Day 4...Dunster to Lydney 83 miles...274 miles to date

Enjoyed meeting Michael and Bernice, owners of the Stag's Head Inn in Dunster. Bernice is a cancer survivor and could relate to my journey. Had a wonderful nights sleep and great breakfast ready for my  next leg of my ride. Penny, my sister (pictured below),  picked up my panniers and dropped them of at the next Inn in Lydney on her way home to Hereford.

On the way out of Dunster I took photos of the picturesque town. Notice the castle on the next photo. Tamar and I toured it two years ago when visiting Penny and Richard and its quite impressive.

Today was 62 degrees, sunny in the morning and then overcast from 11:00am until I hit rain again around 4:00 p.m. The cycling was smooth until I hit A 38 after Bridgewater and then the hills were challenging until I arrived in Bristol. Today seemed to be the most difficult to date. Partly because of the hills and distance, but mostly the mental concentration on traffic, as I was riding mostly on A roads with many trucks and cars. My eyes burned at the end, so much that I had to use visine. Below I was riding the north Devon coastline and could see Wales ( Cardiff and Swansea) across the Bristol Channel and River Severn.

Here I caught a photo of two young men rolling out a cricket pitch in the countryside.

Below you can see mustard seed blooming in the fields

After arriving in Bristol I passed the Clifton Suspension bridge built in 1829.

Also in Bristol there is this cliff that runs alongside the river Avon. Can you spot the mountain climbers?

As per the last three days it started raining in the late afternoon. There are two bridges over the river Severn. I cycled to the second one as this is the one that has the separate cyclists path. It was approximately 5:00pm, and I had already ridden 74 miles, and it was raining. You can see the original newer Severn Bridge in the mist that I took a photo of, and was commissioned in 1966. Penny tells me my father was involved in arranging the cables for that bridge. The bridge I went over was the the older of the two bridges.

Across the bridge, you enter Wales. Crossing the bridge is a milestone, because is it marks the crossover into easier cycling. Yeah I'll believe it when I experience it.

Today I completed 83 miles in 9 hours, burned 3,233 calories and I'm sore and tired. Definitely taking Aleve tonight. Staying at the The George's Inn in Lydney. Had dinner in the pub and the locals chipped in 13 pounds equals $20 towards the Fund. After blogging I,went back to the pub to listen in on quiz night( glad I did not enter, because mostly English sports questions), but received 7 pounds 50p more in donations to the Fund. Thank you to the folks at The George's Inn for their kindness and generosity. More tomorrow.....

Day 5...Lydney to Clun 96 miles.... 370 miles to date

What a day!!!!!! @$&/... it was definitely the toughest so far. One because I had almost a steady 15 mph headwind gusting to 30 mph. Two because I got lost a couple of times I ended up doing 96 miles. The weather was 62 degrees and mostly overcast with sun peeking through, throughout the day. After a porridge breakfast, I set out at 8:00 a.m. From Lydney to Chepstow and then up the Wye Valley to Monmouth. 

Passed Tintern Abbey built in 1131.

The picturesque Wye Valley

Hereford calf's and their mom.

Arrived in Hereford around 1:45 pm and was treated to a great homemade lunch chicken vegetable soup and a tuna sandwich by my sister Penny. Back on the road at 2:45 pm. and soon after I started getting lost. I had done 50 miles to Hereford and should have traveled an additional 35 to Clun. It ended up being an additional 46 miles.

After I took the photo of the cows, I quickly passed Hampton Court Castle. Realizing it was a great photo opportunity, I quickly stopped (on an upgrade) and attempted to turn around when traffic cleared. As I turned, I did not get enough forward momentum to stay balanced and fell into the roadside burm into dogwoods and nettles. Luckily I took a soft landing and did not fall into the road. My ego a little bruised, I recovered and took the Castle photo.

Hampton Court Castle near Leominster

Tudor homes in Pembridge

I finally arrived in Clun at 7:50 p.m. almost 12 hours on the bike. Quickly checked in at the White Horse Inn. I preordered my meal as the kitchen was closing at 8:30 pm and ran upstairs to take a quick shower. Came back downstairs to a nice glass of wine and a Lamb Chop dinner, with mashed potatoes, peas, carrots and mint sauce...yummy! I devoured it.

