Techno Packing

Not long to go now so I thought I had better make sure I could fit everything in. It is quite a juggling act deciding what to take and what to leave behind. I had to bring some technology as 9 days without the internet is going to be a challenge on its own.

I have a pocket PC with Memory map installed. This has the whole route on it. Also a Nokia N95 for photos and blogging on the move. Hopefully all pics will be geotagged as they are uploaded to Flickr so folk can see where we were. It will also prove that we are not just in my back garden pretending to be JOGLEing! Also packed is my Garmin Forerunner 305 which will give stats for each day and an iPod nano which will be loaded up with podcasts before the off.

My check list and what you see in the pic below is here . There is probably something vital I have missed. Time will tell...


All this packed down pretty well into the bags I have. There is even a little room left over to squeeze in a few energy bars/drinks etc...

Our Route (updated with elevation data)

Click to see a larger version.

Our Route is now taking shape. The links lead to mapmyroute maps of each day. If anyone can see anything stupid we have done then please let us know.

I have now calculated the total climbing and descending for each day. Interestingly the last day through Devon and Cornwall is the most grueling in terms both of distance and elevation. Even more than going through Glen Coe on day 3. Nice way to finish.

Anquet Maps was used to calculate the data because mapmyride seems to underestimate the elevation change dramatically. The numbers look pretty scary but it does at least give a comparison between the days.

Day 1 Friday 20th John O'Groats - Helmsdale coastal route 53 miles

Ascent 3790ft Descent 3754ft

Day 2 Saturday 21st Helmsdale - Fort Augustus (Just North of Fort William) 102miles

Ascent 9234 ft Descent 9181 ft

Day 3 Sunday 22nd Fort Augustus - Inverbeg on Loch Lomond 106 miles (then Ferry to Rowardennan Lodge)

Ascent 11269ft Descent 11362ft

Day 4 Monday 23rd Rowardennan Lodge - Dumfries 111 Miles

Ascent 9167ft Descent 9134ft

Day 5 Tuesday 24th Dumfries - Kendal 96 miles

Ascent 7298ft Descent 7278ft

Day 6 Wednesday 25th Kendal - Whitchurch 118miles

Ascent 5964ft Descent 5847ft

Day 7 Thursday 26th Whitchurch - Stroud 107 miles

Ascent 7354ft Descent 7529ft

Day 8 Friday 27th Stroud -Exeter 114 miles

Ascent 7522ft Descent 7475ft

Day 9 Saturday 28th Exeter - Lands End 141 miles (!)


Ascent 12876ft Descent 12864ft

948 Miles in Total

JOGLE Article in Local Press

After losing his father to Alzheimer's disease, Dave Portch has enlisted friends to saddle up and help him raise valuable funds to support research into the disease.Dave and pals, Nick...

Apart from the fact that i haven't had the pleasure of an end to end yet this article seems ok.
It was Dr Steve who rode in 1990.
Also Steve is not a web designer, he's a toilet cleaner.

OBSIDIAN is live!

This week Obsidian, the new project by JOGLE supporter JC Hutchins launched. It is a series of short stories written and narrated by some of the best known names in podcasting fiction. All the stories are set in the time of the 7th Son novel and the blackout across America that ensued. The series kicked off with a 2 parter by Tee Morris called " Miles to go Before I Get Home" Check out JC's site for these tales, the 7th Son Podcast, links to exclusive free Celldweller music and more. Also check out episode two for our Plug! Thanks JC!

The Space Turtle and Memory Remembered

When I got home from my night shift this morning I found an email from Justin Lowmaster of The Space Turtle .Justin had been moved to want to do something to help fight Alzheimer's when he heard of Terry Pratchett's illness. A little later Justin heard about our little jaunt on Murder at Avedon Hill and decided to give us some support.


Not only has he given us a generous donation but he has also written a short story called Memory Remembered to help promote awareness of Alzheimer's. It is a quirky little tale about a Wizard with a failing memory. Please check it out and the rest of Justin's work at The Space Turtle.

Thank you Justin!

Fat Men Can't Climb

There is a hill near me Called Frocester Hill that runs about 1 1/4 miles in length at an average gradient of about 10%. Nothing too extreme but over the years I have timed myself up it when bored as a very unscientific measurement of my state of fitness.

