Preparations

Training? What?

It seems there are as many theories about training for a multi-day adventure as there are cyclists. So naturally we have adopted three different regimes. 

The club went to Mallorca in late April so that gave us all a baseline, though it should be noted that Steve climbed further and cycled longer than either Andrew or Pete. Steve, at just 58, is already the youngest and fittest of us, so why he put in so much effort just so he could spend more time waiting at the top of hills for the other two is a mystery. Pete chose the default (he claimed sensible) option that enabled more time in the hotel bar each day. You could say he wasn't trying as hard as he should but he claimed to be nursing an injury at the time. Andrew? Well that's a difficult one. Andrew had spent six weeks on one of his big holidays, returning late March. Since then he'd cycled many hundreds of miles in order to catch up. In spite of being a bit on the hill-climber side, i.e. skinny, he'd managed to accidentally lose quite a bit of weight. Inevitably, by the time we went to Mallorca he had succumbed to a bout of food poisoning and didn't have the reserves to fight it off. As luck would have it some of our club are medical professionals. One is Merv. Merv does not specialise in anything to do with dietary disorders but, as the hungriest cyclist in Yorkshire, he does know a thing or two about feeding on long bike rides (he's done LEJOG twice - once on a tandem). He prescribed a course of Sticky Toffee Pudding - every day, for as long as it took for Andrew to regain his weight. Andrew is a great cook and a very healthy eater, so he hated it. But he's also a good patient and did as he was told. There's now nobody who knows more about Sticky Toffee Pudding than Andrew.

Post Mallorca, Andrew continued to push himself almost daily. Pete nudged himself every two days. They both did a 100 miler in early May, the 80 mile Fat Rascals ride a week later, and a big one involving Greenhow Hill (famous among Yorkshire climbs), plus all the usual club runs. Steve however had read a book by some bloke who'd done lots of touring who said 'you can't train for a long tour by riding round in circles'. Steve took this to heart and abandoned most club runs in favour of less frequent big days out in the Yorkshire Dales. Rumour is that he stood for 20 minutes on the top of Buttertubs, Fleet Moss, Park Rash and Grinton in order to mimic what he'll be doing a lot of when the expedition gets under way! He should bring a book to read.

Bikes

Like training regimes, we three chaps have different views when it comes to the ideal bike for this challenge. 

Andrew is using a sleek, modern gravel bike that was bought after he comprehensively trashed his road bike on our Lon Las Cymru trip two years ago. He's had a rack fitted and will be riding with panniers for the first time. On the instructions of his colleagues, Andrew has had the bike serviced. He's had other maintenance mishaps in the past!

Pete has his 26 year old Chas Roberts touring bike. It's rather heavy, but then so is Pete. Its also very comfortable, like Pete. And not very fast, like...you get the picture! There was one last minute hiccup when our LBS couldn't get him a new freehub. So they've built him a new wheel. Harry Rowland has built all his wheels in the past. It's had one good outing to the Dales and seems to perform as it should, but Pete is still nervous - like a girl who's had to visit a different hairdresser on the eve of her wedding. 

Steve is on his tractor. It's the heaviest bike of the lot. It's a bright green Surly frame that he built up with parts from a previous bike. It has frame mounted shifters that are even older than Pete's bike. But it's done the job for him on all our expeditions, and he's young(er) and fit(ter). It's also virtually unstealable as Steve is taller than 99% of bike thieves. 

The theory Steve and Pete are working on is that Andrews bike is the most desirable target. It's like the theory that you only have to be the second slowest when running away from a lion. If there are any lions on the expedition then Pete will get eaten first.

Kit

Like training and bike choice, the three of us have previously had differing views on the amount of clothing we carry on tour. Steve is of the opinion that a fresh set of cycling kit should be brought for each day. Andrew believes the same kit can simply be worn every day and washed at home. Pete sits in the middle and washes kit each evening. Now these are all valid lifestyle choices for a three to five night tour. But this one is 17 days away from home. Pete has kindly bought the others some travel wash. Andrew and Steve's wives think Pete is a keeper!