Hostel in San Diego Booked

Made contact with 'Joe' who cycled America this year 2011, with the ACA group. He lives near San Diego and has offered to transport me plus bike to the Hostel where I plan to stay. The trip leaves the Hostel, San Diego on Mon 12th March so I will arrive there on the Thursday. This will give me a few days to recover from jetlag and meet fellow travellers. Plans are beginning to be put in place now. Makes it all seem closer

Winter Training in Scotland - Absolutely Miserable

Training is getting harder,  managed 150 miles last week.  The weather has been appalling for anyone never mind a cyclist. Very, very windy and wet.   Still I have cycled  6 days out of 7 and on my rest day last week the wind was 80mph. Fed up putting so many clothes , socks and shoes on. 4 upper layers, 1pair shorts, 1 fleece leggings, 2 pairs socks-1 waterproof, 1 pair shoes and 1 pair overshoes. I keep warm, only my feet getting numb, but I am constantly covered in mud as is the bike. Fed up having to wash and lube it, every time I have been out, when all I want to do is get inside and relax. The joys of training in Scotland in winter.  Hope it all pays off as I don't think I can do anymore

Another Puncture. What is Going On???

Had another puncture, 2nd in a month,  rear wheel this time.  What is happening - I have had no punctures in years and years of cycling over thousands of miles and now 2 in the same month. Can't believe it, anyway I am getting new tyres for America, Foldable Marathon Supreme 700x28. Any comments on these tyres welcome.  Still, this is great practice for me and I managed to change the back tyre (slowly).  Only problem I have is closing the QR lever but that is a matter of strength and correct tension.  Will have to work on it or ask a passing friendly redneck!! 

Wind, Wind,Wind Go Away.

What weather, wet and windy.  What a battle, like cycling straight uphill and so dangerous if a gust catches you. Fed up with it as it is affecting my mileage, have to use exercise bike which I hate. Pounding away on the bike and going nowhere fast. Wish it would get cold and calm. Starting using overshoes and waterproof socks when out.  Feet feel warmer but will reserve judgement until the snow comes then see how warm they are.  Toasty at moment. 

Training with Vanda and Archie.

Vanda and Archie, whom I cycled with in India, came to stay for a few days.  Vanda is cycling in India again, next February, so wanted to do some training.  Unfortunately, the weather was against us and we only managed 26 miles on Wednesday ( 2080 feet climbed ) and 35 miles ( 2640 feet climbed ) on Thursday.  I should add though that they arrived at 11.00 o'clock on Weds so daylight was against us. It was great to have their company and I thoroughly enjoyed their visit.  Archie is remarkable, at 84 years he cycled straight over the String Road, elevation 750 feet over 2 miles.   Vanda's determination and guts see her through and I'm quite sure come next February she will cruise up to Kalimpong, West Bengal, elevation 5000 feet, (for her 3rd time) without any problems.  We feasted well when they were here, east meets west, curry, haggis and red wine.  What a combination but it all went down well.

Puncture at Last

Yippee.  At last I have had a puncture.  All the years, and thousands of miles I have cycled and not one puncture.  Perfect setting for 1st puncture - in garage just about to go out and noticed front tyre was flat. Managed to change tube and put tyre back on.  A little bit of glass was the culprit.  Now I know I can do it - next time it will probably be out on the road with wet and windy conditions.  So happy!!!!

October Training - What a Wet and Windy Month.

Well that is the first 5 weeks of training completed and it has gone quite well. I wanted to do at least 100 miles per week and I have managed between 125 and 139 miles, so well over. Every week I cycled 5 days of about 20 miles and one longer day between 34 and 38 miles.  The weather has been awful.  Wet and very windy but mild. At least, I am not cold.  The wind is a killer - a trip of 20 miles mostly uphill with headwind can seem like double that distance.   On Arran, wherever I go, there are hills, hills, hills which is great training but exhausting.  Difficult to have an easy day.  I have started looking for detours - along Strawhillian Road,  Clauchlands which adds 2.1/2 miles, King's Cross etc. For November I hope to cycle 150 miles per week, just a gradual build up. Its great having company - Murray, Isla, Linda. The miles fly by as we blether. It can be difficult fitting training in as life gets in the way.
Still on track though.

Hubba Hubba 2 Person Tent

Researched tents and decided on a Hubba Hubba 2 person tent.  Main reason, very easy to put up, only takes 3 minutes on U Tube. Very light, 4 lbs. Has an inner mesh sheet and outer fly sheet, so ideal for the cold and the heat.  Downside is they cost about £300 - tooooo much.  Had a look on E bay and managed to get one with postage for £195 from America. A bargain.  Tried to put it up in living room today and very easy.  Poles are all spring loaded so slot together - no wondering where does this or that one go. Wonder how I will get on when I am exhausted and it is wet, windy and muddy .   Just hope it is dry on the first night, would hate to pack it away covered in grass and mud  Bound to happen.  Next have to buy sleep mat and tent footprint. 

Application Accepted !!!!!!!!!!

Letter and leaflet arrived today from Adventure Cycling Association stating I have been accepted for 'Southern Tier of America' cycle trip.   EXCITED.                                                                                    

This is the link to tour details
    
&phttp://www.adventurecycling.org/tours/tourdetail.cfm?t=EV12&id=279=1 .


Five months to go so serious training starts now. No excuses if the weather is cold, wet or windy - I will just have to get out there and cycle.

'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.'

Back On the Road Again

Monday,26th Sep. 2011.

Took a week off from training. It looks as though I had 'periformis syndrome' which is a strained muscle deep in bum which affects sciatic nerve.  Rested and sat on a tennis ball, don't laugh. If it hurts its helping and boy did it hurt - sat the muscle on the tennis ball and rolled back and forward.  Painful, painful but I felt the difference very quickly.  Out on the bike today for 20 miles and no problems so training resumes. Weather is dry, warm for this time of year but very windy. Bogaille closed at the moment for resurfacing so Sannox road very quiet, great.

Strained Muscle

Have just strained a muscle deep in my left bum.  Really sore. Have googled the symptoms and apparently it is a common runners injury.   Didn't think I had been silly and increased training too much.  Should really stretch out before and after a cycle, something I never do.  Will rest and ease back into cycling the hills.

Great Training Ride

Friday, 9th Sept. 2011
Well, 6.30 am is definitely the time to cycle on Arran - the first car passed me at Sannox. There is always someone about, Shona Hume was walking her
dog, looking in Book and Card Shop window.    Miserable morning, raining, but not cold. Made it in good time to Lochranza, feeling good, to be told
the 8.15am ferry had broken down, other one coming from Glasgow. Disaster, and the Rooneys are not with me!!! Ferry turned up but instead of a nice saunter
to Tarbert I am now 20 minutes down and charging to Tarbert. Caught the 10.15am Portavadie ferry with 15 minues to spare. Leave Portavadie at 10.45 hoping to
catch 1.00pm Colintaive ferry. Socks are saturated, leggings feel as though I am wearing a soggy nappy but having a great time? Making good progress, hey I might catch the
12.30 so make a push. Ferry pulling out when I arrive aaahhhhh. Caught 1.pm ferry Colintraive/ Rhubodach standing next the heater, steam rising from a variety of places.
Rain has gone off - have 45 minutes to get the Rothesay ferry. AAhhh numerous road works, red lights, up on pavement. Get to Rothesay with 10 minutes to spare
2.00pm ferry. Great. Cup of tea on ferry and beginning to dry out. Had a look at myself in toilet mirror - don't go there. Over in Wemyss Bay by 2.45pm, will have plenty time to catch 6.00pm Ardrossan ferry. One mile out of Wemyss Bay cramp in both legs start, not stabbing so try to cycle through it but eventually can't cycle. Ardrossan ferry ?????
Stopped, stretched, all's well. Muscles must have tightened up on ferry. I hate that WB/ Ardrossan road, so busy. Reached Ardrossan pier at 4.21pm.
  Cup of tea and a scone. Bliss.   Also, gloves, nappy, leggings have dried out, but not socks.

74 miles. Plate of chips on 6.00pm Ardrossan Ferry. Great training ride. Pity ferry stops in winter.

 

Decision Made - AAAHHHH

Weds. 7th Sept.2011 and the decision has been made. I have tonight registered to cycle across America and if accepted will leave early next Spring. I have spent the last 6 months researching 'Cycling Across America'. I would really like to do it on my own but even I accept it might not be the most sensible thing to do - although many women do it alone every year.  The many tour companies I looked at were America By Bike, Cycle America, Women Tours, Bicycle Adventure Club but ruled them out as they were mostly high mileage or not touring in 2012. I have eventually settled on my first choice of ' Adventure Cycling Association, USA' - I liked their ethos of ,it was more about the journey than just getting from A to B also they only have places for 13 cyclists and your application has to be approved. Some companies can have over 50 travelling at any one time.  The down side is it is not Hotel based so I will be camping and taking my turn in cooking. I would have preferred to snuggle down in a B&B every night but time will tell how I will cope with being in a tent for 8 weeks.  Yes, 8 weeks is how long I will be away. The route is described as the Southern Tier and takes me from San Diego, California to St.Augustine, Florida. We travel through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Lousiana along the southern states.  The trip is 3160 miles and we travel an average of 68 mpday. There are two tour leaders with a van who carry our luggage etc and provide back up. There will be 47 days riding and 11 rest days - oh my bum will be sore.

The following is part of an e mail I received from the Tour Director of ACA - it convinced me I was choosing the right company  - ' You will love the southern tier as the terrain and vegetation changes almost daily, temps are warm but not unbearable in the spring, nights are cool, and there are lots of different tastes to sample. I always advise for participants to not be afraid to explore the areas you are in and not specifically be focused only on the riding.'

So now it is a winter of training.  At the moment I am doing 75 miles per week but will need to do at least double that.  Hope for good weather with little snow and tail winds.

Here I go Again

Janice in India, 2008

February 2011 and here I go again.  I never search for a cycling trip they just appear from differerent sources.

1) Kolkata to Kalimpong, India in 2008 and 2010 (420 miles) was inspired from an article in the local paper by the Rev. John Webster. He was looking for cyclists to join him on a cycling trip to raise funds for DrGraham's Homes, Kalimpong.

2) Lands End to John O'Groats 2009 (1,000 miles solo, unsupported) was inspired by the Cycling Touring Club forum on that subject.

3)  Arran to Aberdeen via Fort William 2010 (300 miles Coast to Coast) was to visit my niece Sarah Rooney who lives in Aberdeen and to join friend Shirley McConnel on her 50th birthday in Fort William.

Now my latest venture and the biggest so far is to cycle across America.  The idea came from talking to Vicki McAllister at my Zumba class.  She knew I cycled and mentioned the TV program about the two 'elderly' ladies who had cycled America. I had seen it and we had a laugh about various aspects of it.  However a seed had been sown and that evening I googled 'Cycling Across America' and up came loads of information about touring companies and blogs from people who had completed it. I was hooked.

To view more updates click on the 'year/months' entries on the right.