The last time that I had tried this was about 2 years ago when I was 20lbs lighter. I thought I would have a bash at it yesterday because I couldn't be bothered to do a long ride and well to be honest I was curious. Recently the miles have been piling up so I dared to think that maybe, just maybe I was in olympic form. Unsurprisingly this is clearly not the case.

I managed to climb the hill in 10mins 50 sec at an av heart rate of 165. My previous record was 8mins 30 at an average heart rate of 164. So compared to me I was slow but to really put this in perspective on the climb of Mont Ventoux, a similar gradient but about 10 times longer, the top riders in the world average about 14mph. I am averaging about 7mph. Fat boys can't climb.

Here is my attempt.

Firef.ly

You may or may not have noticed that there is a Firefly button on the right of the page. This is a VERY cool new service that does two things. Firstly it shows how embarrassingly rare it is to have two folk on the web site at once. Secondly and more importantly it enables the visitors, on those rare occasions there are more than one, to chat together instantly.

Now this might not appeal as most folk probably wish to stay anonymous, especially if they are seen on our site! In which case you can just ignore it. If however you are feeling sociable and you see that there is more than one person here then click the button on the right and start typing. As easy as that!

Even Techtards Dave and Steve could work it. Probably.

Really Geeky Tractor Motivation

Struggling on my bike ride home from work the other morning I had another tractor slip streaming session. I had the impression that cycling behind the tractor made life so very much easier. The average speed per mile as shown below in the geeky table bares this out, rising from about 15 - 16mph to 25mph.

It surprised me that my average heart rate went up by over 30bpm as well though. This surprised me because a lot of the time when following the tractor it feels as though I am practically coasting. It is necessary to really gun it when trying to keep the wheel up an incline but then on the flat and downhill It felt as though I was just ticking over giving the overall impression that it was easy.

I suppose this just goes to show how much speed and performance is in the mind. With a bit of motivation I was able to raise my average heart rate to 160bpm in order to stay in the tractors slipstream, where as before the tractor came along I was struggling to get the average up to 130, convinced that I couldn't go any harder. Unfortunately I seem to need a tractor to motivate myself.

PG Holyfield mentions our cause!

If you haven't yet checked out Murder At Avedon Hill you need a stiff talking too. It is quite simply the most immersing and absorbing podcast story out there. Beautifully written, acted and produced, PG and his star studded cast carry you away to a world of fantasy, vampires and murder mystery. This is the into from PG's site:

Lord Avedon has a problem. Generations of Avedons have watched over Avedon Hill and controlled the only pass through the Lantis Mountains. Traditions are important to the Avedon family, but one tradition has tragically come to an end. Gretta Platt, Housemistress of Avedon Manor, has been murdered. A member of the Platt family has always served the Avedons as Housemistress… until now.Only a handful of people live at Avedon Hill, and most are suspects. Arames Kragen, retired Aarronic Advisor and scholar of prophecy, arrives at the gates of Avedon Hill, hoping to gain access to the mountain pass. Lord Avedon is not in a giving mood, however…This is the story of Arames Kragen and his attempt not only to discover who killed Gretta Platt, but also to uncover the truth about a town that apparently has more secrets than inhabitants.

In his latest episode (21) PG is good enough to soil his master piece by plugging our efforts to raise money for Alzheimer's. Many thanks PG!

Mothering Mother by Carol D. O’Dell

Mothering Mother is a carer's memoirs about caring for an ageing parent who suffers with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Below is one of the many reviews:

"Mothering Mother is an authentic and "in-the-room" view of a daughter's struggle to care for an ageing parent. It will touch you and never leave you. You will be astonished at Carol's brutal honesty. Her ability to narrate the feelings of the moment—love, grief, humor and even those moments of bitter resentment—will both reassure and arm you for the day when you may face a similar choice."

Check out more here. Or Click on The Pic below to see an interview.

Expert Q and A on Alzheimers

From the New York Times : Tracing the Path from DNA to Dementia

Dr. Marcelle Morrison-Bogorad is director of the neuroscience and neuropsychology of aging program at the National Institute on Aging. In collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association, the institute runs the Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Initiative, which is collecting and banking genetic and cellular material from families in which multiple relatives have late-onset Alzheimer's, the most common form of the disease.

