We have made it!

Despite the weather trying its best yesterday we have arrived on the beach at Tynemouth at just after 1.00pm today. Great effort by all.

Stopped at Tony's Mum and Dad's for tea and cake

In the back garden being served tea and cakes, wonderful!

All getting set for the last day

Packing up for the last time, stopping at Tony parents for tea and cakes next. We have been promised its down hill all way now but after so many promises yesterday I don't believe them!

Camping is very cosy tonight

Campsite not as good tonight! Its very wet, very tight and Will's snoring will disturb all of us!

We have found the drying room!

This is the place to get dry!

Lunch stop at Allenheads

Monster climb up hartside with wind in our faces, rain started on the descent. Lost a rider who didn't turn right when instructed. Reconvened at the pub. Thankfully, the fire was lit.

Made it to the top

Hey, first to the top, 30 mile head wind did not help! Weather holding off for now.

Camping in local farm with Yook feeding us again

Great campsite chosen by Martin, we are camping in the back garden of a small farm. Yook cooked Hunter chicken to a standard you would not get in the local pubs, great. Weather tomorrow does not look good but we have expected it.

Day 2

7:00 am, and all tents down and breakfast underway. Rain has not materialised, so conscious decision to leave before it does..

Plan B

Moving to plan B for Martin, getting his bike fixed in the morning and then joining us once we have tackled Hartside

Oops!

Martin unfortunatley pushed Mark wide round a fast corner (there is a debate going on as to who's fault it was), Mark didn't make the corner and to avoid the stone wall he decided to do a forward roll bike and all! No damage done to Mark and bike but Martin's bike didn't fair well! Fish tailing down the road he stayed on but buckled his wheel and for those who know bikes the photo below tells the story.

Low tea at Greystoke manor

Having a well earned rest after over 50 miles in some of the best weather in the lakes. Tea and cakes just arrived.

First puncture

Guess who forgot to pack the spare tube? Quick repair and back on it again

Lunch stop at keswick

35 miles in, cracking descent through whinlatter forest. Bright sunshine all the way. One puncture.

Found Ivan!

Ivan decided to get a head start and miss out on the beach, we let him ride out for 10mins before calling him back.

Traditional dip on the sea to start

When they said it was traditional to have a dip in the sea, no one told me it was just your front wheel!

It all starts here!

All lined up on at St Bees east coast, anyone seen Ivan? Collecting a pebble each to take to the other coast

Glorious first morning!

Yook is cooking our breakfast in wonderful sun shine, we have ordered this weather for the weekend but think it may not last! Mines a full English.
66 miles and lots of hills to come.

We are here, setting up in the dusk

Great journey up despite Jame's driving and lack of rest breaks. Setting the tents up in the dark, looking forward to a swim in the morning!

Van packed....just

Van packed on time, first and last time we will be on time for the whole weekend!

Turn a minibus into a van...check

Need more space...

Guess what? We will be getting wet!

As expected the weather is not looking so good on Saturday but I think we expected this (as long as it is not a repeat of the Three Peaks Challenge weather!) we are all packing extra dry clothes. BBC has forecast 1cm hailstones and lightning on Sat just to add to the challenge.

All ready to go now!

Well, final packing now in progress.  Tomorrow we set off on the journey up to St Bees.  Excitement levels remain high.

The weather forecast seems to have improved though we will wait and see latest updates on Thursday.

Again, thanks to everyone who has sponsored the team.  It is now over £1,300.  Amazing.

Bag packing and carb packing

Well, just a couple of days before we set off on the road trip up to the starting point.  Most are starting to pack bags and also pack some carbs.  Thursday should be interesting to see if all the bags, bikes, food, drinks, cooking equipment and everything else fits it the mini-bus.

Everyone is really looking forward to the bike ride.  The weather forecast is not great but changes hour by hour so we will see closer to the time.

The charity fund raising is going well with more than £1,000 raised.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed and there is more to be pledged yet.

Only a few days to go!

Final training session was completed on Sunday in some glorious weather, just a shame I missed it.

We should all be packing bags at the moment but please remember space will be tight so less is better.

The weather conditions change depending which website you go to but hopefully it is generally looking favourable, we are going to get wet but what would you expect in the UK and the Lakes in particular?

Update

Training continues to go well and thankfully the rain is all coming down in let-May rather than early June (well, perhaps).

Confidence is high and it is not long now.

Regular posts will be added when we cycle.  For now we will add the occasional word as we prepare and plan for the trip.

Raining

It's 5:45 am Sunday morning. It's raining, been windy all night, all five hours of it anyway. I am stood in the kitchen waiting to go out on the C2c tester Chris has arranged. An email arrived late last night reminding us it will be fun. Silly me, I nearly forgot. Let's see who turns up.

Target mashed

Well, just under four weeks to go, and the fundraising target has already been beaten. Currently stands at £625 plus the gift aid contribution. Brilliant stuff. Chris has created a c2c tester route for us this Sunday. A mere 65 miles. Taking on the best (worst) of what we've done so far. Should be interesting. Wonder where the breakout sections are?

Fundraising

Fundraising page has been setup, wander over to:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/5BC 

Charity in Question is SWAN UK (Syndromes Without A Name) is a project run by Genetic Alliance UK offering support and information to families of children with undiagnosed genetic conditions. A well deserving cause.

 Back to the ride in question, Chris has been publishing yet more routes for training, which is great stuff, and Yook has put togther a cracking initial menu. This is turning into a bit of a holiday.

Due to family commitments, I will miss the next couple if training rides, but will get the miles and altitude in elsewhere, as we will be visiting friends in Brighton. A sizeable chunk of the South Downs Way will be tackled, so I wont really be shirking guys. Anyway, be a nice change to the off road tyres back on.

Oh, and by the way, the photo is what I was riding up on C2C 2009. Day 2 out of Ambleside.

James

In the Beginning..

It's this way, no it's that way...

Not quite hot on the heels of a not wholly successful three peaks, came the drunken idea of a new challenge.
The eight members of the 5BC, are now up for the Coast to Coast ride.

Following the sustrans 140 mile Whitehaven to Sunderland route, we hope to post regular updates and pictures and the like, which may or may not be of any interest to those left at home. There will also be a small charity fundraising pot, details to follow.

Campsite accomodation has been booked, minibus hired, driver/caterer bribed. Driving up on June 5th, ride starts early Friday 6th June, completing on Sunday 8th.

Regular (very)early Sunday morning rides have been put together by our trainer..http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/by/sp2cpss with increasing distance and altitude the order of the day.
All nicely prepared, what could go wrong?