138 miles cycled West coast to East - Achieved on Sun 11th July 2010. Below is the diary of how it was done, and I have included some pictures from the trip also.

The C2C bike ride was both challenging and enjoyable but MOST importantly it has helped me raise more than £1,500 (including gift aid) for the East Cheshire Hospice. Thank you so much to those who have sponsored me and for the many words of support (really appreciated). If you still haven't had the opportunity, it's not too late, and every penny raised really does make a difference.

Many thanks

Darren

 

FRIDAY 9th JULY

06.00 - time to get up and travel to Penrith to be collected and then transported with bikes to the start of the ride at Workington.

At Workington, just before starting we follow the tradition of dipping the bike wheel in the sea, hoping to repeat the process at the end.

10.00 - At the start (picture 1) and off we go.

13.30 - stop for lunch, 30 miles done; feeling pretty good. So far it's been fairly flat.

14.30 - off we go again heading for the first night accomodation at Edenhall, near Penrith. slowly the flat lanes are replaced by hills.

18.00 - arrive at our accomodation, legs a little sore but pleased to have completed 54 miles on day 1. For most of us this is the farthest we have ever cycled in one day.

SATURDAY 10th JULY

07.30 - time to get up and assess the legs and other body parts ! Overall not too bad.

09.00 - After a hearty English breakfast and some minor repairs to bikes we all set off for day 2, which we know will be MUCH HARDER than the first day.

The first few miles are fairly flat, which is good so the legs can warm up however very quickly we start to climb; gradually at first and then very very steep. As we climb we leave the dry weather behind and say hello to mist and rain.

11.30 - reach Hartside peak (see pics), after two hours of constant climbing we are all rather tired and enjoy a coffee and buscuit at the cafe on the hill. Whilst pleased we have completed the climb we know that today will include many more similar hill climbs.

13.30 - Stop for lunch, rain very hard now and we have completed 24 miles since 09.00am.

14.30 - Immediatley after lunch we are faced with a long steep climb which tests all of us to the limit. The rain and wind is not helping. The afternoon continues with more of the same. The weather is very cold and unfriendly as we reach the higher points.

19.00 - we reach our accomodation for the night and have completed 47 miles today. I can honestly say at this point I could not cycle another metre. Extremely tired and looking forward to a hot shower and food.

SUNDAY 11th July

07.00 - The alarm tells us to get up, my body tells me to stay in bed ! Eventually I listen to the alarm and walk in a very strange way to start with as my legs begin very slowly to wake up.

08.30 - Minor repairs are being made to the bikes and still more stretching done to get ready for the last day. We set off at just before 09.00am

09.05 - We start climbing a very steep hill and continue climbing for the next 5 miles. My legs are screeming for me to get off and walk but eventually we reach the top.

Now high up the wind is very strong and bounces us left and right as we cycle.

Thankfully most of the last few miles are relatively down hill.

13.30 - arrive in Sunderland, after cycling past the Stadium of light and finish at the Light House at the end of the pier. We then go down to the beach to dip the bike tyre in the sea - and celebrate completing the challenge.

Post script - the map said it would be 127 miles, it was wrong - 138 miles we covered !

 

The Original Plan

I have decided that without any prior knowledge or experience I will cycle from the West Coast of England to the East coast. The last time I did any regular cycling I was still at school but somewhere at the back of my garage I have a bike ! The good news is that I have also roped 5 friends into the challenge, luckily one is a regular cyclist but the other 5 (including myself) are certainly NOT ! Now we have less than 2 months to become cyclists. Each of us has chosen their own charity to raise money for and together we hope to raise at least £6,000 for good causes. I am riding and raising money for the East Cheshire Hospice and I am very serious about achieiving my £1,300 target.

I lost my father-in-law, Allan Dicken, to cancer in October 2008.  Towards the end of Allan's illness he was cared for by the fantastic team at the East Cheshire Hospice in Macclesfield. Allan was a fabulous father and grandfather and had spent much of his spare time raising money for local charities and under priviledged chilldren, he was a generous man who would always give a helping hand. During his last days the Hospice cared for Allan in such a way as to make him comfortable and retain his dignity, as well as doing everything possible to support his family during this difficult period. For that we are eternally thankful.

The East Cheshire Hospice provides special care for adults suffering from life limiting illnesses from which there is no cure. Their mission is to make EVERY DAY COUNT for their patients and those important to them. The Hospice is a charity funded organization and all services are completely free of charge to patients, however the cost of running the Hospice is £6,000 per day. 

The ride will start in Workington on Friday 9th July and complete in Sunderland on Sunday 11th July 2010.  The route is a mix of on and off road tracks which wind through the Lake District (up & down hill) and is a total distance of 130 miles.

The ride will be a challenge and I will put everything into completing it but the most important bit is raising money for the East Cheshire Hospice. Please give anything you can really every penny, every pound matters.

Thank you for your support

Darren