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Foster Care Fortnight Hits the Road at Land's End
May 17, 2010
For Foster Care Fortnight 2010, two members of the FCA Western team are cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats. We're following their journey, which began in Land's End on 15th May 2010...
DAY 1: They’re off!
A Souvenir photo, tablet and a fair amount of road kill later; Chris and Morris have begun their journey north. Well, east to start with.
“We gathered at the sacred signpost and posed for our souvenir photo,” describes Chris. “After more than a little messing about and silliness we were ready to start. I said to Morris "Well this is Lands End; I wonder what John O'Groats is like… shall we find out?" "Okay," he said, sounding just a bit timorous. After a slight pause, he added rather sheepishly: "But what about my bottom?" I looked into his little face, "Don't worry," I reassured him, "You'll be alright, just keep taking those tablets.
“A couple of hours later he turned into a crazed lunatic, racing the locals on their carbon fibre bikes and rapidly developing an unhealthy obsession with road kill. It could have been the pain killers, that and the hemp-energy bars at Land’s End.”
After a good night’s sleep in a local motel, Chris and Morris, along with their support drivers, made their way to the corner of the country, along with a few other cyclists who were about to embark on the challenge.
“Several others had already cycled off into a fresh sunny morning, heading North (well, more East to start with). We saw what I think were a small group of fellow End to Enders whilst driving down to Cornwall the previous day. They were on a grass verge, didn't look too good (one was lying down on the grass, but appeared to be breathing). Not for the faint hearted this kind of thing. And you need the right kit, even if it makes you look ridiculous - like Max Wall or a Lycra tree frog.
”We got straight onto the A30 and zoomed around Penzance, back past Hayle and onwards. In high spirits, glad to be on our way after so many months of planning and preparation. Places normally only visited on family holidays now came and went as we kept up a reasonable pace. Yes, it's hilly in Cornwall, but the dual-carriageway smoothes them down, so no sharp climbs to deal with. Unfortunately our day was slightly marred at the end by zooming straight past the Bodmin turnoff, necessitating that we double back through the town and locate the hotel, adding extra miles and a few more climbs to our first day.”
Some facts for the day
Left Lands End 10.30am, reached Bodmin around 4.30pm.
Distance covered: 65 miles
Average speed: just over 14mph
Max speed: 39mph
Road Casualties seen: 1 Badger, 7 Rabbits, 1 Stoat, 1 Owl, 1 Chaffinch, 1 hedge hog (more hedge than hog I'm afraid to say) and about 6 cucumbers (vegetarian road kill?)
Day 2: Bodmin
Chris and Morris reflect on their second day of their Charity Cycle Challenge for Foster Care Fortnight 2010.
"Our initial first day enthusiasm waned slightly as we looked at Sunday’s weather forecast. Our hotelier backed this up by telling us how it always rains on Bodmin moor. Morning had gathered the rain clouds and we had already had a covering of the wet stuff. Mr Benjamin donned his waterproof leg protectors and looked like he was ready for a guest appearance at mardigrass.
"Fortunately for us the LEJOG Gods were smiling down on us and we escaped the day with only a few showers to trouble us. The wind direction had also been sorted and a fresh southerly had us motoring along like Bradley Wiggins... well, on a rest day at least. A couple of JOGLE’rs going the other way however looked close to tears as the battled the headwinds, didn’t they check that the wind blows mainly south westerly in our fair isle.
"30 miles in we crossed our first county border and welcomed Devon and some better weather. The sun tried to break through and in a timely fashion we stocked up on essential calories with much needed cream tea. Finally we had a change of road leaving the sometimes chaotically busy A30 behind for the old holiday road. The A30 may be busy but when they built it they flattened the road out for the holidaying hoards. The old road is hill, after hill after hill and Mr Benjamin reacquainted himself with his emerging love of ascending."
Other useful and not so useful facts
Overall distance – 41miles
Maximum Speed – 44mph
Average speed - 13
Two cream teas
Where would you like to go now?
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