John O'Groats to Lands End

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A short Summary

Thoughts after a John O'Groats to Land's End cycle ride


Looking up the Pass from just south of Glencoe Village

I've said I didn't just see this as a cycle ride, but a journey for myself as well. I needed to get away, be self-sufficient with my time and just open myself up to anything which came my way and a lot did !

I learnt many things about myself as the days went on. I found out that on the physical side, I'm not bad and my fears of getting older were allayed with the fact that I met so many people senior to me who were living a life, having a good time and most important of all, weren't giving in.

I also found out I had more reserve than I thought. I'd see a Hill and after reaching the top, look back and think 'blimey, I just cycled up that', something which before going, I'd have just got off and walked. Sure I did get off and walk quite a bit, but that for me was just common sense to avoid any sudden twangs around my body!

I've been pretty much an outdoor person all my life; camping holidays, mountain walking, hill walking and whatever. I remembered whilst going along how much they meant to me and how much I enjoyed them. So, one future plan which came to rest is - buy a bike rack, put the tent in the back of the car and like the two in Shap, get in it and see where the road takes me. There's so much to see and I never want to say I never saw it!

It would be nice to sit and write about how really hard it was, how tough I was to do it, but breaking the whole thing down; two or three hard days and the rest were simply, getting up, having breakfast, getting on the Bicycle and start pedalling. This also shows that you only need to be reasonably fir to do it, maybe you don't want hours and days of heavy training, but cycle a bit more than you do, but don't take it too seriously, unless you're going for 70 - 100 miles plus a day of course.

Meeting some of the people I did showed me there are more people with a similar mindset, who go about their daily life in their fashion and no one elses. I really think this is the main thing I learnt, there are so many living a life and putting health and happiness before material and wealth. I liked that a lot.

Finally I thought that having done it, I'd find a gap and the need to do something else. Well, at present I don't and don't know if I ever will.

As the Scottish bloke implicated, I'll think about that tomorrow!

              


Sunset at Crianlarich


The harbour at Wick


Dig for Victory!


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