Route Info

UK TRIP INFORMATION:

Some stats and averages

I used the Sustrans Land's End to John O'groats (LEJOG) book for about half of the route and then made the rest up as I went along. I did this as the full Sustrans route is a bit over 1,200 miles and my route is just over the thousand mark.  Fairly easy decision on my part and also MUCH less chance of Ruth messing up the bookings.

The table below shows main stats (probably just of interest to engineers) - I accept that  I did not show each value down to 5 decimal places and I will rectify this major omission upon my return or maybe I will not be bothered.

This is the proposed route from Land's End to John O'groats

As you can see I am taking a fairly direct route until I do some zigzagging once I get above Glasgow. Not sure why I have done this but I am sure it will work out OK. I will leave LE on 3rd June 2019 and arrive at JOG on 18th June 2019, again assuming Ruth has not messed up any bookings. Although I am describing this as a cycle across the UK, my route actually does not take in Northern Ireland. This was a major omission by Ruth and I will just leave it there. Although she should have known better but I am not VERY ANNOYED WITH HER!!!.

Ride Profile 

Yes it does look rather lumpy, doesn't it?  The first 2 days are Cornwall (very steep hills but short) and Devon (steep hills and long), then nice rest up to Bristol, then Mid-Wales hills, then the Pennines, then Trossachs, then Cairngorms, then lots of annoying hills before the end. The good news is that I should have the prevailing wind on my side which was the opposite of the US trip - remember 10th May?

USA TRIP INFORMATION:

Some stats and averages

I will mostly be using Adventure Cycling Organisation's cycling maps for the USA trip. As you can see below I will cycle about 3.900 miles and climb a few hills towards the end of the route - at least I should be much fitter by then and I only need to climb just a bit over the height of Everest twice - really how hard can that be?  

I am actually taking about 23 days out of my allocated 90 days US Visa Waiver period as a holiday with my wife, Ruth. Ruth will stay with me at the start (New York to Washington) and then the end (San Francisco). Do not worry she will not be cycling during her two visits. For the non-mathematicians out there, that will mean a rough daily average of 60 miles per day. Given I want to have a least one day per week as a rest day, I will probably end up travelling 70+ miles per day, well at least until the lumpy bits start.

This is the proposed route from New York to San Francisco

I am using the Adventure Cycling Association's (ACA) digital maps. They have about 30 designated routes within the USA and I will be combining the following routes:

1. New York to Washington - route made up by me. Likely to include motorway driving, off-road and shark infested rivers.
2. Eastern Express - this is a new route so I assume the roads will be in very good condition. It starts in Washington and I leave it about halfway just before Kansas City.
3. Another route made up by me to transfer from the Eastern Express down to the TransAmerica Trail at a place called Eureka - which I thought was a great idea.
4. Follow the TransAmerica Trail from Eureka (another great idea) to Pueblo in Colorado.
5. Join the Western Express and finish in San Francisco. Meet Ruth (my wife) after 2 months separation. I will be very happy to see her, she may not turn up but we'll see.

Ride Profile 

My very quick summary of the route is: "Starts off flat then gets a bit lumpy, then fails off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean"

Please click on each image to expand the scale.