These are a mixture of tips I picked up from other sites that I took onboard and from my own findings on the trip
If at all possible get a copy of Memory Map. This proved invaluable prior to the trip for route planning, especially balancing the length of each day. It also made looking at alternative routes to the obvious main roads easy to do. I am more than happy to forward on to anyone my route as either a gpx or Memory Map file. Many of the best parts of the trip were the little variations that I took from the direct route, such as crossing the Black Isle to the Cromarty Ferry – check it’s running as it would be about 40 miles back round if it’s not!
If you are doing the trip with a support driver who will be doing their own thing during the day then get two copies of a cheap road atlas. One copy you can use to rip the pages for each day, whilst marking your intended route on the other. If the worst happens and you have to arrange a meeting at an unexpected place, you are both looking at the same map.
Remember, midday is most likely not going to be the middle of your riding day. It took me a few days to realize this. Midday would come and I’d be well short of half way through the day’s ride. Come two o’clock though and all was well again.
Travel light, I was staying with friends or family every third or fourth night so I was able to get washing done however several of the B&B’s I stayed in asked if I wanted anything washing. Other than cycling stuff and tools I only had a pair of light trousers and a T-shirt. I hobbled round in my cycling shoes in the evenings! All this was carried in a post mounted bag with very small fold out panniers. My mate who joined me for Scotland had an even smaller pack.
If you are doing the ride for charity, mention this if you have your photo taken at Lands End and you get a second copy of the photo free.
Again, if you are doing the ride for charity, don’t be afraid to mention your ride to bar staff if you go into pubs, they often mentioned what I was doing to locals in the pub, generating a nice extra amount of donations.
Avoid the A74, the bit of road between Carlisle and Gretna Green (this will soon be motorway anyway). Your life is worth more than the risks you would take by riding along side the traffic.
When planning the route and emailing B&B’s about availability, it’s wise to keep a note of each one you contact and their web site address. I mailed upwards of 10 for each place I was aiming to stay at, several through web forms. They often replied with personal e-mail addresses and no full address / details of their place (honest this is true). With a couple I was left having to Google their e-mail address to find them again. I mentioned this to them and each one thought that people would mail one place at a time. I did get haunted by one place who did have availability however replied after another place, mailing me to tell me about the dinner they were sitting down to eat on the day I had been passing asking if I was the cyclist in red!!!!
Whilst riding up the Great Glen, you will have the RAF using you as target practice. Get used to jet fighters coming up behind you! They make you jump even more than Spanish caravan drives!
If you see a bike shop, pop in and ask if you can use a track pump to top your tires up. This should help to stop punctures.
And a bonus one – have fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment