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.

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