Thats the team complete at John O Groats.....OUTSTANDING effort!

Today was only supposed to be a shortish ride of 78 miles leaving then 117 for the final push, however, when we got to 78 miles it was only 1300hrs and the team was still fresh so with plenty of cycle time left we pushed on and completed 119 miles in total leaving only 80 miles to John O'Groats tomorrow. The team had a good day today with the weather and also the scenery cycling past the Scottish Loch's including Loch Ness (didn't see the monster). The team managed to cycle 100 miles in 5hrs 38 mins breaking our 100 mile in 6hr record, with a max speed of 49.6 mph. Again some laughs on route such as Gav Froley taking a sip of water and dropping his bottle (on a dual carriageway) coming to an abrupt halt in which i ran into the back of him, we both stopped went back to try and retrieve his water bottle which by now was sitting in the middle of a busy carriageway, most of the car drivers bypast the bottle but some miserable white van man saw the opportunity and deliberately ran over the bottle reducing it to a squashed mess on the road, this had me on my knees in tears of laughter but Gav did see the funny side of it. Yet again the support staff have been on the money with providing all the team with the necessary friut and energy drinks to survive so far.

Tomorrow we are looking to start cycling at 0500hrs on the road where we will visit a couple of sereve climbs before a good down hill to finish the 900 mile E2E Cycle Challenge, then a quick photo shoot at John O'Groats then into the vehicles to head south to Catterick. Sunday will be a lunch at my sister-in-law's house which will give Alan and myself time to go cycling while Andrea cooks the dinner, after some serious bike maintenance.

he team arrived in Kinlochleven from Hamilton in just over 6 hours, the team are feeling strong and are working hard. Denis came off his bike; much to the amusement of passing motorists and the team, by all accounts he executed a perfect side left, PTSU (Parachute Training Support Unit) would have been proud! All going well I'll be able to upload some pictures today. The team set off today to Inverness via Spean Bridge, to check out the Commando Monument and to pay our respects to fallen commandos.

Well Day 5 complete, it has poured down all day without giving up, even now its still raining. The team started with a strong head wing, and with the driving rain made them work harder. They negotiated The Shap (The highest Road Point In The Lakes). It was down hill from there will occasional up hills. The weather didn't beat them and they cracked on in good Parachute Regiment fashion. The team arrived in Hamilton Scotland exhausted, however they had just completed 130 miles!!
The team are now tucked up in bed after a decent scoff the route is planned for the morning, leaving here at 0630Hrs towards Oban, the team will be staying in Kinlochleven . 

Overall the team are in good spirits today but feeling a little sore all the same so plenty of water and food stops to keep the energy levels high. The day has been completed and has been a strong day with a lot of hard work -104 miles in the bag, and the team are just over half way through the journey. A couple of dramas today, the OC's chain snapped on his bike 5 miles from the finish, Denis Buff had dramas with his shoes, nothing that masking tape can't sort out.


The whole team, went for scoff tonight and discussed tactics for the next leg. 
In the morning the admin team of Steve, Craig and Phil are cooking breakfast, so it'll be interested how that goes. The hostel we are staying at has a sauna, which Denis is in at the moment.


Tomorrow: Kendal to Hamilton! Please donate if you can, any amounts are great fully accepted and all go to the Airborne and their dependants. http://www.afghanistantrust.org/

Day 1 Complete, Lands End to Barnstaple, some emotional hills to climb for the team. A total of 128 miles completed with 109 on Sunday to Chepstow. Team scoffed up and getting there heads down for the 0630 start in the morning. Morale high. Cheers Royal for letting us use RM Chivenor.


Each day must have a period of admin on the bikes to ensure that the following day runs as smoothly as possible. It goes without saying that there will be a certain amount of mechanicals but the less that the team has the better!

The Parachute Regiment Training Company is about to start a gruelling cycle event known as the end to end by cycling from Lands End to John O Groates to raise monies for Parachute Regiment Charities. The challenge starts on Saturday 6th August and will finish as soon as possible! Anyone wishing to follow the teams progress can join the FaceBook group by visiting: Para Reg End to End Cycle Challenge  or by visiting this blog. Those of you who would like toy donate can do so by visiting www.afghanistantrust.org - all donations no matter how small will be warmly received.

The CO of the 4th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment writes in the daily Telegraph...


After six months of hard fighting on Helmand’s front line, scores of men from my unit, the 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army, returned home this month. But there is one who will not be among their number: while acting as the lead scout for a patrol in the province, Private Conrad Lewis was shot and killed by a sharpshooter, alongside a colleague, Pte Lewis Hendry. He was only 22.


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