I managed to get the top i cycled the length of britain with, signed by Lance Armstrong. You can see Lance signing this in the video below. What a moment that was,
Lance, an inspiration to us all.
Kyle
[video]
The last day!!!! 55 miles on paper, 65 miles covered in total this day. We got on our bikes at the youth hostel in Helmsdale and set off for the afore mentioned hills we’d been so lovingly promised by anyone and everyone that knew them!! We set off at our usual time, around the back of 9 and set off towards Wick. We had set ourselves a long first “half” if you can call it that….around 40 miles to our “midpoint” and lunch for the day. We did so to blast out as much as possible allowing us (if the opportunity arose) to enjoy the final 20 odd miles of the trip to our finish point. We conquered the hills previously mentioned, and although they were tough - initially a long rising hill that went on for ages, leading into a huge downhill followed by an equally huge up hill (huge being steep!) with sharp hairpin bends - they were not as tough as other hills we had encountered, needless to say THE DARTMOUR NATIONAL PARK!!! Youcan see a pic of me coming down the big downhill, a bit like a where’s wally due to how small I look! Back up the other side and Kyle and I took a few minutes to further indulge in the epic views off the coast of North East Scotland. We had been cycling alongside these for 2 days now, but never were they more evident and close as today, some glorious sunshine and just sea for miles all around our right hand side. Don’t let this sun fool you though, I mean we still got soaked a couple of times…but by this stage it was almost such an unimportant event that we were used to it being part and parcel- especially on the Scottish leg of the trip. Our knees weren’t at their best but were by no means at their worst so we cycled on to get to Wick. By this point we were hungry men so seeked out a nice cafe in Wick to refuel and rest up prior to embarking on the last last last part of the cycle! By this stage, whether you wish your mind to think it or not, or whether you are completely unbothered, you do start thinking ‘this is the last time I need to wake up eat and cycle’….’this is the last day I have to eat lunch then get straight back on a bike’…..’this is the last cake I’ll need to supply me with that wee suger rush and the happy hormone to get me throug hthe rest of the day’….anad so on. It was at this point that we bumped into my dad, in Wick….we had just finished lunch and he was just heading for his. HE was to be our means of transport for getting home and how appreciative we are goes without say, but has just been given a mention anyway, liek the cherry on top :D We spoke briefly but as was felt best he left us be to finish off the cycle and do what we had been doing ourselves fro the last 14days straight. We left him in Wick wit han estimated time of arrival at the finish line in John O’Groats and so off we set (for the last time!) This last leg provided us with……I’d love to say great weather and an enjoyable ride…..but it was mor elike the strongest head and side winds we had experienced on the whole trip!! Thank goodness it was at the end that’s all I’ll say - but with the finish line within our grasp we really motoered along the last 20 ish miles to the finish, fighting the strong winds as we went to try and met our estimated time. It was at this point for the first time that we really got an impression from an outside source of how fast we were covering ground in comparison to preconceptions….We crossed into John O’Groats itself (see pics) together and continued on towards the Famous white mile marker post (see background of final pic) to a very surprised dad who was impressed by the time we had covered the ground in - I may add again that this was against a strong head wind too! So that made us feel good on top of having finally, eventually, after 14 days of slugging away on our bikes….made it the length of Britain to John O’Groats from Lands End….the scenic way!!! Again a huge thanks to my dad who has not only drummed up a lot of interest from friends and family that has contributed hugely towards our sponsorship, but also drove from Edinburgh on day 13 up to Inverness where he spent the night prior to driving the rest of the way up to John O’Groats to meet us and pick us up…only to spend the next 7 or so hours driving us back down to the Glasgow area!! A pint or few coming your way! There will be a final blog, and a blog to our sponsors to come shortly…but for now I’m signing out! Hammy
We did it :)
John O’Groats at last
Nearly there
On the home straight
The tan lines get better and better
Time for a quick drink…
Berrydale - Find Hammy? he is in the photo somewhere