With the depths of winter creeping ever nearer, it feels like a good time to cast our minds back to the past summer season and reflect on what has been another extraordinary year for Bike the UK for MS.
Daniel Burns
Sum up your memories about the trip.
I had a great two weeks away meeting new people who were there for the same reason. It was a great challenge everyone took it onboard and we all got there in the end. I loved it that much I am now signed up for Sea to Sea in August 2020, just need to work on my singing skills now!!
What’s your favourite memory from your trip?
My pedal coming off my bike as I was standing in cow poo. Also, the karaoke at the rest stops – we should have recorded that and sold it!
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What is your age?
33
What made you want to ride your bike across the country?
To see places, meet new people and help raise funds towards MS charities.
Where do you live?
Dumbarton, Scotland
What routes/years did you ride with Bike the UK for MS?
JOGLE 2019
Do you have a connection to Multiple Sclerosis?
Yes, my mum has MS
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Pre-trip
How much training did you do for your trip?
Maybe 50 miles a week on the bike on average but I also run which helped.
What was your cycling experience before signing up?
I just cycled for enjoyment and commuting to work.
Where did you find the most success fundraising?
Word of mouth as I don’t use social media.
Embarking on any big trip can be intimidating. What was your biggest pre-trip worry?
My biggest pre-trip worry was being the only Scottish person if anyone was going to understand me!
How did you travel to and from the trip?
I got the train to Penzance and then a taxi to Land’s End, then I got a lift by car back from John O’Groats.
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Gear
What’s one thing you brought that you couldn’t have lived without?
Money for a beer at the end of the day.
What’s one thing you brought that you wish you hadn’t?
A gas stove as it took up so much space and I only used it once.
Is there anything you spent a bit more money on that you were glad you did?
My shorts as they made the journey more comfortable.
How much casual clothes (t-shirts, shorts, etc) did you bring?
Jeans, tracksuit bottoms, hoody, jacket and 2 T-shirts.
How many pairs of cycling shorts/bibs did you bring?
4
What type of camping gear did you bring?
Tent, roll matt, stove, pots and pans.
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Food
What was your favourite van snack?
Ote caramel flapjack
How often would you go out to eat?
Most nights apart from 1 or 2.
What did you put in your day cubby (in the rest stop van)?
Peanut butter, bananas, Pringles, cereal bars/flapjacks
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On-the-bike
Did you prefer to ride alone or in a group?
Group.
What would you keep in your bike jersey pockets?
Banana and sun cream.
Did you use a rack/saddle bag/handlebar bag?
No
What type of tyres did you ride?
Standard road tyres.
Did you use a bike computer? What was your normal pace?
No, just Strava and Garmin watch; 13/14 mph.
How long did it take to learn to read the maps?
I’m still learning.
Riding on a flat terrain with a headwind, or climbing a mountain pass for miles. Which do you prefer?
Definitely a mountain pass for miles!
Would you rather be riding through cold rain or extreme heat?
Extreme heat.
What was the most physically challenging segment for you?
The start of the day from Carlisle to Carluke.
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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 the nearest pub.
How often would you do laundry?
Every couple of days but only got a proper laundrette once.
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?
Just go for a wonder about to see what’s happening, sort my stuff for the next day and go for a pint.
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?
Go out and see the town.
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Reflecting
Do you keep in touch with many of your teammates?
Yes now and again.
What was your favourite MS group meet up?
Would have to be biased and say the Dumbarton group.
Do you feel like you are more aware of the impact that MS has on the lives of those affected by it?
100%
What was your biggest takeaway from the trip?
Live life to the max, you never know what’s round the corner, also when you think you’re having a tough day just think about the people we raised the money for – they’re having it 10 times as hard.
Â
Joanna Goodhead
Sum up your memories about the trip.
I have had so many great memories from the both when I did the trip and when I route led it a year after, from laughs about each other’s blunders to seeing some of the best scenery in the UK.
