I was again last out, but Gavin and Andy had waited for me. They were not the only thing waiting for me. My bike was adorned with every bit of tat you can imagine: streamers, bells, a pink chicken, even an orange warning bar to stick out from my back wheel. It was a fair cop after the fun I had poked at all and sundry through my blogs over the last two weeks

Unlike yesterday, the first stage of the leg was flat. Andy set a pace and we rattled through the Pevensey Marshes, picking up the others in Bexhill. There Andy and I took a wrong turn, got separated and rode on through Hastings, up over the cliffs and back down towards Rye. It was a nice ride at a good pace. Hastings was much more attractive than I imagined and for me, Rye is the most distinctive of the Cinque Ports. We stopped there for a quick coffee.

By this time further separations had occurred. Chris R, Kate, Penelope and Karen were riding together and followed us in to Rye, the others pressed on to the pre-arranged lunch stop at New Romney. All of us met up again there and kept the staff at Elsie’s busy for quite a while.

We knew there was one final stiff climb ahead and that always strings riders out, so we left New Romney in three groups to complete the final 27 miles or so. The elevation charts promised us a gradient as steep as any we had faced, and it was.

Unlike in John O’Groats and Land’s End, there is no ‘official’ start /finish point in Dover, so we had agreed our finish would be on the promenade in front of the hotel where we were staying. The one way system made it tricky getting there, but Sebastian came out to lead us through it and we were rewarded with a lovely 600 metre stretch along the waterfront, Dover Castle and the White Cliffs behind us and departing ferries beyond the harbour wall. The Support Team had a finishing tape ready and Susan and Kate’s parents were there to welcome us, with champagne and sandwiches at the ready.

So, at 16:01 on September 6^th, our mission was accomplished, with all twelve riders safely over the finishing line. There was obviously exhilaration and celebration, but also a palpable sense of relief. Chris R and Steve even marked the occasion with a swim in the Channel. No one followed!

So after months of planning and preparation, it was all over. Job done.

Our logistics team had estimated the distance from Cape Wrath to Dover at 1,100 miles. After today’s 70 miles our final total was 1,089 miles, accurate to 0.01%, not bad at all. But that is just a cameo of how professionally the whole challenge has been planned and delivered.

This is a really tough challenge to have taken on, tougher than John O’Groats to Land’s End, and not just for the riders. The Support Team have been marvellous, working long days, bearing the responsibility of ensuring bikes are roadworthy each day, keeping track of riders on the road, and helping keep their spirits up.

As for the riders, they put their lives on hold for two weeks and their bodies through the mangle. I have nothing but admiration for their spirit and resilience. On many days, getting to the end was a mind over body triumph, and every rider completed every leg. Without the anaesthetic of getting back in the saddle and pedalling, they can expect a week of aches and pains, twitching legs, and hot flushes.

They can now look forward to getting back to their families and their day jobs, as well as a world with washing machines and tumble dryers.

Thank you to everyone for all your amazing support. Your emails, texts and comments on the blogs have given us constant encouragement and helped keep us going. Thank you also to everyone who has supported us financially, we are closing in on our target of raising £250,000 which is a remarkable achievement. That will make a real difference in helping break down the barriers facing young people in disadvantaged backgrounds who would like to access further and higher education. That really does make it all worthwhile.

On the promenade, Penelope said some very nice words on behalf of the team and they presented me with some mementos: the Support Team’s mascot (Ed the Ted who had made the entire journey on the front bumper of the minibus); the Captain’s armband; a fine cycling mug; and a red bell to go on my red bike.

Thank you. When I’m out cycling, my new red bell will remind me of you all, and the great adventure we shared that was Life Cycle 2.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

Well done to all the team, it’s a fantastic achievement!

We had a comfortable night in a Hall of Residence at the University of Winchester. No breakfast was available, so the Support Team rustled up a Bunkhouse style offering from what was in the van. It worked fine and we were all on the road together by around 0820.

Yes, for the first time since Cape Wrath we set off together.

Our leg rider today was Jack Swannel, who works for IntoUniversity, partners in our Nottingham Potential Centres in Broxtowe and St Anne’s. Jack has cycled John O’Groats to Land’s End himself, and coped well with what turned out to be a more demanding day that we expected.

The first 20 miles from Winchester involved an awful lot of up and down. It was a testing way to start the day and inevitably we broke up, with Andy, Gavin and Neville striking on ahead; a middle pack led by the two Chrises; and a few back markers. I was in the middle pack, which got lost in Havant trying to find the A259; we needed to find that to take us all the way through to Eastbourne.

Up until that point the ride through Meonstoke, Denmead and Hambledon had been demanding, but very attractive on roads and tracks which were largely traffic free. From Havant onwards we were on busy and fast roads, which requires even more concentration than usual and where traffic lights, islands and so on make staying together that bit harder.

We set Chichester as our lunch stop and at one point were all there together in The Buttery in the Crypt. Our group got their order in just two minutes before the deadline for breakfasts, so that is what most of us had.

