Final Thoughts of the Riders and Support Team
This entry has been created to allow all of the riders and support crew to share their thoughts on the trip; hightlights & lowlights; funny moments; things they will and will not miss and anything else they would like to say.
My dad was cycling mad. In fact I'm sure I got a bike before I could even walk. I clearly inherited his love of the sport and learned a lot from him in my early years about the sport's traditions, it's great history and the iconic races which have recently come to more people's attention in the UK thanks to Sky and British Cycling. However, growing up in Africa in the 70's with no access to any TV coverage of the sport in Europe I could only wonder at what it would be like to ride in countries like France, Spain and Belgium; countries where the sport is like a religion and where it is respected above almost all others. Well, now I know.
ReplyDeleteThis was a huge personal journey for me because of the love of cycling that I got from my Dad but I couldn't have done it if it hadn't been for the rest of the team and the support guys from Sarn Helen. Together we achieved something great, something I am still trying to get my head around:
1848kms in total (154kms per day average)
74.5 hours on the bikes (6.25 hrs per day average)
Almost 58000 ft of climbing (twice the height of Everest)
A monster achievement which we should all be enormously proud of.
I suppose the only down side for me was the time wasted and the arguements caused by the poor route planning. Lesson learned though and something to pay far more attention to next time we do a ride like this.
As I said on the ferry on Thursday night it was an absolute pleasure and a privilege to have riden with you guys. Thank you all for letting me live the dream for the last two weeks.
Rik
Well I remember when this was first mentioned to me by Simon Voris and thinking yea I’ll sign up for this it will be a laugh (never thinking I was really going to do it) but as the time come round and it got closer and closer I finally decided that I was going to do this.
ReplyDeleteAs I only had about 4 months training I always knew it was going to be a struggle from the start, thankfully the team understood of this and were always willing to sit with me if I was having a bad day.
I’m very grateful that everyone doing the ride seemed to gel straight away and there was never a dull moment throughout the trip as there was always some sort of banter going on.
Although I wasn't much of a cycling fan before this I can honestly say that it's slowly rubbing off on me and I’m finding myself wanting to continue cycling as it was so much fun looking back on it.
I’m still trying to get my head around what we have actually achieved and as Rik has mentioned above there are some amazing stats;
6 countries
1848kms in total (1148 miles)
154kms on average a day (95 miles)
58,000ft of climbing
I will honestly never forget this and I’m very glad I got to share the experience with the people that where there as they have made the trip for me.
Well I got into this as I had just done a Tough Mudder assault course with Simon Voris and he egged me on to make this my next challenge.
ReplyDeleteSimiliar to Luke I didn't really think it would happen but as the months got closer I realised it was. So it was time to buy a bike and get training. No matter how much training we put in I don't think anything could have prepared us for those first three days of 'torture'. However, after taking a few days to reflect I am 100% sure those first three days were my most enjoyable days by far. The feeling of climbing a mountain putting every bit of energy and willpower into it with the support of your team mates is a feeling I don't think I will ever feel again. That is what I will miss the most from the whole trip.
Waking up every morning, applying cream to certain areas and putting lycra on every day is certainly something I will not miss!
All in all it was an adventure of a life time and something I will look back on with pride when telling the grandkids.
Big thanks to everyone that arranged it, especially Simon and Phil as well as Mark Delicate and the Welsh threesome. Most of all thanks to all the riders who made this trip what it was and all the people that donated towards our total.
Spike
How can I put into words what this adventure has meant to me ?
ReplyDeleteI love a challenge and when this came my way I sent an email registering my interest immediately.
As the weeks went by I began to doubt if the ride would actually happen and also if I would be able to do it.
I had a lot going on in April/May so was slow in beginning my serious training, plus in June I was out riding with two mates when they crashed into each other resulting in broken bones and 3 months off work for one of them.
However, I was determined to do the ride so I signed up, paid the money, booked my leave and "got on my bike".
It's difficult to comprehend what we actually achieved and the stats back that up.
I am sure we all experienced something special on this adventure and no-one will really be able to relate to what we went through.
My personal highlights were Day 3, seeing Go Wiggo painted on the road and riding up the Champs Elysees.
