. I braved it and went out side to look around, the place was completely empty. Except for a couple of Japanese tourist who kindly took a picture of me in front of the Lands End sign. Average: 12.2 mph Max: 73.5 mph Time: 56 minutes Distance: 11.47 miles
17 th June 2002 – Day 1 – Lands End to Bodmin
Leave Lands End at 8:50am, very nice weather and no wind at all, which isn’t very good. The drivers up to Penzance are good because they probably see lots of people biking. Up the A30 to Bodmin and I found the hotel at 1pm – quite nice but expensive. Average: 15.7 mph Max: 34.5 mph Time: 3 hours 42 minutes Distance: 58.61 miles
18 th June 2002 – Day 2 – Bodmin to Whiddon Down
Leave Bodmin at 9:30. A very slow start up a big hill. Nice weather again – sweating a lot. Try to change the Travelodge but the one at Exeter is Full, so I have to 85 miles to go tomorrow. Get to the Travelodge at 1:30pm, but no one is there until 3pm. So I have to read + get sun burnt. Average: 14.3 mph Max: 32 mph Time: 3 hours 17 minutes Distance: 47.19 miles
19 th June 2002 – Day 3 – Whiddon Down to Churchill
Leave at 8:30 after a not very nice breakfast at the little chef. Have one puncher level with Honiton and then another later on which took 30 minutes to repair. Get here at 4:15pm after a very long ride and then I have to wait for five minutes for some one to come! Average: 14.1 mph Max: 56.5 mph Time: 5 hours 37 minutes Distance: 79.66 miles
20 th June 2002 – Day 4 – Churchill to Hereford
Leave at about 9am, nice day. Had another big breakfast and my chain comes off just 7 miles into the day. Get to Bristol and get lost (no sign posts for the road I want). Over the old seven bridge and get to Hereford at 3:30pm. Average: 13.1 mph Max: 35 mph Time: 5 hours 3 minutes Distance: 66.25 miles
21 st June 2002 – Day 5 – Hereford to Whitchurch
Up at 7:30am, watch the first half of the England v Brazil in the world cup, then have breakfast in the bar of the pub. Then I watched the second half (we lost 2-1). Leave at 9:30am. Mid summers day and it has been raining, as well as being very cloudy. Get here at 3pm – so tired. Get back wheel repaired, it was bent. Average: 14.9 mph Max: 30 mph Time: 4 hours 57 minutes Distance: 74.08 miles
22 nd June 2002 – Day 6 – Whitchurch to Garstang
Up at 7:45am, after a late night because of the noise from the pub. Had breakfast at the bar and left at about 9. On the A49 the weather got better. Then I found a big, big bike shop and I got a white T-shirt and the US postal team bike shirt! Got here at 3:10. The distance was much shorter than I thought it was going to be, which was nice. Average: 14.5 mph Max: 49.5 mph Time: 5 hours 8 minutes Distance: 74.66 miles
23 rd June 2002 – Day 7 – Garstang to Gretna (Scotland)
Up at 7:30, sleep for 10 hours! Leave at 9, nice day, very, very big hills. By the time I get to Scotland I just wanted to die. It started raining just before I get to Scotland, of course. I get here at 3:30. I also have chicken pox or something like that. Average: 14.3 mph Max: 42 mph Time: 6 hours 1 minutes Distance: 86.38 miles
24 th June 2002 – Day 8 – Gretna to Kilmarnock
Up at 7:15, I am still in pain from yesterday. There are a few blue bits in the sky – I am I in Scotland! Leave at 8:45, it is getting more grey and colder. It rained for about 5 minutes. So long and difficult because it was flat or up hill all day. Get here in so much pain at 3 o’clock. Average: 14.1 mph Max: 29 mph Time: 5 hours 41 minutes Distance: 80.31 miles
25 th June 2002 – Day 9 – Kilmarnock to Crianlarich
Up at 7:15, breakfast at the little chef – even worse than Exeter. Leave at 9, it is so cold that I wear my jacket all day. It rains for 5 minutes and is sunny for about 2 minutes and it is very cold all day. I am so tired and I just want to get there. Arrive at 3pm – in a little house and supper is served all together at 8pm. Average: 13.9 mph Max: 26.5 mph Time: 5 hours 19 minutes Distance: 73.90 miles
26 th June 2002 – Day 10 – Crianlarich to Invergarry
Up at 7:15 and breakfast at 8pm. So windy outside from the North (were I am going). The first 6 miles took 35 minutes. It is so windy on the hills it is difficult to move. Down one hill I was going as fast as possible and I was doing 12 miles an hour! Got here at 3pm, nice place and midges everywhere. Average: 13.4 mph Max: 26.5 mph Time: 5 hours 31 minutes Distance: 74.32 miles
27 th June 2002 – Day 11 – Invergarry to Dornoch
Up at 7:15am, nice hotel and at breakfast I keep on asking for more food – lots of cereal + toast. I leave at 9:15. I wear my jacket all day again. The wind is so strong near the hotel that it takes me about 1 and a half hours to do about 10miles. I almost get blown off the bridge the wind is so strong, I get to the hotel at 4pm. Average: 13.5 mph Max: 26.5 mph Time: 6 hours 8 minutes Distance: 83.31 miles
28 th June 2002 – Day 12 – Dornoch to John o’ Groats (Mey)
Up at 7am – the last morning (YES). Have a big breakfast and leave at about 9:05. When I get to John O Groats Dad is there! He has flown up from home and I am not going on a train tomorrow. Average: 12.9 mph Max: 31 mph Time: 6 hours 14 minutes Distance: 80.92 miles
I have done it!
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