More Podcast plugging

PG Holyfield creator of the fantastic Murder At Avedon Hill podcast has said he will give us a plug in the latest episode due to drop on 23rd April or there abouts. If you haven't tried Murder At Avedon Hill I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a Murder Mystery set in the fantasy world of Caern. There are vampires, moonbeasts and allsorts thrown into the mix. The podcast is beautifully crafted with a fantastic cast of voice actors and music from Shira Kammen to give it a truly classy feel. You can find out more here.

I would also like to thank Chris Lester of the Metamor City podcast for giving us further pluggage in his last episode. Thanks Chris that was very kind of you. I wax lyrical about Metamor City here

Bad habits link to Alzheimer's

Interesting article from the BBC news today;
'Bad habits' link to Alzheimer's

Around 700,000 people currently suffer from dementia in the UK
Heavy drinkers and smokers develop Alzheimer's disease six to seven years earlier than those who do not smoke or drink, US researchers claim.
A study of 900 people aged over 60 found early onset was most likely in those who also had a high-risk gene.
A second US study found people with high cholesterol in their early 40s are one and a half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's.
The research was presented at an American Academy of Neurology meeting.
It has been estimated that a delay in the onset of Alzheimer's disease by five years would lead to a 50% drop in the number of cases.
It's possible that if we can reduce or eliminate heavy smoking and drinking, we could substantially delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease for people and reduce the number of people who have Alzheimer's at any point in time
Dr Ranjan Duara
The researchers said their findings showed heavy drinking and smoking were two of the most important preventable risk factors for the condition.
Those taking part in the study had been diagnosed with possible or probable Alzheimer's disease and smoking and drinking history was obtained from family members.
Risk factors
Heavy drinking, defined as more than two drinks a day was found to lead to an almost five-year earlier onset of Alzheimer's.
And those who smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day developed the disease two years sooner.
People with a specific gene - APOE variant 4 - developed Alzheimer's disease three years earlier than those without the gene variant.
All three risk factors together were associated with onset of the disease 8.5 years earlier than those with none of the risk factors.
Study leader, Dr Ranjan Duara, from Mount Sinai Medical Center in Florida said: "It's possible that if we can reduce or eliminate heavy smoking and drinking, we could substantially delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease for people and reduce the number of people who have Alzheimer's at any point in time."
In the second study, 9,700 men and women were followed from the age of 40.
Those with cholesterol levels higher than around six millimols per litre (mmol/L) had a one and a half times higher risk of developing Alzheimer's than those with low cholesterol.
"High mid-life cholesterol increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease regardless of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke," said researcher Alina Solomon.
Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society said the research added to the weight of evidence on drinking and smoking habits and the risk of developing dementia.
"The best way to reduce your risk is to eat a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and vitamins and to exercise regularly.
"Not smoking, drinking only in moderation and getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly throughout life are also important ways people can reduce their risk of dementia."

Zen and the Art of Coping With Alzheimer's

IN BRIEF

• The number of Alzheimer's patients is expected to increase dramatically in coming years, straining the health care system
• Scientists have not discovered the cause nor devised effective treatments
• Even diagnosis is difficult
• In the absence of therapies, attention has turned to teaching the skills necessary to cope with demented patients
• Increasingly caregivers are encouraged to validate the feelings and perceptions of the person with Alzheimer's

Check out the New York Times article here

'I would rather die of cancer than have my living self stripped away a bit at a time,' says Terry Pratchett

From the Daily Mail:

The day that fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett announced he had Alzheimer's, he received an incredible 60,000 responses from fans on his website within just a few hours.

"Some were from wellwishers, others had advice for me," he says.

"It was all so diverse - I wouldn't have a clue whether they were things I should take on board or not.

"We talk to one another on the internet and compare regimes. Part of me lives in a world of new age remedies and some of the science is a little like voodoo.

"But science was never an exact science, and personally I'd eat the a*** out of a dead mole if it offered a fighting chance.

"Some of those who got in touch wanted to sell me snake oil and I'm not necessarily going to dismiss all of these, as I have never found a rusty snake.