Chichester is a lovely city with a fine cathedral. It was very busy on what was turning out to be a fiercely hot day. We were longer there than planned, partly because I sensed a willingness to dawdle over lunch a bit longer than usual (it was a nice day, we finish tomorrow…..); partly because Barry lost the van. I know Chichester is not a village, nor is it a metropolis and it is a pretty big van, so that took some doing.

Anyway, we eventually found it and that allowed us to refill drinks bottles and load up with energy bars, Jelly Babies and flapjacks.

From Chichester I rode the rest of the way in a pack with Chris R, Chris J, Karen, Kate, Mike, Nick, Ahmed and Jack, with the front three still out front and Steve and Penelope behind. Chris R and Chris J alternated as pace makers. It was particularly easy to follow Chris J with his streamers sparkling in the sunshine.

We went through Bognor Regis, Worthing, Hove, Brighton and Newhaven to Eastbourne. We hit the seafront at Worthing and stayed on it all the way through to Peacehaven. It was lovely to be on the coast, not just because of the views, but also because the sea breezes gave us welcome relief from a strong sun.

After a rest and photo opportunity at our 1,000 mile mark, we faced few small climbs around Newhaven, then ended with a bit of a shock. After Seaford (one of the Cinque Ports, and I think we visit others tomorrow) we faced a ten mile climb up to Beachy Head. Maybe I did not pay enough attention to the elevation charts at breakfast, or had become a bit complacent after the big climbs further north. This was a chest bursting brute of a pull, very steep with only one short downhill stretch in the middle. Coming at it fresh it would be a real challenge; when you already have 80 miles of hard riding in your legs it is a punishing way to end the day.

Our destination after 93 miles was one of the Halls of Residence of the University of Brighton’s Eastbourne Campus, where we were staying overnight. We had dinner in The Ship nearby and were joined by Susan, Michael Chandler (a close friend from Liverpool Polytechnic days), Kate’s parents, sister, brother in law, nephew, and aunt and uncle. There was a generally jovial atmosphere and a growing realisation that the job is almost done.

A few team updates.

No mishaps, which is always good news. No traffic violations either, so the strategy of visible reminders in the form of pink bells, honking hippos and streamers is obviously working. There was an attempt to slander me by claiming I did not quite make it through one set of lights before they changed. Not true, I was well through on amber (though I am not so sure about the person behind me, but don’t have eyes in the back of my head so won’t make any allegations).

Accomplishment of the day: has to go to Barry for managing to lose the van in Chichester.

Team of the day: goes to all the riders who made it up to Beachy Head without stopping. Penelope and Steve deserve a special mention; they were on the road for an hour and a half more than the rest of us, still made it up and were still smiling when they got to The Ship.

Finally, I have had a lot of requests for particular photos. The two most sought after are Nick on the massage table at University Park and Chris J in his military uniform. I asked Nick about how he felt about me using his picture. He said that he would rather I did not, since he is aware many read the blog over breakfast. Fair enough. So, you have Chris J in uniform instead.

Another 93 miles, bringing our total to 1,019. And so to the final day, thankfully a shorter one than yesterday, but I will pay a bit more attention to the elevation charts at breakfast to see what is in store.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

Today’s route was put together by our leg rider Doug Thomson. Doug is a History graduate and a very good friend of the University. He lives in Woodstock and knows the area very well. It was a wonderfully scenic route, but also a hilly one.

In what is becoming a bit of a routine, I was last out, with Andy and Gavin who had waited for me. They set a nice pace, probably slow for them but good for me. The first half of the ride was through the rolling countryside of the eastern Cotswolds, and included some delightful Cotswold villages. It is a beautiful part of England. But, we were constantly up and down. Although the elevations are not as high as further north, it is energy sapping work because there is so little time to recover between one climb and the next.

We picked up all of the others by Woodstock, one of my favourite towns in this area. From there Doug managed to negotiate passage through the grounds of Blenheim Palace, which was really special. It provided a stunning backdrop for a picture of the team.

We targeted Wantage, at about 40 miles, as our lunch shop and rode hard, led by Neville or Chris R who set a good pace. Neville’s hand signals were especially pleasing, decisive, but with a regal flourish. At Wantage we had the unusual experience of all of us being in the same place for lunch, the first time that has happened on the ride.

After lunch we faced the first of two big climbs in the Berkshire Downs, up and over the Ridgeway, topping out at 800 feet, followed by a long descent into Newbury. You could see for miles over the chalk downs and the sight of twelve of today’s fourteen riders strung out on the winding road was very impressive.

In Newbury, Chris J took over way finding. I am not sure whether he was using his Garmin or his new iPhone. Either way, he led a pack of riders into a pedestrian zone and then down a one way street. That double traffic violation has earned him some ‘My Little Pony’ style streamers on his handlebars to remind him not to do it again.

Incidentally, Chris J is getting to grips with his new phone. He has installed a profile of himself as the screen’s wallpaper. We are not sure whether this was intentional, or if he had the phone the wrong way round when he first used the camera. Whatever the explanation, it has turned out to be a highly effective security measure. There is absolutely no chance of anyone stealing it now.

