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The Event

Those pictured have organised to undertake the challenge of cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats (LEJOG).  The route will cover up to 1,000 road miles of English, Welsh and Scottish countryside, including a diversion to the Isle of Arran.  This will be a fair achievement for a bunch of guys who, for most, until the last couple of years, hadn’t cycled anything more than a handful of miles on the weekend with their children.  This coupled with a combined age of around 200 years makes it a “proper” challenge for the team.

The History.

In order to attract attention to our club, raise awareness and obtain "new recruits" we decided a day out cycling would help.  Our first taste of cycling was undertaking the Hadrian Cycle route - 174 miles Ravenglass to Tynemouth in 24 hours.  8 coaches and friends performed this in a relay fashion driving two cars between the team.  The mileage per person ranged from 70 – 120 on and off throughout the day.

After a couple of celebratory beers we agreed to cycle the whole route in 24 hours - each.  The following year 6 saddled up at 4.30 a.m. in Ravenglass and cycled 16 hours in torrential rain to get to Tynemouth later that evening.  And guess what?  Tradition would have it that we had a couple of celebratory beers and here we are the challenge of Lands End to John o’Groats (LEJOG) was born.

And so a bunch of non-cyclists started to plan and ‘train’ for the longest UK Cycle Event.

The Charity

As we are all coaching volunteers at West Tyne Junior Rugby we thought it appropriate that we support a childrens charity and The Wooden Spoon fits the bill, please read more... http://www.woodenspoon.com/home.php

The Team’s Messages…

The team is an unlikely mix from WEST TYNEDALE JUNIOR RUGBY CLUB based at Haydon Bridge Community High School, (any new players most welcome aged from 5 to 12, Sundays 10.30 a.m. find us on the interweb).

From left to right on the first photo…

Frazer McDermott: Quite why I suggested this 12 months ago I do not know. Anyway we head off soon for what should be a cracking fortnight. Coaching the rugby got us all together so the Wooden Spoon charity makes sense as it supports the sport we all love and the funding we raise goes to our area. Please help in any way you can. Pictures of four bikes thrown into the North Sea in early June will be placed on the website shortly afterward!

Colin Stewart. Chairman, under 9, under 10 coach, employed as a full time mechanic, asking friends, family and anyone who knows me to help support our chosen charity. I am the most hardened road cyclist in the team and looking forward to the challenge, I shall be watching and waiting for the two young bloods in our group to peak early, then follow behind experience.

 

Nigel Robson  When Frazer first mentioned the idea of this ride, I remember laughing and thinking what an outrageously ridiculous idea, even by his standards. But it would appear that he was serious. Still it has given me a good excuse to buy a nice shiny new bike and will let me see parts of the country I never knew existed - i.e everything north of Inverness. Do they speak English up there?

I'm looking forward to it really, it will be all good fun and raising money for disadvantage kids as a result will make it all the better. May even have the odd beer or two along the way.

Only worry is that Frazer and Colin don't realise quite how old they are and me and Tris end up having to give them a backer for the last couple of hundred miles.

 

Tristan Hughes: Lead Coach for the U8/U7/U6 ages and gainfully employed in Procurement at Siemens Transmission and Distribution Limited.  Calling on all friends, family, colleagues and suppliers to support our chosen Wooden Spoon charity.  Being the youngest of the bunch by a decade or two I’m taking plenty of rope to drag the others along!

 

 

Thanks for reading and under no obligation please feel free to sponsor our cause and pain.  Any corporate sponsor should not feel any guilt in sponsoring £1 per mile!!

 

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