Sunday 3rd October, 06:30 the alarm goes off... I had gone to bed at 22:00 the previous night thinking that eight hours kip would be enough. Unfortunately nerves got the better of me and I had woken up at 02:00, 04:30 and again at 05:30... Even the four pints of lager and bottle of red vino didn’t see me through the night as well as I had hoped!
I felt good and hoped for good weather, I tentatively looked out of the window, it was really dark, it was really raining, it was really wet and it really wasn’t what I wanted to see. I didn’t feel as well as I had just a few moments earlier but it really didn’t matter... I said I would do it so I forced down a bowl of muesli and dressed for the day, I had already prepared the bike and rucksack with all my gear so I left the house at 07:10.
It was a nice gentle pedal into Oxford where I met Googie at 08:10 at Gloucester Green, wet through but in good spirits... Me, not Googie... He got a lift. We filled in our forms and left Oxford in the rain at 08:30. I don't think the rain stopped all day. It was mostly a fine drizzle but on occasion it came in sideways and thicker, it wasn’t too pleasant but we soon got into it. It reminded me of the scene in the movie “Forrest Gump” where Forrest is in Vietnam and speaks about rain.
By 09:30 after just over two hours on my bike and having travelled 26.5 miles I was in Ambrosden and 3.5 miles or about 15 minutes from home! I should have thought it through.
We stopped a couple of times on route, first to refill my water bottles at Cappo’s Cafe in Winslow, then for a coffee and a bacon sarnie at The Three Horseshoes in Drayton Parslow. The third stop was for a coffee at The French Horn in The Steppingley where we shared a sausage and egg sarnie. Our last stop was a “comfort break” at The Cock Inn in Gamlingay....
That was pretty much the last I saw of Googie, we hit a hill straight away and he just kept on going! I know that he’s faster than me so I didn’t mind. I knew he’d be waiting at the finish. I arrived at Midsommer Common in Cambridge at 16:30. Smiling from ear to ear having covered 103 miles. Googie was every bit as chuffed as me so we had our photo taken and left to get to our B&B.
After a quick shower and change we headed out for a couple of beers and a steak. We followed that by another beer and we were so shattered we were in bed by 20:30!!!! I can’t remember the last time that happen since I was a child... without being ill or drunk of course!
We slept well and woke at 07:15. After a bowl of muesli with fruit and a full English we loaded our bikes. We were ready to leave Warkworth House but when we went to settle the bill, the owner said she wouldn’t take our money and we were to add it to our Funds!!!!! It is in the centre of Cambridge and I’d definitely recommend it and not because of the generosity, it restores your faith in humanity doesn’t it?
At 09:00 we set off again in fine rain...
The return journey was so much nicer than the previous day. The rain slowed after an hour and a half and had stopped by 11:00. We stopped in Sandy at a cafe and had a cappuccino and a cake. The lady behind the counter said “we had loads of cyclist here yesterday” when we told her that we were on our way back she just looked at us! I’m sure that she thought we were mad. We carried on at a good pace and our next stop was at The Three Horseshoes again. When Googie walked in the guy behind the bar said “you’re a bit late aren’t you?”, yeah, very funny.
The next good Samaritan we met was Mary. It was about 14:30 and we were looking for a place to eat. We rode into Winslow and I said that we should stop at Cappo’s again as they were kind enough to fill my water bottles the previous day but as we turned the corner Mary was locking up. Without a thought and quick as a flash she was opening the door and taking our order before we could say not to worry! We kept her there for an extra half hour but we ate outside so that she could lock up and leave us to it. It was above and beyond the call of duty... Mary, we thank you wholeheartedly. If anyone reading this ever cycles near Winslow, go to Cappo’s.
We got back to Bicester at 16:30 and we both felt great, I think we have achieved a lot and we can take comfort from this for next year.
I’m typing this on Tuesday, the day after the return leg, and although my knees hurt a little, and I can still feel a slight burn in my thighs, I feel okay. I’m still really tired, but I know I could have got on my bike again today if I had to.... Fortunately, I didn’t have to!
Thank you for all your messages of support along the way, especially yours Alan, always kept us smiling!!!
By the way, if you sign up for the RSS feed you'll get this blog into outlook.