One benefit of going through the middle of Newbury is that we passed a Café Nero, so Andy, Karen, Doug and I pulled in and enjoyed the best quality coffee we have had in almost two weeks.

We then rode out the remaining 25 miles to Winchester, with Andy and Doug setting the pace and one further long and steep climb at Highclere. All four of us needed a rest at the top of that one.

Our destination for today was one of the Halls of Residence at the University of Winchester and we arrived just as Chris R, Chris J, Kate and Penelope did, with Gavin, Neville and Ahmad already in. Nick was not far behind; Mike and Steve were about two hours back. Despite having a damaged knee himself, Mike nursed Steve through the entire ride.

Gavin was first in and gets the yellow jersey. His parents asked for a picture of the chicken, so Gavin now has it on his bike and I have included a picture of him with his new acquisition and resplendent in his yellow jersey.

Two punctures today, one each for Doug and Steve. No penalties: as a leg rider Doug is ineligible, and Steve is suffering enough.

I mentioned yesterday that one of our female riders had been spotted jumping a red light at temporary traffic signals. When questioned, her defence was ‘I can’t remember’. Not good enough. So Penelope now has the pink bell to remind her that red means stop (and Andy’s special bike is just gleaming platinum again).

When I arrived at our destination, a UK versus Malaysia kerby challenge was underway. It ended acrimoniously with allegations of foul play against the Malaysian team, who are claiming the first in a best of five series.

Accomplishment of the day: has to go to Mike for chaperoning Steve through a long and arduous day.

Team of the day: goes back to the Support Team. Simon, Paul, Seb and Barry were stretched across quite a distance today, but always seemed to be ahead of us.

We have covered another 87 miles, making 926 in total. It was a demanding day, but for most of us a surprisingly quick ride. Almost everyone was in before five, maximising recovery time ahead of our 90 miles tomorrow.

Despite fatigue, which can result in naps being taken at meal times (and the picture is not staged), all riders remain focused on getting the job done and are still in great spirits.

Finally, I learned today we have passed £230,000 in fund raising. That means we are now beyond what we raised last year and closing in on our target of £250,000. That is an outstanding effort.

Thank you all for your support and for all your comments on the blog.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

We had two new leg riders, Andrew Leyshon, Head of our School of Geography, and Adam Tickell, PVC at Birmingham. Both are keen cyclists and went out with our front team of Andy, Gavin and Neville, as did Ahmad. Both Andy and Adam are geographers, but I am told this did little for way finding.

We had two mishaps today. The first on the way out of Nottingham, when a cyclist ran into Chris R. Happily neither riders nor bikes were damaged.

In the second, Steve fell over trying to avoid glass and landed on his shoulder on a kerb. He was about 30 miles from Banbury, but slowly made the miles in some pain. When he got to Banbury, the Support Team immediately took him to The Horton Hospital. After a thorough examination, the Doctor concluded there was no fracture and he had probably suffered a minor dislocation which had righted itself. He was in obvious discomfort but good spirits this evening.

I left University Park after Chris J, Karen, Kate, Mike, Penelope and Chris R. I had planned to pick them up quickly, but ended up chatting to a few colleagues before clearing the University. So it was Hathern before I saw them.

In the context of the ride it was a bit of a treat to leave from University Park and also to go through Sutton Bonington. It seemed odd riding around places that are so familiar from training rides.

Near Market Bosworth Mike diverted us to a tea shop he knew and loved, it turned out to have been converted into a holiday lodge. We pressed on and found the Sunflowers Garden Centre. As you can see from the picture, Mike was distraught at leading us so far off route and prostrated himself on the floor begging forgiveness. But Sunflowers was a terrific find. I had home-made vegetable lasagne and chips.

Karen, Kate, Penelope, Mike and Chris J got away first. Steve, who had been riding with Chris R, but joined us for lunch at Sunflowers, left with Nick and me. Steve insisted he had the best route on his dodgy Garmin, Nick and I followed. After about four miles, it became apparent this was a vehicular and not a cycle route and we were heading for the M69/M40. Nick and I bailed out and headed back to Hinckley, Steve stayed on his Garmin route.

We fiddled around a bit, as you do in towns, but stuck to the old fashioned method of looking at road signs and asking advice of locals. In Hinckley I asked one local, ‘do you know the way to Rugby?’ ‘No’, he replied, ‘I don’t mind if you interrupt me, how can I help you?’

Once clear of Rugby it is a fairly straight road through the attractive villages of Dunchurch and Southam. It is also very undulating. So the last 14 miles were quite a pull, up to around 650 feet, before dropping down in to Banbury.

Meanwhile, behind us Karen and her group stopped so she could straighten her socks (it is very important to be properly attired on the road). They got chatting to some nice employees of Severn Trent who asked about what they were doing and gave them a substantial donation.

