What’s your favourite memory from your trip?
The last mile when Brian told Will to “Bring us in for the queen!”
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What is your age?
58
Where do you live?
Arizona, USA
What is your profession?
Retired veterinarian
What routes/years did you ride with Bike the UK for MS?
LEJOG 2018
Do you have a connection to Multiple Sclerosis?
No
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Pre-trip
How much training did you do for your trip?
I’d been riding a lot in 2018 (200/300/400Ks) so didn’t do any particular training.
What was your cycling experience before signing up?
4 U.S. cross countries & Montana to Alaska, club riding.
Embarking on any big trip can be intimidating. What was your biggest pre-trip worry?
Logistics of transporting everything to the ride start.
How did you travel to and from the trip?
To: Plane from U.S. to Exeter, then train to Penzance, then the company we rented bikes from in Penzance drove us to Lands End. From: Shared taxi from John O’Groats to Wick, then plane from Wick.
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Gear
Did you buy a bike for the trip, or was it a bike you already had?
No. I rented a bike.
What is something you wish you had brought which you didn’t?
Bike bag for top tube to hold jacket & food.
What’s one thing you brought that you couldn’t have lived without?
Arm warmers.
What’s one thing you brought that you wish you hadn’t?
Verizon’s $10/day UK service. It worked so poorly I ended up only using internet when we had wifi.
Is there anything you spent a bit more money on that you were glad you did?
Brought my own Gatorskins from the U.S. to put on my rental bike. No flats!
How much casual clothes (t-shirts, shorts, etc) did you bring?
1 jeans, 1 shorts, 1 scrub pants for cold nites, 2 tank tops, 1 t-shirt, 1 long sleeve zipping sweatshirt. Brought because after LEJOG I spent a month in Spain.
How many pairs of cycling shorts/bibs did you bring?
2 pairs.
What type of camping gear did you bring?
2-man tent/rainfly/ground sheet. Sleeping bag & pad.
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Food
What was your favourite van snack?
Champagne at the end!
How often would you go out to eat?
Every chance I got. Except lunch as the van always met us with our food boxes.
What did you put in your day cubby (in the rest stop van)?
P.B., bagels, fruit, cookies, candy, sunscreen, electrolyte tabs.
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On-the-bike
Did you prefer to ride alone or in a group?
In a group.
What would you keep in your bike jersey pockets?
Lip balm, tiny sunscreen, eye lubricant drops, small wallet with I.D., credit card, cash, i-phone.
Did you use a rack/saddle bag/handlebar bag?
Seat bag and bought a bag for top tube enroute.
What type of tyres did you ride?
25mm Gatorskins.
Did you use a bike computer? What was your normal pace?
Garmin Edge 520. Roughly 15mph.
How long did it take to learn to read the maps?
One day.
Riding on a flat terrain with a headwind, or climbing a mountain pass for miles. Which do you prefer?
Climbing.
Would you rather be riding through cold rain or extreme heat?
Extreme heat.
What was the most physically challenging segment for you?
The day in the Cornish Hills.
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Routine
Were you an early riser, or rolling out of camp late?
Early riser.
When you got to camp, the first thing you did was….
Found a spot with electrical outlet to charge phone & Garmin.
How often would you do laundry?
Hand wash every night. Commercial laundry on rest day only.
It’s the evening and you’re out of your bike clothes, fed, and your tent is pitched. What are you doing to pass the time until you fell asleep?
Find someplace with wifi.
On the rest day, did you prefer to go out and see what the town has to offer, or did you hang out, rest up, and relax?
Out into town.
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Reflecting
What was your favourite MS group meet up?
The groups on the rest day at the Bendrigg Trust.
Do you feel like you are more aware of the impact that MS has on the lives of those affected by it?
Yes
What was your biggest takeaway from the trip?
The UK has hellishly steep hills!