Guest 689- Registered: 10 Sep 2009
- Posts: 102
#1
A few forumites know that I am gearing up to take part in the British Heart Foundation London to Brighton Cycle Ride. It is now just around the corner - 20th June. I started cycling with an exercise bike in the lounge - kindly given to me by a fellow Doverforum friend and am now cycling to Ramsgate Harbour and back at weekends and a local ride during the week.
My main training route is along Cycle Route No. 1 from St Margarets, down to Kingsdown, along coast to Walmer, Deal, through the golf courses, Sandwich Bay, Sandwich town, Pfizers and onto Cycle Route No. 15 past the Viking boat and onto Ramsgate. I believe the route goes to Margate, but I haven't ventured there yet. I would recommend the route for family cycling - though maybe not all in one go - it does go on a few roads, but they are not busy.
Thank you to all who have sponsored and encouraged me - especially David who has kept my bike in tip top condition and for having food ready for me (with Victoria's help) when I return from the long cycle rides at the weekends. Vic M has done the cycle ride a few times and given me a few tips. I will let you know how I do on the day - I have cycled 36 miles, and the target for the 20th is 54 miles. I am cycling with seven family members so it should be a fun day as well as raising lots of money for the BHF. Lots of organisations offer their help for free along the route - the Scouts provide the best bacon rolls I've been told and my mum belongs to WI in Crawley and has been asked to bake bread pudding to give out on the day - both sound good to me.
I got my start time today - 8am, so should be in Brighton between 2 and 3pm. I know I will feel so great once I reach the finish line at Brighton seafront!
#2
Best of luck on the day! As I've posted before the Miner's Trail is a nice 30 mile circular route, details here:-
http://www.whitecliffscountryside.org.uk/index.php?id_sec=32&id_sub=5Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#3
LINDA. all the best you will do well just hope the weather is ok and the wind at the back of you,and please walk up that long and very steep hill towards the end. Vic
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#4
All the best of luck to you Linda..ah yer a game girl for sure. I think ColetteB has a few bob for you from the kitty which will exchange hands in the fullness of time. I cant believe anyone outside those mad guys in the Tour de France can cycle those distances. Ive seen Le Tour three times in all ..so there..I know a bike when I see one.
I often climb aboard two wheel transportation but only those two wheelers with throbbing engines. I have a thing about throbbing engines!
If I go from here to Ramsgate on a motorrcycle Im exhausted..and always need to sit down for a brown stout! And thats without me doing all that pedalling malarkey!
Good Luck!
#5
Yes Paul but Linda's cheating - she's practising!! every weekend and some days she's out. This weekend its Crawley , so V and I are bike orphans and will be around Dover without her this weekend. Her family are very keen on this area so they often come down and cycle with her along the coast from St margarets to Ramsgate. The day before the 20th is my sponsored ride for children at Fowlmead when we have 8 schools cycling for Africa - that's my excuse for not joining her as 10 circuits chased by 6-10 year olds is enough for me! - I've already booked St johns ambulance to sit beside the track!
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
#6
Yes, indeed, I have some monies for you Linda from the team here at Doverforum, I will see you soon for a good girlie night out
Meanwhile, keep going gal
David, you can try but you'll never catch up with her
See you soon with donations of oxygen mask, foot rubs, cushion plasters and lots and lots of energy drinks
oh! and some monies
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#7
Good Luck Linda - and a great cause too.
I'll sponsor you £10.00 (not per mile of course).
Keep up the practicing - hope your bottom isn't too sore.
Roger
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#8
Good luck, Linda. The notorious hill about half distance (Turners Hill) is a real killer, and very few make it to the crest of the hill without dismounting. Right at the very crest of the hill at the crossroads is a pub (which I used to live next to) and every year the pub takes an absolute fortune as riders reach the summit and have to stop for sustinence - in various strengths!
I shall pop round at some stage with some money for you in sponsorship, and if you make it up Turners Hill without dismounting I'll add another fiver.
Best of luck again.
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 689- Registered: 10 Sep 2009
- Posts: 102
#9
Yesterday I cycled up Ditchling Beacon which is the big hill that everyone mentions when you talk about the London to Brighton cycle ride - a very steep road just before Brighton - had to stop about four times to get my breath back but did much better than I thought I would. The road was very busy with a vintage car rally and lots of cyclists - some of whom went up and down twice in the time it took me to go up once! Very fit they must be. Anyway glad I now know what I am letting myself in for and only two weeks to go.
Thank you Paul, Collete, Roger and Andy for the sponsorship. I know Turners Hill well and yes that is another hill I'm not looking forward to.
Looks like I missed a good weekend in Dover, David was busy at the Ark on Saturday afternoon and at the seafront on Sunday and Victoria took part in a dance show put on by CJs at the Ark on Saturday evening.
#10
Blimey Linda, is David expecting heavy rain sometime soon?
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#11
Well done Linda you have gone about it in the right way again I wish you well and hope next year that I might join you if you do it again.
Vic matcham
Guest 689- Registered: 10 Sep 2009
- Posts: 102
#12
Thanks Vic - certainly planning to do it again next year, maybe London - Paris!
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#13
"AH" Paris my wife and I love Paris I have kiss her under the kissing bridge more than once.Must go back there soon.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#14
good stuff linda, if i was only two weeks younger i would be doing the same.
#15
Long way to cycle on a penny farthing though Howard.
Guest 689- Registered: 10 Sep 2009
- Posts: 102
#16
Thanks Fabric Fairy for the sponsorship - last weekend of training coming up. Hope the rain stays away.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#17
Sid it has been done on a penny farthing,I was doing it one year and came across it and the man on it and we got talking ,he told me this was his last year at doing it because he has done it for 14years and always on the penny farthing but always had to walk up the very long and big hill at the end and the same goes for me I have always walked up it.I was hoping to have ago again next year but now looks like I am going to have my new knee done again, I did not rest it and now it is loose and seems there is not much that can be do for it.
Guest 689- Registered: 10 Sep 2009
- Posts: 102
#18
Well I made it, had an amazing day cycling from London to Brighton and can't wait till next year now - I shall certainly be doing it again. The crowd was brilliant, encouraging, very friendly and a real community spirit, if you had a problem there was always someone willing to stop and help. The ride was very well organised by the British Heart Foundation and marshalled along the route, from city centre to country side and back to a city life in Brighton. Weather was perfect - mainly cloudy but the sun came out to welcome us to the finish line. I can't explain how it felt to complete the 54 miles - such a buzz cycling along Brighton seafront with the crowds cheering us all on. A year ago, in fact 6 months ago, I never would have 1) thought I could have entered such an event and 2) enjoyed taking part in it so much. Thanks again to all those that supported me. Looking forward to cycling with David now along the routes I have discovered during my training.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#19
linda h, i am glad you made the 54 miles in one piece
,but unfortuntly one 54 year old chap collapsed at ditchling hill and passed away.
Guest 689- Registered: 10 Sep 2009
- Posts: 102
#20
Yes that was very sad. We thought something serious had happened as they stopped us for 45 minutes just before Ditchling.