On saying that; each day is also memorable for a variety of reasons and I will never forget the Hatfield reception and the warm welcome we received from the Brussels office.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to ride with you all and the reunion can't come quick enough.
Dave
From my perspective the trip started by watching the rest of the team enjoying themselves on the mountains of the Pyrenees from CC Blackfriars and it was very hard knowing i could not join them until Paris. This was not my 1st challenge of this type so i knew what to expect but i knew i would enjoy it more this time as we have full support from Dicky and the Welsh boys (well not technically really Welsh as they come from the South).
ReplyDeleteSeeing as the team had spent 10 days together already i felt very welcomed into the team on Day 1 and quickly got some miles under my belt but i must say that Day 1 was a little tough seeing that i had not ridden my bike for 2 weeks but as the days went by it got easier.
The banter on the ride was excellent and the team spirit was very high and was only dampened by a few routing issues on a number of days. As Rik has mentioned this needs further work on future trips to avoid the confusions and frustrations. My suggestion is that 1 person is nominated to navigate per day and their decision is final even if the rest of the team thinks we are getting lost until such time they admit defeat and ask for help.
I have to say that i thoroughly enjoyed myself and am already looking forward to the follow up event next year but i need to make sure that i complete the entire trip rather than only part.
I would like to thank everybody who made it possible and provide the support before and during the event. I have made a lot of new friends who share a common passion of cycling.
Think i need to go and treat myself now to a few upgrades in celebration for completing it.
Dylan
I owe a lot to cycling: It keeps me fit and healthy and (in a good way) forces me to think about what I eat and drink and tie that regime in with my rides. Having said that, I perhaps lost a little of that health balance towards the end of this epic adventure :)
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, what we have done has not really hit home for me. I see some of the numbers around the distance we rode and the fact that we did x thousand feet of climbing (2 Everests) and I am still in awe of what we achieved.
Though this may surprise some of my colleagues, the greatest takeaway for me has been the power of the team and the pleasure of riding with like-minded people:
- How else would we achieve an average of 20mph over 90 (yes 90!) miles?
- How else would we hit a chain gang at 28mph and sustain it?
- How else would you get through those days when perhaps you are not feeling that strong?
Only by teamwork and riding with a great bunch of guys.
The worse moment? - I recall climbing a hill on day 4, it was 15:30 in the afternoon, the sun was at its strongest, it was 29 degrees C, there was no wind at all, the sweat was streaming in to my eyes and I could not see a thing. It was horrible and I will remember that for a long time.
The best? - Too many to count but some of the hard-earned descents from Andorra were fast and awesome and somehow all that sweat, all that pain and all that effort that got you to the top of the climb in the first place becomes a distant memory and lost in the pleasure of the moment.
Thank you to Computacenter for giving me the opportunity to do this and thanks to all the team who made it the most memorable thing I have ever done.
Phil.
It’s taken me over a week to want to write this as I wanted to settle and reflect on the ride and what we have achieved.
ReplyDeleteFor me this journey started over a year ago in August 2012. As a keen cyclist and someone that enjoys getting involved in charity events, I thought that it would be a good idea to build on the enthusiasm that had been created by our successes in the Tour de France and Olympics and to create a cycling event that would be a once in a lifetime challenge that would capture the hearts and minds of those taking part and to generate plenty of interest so we could raise lots of money for our charity partners. I want to first say a massive thanks to Phil, due to a chance meeting at work and realising we both shared the same passion for our sport we managed to pull this off. If it hadn’t of been for all the work he put in this wouldn’t have happened.
It’s difficult to put into words the feeling that I have been left with after having completed this. I knew it was going to be epic, but during it I didn’t really appreciate what we were really achieving. It’s only now looking back at the distances and realising the altitude we climbed that it is slowly sinking in. I was lost in the moment on the trip, plus the daily routine and the focus we had to maintain distracted me from what was really happening.
The first 4 days were immense, from the very start when we flew over the Pyrenees and looking down on it from the plane it filled me with dread. As soon as we left Barcelona we began to climb and it was these 4 days that were the most emotional and satisfying. It was shockingly hard. For me these 4 days coupled with the 90 miles at 20.5 average mph and the ride up and along the Champs Elysees and round the Arc de Triomphe were the highs of the trip for me. The welcomes we received from our colleagues in Belgium and the homecoming welcome in Hatfield will stay with me forever.
