Shetland to Worthing

[julk]

Templogin,
I live just 9 miles south of Edinburgh at Dalkeith, near the A7 and NCR1, both of which will initially take you south from Edinburgh towards Carlisle.
There is a camp site half a mile away by the A7.http://www.scottishcampingguide.com/link.php?n=99&c=31

My offspring and myself have cycle camped a couple of routes from Dalkeith to Carlisle.
Direct down the A7, the easiest with best road surface and gradients, but with the worst traffic.
Indirect over back roads via Innerleithen, Melrose, Hawick, Newcastleton, and Longtown/NCR7 - very scenic, quieter roads, but quite hilly and longer.

If you are planning on stopping around this area then you are most welcome to stay with us, or even camp on the back lawn if you insist on using the tent.
Julian.

[Templogin]

That's very kind Julian.  I have been contemplating both routes funnily enough, and still not made a decision.  I will contact you nearer the time if I am going your way.

Andy

[Templogin]

The big day has arrived and I sit here in my cabin writing this.  The rear carradice panniers have been upgraded with Arkel cam clips, still not as easy on-off as those ubiquitous plastic panniers that everyone uses, but I can't remember the name of, but an improvement on Carradice's efforts.  I put the chainglider on, but as I read, only after I bought it, this device is too narrow for the chainwheel so there is added friction, so it has come off to be hung in the shed.

The bike is loaded front and back with panniers, with a canoe bag strapped across the back.  Judging by the way that it sways at low speed, I might have to move more weight to the front, otherwise fast downhills, let there be many, will be white knuckle stuff.

[Andre Jute]

You're looking good, and that is a beautiful yellow bike.

[in4]

I'm sure I can hear the tune to High Plains Drifter! Brilliant photo.

[geocycle]

Wonderful picture! I've just scanned a copy of Cycling Plus and glazed over contemplating the homogeneous Lycra-ati, so great to see a cyclist in more traditional touring attire.

[energyman]

Wot no cycle clips ?

[julk]

That's very kind Julian.  I have been contemplating both routes funnily enough, and still not made a decision.  I will contact you nearer the time if I am going your way.

Andy

Andy,
The bike and rider look good. Have a great trip.

I found a similar ‘feel’ to the bike fully loaded with a good load on top of the rear rack.
I have now downsized some of the gear and packing list, dropped the rear rack top bag, moved heavy metal items to a frame bag (Revelate Tangle Bag) and bedroll to a Revelate Sweet Roll under the handlebars.
The fully loaded bike now rides a lot nicer.

If you are coming my way and hoping to stop then please be aware I am away until Wednesday evening.
I am away celebrating my mother’s 95th birthday in Grange-over-Sands in the Lake District.

[jags]

That's a class photo of man and machine you look like u havent a care in the world.
sure hope u get excellent weather have fun and stay safe


anto.

[DAntrim]

Have a great trip, really liking the bike colour scheme.

Carlos

[Templogin]

Shetland to Worthing

Saturday 20/06/2015
Northlink ferry to Aberdeen

21/06/2015
Aberdeen to Monifieth.  70 miles.  Found myself in a Greggs in Montrose, not in a spiritual way you understand.  Stayed at the Barry Downs Holiday Park - £20.  Pissed it down most of the day and night.  Roads badly flooded.  Lots of wet kit, trainers, tent etc.  Stopped every hour to eat food, drink squash and wring out socks.  Carradice Super C panniers have been brilliant in the rain.  The very thin Robens down sleeping bag has turned out to be good, although I sleep in some thin dry clothes for the inevitable trips out of the tent in the night.

