12 Years since Dad set off cycle the coast of Britain

Well good old Facebook reminded me today that it is 12 years since Dad set off from Keele to ride over to Liverpool for the start of his cycle ride round the coast of Britain ! Where has that time gone !

The route !

 

The Start

and he was off !

Unfortunately Dad doesn't ride his bike no more ... but the bike is waiting for me to take up the saddle and follow in his wheels !

Well hasn't 2020 been a strange year so far !

Dad is keeping well ... no longer riding the bike but still out most days for a walk. They closed the car parks on two of his favourite walks at the start of lockdown so he walked along the canal instead - it's nice and flat !

Just recently the car parks have re-opened so he is back to his usual walk keeping a social distance from others !

Been lovely to see people out and about walking and cycling in their local areas. I've walked around my local streets and followed the routes that I used to take walking to school. It used to feel such a long way when you were a kid !

Hope everyone is keeping well and safe. Stick to the guidelines the best you can and then hopefully we will be through this strange time more safely and with a bit of luck more quickly.

It's 8 years since Dad set off on his ride round the coast of Britain

How time flies ... it's been 8 years since Dad set off on his ride around the coast of Britain at the grand age of 74. Unfortunately Dad doesn't ride anymore, not since his heart op but he got the best part of 80 years of riding in before he hung up the bike (or whatever it is you do with a bike!).  The bike is now waiting for me to take up riding ... that saddle will need to be lowered so my feet reach the floor for a start!

We made lots of news friends with the blog and fellow coast of Britain riders. Dad even inspired a few to ride the coast when they heard of his trip.  Many of them are still riding and off on new adventures on their bikes.

I learnt about lots of places around the coast of Britain whilst writing the blog ... even now my ears will prick up when I hear a place name of somewhere I know Dad rode through, so what I didn't learn in Geography at school I learnt from my Dad's travels :)

Coast of Britain - 7 years

It's 7 years today since Dad finished his cycle around the coast of Britain ... and to quote Dad "I wished I could do it again". Alas his fitness is not what it used to be and he's not been on the bike for awhile. However he did read his blog about the trip again and there was a lot he'd forgotten !

Here are a few photos of the finish after 4,500 miles of cycling !

Heading in for the finish line

Victory salute !

The finish line

Well deserved pint with the bike

I think he deserved it !

The Bike !

The route .... we kept tabs on where he'd been !

It's been 7 years ...

Well the 1st June 2009 is the day Dad started his cycle round the coast of Britain and put an extra 4,500 miles on the pedals. I can't actually believe it was 7 years ago ! 

There have been quite a few "round the coast" cyclers since! I remember when we were researching the ride we couldn't find much information on other cyclists who had done the same. However during Dad's ride Mike Carter (a journalist writing an article for The Guardian) was cycling in the opposite direction to Dad. They meet up twice ... once at John o'Grouts (article here) and again in St Davids.


The following are a few links on Dad's trip.

Here is a link to Dad's blog for his ride around the coast for anyone thinking of doing the same The Start

Here is a YouTube video of Dad talking about his trip

An article in the local newspaper  

The Bike

Well they've given out gale warnings and yellow "be aware" warnings and the weather folk have been gearing up to it for a few days .... so today is the day Dad decides to get his bike out for the first time since his op and tootles off to get his paper. His words were "I didn't realise it was so windy until I started pedalling !" 

  
Yeah Dad not the best of days to pick for your post-op maiden bike ride !

A round up of 2013

I haven't been keeping up with the blog ... in fact my Dad has even started nagging me about it, I know, Dad nagging me!  So thought I'd give you a round up of 2013.

23rd February - 23rd March. Dad had a month in Vietnam. I did blog about that and the trip started here.

He then had a coach holiday to Scotland with the LDWA in April. Again I managed to blog about that here.
Towards the end of April he had a week camping at Ashburton in Devon at the check point for the LDWA 100 mile walk. This was followed by a week camping on Dartmoor.

In late August/September he had a couple of weeks away with the Hanliensian Ramblers. First week they stayed at Al Pigher near Selva in the Dolomites. The second week they stayed at Ischg in Austria in the Jagerhof hotel. They did some walking, sightseeing and a bit of cycling.

