Apologies for the delay in posting this thank-you (my broadband connection has been down since I arrived home last Tuesday and it has only just been repaired), but here goes….
For providing me with a bed for the night when I was in their town or city thanks to Iain & Carly in Deal, Alain in Boulogne, Anaisย in Lille, Simone & Elettraย in Pavia, Marcello in Rome, Massimo & Elena in Benevento & of course, for putting me up (and putting up with me) in Puglia itself, Basil & Liz.
For turning up on time and meeting me along the way as arranged, thanks to Paul in London & Claus in Strasbourg.
For taking time out to chat, the countless number of people I met along the way andย who helped me never feel lonely. You know who you are!
For advising and encouraging meย as I cycledย through your thoughtful, funny, supportive comments on this blog, thanks to (especially) Jim in Cumbria, Iain (the same one as above!), Tricia & Helen in (different parts of)ย New Zealand, “Otto Sentieri” (aka Basil), Zoe back in Reading (and thanks for the ride home from Stanstedย as well btw), Simone in Pavia, my old school friend John in Ripon, Janet & Michael who I met in the Vosges and have been commenting since, ex-colleagues Nicki, Sue and (especially) Sally (have you found something else to occupy your time now that I am no longer posting ever day?), my cousins David and Richard for their advice on theย fat content of crisps and camping respectively, my current colleague Kerrie, middle-aged cyclist Darrell, fellow bloggers and Eurovelo 5 enthusiasts Sue, Bill & Chris, all currently en route and all the other people who took time out to read my blog either with or without commenting.
For donating to the charity, Darrell, David B, brother Matthew (not a monk, my brother)ย & family, John W, Sally & Nick, Ellie, Michael “RJB” Palin, mum & dad, Dr Ed, Kerrie, Susan H, Naomi, Christine, Helen O, Caroline, Ronald & Beatrice, Judith & Cliff, Mike W, Yvonne, Alain in Boulogne (very generous!), John & Veronica in Puglia & Lillian B. And if you haven’t given yet but are planning on doing so, thanks to you in advance too! The current total stands at ยฃ510 – I thought I might struggle to get 50!
Apologies if I have missed anyone. If I have, thanks to you too. ๐
Categories: Cycling
Hi Andrew, just read your daily blog and the book, and enjoyed both immensely. My friend and I are going to be doing this route but from Newcastle to Greece in a couple of years time and it has given us a lot of inspiration that being 60 something’s by them we WILL be able to complete it(our wives are a bit sceptical)Well done on your journey and thanks for a great read. Kevon.
Thanks Kevon for your feedback. It’s much appreciated. Good luck with the preparations for your own trip in 2018(?). Look out for my third book towards the end of this year.
Best wishes & happy cycling.
Andrew
Thanks to you too Andrew, it has been great to follow you on the blog. I have just caught up with the last few weeks since I set off. I managed to catch a few posts, but mostly I was looking for advice as I planned my route so didn’t read thoroughly. I feel a little jealous at all the bits I had to miss out. You really are a cyclist! I did one 100km day and that wore me out, although I think I probably was carrying twice as much weight!
I had a great time, but I think it was too long for me to be on my own, and my fitness wasn’t quite up to it. It was made all the easier having you to follow though, so thanks.
How about a Eurovelo 5 conference? It seems there were a few of us following a vague EV5 route?
A Eurovelo 5 Conference? Well, there’s an idea! Don’t underestimate your own achievement Chris; we are all “real” cyclists and you certainly shouldn’t feel bad about jumping on a train from time to time. What you have done is what 99% of the population have never done. And don’t overestimate my fitness; I could certainly do with losing a few pounds too, in fact, it will be the plan for the long winter months ๐
Congrats on your safe arrival and remarkable achievement. I loved reading your blog postings, they have made planning my own trip so much easier. Thanks again for letting us all in to so many phases of your trip.
Can’t wait for the next Reggie based adventure.
Well done.
Glad you enjoyed the last one! Any suggestions as to where I could take him next (or he could take me)?
north sea cycle route from norway to belgium?
Raid Pyrenees?
A shortened America ride say new england to the rockies?
Santander to home?
Island hopping in Greece?
As Del boy would say, the world is your lobster!
P.S.
If you kept the stock standard saddle on reggie and you get on with it and you want a spare you can have mine.
Well done on completing your trip.
I am just back home and catching up over the last week or so of your adventure. Very envious of the time you had – must have been great. How can you ever face going back to school??
I am planning a trip for next year but am only allowed one week hols without family. Thinking of the Outer Hebrides but open to any suggestions from a time seasoned and distanced honed traveller such as yourself.
Sorry to hear about Reggie. I’m sure he will pull through though!
Oh. Will get your Pennine Cycleway maps back toute suite but need an address please.
Cheers
Thanks. School? Well, September is quite a nice month. Start of new year, new resolutions etc…
You over-judge my cycling experience; I have only done the two long distance trips – the Penine Cycleway and the Eurovelo 5. Outer Hebrides sounds great. I’m tempted to ask to join you…
Reggie is fine; he just needs his post summer make-over ๐
As for the maps, my address is;
97, The Meridian
Kenavon Drive
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 3DP
Make sure you keep in touch!
Cheers. ๐
I know you are not in the ‘leave your job and cycle for months’ category but still Reading to Brindisi is a fair bit longer than the Pennine Cycleway which is my one long distance route completed to date so I consider you more seasoned than I.
The Outer Hebrides is an ambition as I love the area and know can see a fair bit of variety in a week or so of cycling. If you want to join me you would be more than welcome. It would certainly be different to solo cycling which as you know has both its pros and cons. If we didn’t gel we could just follow our own routes though! Not sure exactly when it will be but likely the end of July or beginning of August. Let me know what you think.
What we all realy want to know is how is reggie?
Reggie? He is at the bike hospital – AW Cyles – and is booked in for a check up and any necessary work on the 6th September. I’m promised he will be fully stripped down to the frame and put back together again. Mind you he is still in the bubble wrap bag as he came off the plane so I’ve already done some of the dismantling work. I’m expecting a hefty bill including, at the very least, replacement of the chain, perhaps the cogs and possibly even the back wheel if it’s not possible to rectify the wobble. In the meantime, although I could use the ‘old’ bike to get to work but I’m actually looking forward to a couple of weeks back on the train to Henley.
But, just like James Bond, Reggie will return….