Come back soon to www.5blokes-end2end.weebly.com and please donate as much as you can at www.justgiving.com/5blokes-end2end
All the best,
Nathan
I felt good and hoped for good weather, I tentatively looked out of the window, it was really dark, it was really raining, it was really wet and it really wasn’t what I wanted to see. I didn’t feel as well as I had just a few moments earlier but it really didn’t matter... I said I would do it so I forced down a bowl of muesli and dressed for the day, I had already prepared the bike and rucksack with all my gear so I left the house at 07:10.
It was a nice gentle pedal into Oxford where I met Googie at 08:10 at Gloucester Green, wet through but in good spirits... Me, not Googie... He got a lift. We filled in our forms and left Oxford in the rain at 08:30. I don't think the rain stopped all day. It was mostly a fine drizzle but on occasion it came in sideways and thicker, it wasn’t too pleasant but we soon got into it. It reminded me of the scene in the movie “Forrest Gump” where Forrest is in Vietnam and speaks about rain.
By 09:30 after just over two hours on my bike and having travelled 26.5 miles I was in Ambrosden and 3.5 miles or about 15 minutes from home! I should have thought it through.
We stopped a couple of times on route, first to refill my water bottles at Cappo’s Cafe in Winslow, then for a coffee and a bacon sarnie at The Three Horseshoes in Drayton Parslow. The third stop was for a coffee at The French Horn in The Steppingley where we shared a sausage and egg sarnie. Our last stop was a “comfort break” at The Cock Inn in Gamlingay....
That was pretty much the last I saw of Googie, we hit a hill straight away and he just kept on going! I know that he’s faster than me so I didn’t mind. I knew he’d be waiting at the finish. I arrived at Midsommer Common in Cambridge at 16:30. Smiling from ear to ear having covered 103 miles. Googie was every bit as chuffed as me so we had our photo taken and left to get to our B&B.
After a quick shower and change we headed out for a couple of beers and a steak. We followed that by another beer and we were so shattered we were in bed by 20:30!!!! I can’t remember the last time that happen since I was a child... without being ill or drunk of course!
We slept well and woke at 07:15. After a bowl of muesli with fruit and a full English we loaded our bikes. We were ready to leave Warkworth House but when we went to settle the bill, the owner said she wouldn’t take our money and we were to add it to our Funds!!!!! It is in the centre of Cambridge and I’d definitely recommend it and not because of the generosity, it restores your faith in humanity doesn’t it?
At 09:00 we set off again in fine rain...
The return journey was so much nicer than the previous day. The rain slowed after an hour and a half and had stopped by 11:00. We stopped in Sandy at a cafe and had a cappuccino and a cake. The lady behind the counter said “we had loads of cyclist here yesterday” when we told her that we were on our way back she just looked at us! I’m sure that she thought we were mad. We carried on at a good pace and our next stop was at The Three Horseshoes again. When Googie walked in the guy behind the bar said “you’re a bit late aren’t you?”, yeah, very funny.
The next good Samaritan we met was Mary. It was about 14:30 and we were looking for a place to eat. We rode into Winslow and I said that we should stop at Cappo’s again as they were kind enough to fill my water bottles the previous day but as we turned the corner Mary was locking up. Without a thought and quick as a flash she was opening the door and taking our order before we could say not to worry! We kept her there for an extra half hour but we ate outside so that she could lock up and leave us to it. It was above and beyond the call of duty... Mary, we thank you wholeheartedly. If anyone reading this ever cycles near Winslow, go to Cappo’s.
We got back to Bicester at 16:30 and we both felt great, I think we have achieved a lot and we can take comfort from this for next year.
I’m typing this on Tuesday, the day after the return leg, and although my knees hurt a little, and I can still feel a slight burn in my thighs, I feel okay. I’m still really tired, but I know I could have got on my bike again today if I had to.... Fortunately, I didn’t have to!
Thank you for all your messages of support along the way, especially yours Alan, always kept us smiling!!!
By the way, if you sign up for the RSS feed you'll get this blog into outlook.
Come back soon to www.5blokes-end2end.weebly.com and please donate as much as you can at www.justgiving.com/5blokes-end2end
All the best,
Nathan