The end isn't near, it's here

I'm currently on my way back up north, feeling a little hungover but overwhelmingly satisfied with myself.

Though yesterday wasn't a grandstand, all out celebration the weather was ok, the ride went well and I made it! I set off from Restronguet, just outside Falmouth at about 10 with 30 miles to cover. There was a pretty killer headwind throughout but as with pretty much everything else I've encountered in the last month I kept my head down, swore a lot and kept my legs turning. After passing Breage I called the local paper in Penzance to let them know I was about an hour away so as I arrived at Helen Glover's box a reporter and photographer were there to welcome me in...

After my media duties were done I went in search of Helen Glover's parent's Ice Cream shop. I found it and they gave me free ice cream. Result! It's probably the mark of how good Jelberts is that it only does vanilla and is still successful!

Well, that pretty much completes the story of my challenge. From there I found my accommodation got showered and changed, then got merrily drunk.
While that happened it appears something quite big has been arranged. Still awaiting full confirmation but it seems as though I'll be getting off this train in Bristol (not been there for a while) and getting a HELICOPTER back to Bolton.

Tonight I will be back home, curry with the folks and then to the pub.

There's been some ups and downs throughout this ride and this blog has been fun, in a cathartic way, so all that really remains is to thank you all for your support, without it I wouldn't have managed to keep getting out of bed and riding day-on-day for the last month.

London 2012, Team GB and each and every athlete, the joy, happiness and togetherness you promoted inspired me; which I'd like to think is what LOCOG and Seb Coe envisaged with their legacy mantra.
This is my way of honouring you. Thank you for a great summer

@Pedal_Medal
www.justgiving.com/samlevey

The final push

Well yesterday was my last big effort, a 75mile ride through Devon into Cornwall to Ben Ainslie's postbox at the Pandora Inn at the bottom of Restronguet Hill, Falmouth.

I guess in order to book-end my journey properly that chap upstairs decided to have a laugh again and sent a few bucketfuls of rain down on me along the way, but I've been through far worse and at this stage nothing is going to stop me.

One major disappointment on the ride was that I didn't see the fabled 'beast of Bodmin' but I suspect there isn't a puma living in the moors of Cornwall so I shouldn't be too surprised. I did, on the other hand find a few hills. Nothing compared to the horror stories people had been describing in the west-country but a fair few long drags as well as a couple of really steep, but short slopes. The worst I found was turning off the main road after Truro towards Carclew. It ramped up and kept going, so my gears plummeted and I kept my legs turning. To the top, turn left, turn left again and roll down the 25% gradient to the sailing lake and pub. Find postbox, take photo lose phone signal, go to pub...
Just after buying a pint my hosts, Hillary and Paul arrived with another Falmouth Wheeler so we sat and had a bit of a chat about what I'd done and why. We then headed back to their house, a mile away but up that 25% incline I'd come down earlier.

The landlord at the Pandora Inn took a few details and a picture of me at the box so hopefully that might boost a little bit of awareness and add a late kick to the funds, and a kind gentleman who was listening as I explained what I was doing gave me a tenner, so that's with the other donations I've recieved along the way to be added when I get home.

Back at Paul and Hillary's we ate and tried to find a few people to ride the final stretch into Penzance with me, thus far we've been unsuccessful, but the chairman did pop round and give me a Falmouth Wheelers jersey, which I will wear with pride back home, when I get myself back on my bike...which could take a while.

Final push now. Falmouth to Penzance. Hopefully to get in local paper and get an ice cream from Helen Glover's dad as well as checking off the last box.
I don't know if I mentioned this in a previous blog, but the first gold medal we won was the Women's Two in rowing. The winning pair...Heather Stanning, with my first postbox in Lossiemouth, and Helen Glover with what will be my final one in Penzance. Quite annoying, but also, in some ways quite fitting

Cully Cully

I had absolutely loads of time to write this yesterday, I simply didn't do it. Mainly because the ride was uneventful but also because I was having a really nice afternoon and evening.

