Thankfully i'm cycling again, which has come as something of a relief- although physically i'm not as able as I thought I could once again be, i'm enjoying the freedom of being able to get around under my own steam. This is something which is greatly underestimated until you can no longer do it- my advice for all those with dusty bikes and some time on their hands is to go out for a ride whilst your body allows you to have a choice....obviously check the bike first and make a judgement about whether its safe or not!
What I have found quite difficult about the Lejog, aside from the logistical dificulties of absenting myself from my family for two weeks and the physical effort required-has been the sheer cost of taking part. If travelling individually one has to allow for initial travel to cornwall, food/ accomodation/ spares (for two weeks) etc and the return- which I estimated at approximately £500 (if the journey was completed with a large amount of camping along the way). If you were to choose a guided tour you can join in for between £1300-£2000, these take the organisation out of cycling the lejog and look great but aren't for everyone and are certainly not for me. The other option is the charitable route, which is great if a charity you're really passionate about is trying to raise money- but isn't a cheap option if you just fancy a bike ride, most ask for at least £2000 in fundraising.
I love cycling because of simplicity and its accessibility. I like the idea of the physical challenge of travelling from one end of the country to the other but even at its cheapest the £500 I would use in completing the lejog would be better spent on repairing bikes to give away, rather than supporting me on a sweaty jolly across the country! I'm really hoping that next year i'll find a way to go and will continue to try to build on my fitness but am now going to try to focus on more local challenges.