Nick and I were low on fluids and six miles out emptied what remained in my bottles. I suggested that rather than the usual routine when we got in, we do some rapid rehydration, then reward ourselves with a cold pint. After all it had been a very hot day and we had pulled through 84 miles in good time. That was all the encouragement Nick needed. I struggled to stay with him over the final six miles. We were in before four, everyone else by five and Steve an hour later.

I know Banbury well, I used to live in Brackley and Evenley. It was the only time in my life I played cricket (for Evenley). I was pretty hopeless with bat and ball, but fast in the field and held catches. In a cup match against a village just outside Banbury and from a higher division, I was batting and thought we needed two to win. That would tie the scores and we had lost fewer wickets. I made good contact, could have run three, but just ran two. Wickets down did not count, so the match was tied and we lost the replay. Our Captain was very sympathetic: ‘check the rules bozo’ though he was not quite as concise as that.

Other team matters to report:

Further traffic violations I’m afraid, again involving red lights and again involving one of our Malaysian based riders. The defence offered was that it was ‘deep amber’ rather than red. Sorry my friend, in this country we only have green, amber and red. The offender now has a honking hippo fixed to his bike to remind him we do not have deep amber.

I have just heard of another possible violation, another repeat offender from our female riders. It will be checked out in the morning.

Accomplishment of the day: Steve grinding out 30 miles when injured.

Shock of the day: that also goes to Steve. This morning’s random search revealed a programme for Saturday’s Forest v Charlton match. Now we know why he wanted to divert there on Sunday.

Quote of the day: I called Sarah who runs my office. ‘Anything you need from me?’ ‘No’ she replied, ‘the University seems to be running quite well without you’. Thanks Sarah, I’ll try not to rush back.

Another 84 miles covered, making 839 in total. To my surprise we climbed almost 4,000 feet in rolling terrain. Chris R was first in and wins another yellow jersey.

Tomorrow we head to Winchester on what promises to be another hot day and will be joined by another leg rider, Doug Thomson.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

The start was at Lincoln Cathedral, by a mile the most iconic start point of Life Cycle 2. It was a real thrill to see more than 50 leg riders preparing to take on the 54 miles to University Park. Conditions were ideal, warm and sunny with just a light breeze.

The leg riders set off 15 minutes before us. We left as a team, but once we were clear of the city broke up into a number of smaller groups, in my case with Chris J, Kate, Karen and Nick. It was nice to pick up leg riders en route and exchange a few words.

We took a short break at Langar, where Chris R’s family had prepared refreshments and his daughter Kirsty had baked some excellent Life Cycle biscuits, getting a perfect match for our Life Cycle logo.

Although we knew there would be food at University Park, it was unlikely there would be time to eat, so most of the team pulled in to Colston Bassett and had lunch at the Garden Café Restaurant. This had become a favourite for some of us on our Sunday morning training rides, so it was really nice to pull it in as part of Life Cycle 2.

Then a sprint to University Park, led by Chris R. We had to be there by three, so he set a pretty fast pace. Remarkably, by the time we reached Trent Embankment we had a snake of eleven riders, nine of the team plus Ahmad and David W (Penelope was riding the leg with her daughter Martha, Mike was riding with one of our sponsors and Neville had disappeared first thing). I really wished we had a photographer on the other side of the river for that one.

Our welcome at the Sports Centre was wonderful. It was really uplifting to see that so many family, friends and colleagues had turned out to welcome us. With all the stands and activities there was a real party atmosphere.

There were a lot of speeches to make, photo calls and interviews to do, but still some time for catch-ups. A couple of the riders even had a massage. (I am holding a fine picture of Nick on the table in case I need it).

Then it was all over. It seemed to pass in a flash. But for us it was as therapeutic as having taken a rest day. Everyone knows the job is not done. We have another 350 miles to get through over the next few days. But today has lifted us all and given us a second wind for the final legs.

A number of riders went home for the evening. I am staying in Cripps Hall with those who live outside Nottingham, and that includes Ahmad who is returning to his old Hall. It is very comfortable accommodation and we have been well looked after by the Hall Staff.

So now on to Team matters.

Let’s start with yellow jerseys. Some riders had clearly not checked the rules for today and failed to notice that since it was a special day, two yellow jerseys would be awarded: the usual one for first over the line at the end; and a second for the first rider to reach Long Benington ahead of the pink bell. Since Andy had the bell and is a strong rider, I knew this would be a tough one to win.

The bikers that brunch judged it to perfection. Riding in a perfectly formed peloton led by Kate and supported by me, Karen, Chris J and Nick, we cruised round the bend into Doddington as if we were in a velodrome, and stormed past Andy and Seb (his pace man for the day) while they were having a rest. It was only after the finishing line in Long Benington that they caught us. So, the first yellow jersey was won in dramatic fashion. Well done Kate.

In the leg competition, Neville was first to the Trent Building. It turns out he had left Lincoln first thing to do a tour of his estates in Nottinghamshire. Anyway, he was back, but unfortunately for him the finishing line was actually at the Sports Centre. Since I led the riders over the line, that’s a yellow jersey to me. My ambition before LC2 was to win two, so I am targeting a first to finish in Dover for my second one.

