Massive breakfasts in the Station Hotel, Carl did some filming with Reka and John… then Reka and I cycled off to start the day….. up the most massive and long hill you have ever seen in your life. As it was the first hour of the day and I couldn’t give up in hour 1, I somehow got to the top, painfully, slowly and with my eyes firmly looking down rather than ahead so that I couldn’t see how much further I had to go! Luckily the sun was shining and no rain, so that was a big help. There was a lovely ride once at the top, so by 2.00 p.m. had covered 25 miles. Carl took over for an hour but unfortunately it was one of the worst hills so far but he too managed it slowly and painfully to the top, then happily passed back to me! We found a national cycle network path for the last 19 miles. Carl took lots of photos and filmed as we were crossing the Forth Road Bridge, the only person probably to lie down in the middle of the cycle track going across the bridge to film us biking past. Coming into Edinburgh across the bridge, we were so aware of traffic fumes, noise that even Adele on my ipod couldn’t mask and speed of traffic that we were tempted to go around the roundabout and back up North… but then we had a lovely experience. We called in at the Maggie Cancer Care centre in Edinburgh to say hello, as somehow it seemed appropriate and we had a warm and welcoming reception from the whole team, who were interested and enthusiastic about the ride and made us feel it was important. They even had tea and cakes for us! Their warmth really lifted our tired bodies and minds… thank you lovely Maggie’s Edinburgh staff. We went off to the massive cycle shop ‘Evans’ in Edinburgh for a quick bike check and lovely Jack, the Manager, after having spoken earlier with my brother Robert about the ride, gave both our bikes a full service, which would have cost us lots for free and said it was the least they could do! So if you live in Edinburgh and cycle, go to Evans…. they finished our day off perfectly. Reka of course has been her usual amazing self. Just quietly and determined she gets on her bike and starts pedalling and finishes at the end of the day. Looks after her support team and encourages us, waiting for us, motivating us to get up those hills. I wish I was faster so that sometimes she doesn’t have to be at the front but am getting stronger each day and Reka told me i would never have made today’s hill last Friday, so who knows, either I’ll be completely finished by next week or maybe a bit stronger every day. We do have lots of fun and laughter though. It’s not all about my dread of the hills! We’ve just had a massive dinner to go with our massive I breakfast with Rob and Helen. Most importantly, I had my first bath since last thursday with muscle relaxant and bath salts in it. Only the call to dinner got me out…. So many parallels between this ride and medical treatments… ups and downs of hills and descents… warm baths and driving rain…. free bike servicing and impatient motorists… my sweet little niece filming and photographing alongside me writing this blog! It’s great to get your messages on the blog. Reka and i read them to each other over breakfast, which feels like you are all with us… Just a few messages now for my family….Hello Rio, I’ve thought about you lots today in your last week at school, new baby at home and all kinds of things happening in your life. i can’t wait for you to come for your summer holidays. You, me and Jayden are going to build the biggest sandcastle anyone has ever seen in their lives. Scarlett, you too in your last week in this first year of being a newly qualified teacher…hope India plans are going well, Mark and Amanda, hope you’re getting some sleep and keep sending photos of the baby .. love and miss you all…. Photos to follow..
Jul17
Messages from my facebook link:-
Detty Tyler says ‘Good luck guys! ‘
Gary Holgate says ‘Loving this mainly because the word push iron was used and I haven’t heard that in ages!’ ‘Infact it’s yonks since I heard it’ (Oh Gary!)
Elke Skelter says ‘Good luck guys 🙂 and please give my love to Reka xx’
Rita, Jake & Norma Hawkes following too…..
more hugs xx aurevoir
Hi Pen, Reka and Carl (and anyone else who is on The Ride at this present moment). Its been fantastic reading your blog. I ring Mum every day and read them out and she is thrilled to hear about the day’s events. You write so well, I am feeling the agony and the ecstasy! Is tomorrow your last day of cycling Pen? Good luck tomorrow everyone, you are an inspiration.
Lots of love, Toni xxx
on voit l’importance du breakfast dans le stimuli pour avancer plus loin, vos lecteurs continentaux veulent connaitre les détails de votre assiette si exotique outre manche!! keep going riding team ! keep shooting mr carl!
sam
Hi brave folk
You make the ride sound so hard and yet so inspiring. Putting bikes in the car on Saturday and heading for the hills ourselves. Will go faster and further in your honour. Penny? The new baby???? Here safe?
Loads of love to all.
Ali, Ed , Jo, Sam and Grace. xxxx
And squeezy big hugs to Carl too. Ali x
Hey guys! Lovelty to meet you last night in the Maggie’s Edinburgh centre! Safe travels for the rest of the journey and I hope the sun shines for you.
Thansk and keep me posted on your progress on the blog
Thanks
Mark
This is fantastic stuff, all of you. And well done Evans for their generosity … I shall certainly shop there in future. Great that you all called in at Maggie’s Centre too.
I’ve been busy buying more wet weather gear (from Evans, naturally), so that should guarantee drier weather when I join you in Wales.
Am putting a new link to this website on my blog so hopefully more people will share in your dramas.
Keep pedalling,
Mike
Penny, Reka and Carl – this is something truely great, what an amazing feat. I hope the whole experience is as rewarding as it sounds, and that you’ll keep on feeling healthier and stronger with each new day.
Love, Laurie.
Just thinking abot you all….. x
Well done all of you. You are brill. Penny I’m looking forward to seeing you in Cardiff next week. Do I come and meet you somewhere or wait till you arrive? Hugs meantime Ruth xx
Hello lovely people,
It all sounds fantasic and it also sounds like you’ve had some good weather. Thinking of you guys every day and sending happy happy thoughts. Looking forward to seeing Reka the film star 🙂 love and light to you all, Julie (and of course, Phil, Amos and Ezra) xxx
Having a bit of a crap day thinking about my treatment and then I looked at all your cycling tales and saw the photos and decided to join you mentally on your ride. It is quite a feat that I know I am not up to physically at the moment but I am certainly with you in spirit. Nicola xxx
Thinking of you Mum, keep going, you are amazing x