The JOGLE trip is appoaching fast.

Fred, Ray, and I were finally able to focus on the route and overnight stops for our upcoming bike trip from the extreme north to the extreme south of Great Britain. I discovered a very helpful book by Royston Wood on Amazon that provided a more direct, yet still off-highway, route. I combined sections of Royston's route with the longer, scenic route I had previously been working up. This new hybrid route will shorten the trip by about 100 miles, one day, and about 7,000 feet of climbing. It also eliminates the handful of over-80 mile days. Given that my training this year has not gone entirely according to plan, I am delighted to have a more manageable way to go. Here is the overview of the new route:

The three of us will be meeting up on May 30 in Inverness, Scotland. Early the following morning, we have arranged to be transported up to John O'Groats with our bikes, where we will start the trip. This route is 963 miles, over 16 riding days, with 39,000 feet of climbing. The weather should be cool (40's up to low 70's) and will probably feature a good deal of rain. Pretty much the only sure thing is that it will NOT be hot! 

I am still hoping to get in a little meaningful training before leaving, but I have the remnants of a nasty cold and precious little time remains. This weekend I went over the bike, replaced the chain and made various minor adjustments. I also set aside the clothing I will be bringing, but the actual packing of bike and gear will be delayed until the convenient holiday on May 25th.