Today I burned 4,382 calories and climbed 6,289 ft. No wonder I feel wiped! Stay tuned......

Day 3....Moretonhampstead to Dunster 72 miles.... 191 miles to date

So today I varied away from Nick Mitchell's route so that I could spend time with Penny. Had a rough night sleeping probably a result of what I ate and drank the night before. Anyway got to sleep at 2 am and awake at 7:30. Settled on dry toast for breakfast as my stomach was still upset. On the road by 9:00 am and took a long way round to Exeter after some locals advised me of the hills I may encounter if I stayed on the route I had planned. What impresses me about the U.K. is their commitment to the environment. From recycling(everywhere) to water and energy conservation (many farms have the windmills for electricity), and approx. 20 percent of the homes have solar panels.

You can see many of the types of narrow roads with tall walls or hedges to keep the farm animals in the field. This time of year the farmers cover the fields in manure to naturally fertilize the fields before planting. A very distinct odor as you're cycling through the countryside. Today I saw the three cows together with their three new born calf's. I then spotted two black sheep and then mallard ducks and three partridges in a row. Had a beautiful ride up the River Ex valley ( reminded me of the Yosemite Valley floor). Climbed 1400 ft onto Exmoor before a torrential rainfall. I would have enjoyed the six mile downhill ride to Dunster, if it were not for the heavy rain. This was the uphill final ride tree covered road before descending into Dunster. Notice the grade.

The weather was so bad I did not get a photo of the castle, but will on the way out tomorrow. Spent this evening doing my wash and having a birthday dinner with my sister Penny. Great to catch up and spend some alone time with her.

Temp. Today started at 50 degrees and with the rain and a steady headwind dropped not the mid 40's by the time I arrives about 5:15pm.

After three days, and the worst of the hills I'll experience most of the journey, I'm pretty pleased with my progress. Tomorrow a long ride (89 miles) from Dunster to Lydney over the Bristol Channel.

Day 2.....Fowey to Moretonhampstead 55 miles ...Total miles to date 119

Started the day with a traditional English Breakfast; fried egg, sausage, grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, toast and tea. 

So today I headed from the riverside town of Fowey (pronounced Foy) to Dartmoor 2,037 ft above sea level. Since my mopie battery I purchased to keep the charge on my I phone could not be recharged because of the English current being different than the US (didn't plan that one), then I could not use runtastic and keep stats on my ride.

My day started with getting on the ferry across the river Fowey, and my front wheel getting caught in the ferry ramp. Luckily no serious damage, but may have to get checked out when I find a bike shop.

The bad weather held off until after lunch, so I made good headway from Fowey to Plymouth via Looe.

Met my sister Penny and her husband Richard for lunch in Yelverton which is on the edge of Dartmoor.

After we finished lunch the rain started and winds were gusting up to 30 mph. Luckily it was a tail wind out of the SW, so it helped me the rest of the way home. The hills were very challenging as you climb about 2,000 ft rather rapidly. Richard took a photo with me giving the thumbs up.

Dartmoor is very barren and there are brick walls dating back thousands of years. Sheep roam wild and occasionally cross the road. Luckily this one didn't attack me...

Finally arrived at my castle by 4:30p.m.

Unfortunately, my staff took a long holiday weekend, so I ended up staying at Ring of the Bells in North Bovey. It's a quaint 13 Century Inn with restaurant and pub. Many locals were dining for the Holiday weekend. Enjoyed a pint of Dartmoor( local ale), dinner with Penny & Richard and retired for the evening.

The weather is supposed to clear in the morning. I'm drying out my gear on the radiator in my room.Have yet to pull out the aleve out of the bag, but tomorrow may be a different story.

Plan on doing my wash tomorrow night in Dunster and celebrating Penny's birthday. Stay tuned....

Day I...Land's End to Fowey. 64 miles

I woke up early and was on the rode at 7:20 without breakfast. It was a chilly 45 degrees to start but ending up in the low 60's, a perfect cycling weather day. After a 12 mile ride to Land's End, I took the necessary photos and had my pass stamped to prove I started the ride. In order to get a certificate you must show stamps from various places along your route. 