The most challenging point of the trip was the 8th day in the saddle, it was a day of 2 halves. The morning was horrible, having to deal with torrential rain, hail stones, strong winds and very difficult roads was very tough going, but the finish in Paris made up for that and knowing that I would be meeting up with my wife made a very special end to a difficult day.
It was a truly special trip, the challenge itself was mind blowing, but to instantly gel with the rest of the team and the support that was providing to us by Dickie, Geth and Dan was next to none. Dan’s endless patience was great, and special thanks to him for getting my drinks bottle out of a massive expanse of brambles. The banter kept us all going and I feel I have made some great friends for life.
Thanks to everyone that made this possible, Computacenter for getting on board with the idea and providing the financial support, Sarn Helen events for the support out on the road, Mark Delicate for being awesome, the whole team for from the off being exactly that, a team, I felt like we had been cycling for years together. Most of all though thanks to my wife for putting up with all the training, charity events, and for giving me the opportunity to fulfill a dream.
And one last thing only member of the team to do 1200 miles with no mechanicals :-)
Simon Voris (V-Dawg/Big Unit)
I have never ridden outside of the UK before and as soon as I heard about this trip, I knew that I wanted to go. It would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to cycle through 6 countries and pretty much live the dream (for a couple of weeks, at least). Being able to raise a lot of money for our charity partners, by doing something that I love, was great.
ReplyDeleteBarcelona was a sprawling place and we eventually found our way out and into the hills. They were big and seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. This wasn’t going to be easy…
Somehow, we managed to get our way to Berga. With the first day under our belts, things could only get easier.
The second day was a tough one but really rewarding. Awesome scenery and some fantastic twisty downhill bits. This was the most climbing I had ever done, during a single day’s riding and I certainly felt it in the legs, that night.
Day three was epic, right from the off. Starting in the centre of Andorra and continual climbing for something like 10 miles, culminating at the top of Port d’Envalira, which stands about 2400m high. This was followed by the fastest downhill stretch of road I have ever ridden and endless descending after we crossed the border into France. This is what the trip was all about, for me. Yes, it was a 12 hour day but one that will always be remembered. Even that lumpy last 30 miles, as daylight was abandoning us. A truly awesome day of cycling!
After that the days became less of a battle against the mountains and I felt that teamwork really began to payoff. It was great to see people becoming stronger and more confident at group riding. The day we rode from Chateauroux to Orleans was particularly satisfying, even though it was pan flat. The previous day had been one of the easiest and we had made excellent time. The last ten miles were ridden at a sporting pace and it was great fun to arrive in Chateauroux at pretty much full speed.
As we approached Paris, the weather began to change and although we got a right soaking it was worth it in the end because cycling into the heart of the city, was as crazy as I had anticipated. Riding along the Champs Elysees through endless traffic and doing a couple of laps of the Arc de Triomphe will stay long in the memory, for me.
As we left France behind and crossed into Belgium, we couldn’t have expected the reception that we received when we arrived in Zaventem. I think the whole team were really hit for six as we rolled into the office car park. So, I just wanted to say another big thank you to all of the kind folks there, who made us feel so welcome. Also a special mention should go to those excellent handmade smoothies!
The last day on the continental mainland was another long one and we arrived at the ferry port, just as the light was dying. You might say that it was excellent timing. The climax of the day was a couple of nice cold beers, the predictable loss at the Blackjack table, on the ship and then everybody said a few words about the trip and gave our thoughts about what we had experienced in the past couple of weeks.
The final day’s ride from Harwich to Hatfield was mundane in comparison to what we had become used to but to finally arrive at our destination was quite a special moment. What a fantastic reception that had been laid on. Everybody made us feel very proud to have completed the trip and it was quite emotional to arrive and be greeted like that, so thank you everybody. It was something that I won’t ever forget.
I wanted to say thanks for the support on the trip and to Dickie, Geth and Dan for getting us through it. To Mark for his excellent Blog updates and for doubling-up as a navigational waymarker – it can’t have been easy. Mostly big thanks to all of the team for sticking with it when the going got tough and the good banter that was always there. Extra special mention to Phil and Simon for getting the ball rolling for this event and for managing the organisational aspects. Great effort guys!
Ant