Ray's Travels

Last night we received word that my 94 year old father who has been ailing for some time is “actively dying” according to the people that are giving him hospice care. He is unresponsive and won’t open his eyes.

This morning we made the decision to leave the bike trip and return to the U.S. as soon as possible. It would be too difficult to soldier on with him in this condition. If we don’t quit the trip today we might have to tomorrow or the next day. Why go on under the circumstances?

The tour leaders were more than accommodating. It so happened that the planned route today went to Inverness. There, there is an airport where we could fly to London. We were able to book a flight and the tour guide took us in the support van to the airport. The flight went to Gatwick so we got a bus to Heathrow airport and booked a room at a nearby hotel. We were able to get a flight out of Heathrow to JFK tomorrow morning.

It’s tough to leave a trip like this. We had John O’Groat’s in sight. However, you have to do what you have to do.

We hope that before too long we can come back and complete the journey.

Day 17 – Bridge of Awe to Fort William – (47.3 miles) – Climb 1885 ft.

A great riding day!

This was the most satisfying riding day of the trip. We didn’t get rained on. The terrain was rolling with very few steep climbs and a lot of smooth road where we could really make progress. The scenery is beautiful! The hills rise out of the loch’s (lakes) and estuaries. The clouds make for magnificent sky’s. We were able to stop for coffee and a relaxed lunch without feeling rushed. We passed Loch Ness but didn’t see Nessie. Shuck’s!

It feels like we have hit our stride and are ready for John O’Groats.

A real, live Highlander cow.

Day 11. Dent to Kirkoswald. – (48 miles) – Climb 3,400 ft.

This day had all the makings of a disaster. When we woke up rain and wind were beating against our window. We decided to take off at about 9:30 am and almost immediately Mike broke his chain. It cost us about an hour before we finally left the lodge. At that time it was still raining. We fought the rain through the morning but it let up. Due to the weather the guides changed the route to a more direct, less challenging route which was much appreciated.

The weather cleared and it turned into a very good riding day except for some strong headwinds. After our lunch at about 30 miles there were no major climbs. The only problem was that I developed a flat tire about 8 miles from our destination. We were able to fix it and got in at about 5:30 pm.

It actually turned into a pretty good riding day. The scenery is beautiful. I am amazed by the stone fences that extend for thousands of yards up hills and through pastures.

We ate dinner a a pub tonight. There was one young lady that was running the place. She was blonde, statuesque and voluptuous. You would have thought she was the owner of the place based on how focused she was on managing things. She said she is a student learning to be a chef. She said that Wednesday is usually a slow night so she had very little help. She managed to do everything. She took the food orders, served the meals, tended the bar, cleared the dishes and took care of the bills. It was amazing! Rarely do you see on person operating so efficiently. We all commented on it. It was nice to see someone with such competence. She is bound to be a success.

Tomorrow we enter Scotland. We are making progress!

Day 12, – Kirkoswald to Moffat – (59 miles), – Climb 3,210 ft.

More miles, more smiles!

Today was the longest segment of the trip in miles but it wasn’t the most challenging. Today we didn’t get rained on. The first 20 miles had hills but nothing too dramatic. We made good time and felt strong. The last 40 miles leveled out but there was a strong headwind fighting us the whole way. A headwind over many miles can really sap your strength. Also, for most of the way we were doing a gradual climb. Nothing severe but the combination of the headwind and the slight climb didn’t provided much rest.

We entered Scotland today. The scenery is awesome. Since tomorrow is our one rest day, we are unwinding at a very nice B&B. We need the rest day.Tonight we had dinner at a small pub/hotel in Moffat. While not gourmet food, it was excellent. Marie had vegetable lasagna and I had chili con carne with rice and chips (fries). It was very, very tasty and I don’t think it was just our hunger.

We are having a good time and tomorrow we relax. Life is good!

Special note: Today is my first day ever in Scotland. Apparently, the Pope heard about my visit and decided to show up on the same day. What a guy!

It was a much needed and relaxing rest day. In the itinerary of the trip Moffatt was described as a “spa” town. We brought bathing suits and expected to schedule massages for our overworked muscles. It turns out the Moffatt was a spa town but the hotel where the spa was located burned down many years ago. People still come to Moffatt because it is a place to stop when visiting Scotland. It is a charming town but there is not much to do there. No spa, no massages. Except for a walk through town to get lunch we mostly hung out at our very nice B&B to recuperate.