I am so moved by the Noyes family’s pleas that I will try and persuade the Support Team to give him a full pardon and let him ride without the pink bells. (Not sure about the chicken yet, it looks rather good perched on his handlebars).

Another suspicious event, a pair of my blue socks has disappeared. Since they are a perfect match for my cycling top, this is obviously just a straightforward attempt to disrupt my colour coordination. We will see if they turn up in a random search.

Team of the day: too many possible options here, but I will settle for the teams that organised such a memorable event at University Park.

Shock of the day: Steve insisted we cycled past the Forest ground on the way in to Nottingham. It meant quite a diversion, and as an avowed Leeds supporter, I am not sure why he wanted to go, but having missed the win against Charlton yesterday, I was happy to take the detour.

Quote of the day: goes to a Jagger, not Chris but his wife Pippa. She joined us for part of the leg and was cycling alongside Karen, who asked ‘how’s things Pippa?  ‘I’m enjoying the fresh air’ she replied. ‘Yes’ said Karen, ‘It’s a lovely day’. Pippa’s response was, ‘No, I mean at home’.

Speaking of Chris J, he has just take delivery of an iPhone to replace his Blackberry. That can only mean trouble.

An outstanding day topped off with a very nice dinner at The Wollaton hosted by Stuart Senior of Gleeds, one of our two key supporters.

In all of the excitement of meeting the leg riders at Lincoln Cathedral, calling in at Langar and Colson Bassett, snaking through familiar sights to University Park and receiving the welcome we did, we almost failed to notice that another 54 miles had been added to our total. That is now 755 miles.

Thank you to everyone for making yesterday so special and so memorable. We had a wonderful day.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

There is also a fair amount of fatigue. That obviously comes partly from the battering our bodies from day after day of 80 or 90 miles on a saddle. There is also the unrelenting daily routine: up at six, get sorted, breakfast at seven, get on the bike, eat and drink when you can, get in, do washing, out to dinner, bed and start again.

And it is not just physical fatigue. It is essential to maintain full concentration for six to eight hours on the road. One misjudgement on a fast descent, one mistake on a busy road, and the consequences could be catastrophic.

But, for all that, spirits remain remarkably high. Breaks and dinners are times to catch up with and wind up each other, and despite lengthy and full days, the Support Team also play a vital part in lifting riders when needed. It is also clear to me that the cause for which we are doing this not only keeps riders motivated, it lifts them.

Today the terrain from Wetherby to Lincoln was flat and featureless, and how we welcomed flat and featureless. I was out last with Steve and Nick. After using the first half hour to work off soreness in our legs, Steve set a fast pace and for ten or so miles we belted along at up to 20mph. I couldn’t sustain that all day, but after all the hill climbing it was great to have a fast run on a flat surface.

We went south through Tadcaster and Selby, around Drax Power Station and met up with Chris J, Karen, Kate and Penelope at Fullers Bakery and Coffee Stop in Goole. We were also joined there by our second leg rider, David Walker. David rode John O’Groats to Land’s End with us last year and is doing the legs to Lincoln and Nottingham this year.

Steve peeled off to see some friends in Gainsborough and we rode out the rest of the day as a group. We did subsequently pick him up again after his latest Spar success. He always stocks up in Spar shops and has a 100% record of coming out with a donation.

He stayed with us for a meal in Gainsborough, where the others took great pleasure in pointing out that I was eligible for the senior citizens discount. As you can see Penelope took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep in the restaurant – she is enviably adept at power naps.

The final stretch was just battling the strengthening headwinds in to the University of Lincoln, where we are staying in a Hall of Residence. Having a flat ride meant we were all in by half past four, which was just great. Andy, Gavin and Neville were first in to Lincoln, but Chris R was first to the University, so he gets the yellow jersey.

Now, your daily updates on Team matters.

What a sensational start to the day. Paul did his usual random checks on riders’ bags to search for any illegal cream or other performance enhancing supplements. Unfortunately for Andy, he was sampled this morning and the missing pink bell was discovered in his bag. He claims it was a plant, but the evidence looked pretty damning. I left it for the Support Team to deal with him and he now has two pink bells and one pink chicken on his special bike.

I’m afraid I have another traffic violation to report. At a temporary set of lights, two of our female riders thought they could beat the change and didn’t quite make it. Being chivalrous I will not name them. However so she is not implicated, I have to say it was not Karen.

Shock of the day: Mike persuaded Chris R to stop at a garden centre. He actually had lunch: quiche, cabbage and potatoes (quiche, chou et pommes). They were also given several donations. Will this change Chris R’s riding routine forever?

Accomplishment of the day: is shared by two of our Support Team. First, Paul for showing uncanny intuition in his random search, and solving the mystery of the missing pink bell. Second Barry, for the first time in over 30 years of marriage he has spent a week away from his wife. That’s real commitment to the cause. (By the way Barry, I had an email from Mavis saying she has used the voucher for the car wash and is generally having a great time. She also said it’s okay by her if the team have to take an extra week to get to Dover).

