"Uncle Rickys hardcore 1000 miles" charity ride 16th January 2016.
It all started when l got a message from Tom Moore, asking me if l would be interested in doing a charity ride later on in the year from John O Groats to Lands end with him and some other nutters, which l said l would be interested.
The seed had been planted !. That Friday l started planning for a ride of 1000 miles within 24 hours, after reading up on the Internet of the rules for the lron butt ride, within a couple of days l had a route planned and set a date of Wednesday 20th January. I then said that l might aswell see if l can raise some money for charity while l do it. Why January, because once l have got an idea to do something l just need to get on and do it.
I kept an eye on the long range weather forecast every day, and it looked like Saturday the 16th would be a good time to go so l brought my plans forward. The Friday evening when l checked the weather forecast everything had changed and it was going to be the coldest weekend with heavy snow forecast for Scotland and the north of England, now that should have put me off but it didn't, l just planned to ride as far north as l could go and if l needed to turn around and ride until l done 1000 miles.
I knew it was going to snow heavy but l thought if l can passed Carlisle before it starts then l would have cracked it.
I started the ride from Brumers motorbike shop at Chelston Wellington at 08.20, with Paul Broom and Lynn Stowell along with Meggie our dog seeing me off. The ride up to Maidenhead M5, M4 and Oxford M40 to my 1st stop for fuel was clear with no hold ups if a little cold at -2, but you just think of warmer times and places, the heated body warmer l bought a few days before helped loads. From there l rode up to the M42 up to the M1 and planned to refuel at Tibshelf services, but because of road works on the M42 and M1 and a reduced speed my mpg had increased so l pushed on to the Services on the A1 near Pontefract, were l had my first food break of a hot dog. Nice easy run up to Newcastle again long term road works along the way. Refuelled in Newcastle along with a mars bar. Everything was going to plan and my time keeping was good.
As l approached Edinburgh it started to get dark and 10 miles south of Edinburgh it started to snow heavy Oops, which made riding through Edinburgh and Glasgow interesting. I stopped in Glasgow for another fuel stop were the cashier gave me a free costa Coffee when l told her what l was doing.
The ride down the M74 and M6 was very interesting to say the least has the snow was now starting to cover the motorway, the ride over Shap was was the most interesting when l hit a patch of snow around 60mph and the bike done an impersonation of a snake swimming.
Filled up at services near Lancaster, down to Strensham services near Cheltenham had another mars bar and my 3rd pee, not far to go now. Just had to put a loop in to make l went over the 1000 miles, so went over the old Severn bridge to Chepstow then over the new Severn bridge. Down the M5 to Wellington to fill up at the shell garage were l started 18 hours earlier, finished the ride at 02.20. I like to thank Lynn Stowell for her support and packing me up with mars bars, snickers, jelly babies sweets and a flask of tomato soup in case of emergency. I had my tomato soup when l got home .
Also thank you Lynn for letting me cuddle into you to warm myself up.
Would l do it again......... yes !
The red dot is my start and finish point
![Screenshot_2016-01-17-15-34-49-1.png](/data/attachments/0/57-686706cc7e750e1132af26a2e513e7fa.jpg)
It all started when l got a message from Tom Moore, asking me if l would be interested in doing a charity ride later on in the year from John O Groats to Lands end with him and some other nutters, which l said l would be interested.
The seed had been planted !. That Friday l started planning for a ride of 1000 miles within 24 hours, after reading up on the Internet of the rules for the lron butt ride, within a couple of days l had a route planned and set a date of Wednesday 20th January. I then said that l might aswell see if l can raise some money for charity while l do it. Why January, because once l have got an idea to do something l just need to get on and do it.
I kept an eye on the long range weather forecast every day, and it looked like Saturday the 16th would be a good time to go so l brought my plans forward. The Friday evening when l checked the weather forecast everything had changed and it was going to be the coldest weekend with heavy snow forecast for Scotland and the north of England, now that should have put me off but it didn't, l just planned to ride as far north as l could go and if l needed to turn around and ride until l done 1000 miles.
I knew it was going to snow heavy but l thought if l can passed Carlisle before it starts then l would have cracked it.
I started the ride from Brumers motorbike shop at Chelston Wellington at 08.20, with Paul Broom and Lynn Stowell along with Meggie our dog seeing me off. The ride up to Maidenhead M5, M4 and Oxford M40 to my 1st stop for fuel was clear with no hold ups if a little cold at -2, but you just think of warmer times and places, the heated body warmer l bought a few days before helped loads. From there l rode up to the M42 up to the M1 and planned to refuel at Tibshelf services, but because of road works on the M42 and M1 and a reduced speed my mpg had increased so l pushed on to the Services on the A1 near Pontefract, were l had my first food break of a hot dog. Nice easy run up to Newcastle again long term road works along the way. Refuelled in Newcastle along with a mars bar. Everything was going to plan and my time keeping was good.
As l approached Edinburgh it started to get dark and 10 miles south of Edinburgh it started to snow heavy Oops, which made riding through Edinburgh and Glasgow interesting. I stopped in Glasgow for another fuel stop were the cashier gave me a free costa Coffee when l told her what l was doing.
The ride down the M74 and M6 was very interesting to say the least has the snow was now starting to cover the motorway, the ride over Shap was was the most interesting when l hit a patch of snow around 60mph and the bike done an impersonation of a snake swimming.
Filled up at services near Lancaster, down to Strensham services near Cheltenham had another mars bar and my 3rd pee, not far to go now. Just had to put a loop in to make l went over the 1000 miles, so went over the old Severn bridge to Chepstow then over the new Severn bridge. Down the M5 to Wellington to fill up at the shell garage were l started 18 hours earlier, finished the ride at 02.20. I like to thank Lynn Stowell for her support and packing me up with mars bars, snickers, jelly babies sweets and a flask of tomato soup in case of emergency. I had my tomato soup when l got home .
Also thank you Lynn for letting me cuddle into you to warm myself up.
Would l do it again......... yes !
The red dot is my start and finish point
![Screenshot_2016-01-17-15-34-49-1.png](/data/attachments/0/57-686706cc7e750e1132af26a2e513e7fa.jpg)