My rest day mini-rant: We really like the United Kingdom and enjoy people and the touring. However, the Brits do a few things that seem crazy. My primary annoyance is the wash basins with separate hot and cold water spigots. When you wash your hands a single spigot that mixes the water so you can maintain a good temperature only makes sense. We constantly see modern bathrooms with the two spigots. In some public bathrooms there is a sign over the hot water spigot to warn you that the water is very hot. The bathtubs have a single mixing spigot. What’s the deal?

The other thing is that the placement of the faucets is not consistent. Sometimes the hot will be on the right side and the cold will be on the left side. This is particularly troublesome when you do find a mixed faucet with a lever handle.

Remind me to never hire a plumber from the UK.

Day 14 – Moffatt to Strathaven – (43 miles) – Climb 2,300 ft.

Easy does it!

Today seemed to be far the easiest day of the trip. There was a long gradual climb out of Moffatt, another gradual climb later but then things leveled out and made for a fairly smooth ride. A good portion of the ride was on a bike path that followed the highway. There was some rough road but it was tolerable. For most of the way the wind was either at our back or a mild crosswind. The last 10 mile had a moderate headwind but nothing too punishing. We did take a alternate, shorter route that cut about 10 miles from what the route could have been. It good to have an easy day after a rest day to get you back into the routine without killing yourself.

The weather was mostly excellent except for a light misty rain that lasted less than a 1/2 hour. It was nice to get to the hotel fairly early and not feel exhausted.

Tomorrow we go through Glasgow.

Day 15 – Strathaven to to Luss – (53 miles) – Climb 1650 ft.

A long, wet day.

We set out from Strathaven and did a moderate climb and descent for about 13 miles. The weather was very changeable. There was misty rain mixed with clear weather and mostly wet pavement. Then we entered a cycle path that we followed for about 40 miles. It took us through Glasgow, mostly following the Clyde River. We did not go through the city center. We saw a lot of industrial areas. Cycle paths are good in that they are usually flat but they can be a bit challenging due to walkers and bikes coming from the other direction. Also, due to twists and turns, narrow paths and crossings, the progress can be much slower than expected.

Glasgow is a bigger city than you might think. Most of the Scottish population is in Glasgow and Edinborough. There is a lot of new construction. However, it looks a bit “rougher” than the British cities but that is just my observation.

While on the bike path the weather began to turn against us. We rode through light to moderate rain most of the way. We didn’t get to the inn until about 6:00 pm although we were at 20.5 miles before noon. The afternoon included a lunch stop, a coffee stop and a flat tire of one of the riders but still the progress was slow. The riding itself was not challenging except for the rain. Wind was not really a factor.

Luss is near the Loch Lomond which is a beautiful lake surrounded by hills. It is nice to be inside and warmed up. The air has been quite chilly the last few day which definitely gives one the sense that fall is about to arrive.

One of the more interesting bridges in Glasgow. Note how the arc goes from one side of the road to the other.

Day 16 – Luss to Bridge of Awe – (56 miles) – Climb 3,020 ft.

A nice ride, with glitches.

The ride today was long but it was quite enjoyable. There were a couple of significant climbs but they were long and not too steep. After we descended we were almost at sea level and rode on fairly flat roads through Inverness to get to our B&B.

The weather was quite good except for a few rain showers in the morning. The temperature is cool but that is quite good for cycling.

The glitches were that Mike had a horrible day mechanically. About 6.5 miles after we left our B&B he hit a curb and blew our a tire and tube. We had to wait for the support van to supply a new tire. Later, on one of the climbs a cable came loose so that he couldn’t shift. We made a roadside repair. Then, his rear gears were failing to engage with the hub. That is something that cannot be torn apart and fixed on the road so he will have to spend a good portion of tomorrow in the van going to a bike shop for a repair. We suspect that dirt and grime has gotten into the hub and caused the malfunction. We have done a lot of work to keep the bikes clean but you can’t get at all of it.

This trip has been hell on the bikes. If something isn’t tight it comes loose. If something is loose, it falls off. Today I was riding along a straight stretch of rough road and my rear emergency light fell off.