I left my guesthouse in Weston at 9.30 yesterday because there was no major need to rush. Got on the A370 towards Taunton then joined the A38. That was pretty much it. Cycle, cycle, cycle over flatish terrain til I saw signs for Cullompton, then follow that road to my parents oldest friends Ren and Geoff. Arriving just before the rain started the bike was locked safely away and I was inside having a cup of tea.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and refueling while catching up with the info of a family I've not seen in way too long. The last time we'd met, Ren and Geoff were dropping their youngest, Cait, off at Uni about 5 years ago. The last time I was in this house was probably 15 years ago, so a reunion was definitely overdue.

Today is the final really big effort, a big day's ride to Falmouth to collect Ben Ainslie's postbox before an overnight there ahead of the final leg into Penzance for the newly gazetted Helen Glover MBE's postbox and the glorious culmination of 4 weeks solid cycling!

An absolute Weston

The last 2 days of riding, despite being very important to the challenge have been staggeringly frustrating. The reason why will become clear very soon.

The day started stupidly, me and my friend Mat Reynolds set off from the hotel and within about a minute I had fallen off my bike. As with the previous tumbles this was nothing major. Basically as I attempted to mount the curb I got my angles wrong and the wheel skimmed the edge while my weight was still going sideways and down I went. A bit of a bruise on my hip and a couple of scratches on my knee.
Anyways, we rode into Cardiff and encountered a halfwit on a moped. I think I'll give him some leeway that perhaps he was a 16yr old, new to his scooter, but basically he wanted to overtake is and turn left but completely got it wrong and as a result cut in front of me so close that my mudguard skimmed his L Plate. Other than that the ride was uneventful and we reached Cardiff and found the postbox in decent time, here is the final member of the Men's Team Pursuit team, Geraint Thomas' box next to Cardiff Castle...

This is where my fruatration with the riding started to kick in. We rode directly back to the hotel, so after four hours of riding we were back where we'd started. Mat had to get to work so left me here leaving me to take the exact route I'd ridden the previous day back to the bridge and across to Avonmouth then back into Bristol. I got back to the Clifton suspension bridge at about 3.30, almost exactly 24hours since leaving it. It's a little bit soul destroying retracing your steps so much, but needs be I suppose.

From Clifton I got on the A370 and figuratively flew down to Weston, covering the 30miles about 45mins quicker than I'd expected. That good news was soon improved by the fact a guest at my b&b had decided to stay another night so I got upgraded to the family suite. Bunk beds, result!

I then found an all you can eat pie buffet, which replenished me somewhat and returned to the room.

Tomorrow has the potential to be a killer, it all depends where the hills start. With some luck I should avoid anything proper but I fully expect to be grimacing my way up and over some shockers.
No boxes to collect tomorrow, but it sets me up well for the last 2 days and final 2 postboxes!

I go back to Clifton to see an old friend

After a long day I did reach my hotel in Magor, just east of Newport.

I set off well fed and pretty well recovered at about 9.10 from the land of no signal, Sherborne. From there it was a matter of heading north. Almost directly north, to Bristol making good time and arriving shortly before 2.

I'd agreed to meet a friend of mine in Clifton Village at 2.30 but because of work he was running a bit late. Nonetheless I found a pub and ordered some food before Mikey T arrived. We had a catch up and I realised something quite important. Mike is superb for directions if you need to find a pub or bar, however if not it appears he's not the greatest.
"I need to get over to Avonmouth," says I.
"Your best bet is probably cross the suspension bridge towards Portishead" comes the reply.
That is not the case. After a lot of messing around and avoiding motorways I did managed to get myself back on track, way behind schedule but comfortably within daylight. Crossing the Severn Bridge was quite fun though the lack of A roads or adequate cycle path directions caused some more hassle when I reached the Welsh side of the water.

