London - Edinburgh - London aka LEL

[onthe_road]

Anyone doing this? Has anyone done it before?
I just got the paperwork and wondering if I should take:
a. blanket/sleeping bag
b. lock

The blanket should be dropped at pre-determined spots so wouldn't be that much of a hassle though they are supposed to have a few spare so wondering with how many other tired cyclists I'd be arguing with in case I didn't arrange my own.

The lock is recommended by the organisers. It's just the thought of carrying that extra weight seems to be eating into my flesh already.

Anyway, any tips, comments, suggestions and experience-sharing would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Comatosed]

Yes to both! I take it they aren't the only two items you're taking?

 

[onthe_road]

Noooooo...
Taking the basics (lights, puncture repair kit, pump, spares) plus an abundance of hope but that don't weigh much!

So you've dealt with this LEL beast before?

 

[Comatosed]

Noooooo...


So you've dealt with this LEL beast before?

Nope sorry!

 

[yello]

I'm doing LEL and taking neither sleeping bag nor blanket. I have a silk liner that I will carry with me as I have no idea where I may sleep or when. My bag drop (only one - Dalkeith) will contain clean gear, some gels/bars and inner tubes. The bag drop could coincide with where I sleep but I'm not going to plan for that.

I'll take a cable lock but nothing more robust. I don't want to carry extra weight so a D-lock is out. It's a risk sure but I'll be spending more time on the bike that off of it, and not leaving the bike for long periods (except at controls) so I reckon a cable lock will do.

 

[MSeries]

Yes. Done LEL before and doing it this year too. I shall not be carrying a blanket nut may put one in my Dalkeith bag drop. I have a bed booked at a friends house for two 'nights' so a decent bed is guaranteed for part of it.

Difficult to compare with 2005 since there are twice as many riders. Though I didn't get a blamket in 2005 at Dalkeith and was cold. I shall be taking a small cable lock.

 

[vorsprung]

I did LEL 2005
I remember lying on the floor at the control near York wishing I had a blanket

I recommend taking a silk sleeping bag liner. I have one and it weighs 145 grams and is surprisingly warm. I have slept outside in it during the summer

As for a lock, it depends. I took one last time but did not use it

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hi
Ther's a lot of LEL chat here...
http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=67.0

Good luck, oh, and Welcome to CC!

 

[onthe_road]

Vello, are you reading?
Were you the chap I spoke to, I think on the eve of the first day in a jolly mixed multinational group. You said you had retired and was living in southwest France for some 7 years?
In any case, I hope you made it back ok. Sunday eve and I'm just getting a grip of myself, though there are still lots of tingling bits, all toes, some fingers, a good chunk of left hip.
Two words - Yad Moss! Crickey. Lost count of how many times I said to myself "someone please wake me up from this nightmare!"

 

[yello]

Vello, are you reading?
Were you the chap I spoke to, I think on the eve of the first day in a jolly mixed multinational group. You said you had retired and was living in southwest France for some 7 years?"

Nope, not me.

Glad you made it back okay with only the 'to be expected' sorts of aches and pains.

You're right about it taking time to come right. I spent the first 24 hours after finish in a state of near shock! My body didn't have a clue what had just happened to it. I was very VERY emotional too. I'd had an intense and extreme focus on getting through the last day. So the release of that as I got to the end left a huge void in me; I was emotionally numb and drained. I found myself in tears when talking to my wife on the phone; and they weren't tears of happiness or relief. I couldn't feel either of those at that point in time.

It truly was an experience I shall never forget.

 

[summerdays]

Well done to all those who took part (complete nutcases)

 

[ianrauk]

Bloody well done mate.. you should be very proud of yourself, in fact everyone who did the LEL should be very proud.

Nope, not me.

Glad you made it back okay with only the 'to be expected' sorts of aches and pains.

You're right about it taking time to come right. I spent the first 24 hours after finish in a state of near shock! My body didn't have a clue what had just happened to it. I was very VERY emotional too. I'd had an intense and extreme focus on getting through the last day. So the release of that as I got to the end left a huge void in me; I was emotionally numb and drained. I found myself in tears when talking to my wife on the phone; and they weren't tears of happiness or relief. I couldn't feel either of those at that point in time.

It truly was an experience I shall never forget.

 

[Greenbank]

Surprisingly my two laps of Richmond Park yesterday were a bit slower than normal.

I had a blast. Looking back I would have only changed one thing (having a quick nap at Eskdalemuir on the way back instead of sitting round chatting for 3 hours hoping the weather would get better, paid for it by getting the dozies later on and wasted a fair amount of time stopping and trying to wake myself up before having to crash in a church porch in Brampton for 30 mins).

 

[yello]

I spent a total of around 10 hours at Eskdalemuir on the return leg, 4 or 5 of them asleep. I'd got in around 6pm, had some food and a kip and was all ready to set off at 1am ish when the controllers wisely advised against it. So I hung on until it was light at not long after 4. I went from a position of having time on my side to chasing it. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have not had a kip and instead pushed on to Alston... but that's hindsight for you.

 

[Greenbank]

I spent a total of around 10 hours at Eskdalemuir on the return leg, 4 or 5 of them asleep. I'd got in around 6pm, had some food and a kip and was all ready to set off at 1am ish when the controllers wisely advised against it. So I hung on until it was light at not long after 4. I went from a position of having time on my side to chasing it. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have not had a kip and instead pushed on to Alston... but that's hindsight for you.

I got in to Eskdalemuir at 7.30pm, ate and rested and then sat around until 10pm hoping it would get better, got bored of waiting and set off, being on the 8am start I had little time to spare.

Eskdalemuir has its very own localised weather system, the wind/rain were still raging when I left at 10.15pm but within 30 minutes (and therefore about 8km) of leaving the control it was calm and almost dry, even some parts up to this were ok as we were shielded from the worst of it by the trees. I can't remember any more rain from about 10km before Langholm.