Six guys, seven bikes, 24hrs, 861miles -  Lands End to John O’Groats

Matt Hale tells us how the day went….

‘In order to ride the above it was actually necessary to ride much further and, after taking the scenic route through the Highlands on the return journey, the total ended up being 1875 miles for me.  I live in the Midlands so I rode down to Lands End and then back to the midlands from John O’ Groats when I’d finished.  Phil Trotter, Chris and Jacko came from Gloucester way and Worcester which is a similar distance and Taff came from Torbay which is also similar I think. Norman rode down from Exeter, so he had an easy start but further to go on the way home! He rode from Spean Bridge near Fort William on Loch Linnhe on the west coast in one hit of about 12hrs and Taff rode from Dunnet to Torbay on the Friday!

I was on the only Laverda going and as it turned out I ended up being the only 70’s bike that finished. To be honest the whole ride is a slightly surreal blur and I have had to check a few things to recount it in an order that makes any sense.  It’s the going mixed with returning I think!

We were very lucky with the weather which was totally dry until about 20 miles from John OÕ Groats and then only light drizzle. We’d been weather watching during the week before, absorbing the info which got more detailed as the time to leave came nearer. We all met at Norman’s in Exeter and rode to Land’s End where we had supper and a beer before retiring to bed in our single rooms in the Wellington Hotel, St Just. No snoring was to disturb our slumber. Then up for breakfast at 8 and off to Lands End at 9.

Norman started on his lovely, newly rebuilt 650 Triumph twin which he has had since he was 17 in the 70’s. We began the ride up to John O’Groats with us all leaving at 9.30 am. Regretfully, despite it running well Norman heard a nasty cracking sound near Bodmin. Understandably he decided to switch bikes and after Dave from his work collected the Triumph in a van, he was given a backie by Jacko on his Yamaha big tourer thingy up to Exeter to collect his 650 SV Suzuki twin. It all took about an hour but didn’t upset the target time of 24hrs to get to John O’Groats. This overall target time allowed for 20 minute stops about every 120miles with an hour in Inverness.  All planned beautifully by Norman.

There were inevitable rough bits. One was a traffic jam around Birmingham and a bit beyond, but it was preceded by a wonderful buffet in Jacko’s work place at an Ambulance station in Worcestershire, where we spoke to local radio and newspaper reporters. After that I remember looking west across to the Lake District as the sun set.

It seemed not long before we were sat in a garage at Lymm services with a traffic jam roaring in the back ground. Emotionally the ride is naturally a rollercoaster. With each section achieved there was a sense of success but then an awareness that there was so many miles left to do. But each time we set off again the mood rose as soon as we were moving. Of course each time the distance and the energy level decreased!  Win some, loose some!

I remember reaching the Scottish lowlands and riding the winding uphill M74 which was fun.  I had discovered expresso coffee again and it was working well.  We rode up past Annandale Water above Dumfries on up to Douglas, then the M73 between Glasgow and Edinburgh then the A80, M80 and onto the M9 and A9 to Perth!  We were met by Sam from the SV forum who’d waited for us in order to make a donation! The A9 was astounding all the way.

It was a joy the way my 3CE just kept going, the lights kept working and my earplugs and various layers kept the worst of the wind noise and cold out. I had brought one of those cheap yellow, padded jackets from a builders merchant and it was big enough to go over my normal motorbike jacket. Although I looked like Phil, sorry I mean a large bear, I was able to move and was very warm. The thermal long johns also helped! I was only slightly cold in the middle of the night as we went up past Newtonmore and the Monadhliath mountains on the west and then Aviemore’s, Cairngorms on the east.  But the full moon lit the way and reflected off the snow topped mountains. I won’t forget that! (Although my feet would like to).

As we rode into Inverness glad not to have run into any deer (none seen by me) I was looking forward to a rest. I managed about 10 minutes nap in a Tesco’s armchair preceded by about half an hours wandering around the aisles finding some self heating coffee and a sandwich! Surreal is the word. We were all glad to leave there and ride across the Black Isle and Cromarty Firth!

The last bit from Inverness to John O’Groats is about 240 miles and we stopped twice I think. Once in a lay-by near Helmsdale on that great A9 watching the sun come up and then the second time for breakfast in Wick! Boy was that good. Sitting next to the harbour knowing there were only 30 miles to go and then "a wee dram" and bed! Those last miles were a test though, as fatigue, very strong winds and drizzle tested all of our concentrations. The A9 twisted and turned up and down like an Alpine road.  After a short session taking pics we rode the last 12 miles from John O’Groats to the hotel at Dunnet (recommended by Colin and Ross Haygarth). It was like sailing in Pentland Firth rather than riding along it!

We had left at 9.30 am on the 4th April and arrived just before the same time on the 5th. Let it be said that this was a personal record for all of us but not a record attempt. I am grateful to have had the protection of friends to do it with, including Phil’s never needed but always present fuel bottle!. Phil T. has ridden Land’s End to John O'Groats before on a peddle cycle (!) and Clem has ridden it in just over17 hours! ( there can’t have been any traffic?) I learned that someone has done it on a lawnmower, another on a unicycle?! May their Gods go with them!

Apologies to any Scottish members if I have facts wrong and for not stopping to wake you on the way through!’