Mike is about 7 feet tall, big and strong. That put a lot of stress on the bike. We’ve pushed these machines harder than they were probably intended and the conditions are demanding. Anything that isn’t exactly right or is a little bit worn is prone to failure. Let’s hope they can survive with no serious problems for the next few days. Then we can get them back home, thoroughly cleaned and back to almost new.

The castle at Inverness.

Day 6 – Chepstow to Woebley (52.1 miles) – (Climb – 4,400 ft.)

Again, not an easy day. The weather was good but there were a couple of spells where we did get rained on. The rain was fairly light so it didn’t really inhibit our ride. We went through Hereford and the Herefordshire area. This is an area near where I visited about 38 years ago. Nothing was familiar but it felt good to be in the area.

We got a late start today because we had the hotel do our laundry last night and it came back in the morning damp. I don’t know what they were thinking. We had them put it in the dryer and it was OK but we lost time.

We had a lot of climbing today. We thought that the terrain would have leveled out by now but such was not the case. We went through a lot of farmland. The scenery is really beautiful. At one point we passed a field where hunters were shooting grouse. When I heard the first shot I thought they were shooting at us. Such was not the case but I could only think of a drunk Dick Cheney shooting his buddy in the face.

Tonight we are staying in a nice B&B with a lot of room, including a kitchenette and a sitting room. Too bad we will not be around long enough to really enjoy it.

Day 7 – Weobley to Bomere Heath 9 – (55 miles) – Climb 2680 ft.

We caught another break today with the weather. Although it looked dicey today when we started out, there was actually very little rain. The terrain was much milder. Although there were climbs they were more gradual and as the day went on they were more moderate.

The “X” factor is the weather. If it is good, everything seems possible. If it is bad, it becomes misery.

The huge problem today is that late yesterday I started to experience a problem with my crank set (the part that the pedals are mounted to). There was a serious wobble in my right pedal. The guide was able to find a bike shop and we took it in. The crank (a very expensive carbon fiber crank had failed. Yes, it had between 8 or 9 thousand miles on it) had failed. The fittings that mount the pedals to the crank had given out. It was probably brought on by the hill climbing that we have done in the last 3 or 4 days. What I lack in technique, I make up for in muscle strength.

The mechanic was able to replace the crank and adjust the gears. I rejoined the others at the 34 mile mark.

Overall, it was a good day other than the mechanical problem. The terrain was not too demanding, the weather cooperated and we just basically biked to our B&B. It is a nice place with a good restaurant and it has been nice to just wind down.

Day 8 – Bomere Heath to Acton Bridge – (48.4 miles) – Climb 1,990 ft.

This was suppose to be an easy day. Not too many miles and much milder terrain. The weather was mostly cooperative. There were a few light showers but most of the time we were dry and cycling through beautiful countryside. What we mostly see are farms and meadows with sheep and cows.

As these things go, probably due to the mental anticipation of an easy day, I didn’t feel strong. I suppose it is the same thing as a heavily favored team losing to a weak team because they weren’t “up” for the game. Nonetheless, we arrived at the B&B in good order. The B&B was the best we have had so far. It was modern, there was attention to detail in every respect and was run by a lovely couple that obviously took pride in their business. We all wished we could stay another day.

A highlight of the day was our lunch stop at an “ice cream farm” in Beeston. It was a dairy way out in the country that made their own ice cream. It is a destination point for families and bike clubs. The Ice cream was the best I have ever tasted. It was fresh, creamy and ecstatic. We saw them rounding up the cows for milking. The ice cream is so fresh I think they put the cow in a freezer, churn it and squeeze the ice cream out of them.

Day 9 – Acton Bridge to Clayton – Le – Dale. – (54.6 miles) – Climb 3385 ft.

It was not an easy day but I felt much better than yesterday. The first 20 miles were in beautiful clear weather. We made good time and stopped for coffee at a huge garden center. After that the weather turned on us and we rode through steady rain off and on the rest of the day (mostly on). I suppose we are getting used to the weather. It’s never fun to ride in the rain but I guess you can get used to it to some degree.

We climbed almost 3,400 ft. today but it didn’t seem like it. The climbs were generally more gradual and we seem to have gotten in better shape.

Marie has been amazing! I think I am a stronger biker than I was but it used to be that I had to wait up for her on long rides. Now she stays right with whoever is in the lead. She has improved so much in the last three years it is very noticeable.

