Lands End to John O'Groats

[stealth]

Hi,

As I am new to all this and to this forum, I returned today to check any replies to my first post and spotted the advert at the top of the forum home page advertising this ride for 2012...

Although it is a few months off yet, £1700 is a bit too much for being able to afford it for next years ride however.. I am definately marking it in my diary for the 2013 one.

As a new rider currently only upto 30 mile rides at present.. It also gives me much longer to build my distances up anyway, So my question is this:

Has anyone done one of these rides and how was it?

[Richard Hallett]

AFAIK there are several RCUK forumites who have done it. Seems there have been plenty of re-signings from last year's ride. I'll be doing the ride next year and reporting on the lead up so keep looking to see how things go.
And welcome to the forum

[Mike the bike]

That's brave of you Richard, with you being a man of a certain age and all that. My pal Sam did it years ago when he was in his prime and he's never been the same since. A couple of pints of Stella inside him and he comes over all maudlin and starts recounting the journey mile by mile, climb by climb, descent by bloody descent.

By the time he gets to the "cruel Devon hills" he's all alone at the bar and we try to avoid him for a couple of days, until normality returns.

Always glad to offer encouragement.

[puddings]

Be warned - after Jorrin did it, he never came back to the forum

[phil parker]

I've done it from each direction (at different times) in the last few years and there are numerous ways to tackle this ride - and as they say: different courses for different horses!
I prefer to do my cycle-touring camping and unsupported and generally covering about 80 - 100 miles a day.
£1700 is a lot of money, but I wouldn't discourage anybody from taking this option. I think I probably spent about £500 each time, which included a couple of pints of Stella each night with my evening meal from the pub and maybe the odd glass of wine! This includes train fares and campsites at about £8 per night on average, but not including any extra equipment or time and money on training.
It can also be done fast as a means to an end or slightly longer and more scenic - I think Jorrin & Co took time out to see historic sights en route as well, which was a good idea.
It's not difficult with a modicum of preparation and the correct mental approach.

[ls28harry]

A bloke from Sunday cycle lads I associate with did this run. Check out the site.
http://www.blokestogroats.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout= blog&id=2&Itemid=5

[Mike look]

I did it in 2004 the easy way being supported by my wife in a car. As I was 64 at the time I felt that I deserved a bit of comfort so it was pre booked bed and breakfasts each night. I suppose with all the costs added up it was still less than £1700

[Richard Hallett]

That's brave of you Richard, with you being a man of a certain age and all that. My pal Sam did it years ago when he was in his prime and he's never been the same since. A couple of pints of Stella inside him and he comes over all maudlin and starts recounting the journey mile by mile, climb by climb, descent by bloody descent.

By the time he gets to the "cruel Devon hills" he's all alone at the bar and we try to avoid him for a couple of days, until normality returns.

Always glad to offer encouragement.

I grew up in south Devon. The hills there hold no fear for me. Except Telegraph Hill and I doubt I'd cycle it today

[martyn gall]

Do it great experience and what a sense of achievement at the end

[adm]

I really want to do LE2JOG in 2012.....although I want to do it solo and unsupported, carrying all my crap with me. Which means the purchase of a touring bike as my current road bike doesn't have any attachment points for panniers or anything.

However.....my mountain bike does. So I'm looking at the Grenzstein Trophy route for 2010 - which follows the old East/West German border for 1200Km along tank tracks and was brought up by a German friend at work. If I can push him a little bit, it might become a reality.

But I really, REALLY want to do the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route - which is about 2500 miles of....well...wilderness really. What a blast. OK - neither of the above are road rides, but they'd both be awesome. It's just a shame the GDMR would take between 1 and 2 months and I don't think work will give me that until I retire.