LEJOG or JOGLE 2012, you choose!
Discussion
In October 2008 i did a solo, unsupported cycle from Lands End to John O Groats for Help For Heroes. I'd just left the Marines earlier that year so i thought it would be a good time to do it as i still had a very good fitness level and the cause meant a lot to me. 4 1/2 days after i left Lands End i was downing a pint of Guiness at the pub in John O Groats. Result!!
As fantastic an experience as it was on the bike, 200+ miles a day was a one-off challenge. No way did i fancy a second round on two, self powered wheels. The whole time doing this challenge i kept saying to myself, 'wouldnt this be great if i were doing it in a great car'. This leads me on to my idea.
The shortest LEJOG / JOGLE route is circa 900 miles give or take on the motorway route. There are at least 4 recognised routes and the choice of route is dictated by what you aim to achieve. Short routes for speed / time and long routes for scenery and driving thrills. My plan / idea is to get a group of PHers together in 2012 at both the Lands End and John O Groats start points. Southern softies and shandy drinkers at the Lands End start point and all the Porridge Jockeys and Northern Monkeys at the John O Groats start point. At sunrise we all head off and aim to get to the opposite end of the mainland by sunset. Sound like a plan? Ive not finished yet.....
The longest day of the year (or there abouts) will give us approx 16.5hrs between sunrise and sunset. According to the AA route planner the trip should take 15.5hrs at normal road speed, sticking to the limits. Obviously there will be road works and possible jams so the 1hr x-factor is going to keep the challenge tight. But, in true PH fashion i think this can be done, if only with minutes to spare.
The second part of the plan is to do your respective return trip over 2 days. The first day spent as a convoy, taking in the best driving roads around the area. LEJOGers will have a day around the Highlands of Scotland and down to the borders, JOGLEers will have a day around the Southwest and Midlands. The thrid
day will be your own to make your way home. If we started on a Friday morning that would mean you got home on Sunday and in time for work on Monday. Other day combinations are obviously available and im willing to take advice.
On the second night, wouldnt it be good to have a North vs South meet / stayover halfway somewhere? Borders of Scotland or North England maybe? Ideal for photos and a good natter.
Costs wise, i anticipate fuel to take up most of the money. My E61 M5 does 20mpg on the motorway and we worked it out to cost somewhere around £700 to £800 on fuel for a 2000 mile trip at current prices. Obviously fuel prices will be different in 2012, whether that be higher or lower (lol). Hotel / B&B prices are circa £45 - £60 per room and the rest will be food. If your car is like my mates 520d the fuel bill might only be £300 so the whole trip could be less than £600.
Having done the trip on a pedal bike i know first hand there is scope for some really memorable driving. The first day will be a proper mission to make the deadline and we'll all be tired / exhausted but i really cant stress enough that this isnt a race. It CAN be done at the SPEED LIMIT. Remember that we would be ambassadors for the world of motoring and we want to set a good example. We'll also be watched by the plod so the less tickets we get the better. The second day i imagine will be magical to say the least. There are brilliant roads in both the southern and northern ends of the UK and the scenery is something else. Good planning will ensure we all have a great time. For those of you in the far north i think this would be a great opportunity for you to get down to the far reaches that you wouldnt normally see. Same goes for the pasty munchers down in Cornwall and Devon, how many of you would normally go all the way up into the highlands just for the fun of it?
Anyway, i'll leave it at that and see what interest it generates. The longest day in 2012 is June 20th so i anticipate the event happening somewhere around there. I'll draw up the north and south routes in due course but in the meantime could i ask you to add your interest in a list below. If anyone wants to add any ideas im also open to suggestions.
Eddie (South Coast forum member)
P.s. Any chance PH head-shed could get on this one and make it a sticky?
As fantastic an experience as it was on the bike, 200+ miles a day was a one-off challenge. No way did i fancy a second round on two, self powered wheels. The whole time doing this challenge i kept saying to myself, 'wouldnt this be great if i were doing it in a great car'. This leads me on to my idea.
The shortest LEJOG / JOGLE route is circa 900 miles give or take on the motorway route. There are at least 4 recognised routes and the choice of route is dictated by what you aim to achieve. Short routes for speed / time and long routes for scenery and driving thrills. My plan / idea is to get a group of PHers together in 2012 at both the Lands End and John O Groats start points. Southern softies and shandy drinkers at the Lands End start point and all the Porridge Jockeys and Northern Monkeys at the John O Groats start point. At sunrise we all head off and aim to get to the opposite end of the mainland by sunset. Sound like a plan? Ive not finished yet.....