Bike the UK for MS offers riders such an amazing experience which I will never forget and a taste of how to explore places – I have ridden so much more since the trip to places that I never thought I would. Its link with Bike the US for MS means that once you’ve done this trip you are more likely to go and do one of the America trips and continue to meet new people, make new friends and learn more about MS.
The adventure of a lifetime!!
What’s your favourite memory from your trip?
Honestly too many – I had so many laughs and memories to hold from it.
But– riding up Glencoe in Scotland as a group of 4 and seeing the view at the top. Or riding along Loch Ness in beautiful blue skies.
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What is your age?
20 (I was 19 when I did the trip).
What made you want to ride your bike across the country? Â
I love riding my bike and exploring new places I’d never been. This trip was a perfect way to see the country and make awesome new friends for life along the way!
Where do you live?
Derby
What is your profession?
Student at University of Bath
What routes/years did you ride with Bike the UK for MS? Â
2017 – JOGLE
2018 – JOGLE Route Leader
2021 – Sea to Sea
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 continued with my normal cycling and triathlon training and that was enough. Towards the end of May and June, I did up the distance and time on my rides to get use to being in the saddle for a long time (from around 40k to 80k).Â
Also practiced eating whilst riding and seeing what was easiest to get out of pockets and sat well in the stomach – Bananas and Nature valley granola bars were my pick!
What was your cycling experience before signing up?
I was a regular triathlete and cyclist who trained around 12 hours a week for triathlon. Around 6 hours of that that was cycling.
Where did you find the most success fundraising?
Back home – I live near my old school so went and pitched it there, did a cake sale, raffle for the kids and the teachers were very generous – most people can’t imagine spending one day in the saddle let along 14 so what you are doing is very admirable!
Tournaments – are very good too, you can include, pictures in the run up, live “broadcast” on Facebook during and there’s always some sort of follow up post too so plenty of opportunity to advertise!
What was your biggest challenge while fundraising, or something that didn’t work as well as you thought it might?
I didn’t realise how much £1000 was, so I had to do 3 big fundraisers along with individual sponsorship rather than 1 which I thought I might have to have done.
Embarking on any big trip can be intimidating. What was your biggest pre-trip worry?
I am quite a quiet and shy person when I am around people I do not know very well, so my big worry was not getting on with anyone or liking me and having to do the whole trip by myself and be alone each night. However this was not the case and James and the other route leaders were super friendly and I soon got to know the other riders (who I am still friends with now a year and a half on).
How did you travel to and from the trip?
Travelled up to Scotland by car with my parents, who had a weeks holiday up there afterwards.
When I route led the following year, I got the sleeper train from London Eustan to Edingbrough which was good.
We have a house in Cornwall so getting the train from Penzance to my house was dead easy. There are taxi’s that take you from Lands end to Penzance and you can usually group together with others on the trip to make it cheaper. Most will get a train from Penzance.
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Gear
Did you buy a bike for the trip, or was it a bike you already had?
I already had a bike.
What is something you wish you had brought which you didn’t?
Fingerless gloves – to stop blisters occurring.
What’s one thing you brought that you couldn’t have lived without?
Bike computer (or a simple GPS speed and distance tracker) so you could keep an eye on the distance you’d done and when the main turns were on the map.Â
Cooker/Stove – as a student I was on a tighter budget so cooking in rather than eating out was much more handy.
What’s one thing you brought that you wish you hadn’t?
Too many home clothes – a pair of jeans/easy clothes when you finish each day is fine, you stop caring about what you wear after a while and just want the easiest things to slip into!
Is there anything you spent a bit more money on that you were glad you did?
Most money was spent on food, I didn’t buy much else through the whole trip.
How much casual clothes (t-shirts, shorts, etc) did you bring?
Too many – I think a pair jeans and leggings, sports leggings, sport shorts and trackies, around 4 tops (which was fine), light fleece, 2 running tops (I ran on the trip some evenings), 2 hoodies (but only wore the Bike the UK for MS one), running trainers, normal shoes, flipflops.
How many pairs of cycling shorts/bibs did you bring?
3 – would have taken more and less off the bike clothing if I did it again.