I also left a polished stone guitar pick in the rocks, a memento to commemorate Simon. He played guitar and it is tradition for us to leave stones at a gravesite when visiting. Met quite a few riders on the road today.Everyone has several different routes to LEJOG, but I did meet a group of six that are doing the same route I am. They are following Nick Mitchell's book route, that I also picked. He is actually leading their tour, so I hope I get to meet him along the way.

My route took me past St Michael's Mount. You can actually walk across to it at low tide. There was quite a pilgrimage out there today being that this is a Bank Holiday weekend. the roads were packed.

I have to admit today was a tough day. In addition to the 71 miles I rode, the hills in Cornwall are killers. Up and down, up and down. One of the hills the grade was 49 percent. I did have to walk at least a half dozen hills. My total elevation up was 5,846 ft which represents about 34 percent of the total elevation for the fourteen day trip.this obviously slowed me down and the trip from LE to Fowey took me eight hours ( with stops for photos and map checking). I burned 1604 calories. I arrived at beautiful Fowey, river tributary. As you can see from the photos below it is very picturesque. This is the view from my Inn window:

They knew I was coming because they even had a draught beer named after me. After a hot bath, a pint at the bar, I went next door to the Boathouse and had a great pasta dinner including Tiramisu. I was famished. Now I' m all carbed up and ready for tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a good nights rest. Hoping to see my sister Penny and brother-in-law Richard sometime tomorrow. Stay tuned......

 

Made it to Penzance

I'm happy to say the planning worked out well for London and getting to Paddington Station was a five minute walk from my hotel. I took my suitcase and extra "stuff" and deposited it at the baggage storage at Paddington Station.

 After a picturesque 31/2 hour train ride, I explored Penzance and achieved a small workout at the same time. Getting used to riding on the left and all the roundabouts. Using many hand signals and taking the center of the road is the assertive approach to cycling and staying safe. Penzance is a small fishing village on the southwest tip of Cornwall.

Settled into the Coldstreamer Inn (circa 1895) early, and had a great meal of Mackeral Salad and a Duck Breast entree. Great little pub and superb food. The room is very clean and comfortable. The Inn is located up the hill from Penzance in a beautiful small village called Gulval. Harry, the manager let me keep my cycle in my room which made things easy. The hardest thing right now is remembering what things are in which pannier. With everything in large ziplock bags it's getting easier to remember every day what goes where.

Retired early to get ready for the big day tomorrow and review my route plan. Having a little trouble with Internet/wireless access (not at the Inn) which may affect my navigation ability, but if all else fails I may resort to maps only. 

Met Harry the Manager and presented him with a Mississippi goodie bag. Met a couple who dined next to me that gave five pounds towards the Fund. I'll post after I figure the exchange rate. ($1.56 yesterday).

Tomorrow, Sunday, starts LEJOG at Land's End. Plan on arriving early for photos. Cheers!.......

Arrived in the U.K.

First, let me thank everyone who turned out for the Bon Voyage Party. It was great to visit and share with everyone the plans, training, goals and nervous anticipation of my journey. Thanks to all those that attended and donated. Together we raised an additional $1,075 for the charities, putting us over $15K. This prompted me to raise my goal from $15K to $18K.
After a smooth flight on Southwest to Chicago, there was a slight delay from Virgin Atlantic before our final departure at 6:50 p.m. I was only able to sleep two hours on the plane and today I'm feeling a little jet lag. I arrived at the Bicycle Workshop on time and the folks there did a wonderful job of getting my bike ready and were able to store my cycle case for me while I'm on the ride.
It was a cold and dreary day in London (45 degrees), but I was able to get my train tickets at Paddington Station, mailed some packages to my sister, rode my bike back to my hotel room from the bike shop, and see a  little of the Kensington/ Notting Hill area. I must have walked about five miles today, which felt great after being cramped on an airplane for eight hours.
This evening I ventured over to Covent Garden to a map shop called Stanton's. Then I wandered down to the bustling theatre district and ate a pasta dinner to start building up my carbs for riding. Great people watching, and the food was pretty good also. Now for a good nights sleep ( on UK time) and up early to catch the train to Penzance. More tomorrow.......

CUDOS to The Bike Rack Staff!!!

    The Bike Rack Team - Tom, Owner (not pictured), Rex, Michael, Jacqueline and J.C.

