GUEST BLOG - LEJOG

The biggest challenge is how to get 1,000 miles of cycling into 1,000 words!

Day 1 - Kick off in Cornwall and start with a common them - thanking everyone for all the support and donations and special mention to Smudger a cycling mate from home for joining us for the first 20 odd miles and gently easing us in to things.

Day 2 - Tough Challenge over Dartmoor but job done. This is one of the hundred best UK climbs and it was into a 25mph headwind for all 5 miles! Coming down the other side was better.

Day 3 - LEJOG day 3 Cheddar Gorge, Severn Bridge and a bit closer to John O Groats all helped by best man Bezza the Bristol legend.

Day 4 - A long hot day from Chepstow but good company from local tour guide and super athlete Dave Kelly this morning. Lovely to meet up with Rox and Emma for lunch - did I mention it was hot?

Day 5 - A tour of the north west so not many photos today. A final meet up with Rox and Emma then an emotional goodbye. Bloody hot and lots of urban stop starts.

Day 6 - Scorching heat over Shap, stunning scenery, time to get ready for the border crossing tomorrow. This was also the lasagne lunch where big Stu downed five pints of orange and lemonade!

Day 7 - 600 miles complete, 400 to go. Beautiful scenery in the lowlands, stunning run into Kilmarnock and a hotel that is part of the football club. First wet weather of the trip, actually missed the rain but roads very wet! So we did what all good cyclists do, stopped at a garage and had an ice cream!

Day 8 - What a stunning ride up the west coast. If Carlsberg did cycling this would be the route. The day started with haggis and ended with isotonic cider just for a change.

Day 9 - If Carlsberg did yesterday then today was Moretti! Stunning lochs and glens. Ben Nevis in the sunshine, commando memorial and wild fires. Close your eyes in Fort William but once you leave it's breathtaking.

Day 10 - Another scorcher but short day. Preparing for the queen stage tomorrow. Scenery was stunning again with some nasty kicker hills.

Day 11 - The most stunning day so far, remote and wild, then coastal ups and downs into a headwind. Craske was my highlight of the trip, but the road past Dounreay was the hardest part of the whole ride for me.

Day 12 - JOG! Thanks for all the support and good wishes. A leisurely 30 miles to finish with a detour to Dunnet Head.

What could’ve been torture turned into the most incredible adventure. It’s amazing how far you can get when you sit down and turn your legs over for a few hours a day. Thanks to those who rode with me, and everyone else that supported from home.

It was a bucket list item for me, but never imagined I’d be doing it for a cause that means so much. We all realise how incredibly lucky we are to have Emma with us and able to share some of the trip and meet my new fellow nutty cycling mates.

Life can sometimes be cruel and too short, so make sure you get out there and do things that you enjoy.

Thanks to all from BXV who I dragged out in all weathers on training rides, the magnificent 11 on the ride, Phil and Christina from Discover Adventure and everyone who donated to Sarcoma UK.

Andy - Emma's Dad