Late September Dad had another trip with the LDWA camping in St Davids, South Wales.  October he headed up to the Newlands Valley in the Lake District for a week .... luxury this time as they rented a cottage!

During September Dad has, in his words, "gone off the pace" both on the bike and walking up the hills. It turns out he has had some issues with his heart, or as Dad puts it he's "got a dicky ticker" !  He's had many tests at the Drs and at the hospital. He's been wired up, they've x-rayed, photographed, scanned and monitored. He's back seeing the specialist at the end of the month when hopefully they'll come up with some solutions but until then his waistline is expanding, he's getting restless and he's even thinking of walking with me at my pace !!

So for the start of 2014 not much planned yet. Hopefully that'll change over the next few months.

 

A quick pit-stop

Dad came home last night. Had a good journey back but it was just a quick pit-stop and he was off again today just after lunch. This time he's heading for the Lake District for a few days and then back up to Oban. He's hoping to catch up with Jacob who is currently cycling Land's End to John O'Groats and raising funds for the air ambulance. Here is Jacob's just giving page.  This time Dad has packed his bike and he's hoping to maybe cycle a few miles with Jacob tomorrow.

Dad will head up to Oban probably Tuesday/Wednesday.

Dougie Mac Bike Ride 2013

Dad is taking part again this year - well he has to, he's managed to get his photo on the entry form again !  Here is the entry form 

Anyone fancy having a go, details are below.  Dad will be doing the 50 mile and I'll probably be hanging around Wrinehill with my camera.

Event:	Ruby Bike Ride
When:	Sunday 19th May 2013
Where:	Michelin Athletic Club

Challenge yourself - if you have joined us before why not try a different route!
Whether you are a beginner or seasoned rider there is a route to suit all abilities from 10 -110 miles! Riding through Stoke-on-Trent, Cheshire and Wales.

• Llangollen - 110 miles
• Nantwich - 50 miles
• Local - 10 miles

In our 40th anniversary year every entrant will receive a commemorative medal and t-shirt!

and some more photos from Vietnam

These are some photos that Steve from the group shared ...

A well earned break

The group

A pit stop

Trying to hitch a ride

That's quite a load.

One of the posh hotels !

Rain coming in

Rain arrived

Some photos from Vietnam

Thanks to James who was on the trip with Dad for these photos ...

So Dad did have a wash while he was there !

Doubt Dad did any washing though !

Soon to be available in the UK !

Dad making hard work of it.

Very surprised Dad didn't stop for a trim.

Deep in thought.

Out on the road

Dad and James

Looks like they wanted get their photos taken

So cute !

He's back !

Got a text, a missed phone call on my mobile, a voicemail on my mobile and a call on my landline .... yes Dad got back early this morning!

He managed swap his National Express ticket for £5.00 for a coach today - and they wanted to charge me £51.00 to do the same thing !

I arrange to meet him in Hanley. I got there with 10 minutes to spare and parked up. I could see the coaches arriving. I was messing around on my mobile and noticed a National Express coach pull up with "Birmingham" on the side. I watched as a few people get off but no Dad. I waited a few more minutes in the car and still no Dad. So I went over to the coach and got on, thinking Dad may have nodded off on the coach. I said to the driver that I was expecting my Dad to be on the coach and I had a quick look around - the folks in the front seats are giving me funny looks. Then the coach driver tells me it's the coach from Manchester going to Birmingham. Wrong coach so I make a speedy exist off! No sooner as I'd got back to the car then Dad's coach turns up.

36 hours of travelling and he's home to be greeted by freezing temperaturs and several inches of snow!  He's had a great time. Got a bit of a tan and in need of a hair cut/beard trim. A brew and a good nights sleep and he'll fill me in with all the stories. 

We've had around 1,700 hits on the blog while he's been away from all over the world including Vietnam, USA, Germany, Russia, Sinapore to name just a few. Hope it's inspired a few to get on their bikes and head off somewhere. You're never too old to ride your bike.

