Intrepid trio set off
Reg, John and Phil

A great experience and one which I would not mind repeating, but not for a week or two. Thank you David for posting information on our web site and keeping people informed about our progress.

It was good to have Phil and Reg for the first leg and Reg for the second. Both had to suffer extremely strong winds, which unfortunately continued through the whole week. Reg did magnificently on the second day when we had to battle with wind, bank holidaymakers with their prams, children, dogs, tandems, uncles, aunts and grandparents. The trail was not quiet that day and our bells were ringing constantly. But after eleven hours and becoming quite exhausted Reg decided the sensible move would be to return home.
For the next three days I did have the wind to accompany me! At one isolated level crossing the crossing keeped chatted. When I mentioned the wind as my main problem he, sagely, commented, ‘You should have let me know I would have had a word with a friend of mine, Odin’. I am not sure he had the right god!
The trail is very beautiful and takes you through the quiet and very rural heart of the industrial North. It follows rivers, Mersey, Dearne, Don, Ouse and Humber, many canals, disused railway lines and very quiet country roads. The advantage of this is that generally you are riding along quite flat paths, even, though they are quite bumpy which can be a bit hard on the behind! All this in very sunny weather made for a very enjoyable ride. It was hard work but whenyou are riding you get into a rythm and just plod on.

I was pleased to reach Hornsea, which was rather quiet , closed up and cold, with an east wind whipping up the sea. It was even better to turn rounnd and head for Hull and the train home and this time with the wind behind me!
It would have been even better had I not got on the wrong train in Leeds and found myself heading for Middlesborough! Fortunately a son lived not far from the first stop and so I stayed with him. The next day another son met me in Manchester and made sure his idiot father got the right train!

Thanks to everyone who wished us well in our escapade and those who generously sponsored us. So far Medecins sans frontieres will be better off to the sum of over three hundred pounds and more still coming in.
Hopefully this could be repeated again next year and be an enjoyable experience for others too.