The Final Post-Thankyous!!!

To see all the photos from the mad journey, please go to these links(you dont need to be registered we think!):

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48480&l=70fee&id=505605040
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48479&l=956ad&id=505605040
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48280&l=d0006&id=505605040
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48281&l=ab212&id=505605040
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48278&l=f82f5&id=505605040


We did it!!!!!

We just thought we should do a write up about the ride to let you all know how amazing it was and to say all the thank-yous to everyone who helped us out!!

Since we have been back we've been quite sad that its over as we had such an amazing time and met so many lovely people, so its wierd to be back in the real world again. Right now we are sat in the very cafe where we spent most of our time organising the ride.......................thinking about what to do next!!! It was wierd at first adapting back to normality again such as being in a car, driving to work, having a lay-in (very nice).

The ride was brilliant and everyone should do it. Our favourite places where;

Isle of Arran
Fort Augustus (shame about Fort William though)
Lake District
Wye Valley
Padstow

The great people we met were;

A man who is walking John O Groats to Lands End (met him on our day1, his day 3)
2 lovely old men (hugh and another man) who fixed our bike for us at a cafe we stopped at......and then also sponsored us!!
A man in Padstow who is doing the ride in memory of his friend who committed suicide and is donating the money to the older people of Padstow at Christmas.
The Bishops Castle Tandem Cycling Group who met us for a bbq in Bishops Castle and were not only all absolutly lovely but also raised a massive £100 for us also!!
The Henderson household who gave us such a great stay, fed us (a bit too much) and sent us off with a pack full of food (including Jelly Babies which Phil now bums............also he loves Carole too)
The Courtyard In Helsby who were fabulous and bought us a bottle of Champagne on arrival. They have also done a feature on us in their website ( www.thecourtyardhelsby.com)
In Eccleston (the original farmers arms pub) gave us a free lunch and coffees to warm us up.
The cafe in Wick who gave us free coffee and malteser cakes.
The owners of the following hotels who gave us free accomodation and a very welcoming stay;
Golf Links Hotel in Golspie
Foyers Bay House in Foyers
Falls of Lora in Connel
Old Brick guesthouse in Bishops Castle
Myrtle place in Monmouth


Thankyous!!!!!!!!!!
A huge thankyou also to Hollies Mum for meeting us at Helsby at a lovely converted stable! We were fed a huge meal, had champagne in their massive bath, slept wonderfully on their gorgeous beds and then were packed up with lots of treats the next day!! Also she left some letters at various hotels for us spurring us on.
Also to Phils Dad for meeting us at Padstow and following us to the finish (literally 5 miles an hour at some points) and making us laugh (treating us to lunch also in St.Agnus)
Big thanks to Hollies Dad who followed us the last 3 days and paid for our accomodation those last days. He was there on hand to fix the many things that went wrong with the bike over those last 2 days (must have been meddling with the bike lol). Also keeping us motivated!!
Also to Phils mum who had arranged for a bottle of the good stuff (champagne) to be in our room at Lands End (which we again drank in the bath and also the next morning with breakfast) and always being at the end of a phone (like when we had to ring to ask what Kianti food was)
Thanks to Victoria, Stuart, Oliver and Paulie (Phils sis and family) who met us at the top in John O Groats to set us off at the start. Sorry it was so bloody cold!!! it was really great having you there!
Adrian Lawson was a massive help before we left being our bike fairy and fixing up the bike for us before we set off. Also to Liz Colebrook from Bishops Castle who did some vital tinkering on the bike for us during the ride and also being at the end of the phone for advice when things went wrong.
Also to all the bike shops along the route who mended the bike for free which is just so lovely of them!!
All our family who supported us and sponsored us including;
Grandad Gibbons and Aunty Sue
Nan and Bakki
Ben, Lisa, William and Summer (and new bump)
Andrew, Fran, Pete and Donna
Simon for driving us to the airport
Mick for fixing our brakes

Thanks to Oracle who donated much money through events Phil organised there (james corrall haircut, moustache growing, charity football, games afternoon)
Thanks also to Hollies work (Carwarden House School) who not only sponsored Hollie but also arranged a Fun Run for children and staff which has raised over £350.
Aston Uni Marketing Team (especially Sarah Tiernan) who managed to get various publicity arranged for us including being in the Birmingham Mail.
The commuter centre at Phils work who bought the maps for the whole route, which we then photocopied for the ride!


Whats next............


Well we both feel really fit now and think we have caught the bug for charity events. When you do these things you realise how many amazing people there are and how many people will help you no matter what. Its really humbling!! We are now thinking of what to do next and we want it to be bigger and better than this one!!! We have London To Brighton in June which is 50 miles in one day (which should be quite easy hopefully)

Reading -> the boot of Italy next???

Thanks to everyone who has been reading this-we cant believe how many have!!! Thanks for everyones donations and we will be in touch soon with our next event!!xxxx

Hollie and Phil.