Quote of the day: surprisingly I did not get one which was up to the mark. So I am using one from a couple of days ago, when Kate’s puncture response scooped. Just after that we were climbing a 1,200 foot hill at Shap. About three quarters of the way up, Chris J pulled alongside me. ‘Eeh Dave’ he said, ‘fifteen months ago, who would have thought two old fogies like us would be climbing hills like these’. Cheers Chris. Very moving.

Tonight we have been joined by another leg rider. Ahmad Jauhari Yahya is an Engineering graduate and now Chief Executive of Malaysia Airlines. He is keen to support what we are doing and has come over from Malaysia to ride with us all the way to Dover.

Everyone is looking forward to tomorrow and riding to the University. Over 50 riders will be doing the 55 mile leg from Lincoln, which is just fabulous. They include University staff and students, alumni, members of the broader community and sponsors. They also include a number of family members: my son Stuart, Kate’s husband Nic, and Penelope’s partner Greg and daughter Martha. The ride and event at University Park will give the riders second wind for the final 400 miles.

Finally, it was 25 years today that I joined the University of Nottingham. I am very proud of that and can’t think of a better way of marking it than by doing what we are doing.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

The second mishap occurred on Settle Hill. Mike’s momentum became so slow he was more or less stationary and just keeled over. Fortunately Kate is a really fast draw with her camera and got a picture (and Mike is fine by the way). That tells you something about Settle Hill, of which more anon.

I was again late out, same reason as the last couple of days, and Nick held on for me. We decided to head straight down the A65 to the first meeting point at Settle. Although this is a fast and winding road, drivers were much more considerate than on the A82. It was also a better surface than recent days, and we had a bit of a tailwind. It was a fast ride. We picked up Steve near Clapham and Chris R just outside Giggleswick.

Chris R and Steve went straight on to the hill, Nick and I had a coffee at Ye Old Naked Man Café in Settle and waited for the others. When Andy, Gavin, Kate, Chris J, Karen, Penelope and Mike arrived we set of for the hill.

Settle Hill is relatively short but has an incline of 25% (or 1 in 4 in old money) and is a standing start. There is also traffic in both directions which limits your options on tacking. Only six riders made it to the top without stopping: Andy, Chris J, Chris R, Gavin, Neville and Penelope. The rest of us either just lost momentum, hit a pothole to turn the front wheel or just fell over. It is that difficult and once you are off, it is well-nigh impossible to get started again.

When you get to the top your reward is a two mile climb, not quite as steep, but very testing. After that a long, fast descent through lovely villages like Airton, Hetton and Cracoe.

We pulled in at Linton where Karen grew up and met Jane who now lives in her house. Mike’s late father also has a seat in the Parish Church, so it was a special visit for both of them. Then on to a lunch stop in Grassington, where we stoked up on carbs for the next climb. At the café we we were spotted by a former student, who is also an External Examiner. He kindly made a donation via the Support Team.

After Grassington we split up and I rode out the rest of the day with Chris J, Karen, Kate and Penelope. We immediately faced a seven mile climb to Greenhaw. It is really steep in places and rises to almost 1,400 feet. It was one heck of a pull. But the views from the top across Nidderdale were breath taking. A nice ten mile descent to Harrogate followed, and on to Wetherby, both fine towns, but not great cycling roads.

Tonight for dinner in Wetherby we were joined by Paul’s son Simon, Steve’s partner Jenny and Gavin’s brother in law Paul.

Now, some updates on team matters.

I’m afraid I have to report a double traffic violation. No, it’s not Neville, but our Garmin Master or Maitre de Garmin (Neville, Chris J, sorry about the missing circumflex over the i, I can’t find one on my keyboard). Anyway, within 10 minutes in Harrogate Chris J had gone up a one way street and then through a red light, because Garmin said go.

Speaking of Neville, today was a ‘where’s Neville’ day. Early speculation had him on urgent business at the House. But he was on the ride, on a slightly different route and he got in first, a yellow jersey for Neville.

Actually, I forgot to mention yesterday’s yellow jersey. Despite his ‘Bourne Ultimatum’ style minibus chase to run down Chris J’s Blackberry, it was not Chris R. It was either Andy or Gavin, but they can’t decide who arrived first.

We have had no punctures today and that means Andy retains the pink bell. But we have a problem, the bell has disappeared. There is speculation in the team that Andy himself may have something to do with this, to avoid the possibility of scratching his special bike. I am appealing to his family to persuade Andy that if he knows anything about the bell, to encourage him to own up.

Accomplishment of the day: it just has to be the six riders that got up Settle Hill, so well done Andy, Chris J, Chris R, Gavin, Neville and Penelope.

Quote of the day: again goes to Kate, but can’t be repeated.

Team of the day: the Support Team, who in addition to their daily duties found the time to acquire another pink bell and have already fixed it to Andy’s bike for tomorrow.

