Foolish Thoughts and Stupid Ideas

[Moronic]

Great to read you were all able to stay with the journey and celebrate together at the end.

You would not be the first group to overestimate your appetite for distance on your first big tour. I'd be shocked if that wasn't the norm.

The other classic misstep is packing too much. I recall interviewing a tourist from Japan who had decided he would come to Australia and cycle the perimeter of the continent, self supported. He began in Perth, and spent a few days riding about 120 miles south to the coastal city of Bunbury. Having got there, he realised he had packed too much stuff. Among the things he shed at that point, he told me, were his diving mask, snorkel and flippers, and "all my books". 

You guys were smarter and organised a support vehicle. 

I think the urge to do too much comes from seeing the journey on a car-like scale. A modern motor vehicle idles along at 60mph. The bicycle is much slower, especially when climbing, and it is as though we assume there is a loss in that. "Surely in a day on a bicycle we could cover at least 60 miles."

The funny thing is, we wouldn't necessarily approach a road trip in a car that way. "Well we should be able to average 50mph, so if we set off at eight and drive till six with an hour for lunch that"s nine hours so we should plan 450-mile days." Unless you're merely driving to reach a destination, that's not a fun way to travel. It's more enjoyable to linger over meals and take time absorbing the sights. The driving part is not the tour; it's the means to the tour.

The bicycle also can be the means to the tour. I hope you have some more fabulous trips in your future.

[JohnR]

Correct, loose ex-box,  re tightened and only had 7 gears so then had to re index.

I do periodic checks but don't recall mine getting loose. There's also a thin layer of grease between the two parts of the ex-box (the result of being generously greased) which tends to hold it together. For shifting emergencies I have one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001P0WUM in my toolbag. It will adequately fit onto the end of one of the Allen keys as an improvised spanner for turning the nut.

Now after a few days of  rest, my reflections are
1. It’s a long ride for a first time tour, but I feeel a great sense of achievement at completing something I started thinking about 3 years ago
2. Having a supportive partner when I suggest doing foolish things  is amazing, how she has put up with me over the years with the stupid hours of work I have no idea
3. Dong this with collegues(close friends )who you have worked with, through  good and bad times for 28+ years is a good thing. As we all know how each other react when stressed and how to support and help  each other  get throuugh the tough bits.
4. We are going to to do more of this as now I have more time but it will be shorter tours, less miles and time in the saddle .

I took the easy option and signed up for a supported group LEJOG with Bike Adventures. After considering both the 15 day and 21 day options I chose the latter on the grounds that while I reckoned I could handle 80 miles in a day in fair weather, it would be very challenging if the weather wasn't cooperative. So I did the 21 day version. Some days were easy and on some were very tiring. Apart from the hills, the wind strength and direction can be the difference between a pleasant and unpleasant day.

Overall, I must have enjoyed myself as I've since done two other supported rides. These were both 8 days which I found a bit short. On the first we had barely got to know each other before the end arrived but the 2nd was easier because some folk were from my LEJOG group. I can strongly recommend this type of trip because someone else is paid to look after the logistics and you only need to carry what you need on each day. I suspect that the organisers have a solution to the e-bike transport problem as there was one on my 2nd ride.

I'm hoping to do another ride next year provided I can get permission from my wife. London - Edinburgh is said to be an easy route while I'd love to do the North Coast 500 before I get too decrepit. I've driven it a couple of times but a bike will make it much easier to enjoy the scenery (weather permitting).

[PH]

Correct, loose ex-box,  re tightened and only had 7 gears so then had to re index.

I do periodic checks but don't recall mine getting loose.

Happened to me once, I've no idea why, the wheel hadn't recently been out, so must have happened over time.  I do now periodically check it, usually while I'm doing something else - Oiling chain, checking for pad wear - and it hasn't been even slightly lose since.