The 2011 Jogle

As we woke with sore heads and the realisation that we didn’t have to cycle 90 miles today, the feat achieved began to sink in. 17 of us had set off from John O’Groats on a 12 day adventure not knowing whether our bikes, minds or bodies would make it. We heard a statistic en-route that 1 in 4 riders don’t complete the journey. That should have meant that 4 of our group should not have been there at the finish, but it is testament to the strength of the whole group that we all made it.

The route we travelled along allowed us to experience the true beauty of the British mainland. We cycled through all 3 countries, starting in Scotland, then England with a brief sojourn into Wales. If you’ve followed the blog from the start and seen all the pictures, you’ll have realised that one recurring theme has been the beautiful views and vistas we’ve had the pleasure of seeing. The photos and videos posted don’t really capture how fantastic they were, and the only way to do them justice is to go the places we visited and see them for yourself. We were all truly mesmerised at certain points and each of us took pleasure in different ways, from the highlands of Scotland to the flatlands of Somerset and the valleys of Cornwall. Each area was different and each beautiful in it’s own way.

The cycling itself was, although tough at times, a great way to see Britain. There were times when some riders having to get off and push up some of the steeper inclines, but as they were over 1 in 5 or 20% It wasn’t a problem. At other points we cycled as a group and drafted each other in a long thin line, similar to the team time trial in the Tour de France, where one rider takes a turn at the front cutting through he wind before peeling off and letting the next rider in the line take their turn. On other occasions we cycled in smaller groups and sometimes alone, which gave us time to reflect and think.

A big thank you must go to those who planned and organised the trip on our behalf. The main protagonists being Phil J and Graham, who arranged all the accommodation, finances and organised charity nights to help the fundraising effort. Thanks also go to Peter, for arranging the transport and Paul R for the t-shirts and cycling jerseys. A big thank you must also go to the riders themselves, who not only financed the whole trip themselves, meaning every penny raised went to charity, but also canvassed people along the route for extra donations. (We managed to collect over £500 en-route.) All the money raised will be given to the charities at a special evening early next month to which all are invited. (Details will follow on due course.)

We had many ups and downs along the way, and everyone in the group was pushed and pulled out of their comfort zone at point during the journey. There were tears and tantrums, arguments and anger, which may have affected the solidarity of lesser beings, but the jogle 17 were strong enough individually and as a group to make it through.

Overall the experience has left us richer as human beings and it was an experience we’d never forget. At the end of it all we left with a smile on our faces and a feeling of pride in our hearts.

Thanks