LEL2022 Warts and All (1500km ultra distance cycling audax) 

Thanks for your message Michael, and welcome to the world of audax. It can get quite addictive! You’ve got three years to get ready for LEL2025… I’ll be there to shout encouragement from the comfort of my motorbike (hoping to provide roadside assistance to stranded cyclists).

Congratulations on finishing LEJOG… you’ll remember that ride forever. And LEL will be just as memorable… maybe see you on the road!! And thanks for watching.

Thanks Paul!! I hope you do ride it in 2025… so that I can support you from the comfort of my motorbike saddle. Oh… and I’ll be carrying tools and spares should you need mechanical assistance en route! Once is enough for me… my next big challenge will hopefully be an altogether more social affair with the emphasis on fun instead of punishment. Not sure what it’ll be, but I’m back on the bike and feeling motivated.

Thanks Marcia. It was fantastic and awful at the same time! Box ticked... time to find the next (more enjoyable) challenge.

Thanks Jan

I didn’t entertain myself that day!!!

I’d be inclined to stay in the lounger a little longer… it’s dark, cold and wet back in Blighty!

@@SaddleSore I wish 😂

Kind words, but compared to those who ride 10, 20 or 30 miles, you too are a hero! The distance doesn’t matter… it’s the effort that counts.

@@SaddleSore wise words, thanks

Thanks Dusty. Seeing my van was such sheer relief!

@@SaddleSore I bet! Hope to see you out on a ride 👍🏽

Thanks Lee!

Thanks!!

Thanks Jay. So you’re aiming for LEL2025 then?!

@@SaddleSore I love the enthusiasm, we'll certainly see! 😂

Sheer relief!! You looked almost as happy when I drew alongside you on that descent… I was laughing like a drain and so we’re you!

Thanks for coming over!!

Thanks. More of the same in 2023… watch this space!

Thanks Ross!

It’s a good job it wasn’t smellivision… you’d had been able to smell the tiredness as well!

Well ridden Michael! It certainly was emotional. I don't think I'll be doing it again!

@@SaddleSore You will. The itch will start again and you will be back. DAHIK

“HIYA SHAUN!” I can’t believe I didn’t get any footage of you … I guess you were just too fast for my camera to capture!

@@SaddleSore I was too busy making a guest appearance on Adam's video!!

Oral hygiene and gooch hygiene… the two pillars of professional randonneuring!!

Thanks Paul. Those bloody lows!!

Note to self… divide my gooch butter into two tubs next time… so that when the first is inevitably left and in the disabled loo at Eskdale I’ll still have an emergency supply. Always learning!

Ah that’s a shame. My gooch held up remarkably well. My neck was an issue for the final 24hours: a known problem that made it difficult to pedal efficiently. All good lessons learned.

I’m doing it on my motorbike in 2025… with a bag full of spares and sustenance to get stranded and stricken riders back in the game!!

@@SaddleSore Nice one! You'll be extremely popular...!

Too much time spent sleeping, yet I only slept for about 10 hours in total. Not sure how the maths works?! I think my lack of company/slip-streaming accounts for the extra hours above my target time.

@@SaddleSore the heat, wind and fatigue played a big part in the ride. Riding through the night was a lot of fun.

Thanks!

I'll be on my motorbike for the 2025 edition... offering mechanical assistance to stranded riders!

Nice one i will look out for you.👍🙂

Gary… they are Smith Reverbs. I’ve got three lenses… clear, dark and pinky/yellow for low light conditions.

My gooch was remarkably ok. It was my emotions that took the biggest battering!

@@SaddleSore oh the big test, you either get swallowed and give up or you come out stronger and better! Congrats on doing the latter!

@@KNURKonesur thank you! I had one big moment when I thought I couldn't continue (it was hot as hell and I was dehydrated and sleep deprived) but I pulled myself together, had a snooze and bit the bullet. I'm definitely stronger physically and mentally as a result.

Bugger.

Yes, but not on the official route! (Would have been a lot easier mind)

@@tlingitbob3510 I've done four LELs and they have always been advisory routes. That an LEL route is mandatory goes against the grain for me and quite a few other old-time audaxers too. The LEL route has varied quite a bit over the years for example, we never used to go over the Humber bridge. The controls change and change again, we even used to start in Yorkshire for goodness sake. But the one thing that never changed was that we went over Yad Moss in both directions. It just ain't LEL otherwise 🙂

Ha! I thought we’d had a chat about some of my earlier videos… maybe I imagined it?! Either way, nice to meet you on the road for a brief time! 🤡

@@SaddleSore Enjoyed the video 👍

PBP is on hold… I want to go back to having fun on my rides instead of flogging myself. I’m still going to do an SR series each year, but my ‘big’ goals will be more about the laughs and less about the outright achievements.

Imagine how annoyed I was after all that ‘effing pedalling!! I’ll try harder this year.