"But I'm not reading any of the medical books about it. I don't want to follow guidelines.

"You can't out-run the train but you can run and, who knows, if you can keep running for long enough, someone might find a way of blowing up the train."

Read full the article here

Metamor City Mention!

I was super excited to see the latest episode of Chris Lester's Metamor City podcast downloading this morning. My excitement shot up a notch further when I realised Chris had given us a plug! If you are not familiar with it The Metamor City Podcast is a sci-fi/fantasy audio fiction series that is distributed for free through Chris's website. It features a mixture of short stories and full-length novels, all taking place in one large world with an overarching story arc. Combining the narration of audiobooks with the music, sound effects and full vocal cast of a serial radio drama, The Metamor City Podcast provides an immersive audio experience of a world like no other.

If you have found us through Metamor City, we are two psychiatric nurses who have both been touched in different ways by Alzheimer's. We are cycling the length of the British Isles to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society and awareness of this cruel disease. We are doing this over 9 days now, after initially planning to do it in 7. We also now have health service manager Steve joining us for the ride and Stephen, a web guru and MRI expert, joining us for some of Scotland.

Donations can be made through our Just Giving site which is linked to on the right, or if you prefer, through the paypal donate button. If you are unable to donate, any comments on the blog or plugs on other blogs would be very much appreciated. Until then, keep it on the bright side!

Back In The Saddle again.

It is great to be over my "bug " and in the saddle again. I was getting a little stressed at missing a week of riding if only because the unlistened to podcasts were piling up. I have found podcasts to be the best training aid I have ever used. The 2 hour ride to work this evening just flew by. Here is my playlist for the ride in:
1 Scott Sigler's Nocturnal
2 The Daily Mayo
3 Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff's Transistor Rodeo
4 Twit's Jumping Monkey's

On the way home I have lined up:
3 episodes of The Daily Giz Wiz and 3 Episodes of Buzzout Loud Then I may resort to some music to give me the kick for the last 10 miles home.

It still amazes me that this stuff is all free. There are some amazing news and entertainment podcasts out there. Twit.tv does a wide range of tech related podcasts, Free audio Novels can be found at Podiobooks and if short stories are your thing checkout Pseudopod or Escape Pod. There is always something to listen to. Absolute favourites of mine are The Metamor City Podcast , Mark Kermodes Film Reviews which includes hilarious rants and bickering between Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo(The reviews are pretty spot on too In my opinion) , anything Mike Bennett puts out and of course JC Hutchins , Scott Sigler and Mur Lafferty

If you get saddle sore, aching legs and generally fed up with training I prescribe podcasts. I have found myself riding an extra few miles many times just to finish the podcast before I get home. I suppose I should point out though that many may feel that wearing earphones whilst cycling is not condusive to safety and I guess there is a point to this. However I find that so long as the earphones are not noise cancelling I hear traffic just fine.

Anyway coffee break over - back to work.

Good intentions....

Well February was shaping up quite nicely in terms of training for me. I had been achieving my modest targets for this stage of my training. Things were going to take off this week with an 80 mile ride followed by commuting to work for the next 2 night shifts (60 mile round trip). What did I achieve? 0 miles is what! I have been struck down with tonsilitis.

Hopefully March will fare better. I am aiming to do a 600 mile month with one 4+ hour ride a week. A lot of this is going to have to be after the childrens bedtime so I am ever more grateful for my amazing exposure enduro maxx light. The thing is fantastic, to get such brightness and long burn times from such a small package is astounding. You can see it perched proudly on the bars of my bike below.

After 8 weeks of serious cold i am have started something approaching training. With about 3 months to go until our start date, some degree of fitness may be possible. However when we decided on this ride, i hadn't planned on my wife getting pregnant (hurrah) with our second baby quite as quickly as she did. So fitting in the required riding is going to be harder than first planned. This clearly destoys all the myths about sitting on saddles for a long time not being a good idea. My training will revolve around some running, gym work and riding at any oppotunity i get, usually 7am in the morning before work, (not overly recommended) lots of turbo training, some mountain biking and hopefully some long rides at weekends. If you happen to catch me out on my bike, somewhere around Exeter on a Specialized Tri Cross Comp, say hello. And give us your money!!