A mid morning flight back to London rather than a mid morning brew stop felt very strange. It was fantastic to see Diana at Heathrow and to get back home.

Reflections:

• 99.9% of the people you meet on the trip are lovely; they are kind and encouraging and funny (I’ve reserved the 0.1% for Range Rover drivers in Scotland – they are prats)
• The bike stood up brilliantly; I had no issues at all during the 14 days. I re-lubed the chain once after the day with torrential rain and pumped the tyres up a couple of times.
• Pacing, especially during the first few days is massively important. We are told all the time that LEJOG is a marathon, not a sprint. Riding within myself on a lot of days meant I ended the ride feeling strong and able to ride harder.
• There is no such thing as too much chamois cream.
• The UK is a beautiful country.
• If you had a fear of riding up hills you will lose it; you just have to keep turning the pedals. That’s all there is to it.
• LEJOG is hard but doable.