The other participants on the trip are a great group of people. We have all melded well together. We enjoy dinners together, laugh and have a good time. There are no egos or agendas. It’s refreshing because oftentimes there is maybe one in the group that the others try to avoid. We were a bit concerned because we are the “foreigners” on the tour but that has not been an issue.

Tonight we are in a modern Best Western golf resort. It’s nice but doesn’t have much charm like some of the B&B’s we’ve been in. Also, it is raining very hard tonight. Hopefully, the weather will rain itself out and we can get some clear sailing.

Day 10 – Clayton – Le – Dale to Dent. – (45 miles) – Climb 6,100 ft.

Halfway, but it doesn’t get any easier.

The ride today may have been the second most difficult of the trip (we tend to forget pain so the latest always seems to be the worst). We were held up in the morning by rain. When we got going Marie developed a problem in her rear brake. She had very expensive, light, Zero G brakes on her bike. I had those brakes on one of my bikes and developed a similar problem. I thought that since her brakes were so new they would be good for the trip. It didn’t work out that way. It was decided that the guide would take Marie to the bike shop and have the brakes replaced. Janette decided to join her. They went to a bike shop and had the Zero G’s replaced with a set of basic Shimano 105’s. I’ll send the Zero G’s back to the manufacturer to be rebuilt, then probably sell them on eBay.

Mike and I started the day’s ride and we decided to meet up for lunch with the wives at the 30 mile mark. Mike and I made good progress but then we hit the day’s major climbs. The problem was that although the rain had stopped, there was a crosswind/headwind of at least 25 to 30 miles an hour with gusts up to about 50 mph. We had to do two climbs of over 900 ft. each in the wind. The descents were treacherous as the wind held you up and the crosswinds made control of the bike difficult. By the time we met up for lunch we were pretty beat.

The last 15 miles were no easier. Although the wind let up it started to rain off and on. There were still two major climbs and some of the descents were the steepest and most treacherous we have had. Did I mention the sheep that like to stand and rest in the road? It also started to get cold. It made for a long day but we made it. We are in a Pub/B&B in the town of Dent. It is quite charming and they brew local beer here in the town. We’ve earned a few pints.

The mechanic at the bike shop where Marie had her brakes replaced said that this ride really tears up bikes. He does a lot of repairs for people making the journey. The rain, dirt, grime, tough climbs, steep descents and rough terrain put unanticipated demands on the machines. For us, this wasn’t expected because we thought that the Across America ride and the West Coast ride would have been an adequate test. This ride really pushes the bikes to their limits and some of the more exotic parts break down. Our Serrotta bike frames are spectacular. We love having them with us. It’s some of the add-on parts that I would do differently. Stick with standard Shimano components that are readily available and interchangeable. Durability is much more important than weight.

We are about half way through the trip. We’ve completed 10 days of riding and have 10 more ahead of us. Friday is our one rest day. Soon we will be in Scotland. Let’s hope that the weather god’s cut us some slack.

Day 1 – Sunday, Sept. 5th. – Land’s End to Perranporth – 43.9 miles. (Actual – 58 miles.)

The biking got off to an inauspicious start. It was Sunday morning and everyone was anxious to go. The weather was not cooperative, it was very overcast, misty and rainy so everyone was sporting their rain gear. The problem started right away because there were two different bike groups leaving the Land’s End Hotel at the same time. Being the first day, people weren’t familiar with each other. The problems was that the two groups were following different routes. In a situation like that there is the tendency to follow the people in front of you rather than following the route sheet you were given (which is not always easy to read).

Some people in our group, including me an Marie, followed people from the other group thinking they were part of our group. About 5 miles along Marie got ahead of me. Then it got to the point that I couldn’t spot anybody and began to suspect that I made a wrong turn. I backtracked and double backtracked. I was able to determine that I was on the wrong road. I was able to locate on the trip sheet a town that I should get to that would put me back on the route. I was able to find a local farm lady that gave me directions but by the time I got to the point that would put me back on the route I had biked 20 miles. The point that put me back on the route was a point that was actually 6 miles into the day’s journey. That means I had added 14 miles to my day’s total.

I didn’t know where Marie was and assumed that she was with Mike and Janette. I called the guide on my cell phone to tell her that I was back on route but that there may be others out there that were way off route.