22/06/2015
Monifieth to Cupar.  Knees and bum painful.  Wearing wet clothes probably didn't help.  Rode across the Tay Bridge, as I missed the signs for the cycle track, to much honking of horns, but only once I passed the halfway point.  There would have been no turning around though.  Met 2 cyclists at the cafe on the south side.  One took pity on me and offered me his old overshoes.  He said that he had trainers similar to mine, but only wore them to the shops, not on a cycle trip to the other end of the country!  I thought that it was summer everywhere other than Shetland.  Another cyclist suggested that I could get more kit on my bike if I really tried.   I would like to see where.  Took train from Cupar to Edinburgh Waverley - £12.30.  Rode to Newtongrange. Total mileage 75.  Cycled 33. Stayed at the Lothian Bridge Caravan Park - £8.  Very clean but a lot of noise from adjacent A7.  Had dinner at the Sun Inn gastro pub - £29 including 2 small Magners, artisan bread, squid and pig plate.  It's opposite the caravan site, and they do breakfast too.  Discovered that a bottle of water has leaked into one of my panniers turning one of my small atlases to a soggy clot.  Panniers appear to keep water both in and out.  The Chinese version of the expensive folding chair has broke already.  It was £30 instead of £90, but as it only lasted an hour it wasn't much of a bargain.  I can't be bothered to go through all the hassle to send it back, especially as wifi has been fairly non-existent so far.  No sense in replacing rubbish with more rubbish.  I will enjoy tossing it in the bin though.  A bit less weight.  Contemplating sending the MSR stove and fuel bottles back and just keeping hold of the gas-fired boiling cup thing for the occasional brew when on campsite.    AAA batteries gone flat in radio.  Spares also seem to be flat, or radio has died on me.  I don't have the correct tip with me to adapt a cable from the PowerGorilla, so I will have to manage without radio 4.  Plan to ride to Hawick tomorrow.  Just 40 miles.  Another campsite, then treat myself to a B&B possibly the next night.  Apologies to those that have suggested that I contact them on the way past, purely wifi unavailability rather than rudeness.

[jags]

well your certainly having a time of it.  weather can make or break a tour personally  i hate the feckin rain sure a lot to be said for going to a country where your guaranteed sun and feck all wind.
the UK is beautuifull as is Ireland but the weather wow give me a break its cat baloo.

Still no matter what your here to tell the tale i just hope  things get better 

anto.

[Templogin]

24/06/2015

I awoke at 6 am with a headache to be proud of and rain spattering on the tent.  Although I was where I expected to be I was 50 miles ahead of the planned target, helped by the train journey of course.  I would rethink my options after more paracetamol and a couple of hours more sleep.  At 8:30 with the head still throbbing and the rain still dripping I got up and paid for another night at the site and took to my bed, coming to the conclusion that I really should have done more training for this venture!  I was up again at midday, having some breakfast and contemplating what is going wrong.  Other than the physical ailments, I need to improve my sleeping.  The Thermarest Z-lite mat is far too thin for a habitual side sleeper, and I need to work on the pillow arrangement.  A B&B might be a luxury that I could get too easily used to though.  I need to work on the diet too.  There is fruit in there and bacon rolls, but a lot of cakes too.  I know cyclists are famous for their cake consumption, but I think that this is leading to sugar highs and lows in me, so I need to eat some proper meals, which also means stopping for a break.  At the moment I am pushing myself too hard, stopping for breaks of a couple of minutes far too often, racing against the clock.  Realistically, if I end up x miles short of my destination at x date I can always hop on the train to catch up.  I am so glad that I chose not to seek sponsorship for this.  I don't feel that I have much that I could send home, so reducing the weight is not an option.  One thing that I am missing is my internet access.  I had a couple of quids worth last night to collect my email and to upload my last missive.  My partner has gone off to Paris to deal with a family matter, so there will be little communication with her without net access.  If I am sounding downcast, then rest assured everything is fine.  It looks as though the rain is about to restart so I must get the iPad etc. under cover.

[jags]

This reminds me of my disasterous france tour  . monsoon rain for 3 days solid.
my probem was known what food to eat   sounds mental but im the worst cook on the planet and i soon got fed up with pitza's and pasta.
so my advice for what its worth  find a local ask the best  place to eat proper food not 5 star resturants wants you get the food sorted your  going to sleep and feel much beter..

my wife is in america  for another week im looking after meself i havent cooked a decet meal yet  seems everything tastes the feckin same
if u have room in your panniers go into a store and buy a good quality  pillow i'm  serious it will get u to sleep in jig time when your  on the last day just bin it.
oh yeah  pop into the butcher ask to make them a steak and kidny pie i done this in the uk   shared it amonst my feel club buddies they all thought they went to heaven.
anyway hope things pick up look at it like this it cant get any worse ,
hope u got your headache sorted i suffer with cronic headaches only thing that cures me is solphidine   

[DAntrim]

Pillow case stuffed with spare clothes is my normal pillow....

Everyone will have their own preference what to eat but me I tend to carry nuts / fruit to graze on whilst riding, a couple of packets of couscous / rice / noodles (not the batchelors variety) and some cans of fish (tuna / mackerel being my favorite). Big believer in breakfast sets you up for the day, usually porridge / weetabix / shredded wheat. Lunch is in a cafe or sandwich / pie from a local bakery. Tea is either pub supplied or a tin of fish with the rice / noodles / couscous  Oh and tea can't start without my cuppa.

Pick up the milk and some eggs before / at campsite, boil the eggs while having breakfast, gives something else to snack on during the day.

Carlos