A special thank you to the team at the Bike Rack. Since I started planning for this trip, the entire staff has gone out of their way to give me great advice and support as I have prepared for the ride. They are all very knowledgable, and are avid riders themselves. In addition, Tom and the staff donated their time to prepping my bike for the journey. Thanks guys, I really appreciate your support of my ride in Simon's honor.

Last workout before LEJOG

So today was my last spin class before I start LEJOG. Felt great and especially happy that my extended hamstring muscle has fully healed. I also quit coffee last week and feel so much better for it. 

I dropped my bike off at the Bike Rack today. They'll give the bike a tune-up, put on new tires and brake pads, clean and oil the chain and then break the bike down so that it fits into the carrying case. I'm hoping the fenders and racks will fit also. If not, I will have to put them in my suitcase. I' m planning to pre-pack my panniers with my gear and then put the panniers in my suitcase. The airline allows 50lb for the suitcase and 70lb for the bike and it's case. Trying to tie up all the loose ends and preparations before I leave, so that Tamar does not have too many things to worry about while I' m gone. Everyone I run into has been so supportive of my journey and intrigued by all that is necessary to prepare for a ride such as this. One of the things most people don't realize is that I'll be climbing almost 17,000 feet above sea level (higher than Mt. Everest) over the fourteen days. Luckily I'll also be going downhill that same distance also. Look forward to seeing some of you at the Bon Voyage Party Wednesday night. 89 percent of my Fundraising goal to date. Hope Wednesday night makes it 100 percent. Thanks so much to all that have donated or pledged to date. You're all awesome!

Bumble Bee on the Trace

Since my last post I worked out twice at St. D's in spin classes. Today I took advantage of the wonderful weather and went out mid morning north on the Trace for a 30 mile ride. I felt great, especially not carrying the panniers. It's certainly so much easier without additional weight. Finished the ride in just of two hours. Average speed 14.5 mph and burned 1003 calories. Ironically when I got back to the Inn, about 20 travel agents from the UK and Europe stopped by on a tour hosted by the Jackson CVB and MDA Tourism. As many Brits do the LEJOG ride, they were all familiar with my ride and route.
Yesterday, Cassandra Mickens of the Clarion Ledger wrote a very nice article about my ride. Click this link Clarion Ledger to read it.
Just 10 days before I leave for the U.K. Next Wednesday, May 22nd there will be a Bon Voyage party in the Library Lounge from 5-8p.m. Complimentary appetizers will be served, and the first round is on us for anyone donating to the charities. I hope you will stop by for the send off.

Back to back centuries...I'm ready for LEJOG

So after a hearty breakfast and wonderful hospitality from my friends Ron & Eleanor Fry at the Devereaux Shields House B&B, I set out on my return journey home to Jackson. I headed north on Hwy. 61 and picked up the Trace about 6 miles north of Natchez. It rained about 50 percent of the time coming home, but the wind was more distracting than the rain. In fact I enjoy riding in the rain because it keeps you cool. The wind was directly in my face all the way home adding to the challenge of distance. I chose not to to stop for lunch but just snacked every half hour along the way. With all the rain, twice I ran across trees that were downed across the road, but the Park Service was quick to respond and get them cleared. From this trip, I have learned that I need to reduce the weight in my panniers from the current 30lbs to under 20lbs. With my bike weighing 47 lbs, that's a total of 67 lbs I have to cycle up hills. Luckily I was able to use my 27 gears on the bike and was able to navigate the steeper grades without being too winded. I also need to drink more water than Gatorade. I drank too much Gatorade on this ride that gave me too much gas and built up salt in my system that created bloating. All in all great lessons learned on the two day trip and it definitely has given me the confidence to complete LEJOG. I plan to let my body recoup from this trip and probably not ride for at least a week. Here are some photos from my trip down the Trace.

