Ettington to Milton Keynes: Stunning villages and a Corinthian Arch

56 miles (Total 98 Miles)

Today started with a trip in car to Halfords courtesy of the wonderful Sarah. It was great to catch up up with her and there were no limits to her hospitality. Duly equipped with new inner tubes and puncture repair kits we returned, breakfasted and were on the road by 10.30 or so.

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Continue reading Ettington to Milton Keynes: Stunning villages and a Corinthian Arch

What is this all about?

Over the next few years (and possibly as much as 10 and hence the title to this blog) we plan to cycle as much of the route to Australia as we can overland.  We will start in our home town of Bewdley in summer of 2014 and hope to do the first 1000km or so over the weeks we have off.

We both have jobs and so cannot ride endlessly for pleasure (or at least not quite yet).  The best we can do is a series of “bunny hops” across the various countries between here and down-under.  We cannot be sure how many times we can escape per year but, in as much as we can, we will try to pick up each time where we left off and continue the route.  However this is for fun, not for charity or masochism.

When we did a trip across the Western United States last year we kept a blog charting our progress and setting out the sideways view of life that one gets from a bicycle seat, and describing a few of our encounters along the way.  We were surprised how many of our friends and colleagues started their day by clicking onto the blog to see what mad scrapes we had got into.  We are therefore going to continue the blog for those who like to experience travel vicariously.

Please do your bit by responding.

2 weeks to go

It is 2 weeks before we start a new ride and (we hope) a new adventure.   Loads to do and we also need to get a bit fitter (to say the least).   However here are some photos of the last training ride – just to prove that the sun can shine in England.

Bernie with her new trailer on its first outing
Bernie with her new trailer on its first outing

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Los Angeles to LAX: The last day on the bikes

David: And so we started our final day on the bikes. We got up and were taken by Pam to a lovely place for breakfast. We chatted about her time in the navy and were taken aback by the conditions in which she he was forced to live (or maybe exist is a better word). It was a pleasure and a privilege to get to know her, just as we had got to know Matt the previous evening. Continue reading Los Angeles to LAX: The last day on the bikes

Palmdale to Lake Terrace, LA. 56 miles.

We started the day with a gentle ‘get up’ as we knew we had a relatively gentle day ahead (oh, how our perspectives have changed). We were on the road by 8.45 and another sunny Californian day in the fall. The route skirted round the city – the combined metropolis of Palmdale and Lancaster having a population of 300K it was by far the biggest place we had cycled but the road was remarkably quiet.

 

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Camp Nelson to Kernville: 56 miles : 4000 feet climbing (but 6600 descending)

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David:This could have been a day like any other, but of course each day is so different that there seems to be an infinite nnumber of “other days” to which this day could be the same.  But we got up, brewed coffee, took down the tent, had porridge and looked around for someone to pay for the campsite.  No takers and so we had no choice but to leave without paying.  If the campsite owner is reading this please contact us and we will mail the required $15  of course!!! Continue reading Camp Nelson to Kernville: 56 miles : 4000 feet climbing (but 6600 descending)

Pinehurst to Montecito Lake, Stony Creek. 19 miles. 4300ft climbing.

We had spent the previous evening cogitating our various options on what to today. Our original plan had been to leave our luggage and cycle down the King’s Canyon and back but 2 major factors mitigated against this – the national park was closed and it was difficult to find out what accommodation/camping was open but more importantly the forecast was for a dramatic change of weather with cold air blowing in a forecast of snow showers. We had decided our best option was to press on – although that did mean climbing over 7500ft before the long descent to Three Rivers. We therefore got up with some trepidation at the climb and the weather and lingering tiredness in our legs.

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