The longest day of the year (or there abouts) will give us approx 16.5hrs between sunrise and sunset. According to the AA route planner the trip should take 15.5hrs at normal road speed, sticking to the limits. Obviously there will be road works and possible jams so the 1hr x-factor is going to keep the challenge tight. But, in true PH fashion i think this can be done, if only with minutes to spare.
The second part of the plan is to do your respective return trip over 2 days. The first day spent as a convoy, taking in the best driving roads around the area. LEJOGers will have a day around the Highlands of Scotland and down to the borders, JOGLEers will have a day around the Southwest and Midlands. The thrid
day will be your own to make your way home. If we started on a Friday morning that would mean you got home on Sunday and in time for work on Monday. Other day combinations are obviously available and im willing to take advice.
On the second night, wouldnt it be good to have a North vs South meet / stayover halfway somewhere? Borders of Scotland or North England maybe? Ideal for photos and a good natter.
Costs wise, i anticipate fuel to take up most of the money. My E61 M5 does 20mpg on the motorway and we worked it out to cost somewhere around £700 to £800 on fuel for a 2000 mile trip at current prices. Obviously fuel prices will be different in 2012, whether that be higher or lower (lol). Hotel / B&B prices are circa £45 - £60 per room and the rest will be food. If your car is like my mates 520d the fuel bill might only be £300 so the whole trip could be less than £600.
Having done the trip on a pedal bike i know first hand there is scope for some really memorable driving. The first day will be a proper mission to make the deadline and we'll all be tired / exhausted but i really cant stress enough that this isnt a race. It CAN be done at the SPEED LIMIT. Remember that we would be ambassadors for the world of motoring and we want to set a good example. We'll also be watched by the plod so the less tickets we get the better. The second day i imagine will be magical to say the least. There are brilliant roads in both the southern and northern ends of the UK and the scenery is something else. Good planning will ensure we all have a great time. For those of you in the far north i think this would be a great opportunity for you to get down to the far reaches that you wouldnt normally see. Same goes for the pasty munchers down in Cornwall and Devon, how many of you would normally go all the way up into the highlands just for the fun of it?
Anyway, i'll leave it at that and see what interest it generates. The longest day in 2012 is June 20th so i anticipate the event happening somewhere around there. I'll draw up the north and south routes in due course but in the meantime could i ask you to add your interest in a list below. If anyone wants to add any ideas im also open to suggestions.
Eddie (South Coast forum member)
P.s. Any chance PH head-shed could get on this one and make it a sticky?
Sounds like a massive laugh.
Small thought: the length of the day is not the same in both directions. At JOG on the longest day, the sun hardly dips below the horizon and it doesn't get "dark".
This was two years ago (on Lewis, but about the same northitude) in late June, about as dark as it got:
Therefore the south to north route will have more time to get the job done.
Small thought: the length of the day is not the same in both directions. At JOG on the longest day, the sun hardly dips below the horizon and it doesn't get "dark".
This was two years ago (on Lewis, but about the same northitude) in late June, about as dark as it got:
Therefore the south to north route will have more time to get the job done.
Gizmo! said:
Sounds like a massive laugh.
Small thought: the length of the day is not the same in both directions. At JOG on the longest day, the sun hardly dips below the horizon and it doesn't get "dark".
This was two years ago (on Lewis, but about the same northitude) in late June, about as dark as it got:
Therefore the south to north route will have more time to get the job done.
I hear what you are saying, however there is an official sunrise and sunset time for JOG on that date. I know it won't be fully dark there but there will be a time limit in force.Small thought: the length of the day is not the same in both directions. At JOG on the longest day, the sun hardly dips below the horizon and it doesn't get "dark".
This was two years ago (on Lewis, but about the same northitude) in late June, about as dark as it got:
Therefore the south to north route will have more time to get the job done.
Sorry for dragging up this old thread lol. There was a thread in GG that had a link to this one. I would like to do it but it depends as 1. I don't have a full licence yet 2. I may have a new job. I will most likely have a full licence by then, if I don't I'll kick myself.
I've got a 16 year old 106 so the journey should be intresting for me if I can make it.
I've got a 16 year old 106 so the journey should be intresting for me if I can make it.
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