What type of camping gear did you bring?Â
Good waterproof tent, warm 4 season sleeping bag, sleeping mat, camping stove, gas, pot to put on the stove, camping mug, spork.
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Food
What was your favourite van snack?
Wraps and marmite!
How often would you go out to eat?
Twice (or maybe 3 times).
Would you cook at camp often? If so, what was your favourite recipe?
Yes – rice and a shop bought source and chicken or deli beef.
What did you put in your day cubby (in the rest stop van)?
Snacks and most of my meal food was there too, fleece.
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On-the-bike
Did you prefer to ride alone or in a group?
Group
What would you keep in your bike jersey pockets?
One snack bar or banana, light waterproof jacket, map phone and a bit of money.
Did you use a rack/saddle bag/handlebar bag?
Yes – saddle bag.
What type of tyres did you ride?
Standard road tyres.
Did you use a bike computer? What was your normal pace?
Yes, average around 22/23km per hour.
How long did it take to learn to read the maps?
Around 3 days – when you think about it, they are dead easy provided you have it orientated right!
Riding on a flat terrain with a headwind, or climbing a mountain pass for miles. Which do you prefer?
Climbing a mountain pass for miles any day!
Would you rather be riding through cold rain or extreme heat?
Extreme heat.
What was the most physically challenging segment for you?
Tavistock to Liskeard in Cornwall having already climbed over Dartmoor earlier in the day.
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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….
Got off the bike and sat down.
How often would you do laundry?
Every 2 nights – whenever it wasn’t too expensive. But also bulked washed with other riders to make cheaper and share the costs.Â
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?
See what the other riders are doing, go to a nearby pub and chat, play cards, read a book in your tent if it’s later in the evening, explore the villages with riders.
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?
Go out and see the town was a form of relaxation – I knew Bath so knew it has a lot to offer so just enjoyed being there. My parents also came down to see me and we went out for a meal.
Did you keep a journal or blog during the trip?
Yes but only basic – on the notes app on my phone to remind me of the day so I could make a full write up and scrapbook post trip.
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Reflecting
Do you keep in touch with many of your teammates?
Yes!!
What was your favourite MS group meet up?
The one near Inverness.
Do you feel like you are more aware of the impact that MS has on the lives of those affected by it?
Yes – I honestly had no awareness before the trip, I now know the different impacts and met some amazing people through it.
What was your biggest takeaway from the trip?
Confidence boost – I am much more confident in groups I do not know now which has helped my hugely through my time at uni.
Sara Dobbs
Sum up your memories about the trip.
It’s tough to limit my memories to just a few sentences, but the JOGLE 2018 trip exceeded my expectations at every turn. The route was beautiful: challenging at times but incredibly scenic, and I was pleasantly surprised by the road conditions. Bike the UK for MS is a well-organised group, and we had the right balance of hard work/accomplishing our goals and fun! We had a rider on our team that has MS, and her tenacity and spirit was an excellent example for all of us. I hope to do another Bike the UK for MS ride (LEJOG?) sometime in the future.
What’s your favourite memory from your trip?
Cycling with our friends Jim & Jenni around Loch Ness and Ian in the Lake District and Kirkstone Pass.
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What is your age?
56
What made you want to ride your bike across the country?
My husband and I enjoy pedalling for a purpose and having a reason to ride. The route sounded intriguing, and the length of he trip was just right.
Where do you live?
Houston, Texas USA
What is your profession?
Intercultural Consultant at Chevron
What routes/years did you ride with Bike the UK for MS?
2022 – North Coast 500
2018 – JOGLE – Bike the UK for MS
2018 – 1 week Northern Tier – Bike the US for MS
2016 – 10 days Southern Tier – Bike the US for MS
2016 – PAC Coast – Bike the US for MS
Do you have a connection to Multiple Sclerosis?
Friends & Co-Workers
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Pre-trip
How much training did you do for your trip?
The training I did was adequate. It also helped to cross-train (running &swimming).
What was your cycling experience before signing up?
A few multi-week cycling trips and spin classes.
