News

1st September 2021  Day Sixteen – Crask Inn to John o’Groats (82 Miles) and mission completed! The final instalment of Alison’s stories of being the back-up and support for the intrepid cyclists, as she reports here with the last day’s MAMILgram (that’s Middle-Aged-Men-In-Lycra): Day 16 – the last leg of a very long bike ride And so we come to our final day. Both cyclists by now admitting to getting weary, although they seemed to plough this into a shared determination to get there quicker. Proceeding from The Crask Inn, their route headed north. The landscape stretched away into the [...]

31st August 2021 Follow Alison’s stories of what it’s like to be the back-up and support here, as she reports back with a daily MAMILgram (that’s Middle-Aged-Men-In-Lycra):  Day Fifteen – the penultimate day, from Inverness to The Crask Inn (66 miles) A significant moment occurred today when, at a café rest-stop, our two cyclists met someone travelling the other way – so JOGLE as opposed to LEJOG. They compared notes, the other cyclist having done it both ways. Impressively, he was also carrying all his equipment on the bike, including a tent and lightweight sleeping bag. [...]

27th August 2021 Days 12 and 13 from Loch Lomond into The Highlands, and some equipment tips Follow Alison’s stories of what it’s like to be the back-up and support here, as she reports back with a daily MAMILgram (that’s Middle-Aged-Men-In-Lycra): Day Thirteen- Loch Lomond to Glencoe (67 miles, 2,635m elevation) After a well-earned day off the saddle (Day 12), I took the cyclists back to the shores of Loch Lomond where they had finished on Day 11, and they picked up the cycle path to Tarbet; a long cycle ride [...]

23rd August 2021 Days 7, 8 and 9 from mid Wales to the Lake District, through driving rain to beautiful sunsets - Follow Alison’s stories of what it’s like to be the back-up and support here, as she reports back with a daily MAMILgram (that’s Middle-Aged-Men-In-Lycra): Day Nine – Slaidburn to Keswick (74 miles) and into the Lake District This was a good day. They reported that the road from Grasmere to Keswick, although offering spectacular views, was perhaps best appreciated from a car or bus rather than a bike. The traffic tends to move fast, with some [...]

20th August 2021 Days 4 and 5 from the South West to mid Wales – and then a well-earned rest day - Follow Alison’s stories of what it’s like to be the back-up and support here, as she reports back with a daily MAMILgram (that’s Middle-Aged-Men-In-Lycra): Day Six - the first rest day! Today is a rest day, although to be frank Neil and Derek don’t seem to need it. I have been amazed at how perky they both seem, with no apparent evidence of tiredness or problematic muscles. The person who really needs a day off is [...]

18th August 2021 Days One, Two and Three as the cycling challenge gets underway - Follow Alison’s stories of what it’s like to be the back-up and support here, as she reports back with a daily MAMILgram (that’s Middle-Aged-Men-In-Lycra): Day Three – Moretonhampstead to Glastonbury (60 miles) In addition to cycling to raise money for Reading Force, I’ve noticed the emergence of a sub-plot. Having had so many Forces moves, we now have former military friends all over the place. This journey has enabled us to reconnect – particularly for picnic lunches in mutually convenient National Trust properties. We have been in touch; they have loyally turned up. It’s left me reflecting on the tremendous bonds that [...]

9th August 2021 On 13th August Neil Baverstock kicks off his cycle ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats to raise money for Reading Force. Alison, his wife and founder of Reading Force, says Neil has wanted to do this for as long as she can remember. But as second in command, what should she bring for back up?! I always knew my husband wanted to complete the Land’s End to John o’Groats cycle ride, so last year I put two relevant books in his Christmas stocking. There is the Cicerone Guide, which covers how to avoid the [...]