I met up with the guide at about the 9 mile mark and rode the rest of the way with her. When I got to the B&B, Mike and Janette were there but Marie wasn’t. She arrived a few minutes later. She had gone 19 miles before she realized that the people she was riding with were not part of our group. She stayed at a cafe for several hours before the guides found where she was and hired a taxi to take her and her bike to the B&B.

Fortunately the rain let up about noon but it didn’t end. It was a very wet day although it was not too cold. The terrain was very hilly. The climbs were steep, the roads were narrow, the pavement was wet and you could not descend the hills without braking. It was a rude introduction to biking in England.

All’s well that ends well but we learned a lot about potential mistakes. Hopefully, the lessons learned early on will prevent problems in the future.

Land’s End, United Kingdom

Day 2 – Monday, Sept. 6th. – Perranporth to Ottery – 53.0 miles.

Today was probably the most challenging 54 miles of biking that I have ever encountered. From the start at 10:00 am until about 3:00 pm there was a fairly heavy, steady rain. I don’t like to ride in the rain unless I have to. I will never go out for a bike ride on my own if it is raining.

The terrain was what I described yesterday only much more severe. There were almost no flat runs. There was only steep inclines and treacherous descents. There were many climbs that were more than a 20% grade. I must admit that in some of those very steep sections I did get off the bike and use my shoes as my lowest gear. Add in the poor weather and it made for a very long day.

Although we wear rain gear it doesn’t really keep the water out. Not only that, but it tends to trap in your sweat so you get wet anyway. What the rain gear will do is trap the heat so you don’t get hypothermia. There is only one thing that will help a bicyclist get to his destination without getting soaked. That is called a “car” and is frowned on by most true bicyclists.

By 2:00 pm we had covered only 24 miles. We stopped for lunch at a pub (good food but no alcohol). During that time it really poured. At one point the rain was so heavy that it knocked out the satellite TV reception in the pub. There were doubts as to whether we should continue. Mike insisted that we go on. Although it was raining when we left the pub at about 3:00 pm, at about 3:30 pm it started to clear up. That saved the day but it didn’t resolve the problem of the steep hills and constant climbs. Again, on the descents you have have to ride the brakes. The roads were narrow, rough and wet, you never know when cars are coming and the roads are very winding. On the Across America trip of 3,700 miles we never had to change our brake pads. Although our brakes were in good condition when we started yesterday, Mike’s and mine are already worn out. They have to be changed tomorrow.The wet weather kicks up dirt and grime which chews up the brake pads.

We didn’t get to the B&B until about 8:00 pm. We only averaged 8.1 mph not counting stop time. There was a lot of stop time to make sure we were following the route correctly. Our total ascent for the day was 6,462 feet according to my GPS unit. (Ascent is the gain of altitude going uphill, not counting loss of altitude going downhill. It has nothing to do with the altitude above sea level.) I have to check my notes but I don’t think we ever did that much ascending in one day on our Across America trip including the days when we crossed the Teton Pass and the Continental Divide.

We did survive and we will take on another challenging day tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather will be more cooperative.

There is a British husband and wife team on the ride. Apparently, doing this trip was his idea and she went along with it. At the end of the day her quote was, “Today was the worst day of my life, yesterday was the second worst.”

Day 3 – Tuesday, September 7th – Ottery to Cullompton – 50.7 miles.

Compared to the first two days we caught a break today. The weather was beautiful when we left the B&B. It took some time to get going because a lot of maintenance work had to be done on the bikes. The drive trains had to be cleaned and lubed due to the rain, brakes had to be serviced and the bikes needed a lot of cleaning.

We entered the Dartmoor National Park. It is a wide open moor that we are told was the setting for Arthur Conan Doyle’s book, Hound of the Baskervilles. There were long climbs involved but they were wide open roads and we could descend without braking. It was a pleasure compared to yesterday. At about the time we reached a peak altitude of 1300+ feet a rain storm rolled in and drenched us for about 45 minutes. However, it cleared up and we rode the rest of the day without rain and it allowed us and our clothes to dry out.

After leaving the park we encountered terrain more like the first two days (narrow roads, lot of steep climbs and more downhill braking than in the park) but it was much more pleasant because of the beautiful weather.