Where did you find the most success fundraising?
Our most successful fundraising came from friends & family members–especially those with a connection to MS– and Corporate Matching Funds.
What was your biggest challenge while fundraising, or something that didn’t work as well as you thought it might?
The delay in receiving Matching Funds was a source of frustration and our biggest challenge.
Embarking on any big trip can be intimidating. What was your biggest pre-trip worry?
My biggest pre-trip worry was that there might be a delay in our bike arriving or damage to it (flight from US to UK).
How did you travel to and from the trip?
We flew. I visited friends in the UK ahead of time, then took a train to Inverness, and Private Transport to the start at John O’Groats.
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Gear
Did you buy a bike for the trip, or was it a bike you already had?
We used the tandem bike we already had.
What is something you wish you had brought which you didn’t?
A better phone for communication. I used a cheap track phone that received texts and could be used for emergencies, but I wish I had brought a smart phone or paid more on my phone plan for international calls and data.
What’s one thing you brought that you couldn’t have lived without?
It was great to have a Garmin for navigation, but also a comfortable, inflatable mattress.
What’s one thing you brought that you wish you hadn’t?
A cooking kit. Most of what we needed (pots, pans, utensils) was available at the churches and community centers where we staying at.
Is there anything you spent a bit more money on that you were glad you did?
A Garmin and good rain gear.
How much casual clothes (t-shirts, shorts, etc) did you bring?
I packed fairly light and pretty much stuck to the suggested number of items.
How many pairs of cycling shorts/bibs did you bring?
I bought three pairs of cycling shorts and one pair of cycling capris
What type of camping gear did you bring?
We brought a two-person tent, inflatable air mattresses, and light weight sleeping bags.
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Food
What was your favourite van snack?
Crackers and jelly babies.
How often would you go out to eat?
Every third night or so.
Would you cook at camp often? If so, what was your favourite recipe?
We cooked at the churches and community centres where we staying at. Our favourite meal was usually some type of soup/chili with rice.
What did you put in your day cubby (in the rest stop van)?
Snacks, extra clothing (jacket, gloves).
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On-the-bike
Did you prefer to ride alone or in a group?
We usually rode the tandem by ourselves.
What would you keep in your bike jersey pockets?
I kept my phone, map, granola bar, sunglasses and sunscreen in my jersey pockets.
Did you use a rack/saddle bag/handlebar bag?
We had a rear saddle bag, and a map holder/handlebar bag.
What type of tyres did you ride?
Not sure–have used gator skins on other rides.
Did you use a bike computer? What was your normal pace?
Yes, a Garmin. Approximately 18 mph.
How long did it take to learn to read the maps?
Not long – I had used them on a previous MS rides. I used to teach map reading skills.
Riding on a flat terrain with a headwind, or climbing a mountain pass for miles. Which do you prefer?
Mountain pass every time!!
Would you rather be riding through cold rain or extreme heat?
Probably the cold rain.
What was the most physically challenging segment for you?
For me, Dartmoor was the most physically challenging because of the rain & cool temperatures.
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Routine
Were you an early riser, or rolling out of camp late?
A fairly early riser.
When you got to camp, the first thing you did was….
First thing was to read the white board! Next was to find a shower.
How often would you do laundry?
Approximately every 3-4 days.
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?
Checking e-mails and social media.
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?
A little of both.
Did you keep a journal or blog during the trip?
Not on this trip.
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Reflecting
Do you keep in touch with many of your teammates?
Yes, through social media.
What was your favourite MS group meet up?
It’s difficult to choose as they were all memorable, but I would say the MS Group in Bath and riding together on the adapted bikes.
Do you feel like you are more aware of the impact that MS has on the lives of those affected by it?
I am definitely more aware of the impact of MS since participating in the Bike the UK for MS.
What was your biggest takeaway from the trip?
My biggest take away from the trip was the enjoyment of meeting up with MS Society Groups along the way. I was truly inspired by those facing the challenges of MS and the way individuals who helped with their care. It was the most connected to the designated charity that I have ever felt on a bike ride.