Le Jog - 24/25/26 June 2005

That's one end to the other in a day

In Aid of the "THE GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE"

Well what a weekend from not wanting to go on the Friday, to wanting to go straight home on the Saturday morning, and by the evening wanting to do it again. What a change in attitude!

I can honestly say on the Thursday this was not my idea of a weekend away. I had just returned from 4000+ miles and had no urge to do nearly half again in a weekend, however Badcock had invited me as a guest of the HOG ( Harley owners group ) and to be honest because I originally said yes, (Okay I was on my 7th pint of stella at the time) and he got me a place, I felt compelled (sort of).

Well I am not sure who to blame Dave Badcock, Stella, Or compelltion but off I went

Friday 7.30am - After a poor nights nervous sleep I had arranged to meet Dave Badcock at his place and he was gone, my first piece of luck starred me in the face. Sadly as I crept back home through the back streets I was only to find him sitting outside my place. I had side stepped him at the petrol stop.

8am Washington services and the big gather, by 10 past it had started 500 miles just to get to the start point, of these 260 of them wet of which 100 was torrential. This was not my idea of fun. However the dry run into Land End and the end of the motorway my spirits were raised. We arrived at 6.30pm not all in  a group some had falling behind with poor bikes and a puncture. By 10pm I was informed that all 17 had arrived.

Poor Nigel stuck on the motorway in the rain with a electrical problem thought he had police assistance when they stopped only to give him a ticket for a wrong size number plate.

 Lands End The night before ready for the start ... the signpost goes home at 6pm when the official photographer goes home

Saturday 3am - Now even I thought Saturday only had two 3 o'clocks the one when when you came in from Friday night and the one when you went to the match. However after all these years I was to be introduced to a 3rd.

Nerves had ensured that sleep was not going to happen and after nodding in and out for a few hours the alarm sounded for the off. The hotel was very kind and had provided breakfast at 2.30am, nerves and the fear of losing Badcock kept me away and my bike was fully loaded GPS on music on me on and ready for the 3am photo call. Its not that I can't find my way to JOG its just in the dark I am scarred. The BMW adventures big failing is the lights, my theory the sandwiched between 14 Harley's with full lights blazing I would be safe. I was to stick to Dave Badcock like a rash.

3am Saturday 24th June 05 only 874 miles to go. I don't know the names without helmets so no chance here.....

To set a GPS with such a destination and see 840 miles ( I know the sign says 874 ) is mind blowing. The first 2 hours in the dark were blessed by fog, poor lights and fog (that's 3 OG's now JOG HOG and FOG I was confused) had ideas running through my head like turn right at Carlisle and head straight home, stop here another night turn left and spend a night in Keswick etc.

However by 11 ish and the miles counting down it started to become a possibility for some reason the mind starts to tell you that when you reach Gretna Green you are in Scotland and almost their. Glasgow was to be the first traffic hold up and from here the average speed would drop as we hit the A9 and single carriageway. It is more fun on these roads but slower and it was to be 6.30pm when we flew past the JOG Seaview Hotel our bed for the night, less than a mile to go.  Completion was in 15hours 29mins including stops, Although it was not a race I was informed by Chris on a BMW RT that he got their first in 13 hours.

I feel sorry for the poor lad on his own from Scunthorpe who arrived with a smile on his face having just completed an end to end in 2 days only for Badcock to inform him he was a wimp compared to our one day, what a let down on the poor lads face..

complete: 6 of us stayed together to complete the challenge in 15Hrs 29Mins .. A job well done
(L-R: David, Nigel, Bill, Greg, Bryan    Front: Dave Badcock) My thanks for the team support...

The GPS miles differ from official (have the roads changed?) The 105 Max speed is from a resent run to Germany "Honest"

Greg happy to see the end... the only rider to have a pillion

The tourists who took our photograph, so we returned the favour

Know how come my attitude had changed so much, somehow I now felt on top of the world and wanted to do it again, what a buzz a wonderful night looking back over the achievement. I was so pleased that I had completed the course and hard to explain, but it was  wonderful and probably one of the best biking days in my life.

