A team of 4 riders and 3 support crew will undertake a cycling challenge riding from John O’Groats to Lands End from 2 Sep to 11 Sep 2011 to raise awareness and much needed funds for Moray Firth Cash For Kids, Elgin and District Cancer Support Group and the Royal Air Forces Association.

If you would like to donate please visit www.everydayhero.co.uk/blazingsaddles

On this page we will keep you informed of their epic journey as it happens. (Most recent first...)

The final day

13 Sep 11 09:26 AM
posted by Martin Daley

After our last night in the campervan the final day was now upon us and all team members were keen to push out the final 67 miles to our final destination of Lands End. Faced once again with a strong head wind the team endured another day of constant climbing which kept our overall speed down. However with some great encouragement and support from each other and Jonny and Polish, our ever dependable support team, we cracked on following the A30 passing through Wadebridge, Newquay, Redruth and Penzeance and finally at half past four we coasted the final two miles into our final destination with the sun finally making an appearance. A celebratory bottle of champagne was consumed and plenty of pictures taken with lots of tourists and locals coming up and passing on their congratulations and best wishes. A long eleven days for all the team but well worth all the training and effort. The bikes were packed away for the final time and we then headed to RAF St Mawgan Transit Accommodation. After a warm shower we headed off into Newquay for a celebratory team meal and a couple of refreshments before retiring to bed. After a good nights rest, the team jumped in the wagons for the two day return journey to Lossiemouth (via Cranwell where we returned our trusty camper van).

Day ten - the penultimate day

11 Sep 11 15:59 PM
posted by Martin Daley

Our second last day and we awoke all rather grumpy after a pretty sleepless night caused by the major storm that passed over us during the night on its way up to Scotland. Jonny and Polish had a pretty hellish night in their tents but did not allow it to effect them too much. We packed up the site and headed off to Wiveliscombe to start off day ten. This would prove to be one of the hardest days with Devon and Cornwall hitting us hard with a strong head throughout and hill after hill after hill. Even Marty (King of the Mountains) Latham admitted struggling to get up the 25% gradient hill, just one of many that we faced that day. A slow steady speed maintained throughout the day saw us end up at Camelford, just 67 miles from Lands End. A good feeling that we were now so close. We headed off to our final campsite for a well deserved rest after a hard day in the saddle battered by the wind and rain. The support crew once again pulled out all the stops treating us to another fantastic meal and it was off to bed early (after another episode of the inbetweeners of course) ready to face our final day and to push through to reach our final destination.

Day nine

11 Sep 11 15:55 PM
posted by Martin Daley

After a good nights rest at Brize Norton (with all team members relieved that we did not have to go the Gulf or the Falklands for four months like you usually do when you visit Brize) we jumped back in the wagons to transit to South Cerney. Our destination was Taunton heading deep into Cream Tea and Cider country (neither of which we actually managed to partake in despite our best efforts). Despite warnings of storm force winds we lucked in with the bad weather heading up towards the west coast of Scotland and us ending up with some sunny spells with the occasional shower of rain. Faced with a fairly strong wind we pushed on down towards Taunton managing to maintain a good speed throughout the day. Keen to put some extra miles in the bank we all agreed to push on past Taunton and ended up completing 99 miles in total which took us on to Wiveliscombe where we stopped for the day just before six oclock. The bikes were packed away and we then underwent a bit of a magical mystery tour to get to our camp site for the night negotiating some seriously tight country lanes to get to our fairly remote camp site (which just happened to have its own pub which polish and jonny took advantage of later on that night, the cyclists were all too tired and went to bed early after a few episodes of the In-Betweeners had been viewed). Nine days down two to go

Day Eight

09 Sep 11 19:46 PM
posted by Martin Daley

Boswater to Cirencester. A good days cyclling with more hills than expected which came as a bit of a surprise to us all (apart from Fergy who was keeping the elevation charts to himself). Managed to complete 82 miles pushing on to south cerney putting a few extra miles in the bank. We then drove 45 mins to RAF Brize Norton for a goods night rest in the Sgts Mess Transit accommodation. The team were given a treat with takeaway Domino’s Pizza and Subway sandwiches (martin only) to help boost the calorie count in preparation for Day Nine of course. Eight days now done with only three to go. Off down towards Devon and Cornwall and the dreaded final hilly stages that everyone has told us about. A bit of trepidation but more excitement knowing that we only have 3 more days of cycling (hopefully) and just over 250 miles to the finish (as long as Fergy’s navigation skills hold out as well as they have done for the past eight days).

Day seven

08 Sep 11 19:41 PM
posted by Martin Daley

Day seven. Doncaster to Bosworth. A pretty uneventful day with 82 miles completed by the team today travelling thru Blyth, Worksop, Loughborough and on to our overnight stop at bosworth water park camp site. Some god weather and not a lot of wind giving us a fairly easy day in the saddle. The camp site was situated next to a lake where all the local tri-athletes were carrying out a training session in the lake which looked too much like hard work. Our team relaxed in the bar having a pint of ale as a treat after our days exertions. We retired to the camper van for a hearty meal and managed to watch a couple of episodes of the In Betweeners box set which Fergy had brought along, which helped to create some much needed laughter and morale. Day seven in the bag and on the downward slope with only four days to push.