The scenery here is absolutely gorgeous, lush hills, green hedgerows, rolling country, winding roads, grazing animals and beautiful skies.

It was a challenging day, we climbed about 5,300 feet. But compared to yesterday it was a pleasure. Tonight we stay in a modern hotel and golf club. It is quite a change from the B&B’s of the first two nights. While it is nice, there is no charm or personal attention. Marie and I walked into town and had dinner in a pub rather than stay in the hotel. It was a great experience. It was a slow night and the pub wasn’t intending to serve food but the proprietor’s wife cooked up some food for us anyway. It is unbelievable how friendly people can be when you step outside the usual “tourist” path.

Wednesday, Sept. 8th. Columpton to Cheddar (53.4 miles)

Don’t forget your rain gear!

We got a late start this morning. The rear gears on Marie’s bike had developed a wobble. It was making a rattling noise and we figured we had to get it fixed. When we pulled the wheel we couldn’t find anything that was easily repairable. The guide called a bike shop and we took the wheel into the shop. The mechanic worked on it for about 15 to 20 minutes and came up with a repair but no one seems to know what the cause of the problem was. There was a space of less than 1 mm that was causing the wobble. After fixing the problem the mechanic refused to take any money. Maybe he felt that he learned enough from it that he didn’t need to be paid but I still wish I had insisted on giving him something.

At about 11:00 am we set out from the hotel. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The terrain was challenging but nothing like we had the past 3 days. Today’s total ascent was about 3,200 feet. It did involve a few very steep climbs. I do feel like I’m getting stronger already.

We did our best to make up for lost time and got to about the halfway point at about 2:00 pm when we stopped for lunch. Although the weather had changed during the ride and the skies were threatening at about noon, when we stopped for lunch the rain started. We waited as long as we could, put on our rain gear and set out. Of course, for the 4th day in a row we got soaked, However the terrain had leveled out so we were able to make better time. We passed through Wellington which is a very beautiful area.

We got into the hotel at about 6:00 pm. There seems to be very little service in the hotel. Laundry is getting to be a problem.. Hope we can get that sorted out in the next day or two.

Cheddar is very much a tourist attraction. There are very prominent cliffs and caves. Companies run tours of the caves. They claim ownership of “cheddar” cheese but I’m not sure if that is the case. It might just be a convenient appropriation.

Impressions after about a week: England is a very beautiful place. The people are very friendly and the appearance of the country is one of cleanliness. You don’t see all the junk and litter on the sides of the road as you do in the U.S. There are some blatant quirks in the way they do things but they are doing something right. You see no squalor. All of the cars are in great condition, you don’t see beaters. Did I say that the people are friendly? They want to converse with you and they show genuine interest.

The way the bike tour is run is 180 degrees from the Across America or Pacific Coast tours that we did previously. The American tours were guided by a retired Air Force colonel. Everything was precise and there was little flexibility in the schedule. The day’s schedule was set out ahead of time and we responded like soldiers.

This trip is much more laid-back. They give you the time frames but it is up to you to work within them. You are pretty much on your own. One system isn’t necessarily better than the other but some people thrive or die in one system or the other. It’s easy to see how, if one system works for a person, they will begin to think that it is the best system for everyone even though it may not be. I’m somewhere in the middle. Sometimes, on this trip I’d like more structure while there were times on the American trips the rigidity was very annoying.

Now that we are more into the routine of things I hope the days will be easier. The “X” factor always is the weather. As today proved, make sure you have your rain gear.

Day 5 – Cheddar To Chepstow (47.1 miles) – (Climb – 3125 ft.)

It was a day off for the weather devils. For the first time we didn’t get rained on at all. While the riding was not easy, the excellent weather made it much more enjoyable. Just getting out of Cheddar was a difficult climb through the canyon and there was a lot of up and down hills after that. We crossed two massive bridges over the Avon River and the Severn River. Chepstow is in Wales.

We stopped for lunch at a pub. Amazing! There were four beautiful blonde women working there. One may have been the mother but, if so, she was no worse for wear. Pub food is actually quite good now. It used to be that English cuisine was the subject of jokes but they have really raised their standards. They have incorporated influences from Indian, French and even Mexican cooking. There is a wide variety and it can be quite tasty. We are eating well. The evening dinners have been very good.