Century Ride to Natchez

First a few thanks! Thanks to John Swanson, our bartender in the Library Lounge. Last night was John's last, as he accepted a position as Bar Manager at the new Miso. John donated his last night tips to the Simon Sharp Eagle Fund, so,thank you John! Secondly thanks to Ron and Eleanor Fry, owners of the Devereaux Shields House B&B in Natchez. Ron and Eleanor were so willing to accommodate me while on my ride. The accommodations are immaculate and relaxing and Ron & Eleanor are such gracious hosts. And thank you to my wonderful wife, Tamar. After realizing I left my overnight toiletry bag, she drove all the way to Port Gibson to give it to me.( I think she was worried I didn't have my BP pills).
So today, besides making it safely to Natchez, I learned a few lessons. 1) Don't pass up an opportunity to pick up water or something to drink. 2) Find a way to pack lighter. My packs are way too heavy and I have to reduce the weight. 3) Don't wear rain gear unless it's pouring. I was perspiring more from wearing my rain gear than from the rain or heat. 4) Put on sunscreen even if the sun is not out.
Today I was fortunate that the rain held off until five miles before Natchez. Smooth sailing most of the way, but I definitely had too much weight on the bike. This is something I have to reduce if I am going to make it in the UK. I really love riding the Natchez Trace. It's peaceful, you're with nature and the roads are relatively quiet. I especially like the bridge overpasses. These are great spots to take a break and a snack. You can place your bike against the concrete bridge rail and easily get back on your bike as you carry on your journey. Of course, I'm thoroughly exhausted, but hope after a good nights rest, I'll be ready to do it all again. I took some photos along he Trace but forgot the adapter from my IPhone to IPad.
More tomorrow about the return journey home.

Holy Cow.....Adding gear makes a difference!

So overall this was a good week of training. Started with a 35 mile ride on the Trace on Monday. Went to the gym at St. D's on Tuesday and along with riding a bike,, I did some upper body strength lifting. Wednesday I did a spin class at St. D's - brutal but effective. Rested Thursday, and Friday cycled 50.7 miles south on the Trace. I decided to load up my panniers (bags that I will carry my gear/ clothes etc.) each with a 5 lb brick. That's 20 lbs additional weight. Well what a shock that was.
Having ridden the Trace often now, I know what gears work well on particular hills. But with the addition of the weight on the bike, that all went by the wayside. I'm really going to have to watch what I pack to keep the additional weight to a minimum. After 25 miles, I pulled over and took the two bricks out of the back panniers and I could immediately feel the difference. They say it's best to load the front panniers heavier than the back for easier cycling. anyway going up hill requires a lot lower gears when carrying additional weight. This was a good test prior to my 100 miler to Natchez and then back the next day this coming Wednesday. Planning to rest until then. The other thing that affected me yesterday was the heat. 86 degrees in the sun. I had to stop at one point on the way home and get in the shade to cool down. They say only mad dogs and Englishman go out in the midday sun  and you know which one I am. The forecasters are calling for rain on Wednesday which I would rather have than 86 degree and strong sun. Staying hydrated is more of a challenge in the direct heat also. Stay tuned for Natchez and my first 100 miler!

Back in the Saddle...Two new firsts.....

Spent five days this past week in Charleston, SC attending PAII Leadership Conference and Board Meetings. We stayed at the Inn on Middleton Place, a beautiful 2,000 acre complex with spectacular gardens, stables and steeped in history. I ran around on their free cycles but did not get a real workout in. However, Saturday was a gorgeous day and I was able to squeeze in a quick 40.2 miles in between functions. Smooth sailing up until 11 miles and then the pollen really affected me and my eyes started swelling and burning. On top of that, suddenly I caught a bug in my right eye that temporarily blinded me. I stopped and poured water in my eye and the bug was cleared. This is the first time I experienced either one of these distractions. Felt strong most of the ride, although I'm still experiencing pain from the extended hamstring pull. Only 34 days to go. Thank you again to all of you who have sponsored me. We're at 33 percent of the goal and climbing. Please pass along to your acquaintances this sponsoring opportunity. Hoping to cycle 60 plus miles on Monday.....

86 miles Record Ride

Yesterday was a beautiful da, sunny and in the seventies, perfect riding weather. I planned to ride to Utica, MS and back. Took the Natchez Trace South from Ridgeland leaving just after 11am. Arrived in Utica at 2:30 pm clocking just over 42 miles. I wasn't sure at that point that I would make it back. After taking a 20 minute rest and eating French fries and a snickers bar I was ready for the return ride. Hwy 27 is pretty dangerous, with 18 wheeler truckers and a narrow burm on the road with grooves to stop drivers falling asleep, but not conducive for cyclists. Managed to get back on the Trace and stayed hydrated and fueled all the way. Within 10 miles of getting back to Ridgeland I experienced a pretty strong headwind that slowed me down quite a bit coming in. Anyway completed 86.4 miles in 6 hours 20 minutes. Climbed 4,275 ft and burned 2,748 calories. Average speed of 13.6 mph and ave. pace of 4:24 minute miles. I was really exhausted when I returned home, but recovered well after a good nights sleep. Woke up with a sunburn. I'll remember to put sunscreen on next time.