Day 28 - Homeward bound

Dad should be arriving at Heathrow at 5.25 am tomorrow morning. Was trying to work out if his flight had departed Kuala Lumpur yet but I can't tell from the flight information I can find online and Heathrow isn't showing arrival information for tomorrow yet. However I think it probably has.

No doubt he'll have lots of interesting stories to tell when he gets home. How quickly has that month gone!  Will update when he's back.

Day 27 - last day in Hanoi

Dad caught the overnight sleeper bus back to Hanoi. He'd ask for a bottom bunk but they'd tried to put him on the top, but he dug his heels in and got a bottom bunk. The bus had two toilet stops. Dad said he slept well and was back in Hanoi by 6.00 am - so a 12 hour journey. It cost £18.00.  He wasn't able to get a taxi so had to take a scooter taxi with his luggage! Dad sad it was a scary ride and he was glad it wasn't rush hour! Scooter bloke wanted £18 off Dad for the 1/2 hour scooter ride - Dad said he gave him £6.00 ! Got to the hotel at 10.00 am.

Today he has been to see Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre which was really good.

Today is his last day in Vietnam.  Exodus are sending a car for Dad to take him to the airport.

I've tried swapping his coach ticket (he'd booked Saturday instead of Sunday) but National Express wanted £51.00 to change - it only cost £37.00 to buy a single ticket. A bit of a Rip-off if you ask me! Shame on you National Express.

Day 26 - heading back to Hanoi

Dad text me this morning to say "yes he gets back on Sunday". What's he like ! At least he's not got to worry about going back to work on Monday though. There'll be an empty seat on the National Express on Saturday unless he texts me back with his ticket number so that I can swap it.

He went out for a set menu evening meal last night. Five courses and they all came at the same time! The meal and beer was only £3.00. You'd just about get a pint of beer here for £3.00.

He's had no luck hiring a bike, plenty of scooters but no bikes. Don't think he's done much cycling this last couple of weeks.

Today he's been for a walk around Sa Pa and found the plumbers merchants. I bet he went in for a look around. He'll be coming home with a tub of Boss White and half a dozen washers.  He's also been for a walk around a lake. He's started heading back now and caught the local bus from Sa Pa to Loa Cai. Apparently he got a seat with the driver so had great views! The local mountain people work very hard on the hillsides which are terraced for growing food. There are footpaths that go way up into the mountains.

He'll catch the overnight bus back to Hanoi. Hope he's got decent seat where he can sleep. Hopefully it won't take 19 hours get back!

Day 25 - back in Sa Pa

Dad's few days in the villages/homestay came to an end today and his plan was to have an overnight stay in Sa Pa and then catch the train back to Hanoi.

This morning his breakfast comprised of six pancakes but Dad only managed eat two so he offered the others to a young lad, aged about 10 who was carrying a big basket of wood. The lad ate the lot ! Dad then got a scooter taxi but his helmet was too big. Every bump they went over the helmet would slide down over his eyes! If that was me I'd be too scared to let go to push the helmet back up !

Dad visited the Cat Cat village . There was dancing and music show which Dad enjoyed.  Hope Dad didn't partake in this local custom !

Tourists to Cat Cat are most attracted by its unique customs, including the custom of "pulling wife". A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there in three days. During these days, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.
 
He was back at the hotel in Sa Pa by lunchtime. Still non the wiser what the hotel is called as when Dad gave me the name last time and I looked it up, the only thing I found was Vietnamese coffee!

Dad has had a change of plan and may catch the sleeper bus from Sa Pa. If he catches the train he first has to get a bus from Sa Pa to Loi Cai and then catch a train, plus he'll have the hassle of then trying to get his bed on the train.  I was starting to panic thinking he needed to get back to Ho Chi Minh City but his return flight is from Hanoi, so he may as well stay in and around Sa Pa rather than going back into the city.  Mind you I'm a bit confused as to when he's actually coming home. His itinerary shows he leaves KL on 23 March at 23.55 and arrives Heathrow at 05.25 +1 (where +1 denotes next day). The note he's left about what time his coach arrives back in town says back 23 March at 2.30. I'm useless when it comes to working out times but something doesn't add up here !

Dad's plan for tomorrow is to hire a bike as he's met a biker who has hired one in Sa Pa.