Day Six

Wed 7 Sep 11

The next leg of the journey would take us over the half way point with the leg running from Darlington to Thorne nr Doncaster so team spirit was high and all members were keen to get past this important milestone. The conditions were in complete contrast to the previous day with a greatly reduced headwind and virtually no hills to tackle. The route saw the team pass through Yorkshire including thirsk, York and selby. With everyones legs feeling fine a team decision was made to push on past our initial target and cycle straight to our campsite in Bawtry, which saw the team complete a total of 94 miles. A pretty uneventful day on the bike for all.

Day five

Tues 6 Sep 11

The team awoke to a heavy downpour and a strong head wind. After packing up camp we headed off to start day five (Jedburgh to Darlington) in good spirits. The good spirit did not last long when it was discovered that martin’s bike had a broken spoke which made the bike unrideable. The spare bike was taken out and set up and Jon Chree was tasked with finding a local bicycle repair shop to mend the broken machine. The team duly set off straight into a strong headwind which lasted throughout the day and for good measure 80 miles of constant climbing with the occasional descent thrown in to offer some respite. This proved without doubt to be the most challenging and difficult day with a few teddies being thrown out of the cot (all from martins cot admittedly) The team work however really kicked in amd with encouragement all of the team members made it safely to the end in Darlington 86 miles later. We then headed off to Leeming for a well deserved rest. A big thankyou to jon and polish who pulled out all the stops offering encouragement, refreshment and an excellent lunch to get us through the day.

Day Four

Mon 5 Sep 11

WO Nick Styles left the team to return to his work commitments at Leuchars and then there were four. Sgt Keith Allan returned to Lossiemouth and Cpl Polish Glodkowski joined us to take over the support duties as well as bringing a physio and massage capability. The fifth leg would cover Kinross to Jedburgh going via the Forth Road Bridge, Musselburgh and down through the borders. The navigator for the day was Fergy Cliff who successfully guided us through the Kingdom of Fife, over the Forth Road bridge (notwithstanding a few close shaves with haulage trucks) thru Edinburgh and down to the Jed Water Caravan Park having covered 88 miles. Polish then carried out some torture on the cyclists legs with some deep tissue massage. The only other notable event of the day was Polish stocking up on provisions at Tesco and having to undertake a 49 point turn in the Galashiels Tesco Car Park.

Day Three Sun 4 Sep 11

The team arose to a clear crisp morning which instantly lifted team spirits. The team set off early at 8 oclock to undertake leg 3 (Newtonmore to Kinross). A day of fine weather saw the team discard their rain jackets for the first time and crack on to their destination via House of Bruar (which has very nice toilets), Pitlochry, Ballingluig and Perth where WO Nick Styles experience and local knowledge helped to guide us through the town centre safely and allow us to arrive at our final destination in Kinross having completed another 90 miles. The team then packed up their bikes and headed to RAF Leuchars for an overnight stay.

Day Two

Sat 3 Sep 11

Day 2 saw the team rise early and after a hearty breakfast assemble at Tain to commence leg 2 of the journey (Tain to Newtonmore). Setting a fast pace the team crossed the Cromarty and Kessock Bridges in quick time arriving for their first stop in Inverness where they were greeted by family and friends who had come along to cheer them along. This provided a real lift to the team and a big thank to all who took the time to come along and offer support. After a hearty lunch the team then headed off out of Inverness initially following the A9 then leaving to hit the back roads arriving at Newtonmore at just after five oclock having completed another 85 miles. The team set up camp at Invernahavon Camp Site.

Friday

2 Sep 11

All of the preparation, training and organisation had come to an end and the epic adventure of cycling from John O Groats (JOG) to Lands End (LE) was kicked off with the whole team (Cyclists FS Marty Latham, FS Andrea Morrell, FS Fergy Cliff and FS Martin Daley; Support Crew Sgt Keith Allen and SAC Jonny Chree) being joined for a hearty breakfast in the JRs Mess at 0530 hrs by the Stn Cdr Gp Capt Hine and WO Nick Styles who would accompany the team on the first and third days of the challenge respectively.

After a four hour drive they arrived at JOG where they donned their lycra and rubbed in their cream and gathered at the start for a team photograph taken by Tommy Axford from the Photo Flight with the Stn Cdr managing to prise off his deer stalker jacket.

The team set off at 11oclock to commence the first leg journey heading for Tain some 85 miles away. Just over an hour into the journey the team were hit by a sudden downpour just outside Wick. This dampened the spirits but a fly over by two XV Sqn tornadoes a short while later soon lifted spirits and the team forged on towards Tain. Some 50 miles in and the team were faced with their first major challenge at the Berriedale Braes. The gradient of the Brae saw the Stn Cdr threaten to charge and demote FS Latham for convincing him to take part on the first day. The same hill also claimed the first victim with FS Martin Daley falling off his bike halfway up the hill after being overtaken by a horse box travelling at four miles an hour.

The team forged on and finally arrived at Tain just after six oclock having completed the first 86 miles of the 920 mile challenge. The Stn Cdr thanked all of the team for their company during what he described as a thoroughly enjoyable day, especially Keith and Jon who were always present throughout the journey offering support and food and drink to keep the team going.

The team then retired to Dornoch Firth Caravan Park for some much needed refreshment and rest after a tough first day. The day was rounded off by an attack from the local midges.

More details available on http://www.facebook.com/rafscot