46 Days to LEJOG

With just 46 days left to train, I mixed it up with three 30 mile rides, 2 spin classes and 2 days at the gym riding cycle and lifting since my last post. Spin class has to be the toughest work out of all, but gets the heart rate going and builds stamina. I took the bike into the Bike Rack yesterday to add a couple of gadgets. I also had them install a flag pole. It's a fiberglass pole that breaks down into three sticks. When put together it has a fluorescent flag that potrudes 10ft over the bike. In the UK there are several roads that have brick walls or hedges above car  height. The flag will make the bike more visible to cars on turns that will hopefully prevent me from being hit. I also added a Garmin GPS. It tracks lots of things like cadence, heart rate (if I'm wearing a strap around my chest), elevation, mileage, and calories burned among other things. Garmin can also be picked up by UK GPS tracking. We have been getting several bike groups from Vermont Bike Tours at the Inn and I do a briefing every Sunday evening about the history of the Inn and a little about Mississippi. The cyclists have been particularly interested about my upcoming ride as many of them have been cycling in Europe before. More soon...

Sunny Days are here again!

Great day out yesterday although a little warm at 76 degrees. Decided to cycle from the Inn and went out towards Lakeland drive, then through north Jackson along Old Canton Road and Pear Orchard up to the reservoir. Took the Ridegeland trails onto the Trace and headed north for about 12 miles. At the 20 mile point, I turned around and headed back south on the Trace until Highland Colony. Crossed Highland Colony at I-220 onto Hanging Moss Road until Meadowood and then back to the Inn through Fondren. It was good to experience rush hour traffic, as I am sure to encounter it sometime in the UK. I didn't find it too difficult except for the bad roads having to dodge potholes and gravel. In town, too, car drivers are not apt to give you the three feet they do on the Trace, so there is no room for error and you have to stay close to the curb.Completed 40.2 miles in 2 hrs 59 mins. at 13.5 mph average speed. Climbed 2142 ft and burned 1269 calories. Pushed the ride a little too hard and was a little overheated when finished. I wore my winter undershirt and I think it kept in the body heat. Now we are switching from winter to summer temperatures, I'll have to remember to consume a lot more liquids.
Booked the majority of my B & B stays and the train to Penzance. Now I just have to finalize the last leg of my trip back from John O'Groats to London via St. Andrews. I'm really getting both excited and nervous about the trip. I'll feel a lot more confidance after the Natchez overnight. More soon...

Where does all the time go?

Well it's been almost two weeks since my last posting. YES, I have been riding, although not as much as I would like. But I have put in a couple of 60 mile rides and five 30 mile rides along with a couple of days in the gym. Of course the weather has been unseasonably cold, and we've been spending quite a bit of time following up on the hail storm damage. Our adjuster says we need complete new roofs along with the replacement of some air conditioners, repainting about a third of the building, broken windows, broken outdoor lamp globes etc. It's amazing what damage a golf ball size hail can cause. Anyway back to cycling.
Only 53 days left before I fly Virgin to the U.K.  By now my legs are rock solid and I'm holding my weight around 140 lbs. The real test now comes in getting a couple of 100 mile rides in (which if you haven't yet figured out takes approximately 9 hours of riding - a full day). For those in the metro Jackson area, we're planning a little Bon Voyage party on May 22nd. Free appetizers and complimentary first drink to those who stop by and make a small donation to the charities. The party is from 5-9p.m., so if you feel the urge, please stop by and wish me luck! Thanks to all of you who have donated to the charities to date. I am truly grateful for your generosity and support! I have booked some of my accomodations, but need to finalize them all on Monday. Now busy getting ready for over 400pp visiting us for Easter Brunch. Happy Easter and/or Passover to all. More soon.......