Day 4 - Ludlow to Haydock

It was very cold overnight but yet again I was boiling and had to have the sleeping bag unzipped through most of the night.

I woke at 01:00 then dozed until about 04:00, finally getting up just before 05:00.

Setting out this morning, it was quite chilly but it was sunny which made a nice change. I headed off at 07:45 and was met by dry roads - hooray!.

Lots of people set off later this morning which seemed to be because last night was the first laundry night and everyone was queuing to collect their washing before they left base camp.

Mine was still wet so I left it with the organisers. Why not get them to carry my wet stuff so I don't have to pack it?!

Part way into the first stint of the day, the Camera Car passed me (they're filming sections of the ride) so I decided I'd stick with them to catch a nice tow for a few miles and maximise my chances of getting into the final ride footage!

After a while, I joined another rider. We were having a nice chat then all of a sudden, a group of four riders came flying past. The guy I was with jumped at the chance to join them so I did too. They pulled us along until we reached a hill when I sprinted to the front to return the favour. [JOY: Hills are his thing you know!]

I hadn't realised that they'd dropped back and couldn't keep up until I looked back some way up the road, so I slowed down and waited for them to give them a helping hand. We stayed together then until the first pit stop, riding at a really decent pace (~23mph).

I left the pit stop on my own but joined another group almost straight away. I was riding along in front for a bit, giving the group a tow, looked round and they had disappeared! [JOY: He's still got it folks!]

After stopping for a comfort break, I joined a third group who were traveling about 18mph until a faster group (~23mph) passed us, at which point I jumped across to join them.

I took another break after a while and rode to the lunch stop on my own, halting just long enough to shovel down some food (about ten minutes) and collecting some supplies for the road.

After that, I joined another small group for a while, taking turns to lead until the cyclist who had been in the tent opposite me overnight at Ludlow came past with a faster group which I then crossed to, sticking with them until the end.

I arrived at just after 15:00, the earliest finish of the day and the fastest finishing time for me yet.

I was busy doing the usual bits and bobs that need doing at the end of the day, when I got a call from my Dad to say he and Marion had just arrived at base camp.

A lovely surprise was that my baby sister Sanchia also turned up, unexpectedly as far as I was concerned, shortly after!

I was so tired, I wasn't great company but I really did appreciate the effort they went to to come along and visit me.


Unfortunately, my nephews who had also set out to cheer me on, got stuck in traffic with their step-dad so I wasn't able to see them but they did send me this lovely photo of them in the car with a fantastic poster they made for me! Thank you Ethan & Toby!!!

It's really hammering it down now - I am currently under cover in the actually quite plush facilities - I am not looking forward to going back to my tent which is about as far away as it could be!

A brief bit of advanced information about tomorrow's ride...

The forecast is for 40mph winds overnight and into tomorrow with heavy rain first thing in the morning. We're scaling Shap Fell at the end of the day which is going to be really, really, tough.

I am NOT looking forward to tomorrow's ride at all but on the upside, I will have broken the back of the overall ride at the end of the day as I'll be over half way through!

Thanks everyone for your support thus far and for all your donations and sponsorship, it's these things which keep me going!!!


Day 4 Stats
Start: Ludlow
Finish: Haydock

Distance: 108 miles
Climbing: 1,1,07 metres
Average speed: 16.6mph

Duration: 6 hours, 29 minutes