I also received a postcard off Dad today - it's still nice to get a good old fashioned postcard.

Day 22 - Sa Pa

Received a couple of texts of Dad. He had a good meal last night in Sa Pa with the group of Vietnamese people. One of the group spoke a little English. No doubt there was a lot of talk very slowly and arms flapping from Dad ! After the meal he went for a walk about town. He said there where "thousands of folk" walking the streets on Saturday night looking for their "match" ... what's up with these folk have they not heard of Internet dating sites !!! Sa Pa is obviously pretty busy at weekends and from what I can tell from his text his hotel was a bit on the noisy side! This morning he's been out for breakfast - pancakes, honey, coffee and a bowl of fruit all for £5.00 which for the Vietnamese people is quite expensive. Dad is intending to have a couple of days in and around Sa Pa and will catch the train back to Hanoi.

Received another text later on to say that he booked himself a 3 day, 2 night stay in one of the lower level outlying villages. He's out on Monday and on Wednesday he'll return back to Sa Pa. Today he's been for a big walk in and around Sa Pa and was grateful he'd packed his trainers. Lots of women in very colourful clothing from the mountain villages selling things on the streets.  Doesn't seem to be much cycling going on though!

Apparently Dad's beard is getting a lot of attention as Vietnamese men don't grow them.

Many thanks to James and his brother Burt for getting Dad to Sa Pa and looking after him.

Day 21 - He made it to Sa Pa

Had a couple of texts off Dad. He caught the mini-bus to Sa Pa at 8.00 pm and 19 hours later he arrived! It did stop off a few times for food and a visit to a temple where they burnt paper horses - sounds interesting! I think they must have been on slow roads as Dad did say that at times they were only travelling at 15 mph! Sa pa is just over 200 miles from Hanoi - travelling that distance in the UK would probably take 3 - 4 hours .... unless you are travelling on the M6 and then it is probably 6 !

The last part of the journey from Lao Cai they climbed 1600 metres up to to Sa Pa. He said he'd booked into the Trung Nguyen hotel but when I tried to find this it came back saying "Trung Nguyen" is Vietnamese coffee!   Weather is much cooler. Tonight he was out for a meal with 18 Vietnamese people who he'd travelled with on the mini-bus with. Only one of them speaks a little English. That will be an interesting night out for Dad!  Hope Dad doesn't pick dog off the menu!

On Saturday Sa Pa is a thriving market town where local villagers flock and many wear traditional dress.

Day 20 - and a change of plan

I got into work this morning and opened up my email to find an email and a photo of my Dad from James.  James had meet Dad yesterday.

Dad and James (sitting to his right)

Not long later I received a text from Dad that said he'd had a big change of plan. He'd caught the local bus to Do Son which was around 45 kms and cost £2.00.  While out for breakfast he'd met James and his friend. They are from Singapore and are working in Vietnam in the oil industry. Dad went back to their offices and watched an oil container being opened.

Dad spent the day in Do Son and he met some students practicing their poetry (if you are reading the blog ... keep practicing that poetry!). He also tried to hire a bike but they'd only got a tandem and as we all know a tandem is built for two ! As Dad says it worked out for the best as he'd not have met James if he'd gone out on a bike!

He then had a family meal with James who told him about Sa Po which is on the border with China. Just been reading up on it and it does sound very much like a place my Dad would visit.

The Hoang Lien Son range of mountains dominates the district, which is at the eastern extremity of the Himalayas. This range includes Vietnam's highest mountain, Fan Si Pan, at a height of 3143 m above sea level. The town of Sa Pa lies at an altitude of about 1650 m. 

Looks like the climate is a bit cooler as well which Dad will like.

Dad has cancelled his bed in Do Son for tonight and will take the overnight coach (with friends of James) to Sa Pa which is around 250 miles. He's also had a few attempts to get money from the ATM and has actually managed to get some this time without any blood loss by the sound of it!

Chilling in Halong Bay

I received this photo from Naomi who had been on the Exodus trip with Dad.

Great photo of Dad "chilling" on the boat around the Halong Bay.

Looks like he's also sipping a cocktail ! ? What a life.