Around this point on the John O’Groats to Land’s End ride we learned that ‘Moves Like Jagger’ was top of the download charts and it was immediately adopted by the team. There is no equivalent at present, so I have suggested they adopt ‘Summertime’ by TJ Bilham. He is my Nephew and it is his first release.

Today’s ride was 73 miles and in glorious conditions all the way through to Harrogate. We were all in before 5pm, so time for washing kit and starting the Day 8 blog. I may even get off on time tomorrow.

Total mileage now stands at 618 miles. Tomorrow we head for familiar territory, Lincoln is our next stop and we are looking forward to a couple of days of flatter terrain after the relentless climbing of the last eight days.

Finally, thank you again for all your comments on my LC2 Blog, we all enjoy reading them and appreciate your support, so keep them coming.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

There were also a number of mechanical failures. It is not only us riders that are taking a bit of a battering on consistently rough roads, some close to being corrugated. The bikes are suffering too and the Support Team are working overtime in keeping them roadworthy.

Blog duties meant I was again late in setting off, but Andy and Nick held back and waited for me. We set off from Annan in overcast and chilly conditions and picked up all the other riders bar Chris R in Carlisle. At one point there were actually eleven of us snaking through the city.

The first 20 miles or so was fairly easy riding through the floodplains of the Solway, then the climbing began. We had settled on Lazonby, at 35 miles for the first stop. But it had nothing to offer beyond a Co-op and a pub whose landlord told us bluntly that food would not be available until midday.

We asked advice from a passing motorist. She was on her way with a stock of sandwiches to the Ravenbridge Stores in Kirkoswald. So me, Chris J, Karen, Kate and Penelope diverted there; Gavin, Andy, Neville, Steve, Nick and Mike decided to get what they could from the Co-op and press on.

The Ravenbridge Stores is a classic village shop with everything. The three ladies who run it (one of whom was from Chris J’s home village) sold us sandwiches, made us tea and coffee and heated pies in the house’s microwave. A bit of make-do, but we left warmed up and fuelled up.

In the meantime we learned Chris R had had a tumble in Penrith. I am not sure why he was there, since it was not on the route, but he was. He spotted a bike shop and decided to have his bike tuned up. In turning to get there he fell of and wrecked his derailleur. (That’s not me speaking French by the way, that’s the name of a bit of the gear system). Chris was fine, but his tune up now extended to a major repair.

From Lazonby, Karen, Kate, Penelope, Chris J and me headed due south, through Langwathby and the serious climbing started, culminating at Shap where we reached almost 1,200 feet, the highest point of the day (though not the journey, that comes tomorrow). It was a clear day and there were stunning views from the top, including Hartside which is a 2,000 feet climb that has to be faced on ‘Coast to Coast’.

After Shap, we had a fast descent to Tebay. I always associate this name with M6 motorway services. But now I know there is a lovely village behind the services, with the Old School House Café which serves great food and has a well-stocked shop, where Sebastian bought us a lucky horseshoe.

Notwithstanding the fact we were in the eastern lakes and heading in to the dales, I naively thought our serious climbing was done for the day and the last 25 or so miles would be mostly downhill. It was actually a punishing end to the day. Beautiful terrain, but rather than long slow climbs and equally long descents, it was a relentless up and down.

Everyone was in Kirkby Lonsdale by six and tonight we were joined by a number of family and friends. Two of my oldest and closest friends, Dave and Mary Sapsford live in Kirkby, so Susan took the opportunity to visit them and all three joined us for dinner. So too did Kate’s father in Law, John and his friend Joan, and Steve’s partner Jenny. It was great to see them all.

Now for a cautionary tale how blind faith in technology can fail you. No it is not Chris J and his Garmin (though that had its moments today).

Some of us loaded Google Latitude, an app which gives you the location of other riders in a group in real time. When Chris R was leaving Penrith he checked to see where other riders were. To his amazement Chris J had overtaken him while he was in the bike shop. He was about half a mile ahead. Affronted, Chris R set off to reel him in. After a few miles of riding at full pelt, Chris J still seemed to be ahead and if anything, was stretching the gap between them.

Chis R could not work out what was going on. He pedalled harder. This went on for 18 miles and he finally seemed to have gunned him down in Tebay. But, when he got there Chris J was nowhere to be seen. However our minibus was, and in the minibus was Chris J’s broken phone with Google Latitude still switched on!

Accomplishment of the day: well, it has to be Chris R finally running down the minibus.

Team of the day: the easy thing to do is give this to the Support Team; Simon, Paul, Sebastian and Barry were everywhere. But it must go to the Garmin Team, Karen and Chris J for their complete inability to coordinate the readings from their machines.

Quote of the day: when Kate had her puncture just before we hit Shap, her reaction was ‘Oooh, I think this might be the first puncture I have ever had. I’ve got the tools to fix it, but I’m not sure what to do with them. Oh, and I have got a pump that goes in and out’.

Finally, with four punctures, who gets the pink bell? It had to be the last one recorded, in distance not time. So it goes to Andy, and he seems pretty chuffed.

