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LEJOGO

July - August 2023
2 travellers enjoying a 'lazy' 1100 mile ride from the Southern end of Britain to the Northern end and then over to The Orkneys. Raising money for SWALLOW
Search justgiving.com for Amanda Bachrach Read more
  • 35footprints
  • 2countries
  • 41days
  • 257photos
  • 2videos
  • 1.3kmiles
  • 333miles
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  • LEJOGO
    11
    Day 4

    Buy that cottage for me?

    July 18, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Nice early ride to Bath, train to Penzance. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. St Michael's Mount disappeared in a cloud of rain blown in by a howling gale. We were brave. I (Steve) was resilient until we got to Lamorna Cove...one of the most beautiful places in England. The Cornish are still part of England aren't they? My wife (Amanda) gave me the most heart-wrenchingly pleading look and I promised to buy her that cottage! Arrived at journey's start in sunshine. Hooray. Land's End proper tomoz then back through Penzance to Perranporth!Read more

  • LEJOGO
    2
    Day 5

    Hill County, England

    July 19, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    A beautiful day in Hill County. Apparently that's the less well known name for Cornwall.

    Back into Penzance for an emergency brake repair at Mount Cycle Services. Brilliant 10 minute fix. Have you ever tried 10% plus hills fully loaded with one brake and your feet down to compensate for the missing one? If not, you should.

    Then 'over the top' to Perranporth via a few pushers, a couple of walkers and one or more wheals. Define a pusher I hear you say. Anything over half a mile long and 1 in 7ish. Walkers are similar but steeper. A wheal is something they have in Cornwall to do with mining - nothing to do with bikes at all.

    Cheesy chips on the beach at Perranporth....carb loading plus protein so no chatter about unhealthy options thanks, then bed time.

    Loads of butterflies, including a cloud of small whites, peacocks, gatekeepers, red admirals and blues.    Read more

  • LEJOGO
    Day 6

    What are gears for, children?

    July 20, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    One question we always ask our Bikeability riders is 'What are gears for?' And we're very content when they reply 'For going up hills. ' BUT they never ask what happens when you run out of gears. In Cornwall. On a long trip today that has 780m of ascent over 40 miles with gradients of 20%. Simple answer dear children. Get off and push. Which one of the team did repeatedly. Other team member joined the first to 'share the experience'.

    Stopped at Butcher's Bakers in St Column Major. Wow. Cinnamon buns and almond croissants were out of this world.

    Met Roy from New Zealand who was making one last goodbye trip to the UK. Was on Day 32 of his trip from Norfolk round the coast to Wales.

    More butterflies, more blue hydrangeas, more hills tomorrow and chocolate.

    More narrow roads with bottlenecks for buses and cars to jam in. Took a cyclist to advise on how to resolve the situation!

    One Preachers Pit for open air services and a hot tub at day's end    Read more

  • LEJOGO
    111
    Day 7

    Onwards and upwards

    July 21, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    More hills. More slogging upwards. More delicious cake and arrival at Okehampton for a stay in the old train shed.

    Saw highwaymen on the way.

    Heavy rain forecast all day tomorrow. Ah well!

  • LEJOGO
    Day 8

    Rocket Ron

    July 22, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    It was WET. But only for 35 of the 37 miles. 'Could have been worse' as they say in the Outer Hebrides.

    We experienced the last of the ferocious hills....in fact, probably the worst of the ride. The photo of my Garmin screen shows my dot just about to fall off the cliff face.

    But in Tiverton we stopped at Ron's Cycles. What a lovely, kind and gentle man. What a story teller as well. He used to race BMX's all over the world and has a shop full of trophies and memories. Rocket Ron was his racing name. He started the BMX club in Tiverton in the 80s and it's still going today. Journeys are made infinitely more pleasurable by the strangers we meet along the way.    Read more

  • LEJOGO
    Day 9

    Serendipity

    July 23, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    A serendipitous adventure is what I enjoy. Today we found a vegan food fair in the centre of Taunton for lunch and free plums for supper. Delish.

    Then sparrows lining up for food at the cafe on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal.

    Started in rain again and coats were on and off all day.

    That bridge on National Cycle Route 3 has no warning and headroom of about 1.6m....just right to catch the unwary!

    About 20 pill boxes along the canal and a nice bed to end the day.    Read more

  • LEJOGO
    Day 10

    M5 crossings

    July 24, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We crossed the M5 at least 10 times. Each time I told Amanda to hurry up but she insisted we were on holiday. Anyway, I can only apologise to any of you who were caught in the tailbacks as she made her leisurely way across! But really it was a journey across the Somerset Levels this morning then through Thatcher's orchards on the Strawberry Line and then following the M5 to Avonmouth.

    Over the Avonmouth Bridge alongside the motorway was an experience..it left us both with lots of grit in our eyes and longing for peace and quiet again.

    Meeting two students from Manchester was a highlight. They were heading to Cornwall.

    Chickens clucked us off after breakfast and huge blackberries round Avonmouth were juicy.

    Strangest part of the day was stopping at the Frankie Howerd Community Cafe Hub at Loxton. Apparently he lived nearby    Read more

  • LEJOGO
    Day 11

    Climbing the wall on Route 41

    July 25, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Ever taken Route 41 out of Bristol? Part of the National Cycle Network in Britain's 'cycling city'! At least it was. We were a little surprised to find a gate blocking it but squeezed past in a slightly huffy but determined way. Half a mile later we got to the bridge over the M5 to find a collection of large concrete Lego blocks. Even more determined, we surveyed the obstruction and got out our block and tackle (always have one just in case - it must be a hang-over from my Royal Navy days) to lift the bikes over. Actually managed to squeeze all but the handlebars through the gap but still had to lift them up and over. No diversion signed, no notice of closure. Nothing, until we reached the far end by the police compound where a 'No children, wear hard hats' sig was on the fence. Still mystified but it did save about 10 miles.

    Saw Britain's largest community-owned wind turbine in Lawrence Weston and then found the River Severn which we followed most of the rest of the day. Chatted to Karla from Hungary who is a van dweller living on Exmoor. Lovely chat about the joy of meeting strangers.

    Found more free plums! Much needed rest day by the Sharpness Canal tomorrow after 300 miles this week.    Read more

  • LEJOGO
    Day 12

    All quiet on the LEJOGO front

    July 26, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    A rest day and a chance to do some washing - there's only so many days you can wear the same undergarments and socks without people noticing you BEFORE you enter a room.

    A friendly lunch with family who came to meet us and cheer us on our way, a bit of bike maintenance and some reading.

    Absolutely nothing happened today, apart from heavy rain which we gazed out at contemptuously.    Read more

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