At 7.08 I reached the hotel, checked in, showered, changed and went down for dinner. It was difficult to decide what to have so I settled on a lasagna and a chicken pizza. I love the amount of guilt-free food this ride allows, I less so enjoy the cost of buying 2 dinners!

Today's ride is quite a hefty one, but I think shouldn't be too difficult. Along the coast to Cardiff to visit Geraint Thomas' post box, then back to the bridge over to Bristol and round to Weston-Super-Mare for the evening.
Not long to go now, just need to keep spinning my legs and wheels for a few more days!

@Pedal_Medal
www.justgiving.com/samlevey

Starting to get weary now

The cumulative effect of 3 weeks constant cycling is starting to catch up with me now. Just as I reach a very hilly final stretch. Lucky me.

Yesterday, despite my tired legs, was a good ride. Leaving @MrStevethechef's house shortly after 9 with a few Andover Wheelers in tow (Alistair and Nick), Steve led us out towards Bradford on Avon, due to work Alistair had to turn back so three of us completed the ride to Ed McKeever's postbox on The Shambles...
While we were looking for the postbox we asked a family for directions and I've picked up another follower, the lovely @firobson who added me as we got directions. The joys of mobile internet!

From there we called into a café for a brew and a snack, had a bit of a chat and plotted the next route down to Sherborne. Nick went straight back to Andover, leaving me and Steve to journey south together.

Once again the route was pretty simple, down towards Frome then pick up signs to Bruton and then Sherborne, however I've started getting back into hilly country so there were some long constant drags as well as a couple of steep, short climbs. We made it in good time though and got to the Peter Wilson's postbox on Cheap Street quite easily...

After that we waited in a pub for Caroline to collect Steve for their trip back home and my onward journey to accomodation. This time my cousin Hannah's in-laws, who have fed me superbly.

With a bit of luck my legs have got a bit more riding in them because I'm up to Bristol to cross the bridge to Wales today. Spending tonight in Newport.
Five more days of riding to go, three more post boxes to collect! In the words of Mortal Kombat, "Finish Him"

On a final note if anyone might be in and around Penzance on Friday early-afternoon I would really appreciate a bit of a welcome committee as I finally reach the end of the ride!!

@Pedal_Medal
www.justgiving.com/samlevey

No doubt about it, the best day so far

Greetings from a lovely Andover. I hope you've all had a similarly warm and sunny day, because to be honest it's been delightful here.

I think today was my most punctual set off of the whole journey, the 9am target was actually met-ish.
So from Camberley I went south, through lots of places I've never heard of, Frimley, Farnham, Farnborough etc to reach Alton. Despite it's name there was a worrying lack of roller coasters, which makes me very glad I've never spent my money on visiting before! I found Peter Charles box easily enough and spent a fair while waiting for a passersby to take my photo, but it happened...

What followed was an absolute delight. Through the South Downs, although there were some Ups, was a lovely ride. A few undulations but in the sunshine I was actually (for the first time this month) warm.
I made fantastic time down to Hamble to reach Dani King's postbox, completing the Women's Team Pursuit team and was also greeted by a Twitter fan @SpudPR which really makes my efforts worthwhile. While at the box we also met some holiday makers who donated their change and posed in the picture with me...

Annoyingly, but logistically my next step was retracing my path back to Botely before riding into Winchester and meeting 2 Steve's from the Andover Wheelers, @SteveDance18 and @MrStevethechef who guided me to town.

This evening I warmed up, had a couple of 'stubbies' before popping to the local for a swift half (2 pints). We're now back on the Lady Clark - who gave Steve-the-chef time off and a donation - Estate waiting for what smells like a devine roast chicken dinner with an incredible looking apple pie with ginger ice cream for dessert. I could very soon be in a food coma, but rest assured I will be on my way again first thing tomorrow!

Give me a follow @Pedal_Medal and donate at www.justgiving.com/samlevey