Another 84 miles clocked up with almost 6,000 feet climbed today. Our total mileage is now 545. We are exactly half way in days and almost exactly half way in miles.  Bodies are creaking, but spirits remain high.

At 71 miles tomorrow’s run to Wetherby is shorter than recent days, but with more climbing.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor

That may seem a minor detail. However Sergeant Major Jagger and Lord Neville de Wylie have been rooming together and it turns out that, rather than getting the rest they need, they have been deconstructing my blogs to find inaccuracies, typos and erreurs in my French.

And I am afraid they found an inaccuracy. Evidently on Day 4 I did not get the order of departure of the riders from Spean Bridge correct. Sorry about that.

I have absolutely no idea what the order of departure was this morning. (Nor am I prepared to speculate, for fear of incurring the opprobrium of my scrutineers). I know for certain I was last out, about an hour and a quarter after the others, to ensure the Day 5 blog was completed and despatched. Mike kindly stayed back so I was not riding alone.

Conditions were not as forecast. It was initially a bit drizzly, but the day was bright and, despite the headwinds, at times warm.

I found the first hour a bit of a struggle: I still had lead in my legs from yesterday and the terrain was undulating. So, when I stopped for fluids after an hour, I was surprised to find we had covered 15 miles.

That set the pattern for the day. Mike was a great pace maker and way finder, and we completed our 94 miles at an average speed of 15mph. For me, with 4,200 feet of climbing and much of the day into headwinds, it was a fast ride.

We followed an excellent route, through a highly underrated part of Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway does not attract the same attention as Argyll and Bute or the Highlands, but it is beautiful terrain: huge wide open landscapes and lovely villages. Our route took us straight through Galloway Forest Park.

We took a short break after 30 miles, in Dalmellington. The first place we spotted was a roadside snack bar, so we topped up on egg bap, tea, coffee and caramel wafer – all for the princely sum of £3. The snack bar is run by Bill and Sheena, who were great company. If you are in the area it is in the truckers’ car park behind the Jet Garage.

Unbeknown to Mike and I, Chris J, Gavin, Steve, Penelope, Kate and Karen were also in Dalmellington, in a café in the centre of the village. As we were now on different routines for stops, we pressed on but did see Steve at our next stop and the whole group at their final stop.

When we left the town we faced the first of two big climbs, then a glorious road over the high ground through Corsock followed by another climb to Crocketford. By this time we had put in 65 miles at pace and I now needed a meal rather than more snacks, so we stopped at The New Galloway Arms. Baked potatoes set us up nicely for the final 30 miles.

The last stretch took us into Dumfries, the ‘Queen of the South’ and home town of Robert Burns. From there we dipped down and skirted the Solway Firth through to Annan. The final 20 miles were pretty flat and with lovely views of the Lake District to the south. Despite the headwinds we belted through it.

Annan was our destination and the venue for our last night in Scotland. It is the first time I have been here, an attractive sandstone town with a fine high street. It will be a livelier place next weekend; Rangers are in town to play Annan Athletic.

No mishaps today, which as always is good news. But we finally have a puncture. Sebastian, who knows a thing or two about cycling found one on Chris J’s bike. So he gets the pink bell back, and because he tried to conceal his puncture, he keeps it for an extra day.

Accomplishment of the day: it would be easy to give it to Andy for another 100 miler, but back to back centuries is just showing off. Sorry Andy. Instead it goes to Penelope who has now cycled way more miles than she has ever done before, has just done three consecutive 90 mile days, and is still chirpy and cheerful.

Shock of the day: you have probably already spotted this one, Lord Neville sharing with someone from the Other Ranks. But that is what this Life Cycle does in breaking down social barriers.

Quote of the day: that one goes to Jenny, Steve’s partner who joined us in Annan, but can’t be repeated. So, we will have Team of the Day instead and that again goes to the Support Team, who scuttled around a more dispersed group than usual and never seemed to be far away.

Some readers have been asking about Chris J’s military background, which service, where he served and so on. Some riders have been speculating about whether secrecy implies Special Forces. I asked Gavin to do some research and find out. He has now come back to me to confirm details: Sergeant Major in the Beeston Home Guard, with active service in Chilwell, Bramcote and Wollaton, as well as further afield in Caunton. So there we are, another mystery cleared up.

This is our last night in Scotland. It seems no time at all since we arrived. We have now completed 461 miles and 25,000 feet of climbing. All of the riders are creaking in one way or another, but are in great spirits. They are an outstanding group of people to do this with.

Finally thank you all for the interest you have taken in this and for commenting on the blog. I appreciate it greatly and the riders take a lot of pleasure in reading your comments. For anyone who is interested, Andrew Burden’s films of the first couple of days are now up on YouTube.

The Nottingham Life Cycle 2 – Meet the Team

The Nottingham Life Cycle 2 – Day 1

Thank you also to everyone for your support, we have now passed £200,000 in funds raised, a fantastic effort.

So it is back in to England tomorrow and a slightly shorter day at just over 80 miles. The weather forecast is good.

Professor David Greenaway

Vice-Chancellor