The talk started to turn towards next year as the beer kicked in the miles got further and further, ideas like Barcelona and back in weekend, out Saturday home Sunday.

That night content, fed and watered I was off to bed and did it take some getting to sleep I tossed and turned for almost a minute before slipping into a coma.

Sunday 10am - Photo call at the finish for all 17 riders before setting off on the 400 miles home.

17 and a complete photo

We were blessed with a perfect days dry ride and a end to a excellent weekend the pace was lowered as we enjoyed the scenery, the coffee the ice cream etc.

My thanks to HOG for arranging the trip and providing me with one of my better memories. Dave Cook for the eye drops, Dave Badcock for the 1 minute break after 4 hours and every Harley for the lights and everyone else who made this a absolute marvel. That now stands me at 6000 miles in a month, I think I might have a day or two without a run out.

The idea had been raised to collect sponsor money in aid of the "THE GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE" and we think we could be close to £10000 lets hope so. All money is going direct no expenses are being deducted.

Stats from My Machine
Friday 7hrs 52mins riding, (or 10hrs 25Mins in transit) 490 Miles Ave 62 MPH
Saturday 12Hrs 49Mins riding (or 15Hrs 29Mins in transit) 841 Miles Ave 66 MPH
Sunday 6Hrs 50Mins riding (or 9Hrs in transit) 404 Miles Ave 58 MPH

Total 1735 miles on GPS or 1825 on BMW speedometer , 175 litre fuel or about 40 gallon in old style or rather 680 gallon for the team
 

The History behind the story

Photo call - 12th May 2005 (above most of us, below Bill Skipper and Dave Badcock (South Shields pair))

Geordie HOG - Le JOG - June 2005

Who's idea was this then? 1,730 in three days; why?  I suppose because we can or can we?  Chris Malkin first suggested to me that it would be a jolly wheeze if we were to ride Lands End to John O'Groats, would it not  it?  I being an exponent of 'Riding Your Bike' obviously thought so and decided it would be my little project contribution to Geordie Chapter HOG for 2005.  I had relinquished all control of the Chapter in  January 2004 and stepped well aside from all organisational duties to focus on my riding and having fun but it was time to come out of my self imposed sabbatical and organise an event.  Chris had mentioned it a few times but no substansive decisions had been made so that is where I come in.

First decision is When?  Following Peter Reid's advice "you can't please all the people all the time, so you may as well please yourself" adage, I decided the best time for me was 24/25/26th June 2005 (it was a lull in my busy holiday schedule).

The route, well what can you do?

The plan is to leave Washington Services at 08:00(note change in time) on Friday 24th June 2005 and have a group ride to Lands End.  This 400 mile warm up would have a lunch and coffee stops scheduled and if possible we would ride as a group but at least have scheduled stops together offering each other support and assistance when needed.

Day 2 of 840 miles would start with a photo call at 3am and then rider versus the 840 miles; not quite every man for himself but along those lines.  To complete a day in the saddle of this substance a focused single minded attitude of you and machine v's the miles is the way to go.

Day 3 would have a leisurely 10am photo call at the destination then an organised group ride back to Tyneside, of a mere 484 miles.

So would anybody be up for this adventure - Chris and I were committed (in more ways than one!) but would anybody else take the challenge.  I thought the first year it should not be a completely open event, a few experienced riders should check out the logistics prior to offering it as a full Chapter event, so who was daft enough to pick up the challenge?

Badcock Dave
Collis Nigel
Cook Dave
Malkin Chris
McCrindle Mike
Muizelaar Bev
Nicol Graham
Oxberry Bryan
Simnett Paul
Smith Nigel
Ince John
Gray Steven
Holmes Greg
Ingledew Mick
Maullin Pete
Vardy Dave
Skipper Bill