I got to the start, set off and about 60km in my rear wheel was hitting both chain stays.  I tried adjusting with some cone spanners but no joy.

Rode to Drogheda, got the train to Malahide (Dublin trains had bus substitution) and rode back to car.

My wheel had been wobbling before and I did strip and replace the bearings, grease etc. but was not entirely satisfied with the conditions of the bearing race on the left side.  I suspect it may have given way.

Avoid roads containing the words Brae, Glenn, Head or similar.  Avoid at all costs roads containing more than one of these.

This was a great historic tour through some fine countryside and challenging climbs, although I missed Tara.  Well organised by Ronnie – I particularly appreciated distinctive features description, such as “at galv. gates” or “sign is turned the wrong way” really helped.

Nice to see a few new faces on the ride, hope they weren’t put off by the weather and I’m sure they fared better than me – who was a bit “over rested”.

Will be back next year to finish it off!

Ride description - http://www.audaxireland.org/calendar/gazetteer/five-megaliths-300/

My track - http://runkeeper.com/user/stuartm9999/activity/238602629?&tripIdBase36=3y22yt

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Happy?

A life changing event.  As someone said –

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way ….”

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What is LEL

LEL is a 1400km Audax (long distance cycling) organised by Audax UK.  It is not a race, but there is a maximum (and minimum) time limit.  It runs every 4 years.  This year there are approximately 1000 entrants.  I am H19 starting at 07:30 on Sunday 28’th July.  This gives me until Friday 04:10 am to complete the 1419km route.

How to follow me

Viewranger

I shall be using viewranger to help me follow the route and also to give live updates of my location.  So, if all is working, go to http://viewranger.com/buddybeacon/, click on add buddy beacon and put stuartm@stiona.com as the username and 9999 as the PIN.

LEL rider tracking

As I check in at each control – the organizers should update this page - http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com/lastseen/?rider_no=H19 – you can see the route and controls here - http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com/route

Runkeeper

I will try and run this too – but depends on me remembering and battery.  You can find my tracks at http://runkeeper.com/user/stuartm9999/.

Twitter/Facebook

Maybe some updates – but I wouldn’t expect too much.  @stuartm9999.

What training have I done.

Since the end of last year I have been riding regular Audaxes with Audax Ireland.  Since January I have completed (amongst other rides) what is known as a Super Randoneer sereis- a 200, 300, 400 and 600 km brevet (ride) within the time limits laid down by the rules of Audax.  I owe a lot of gratitude to fellow Audax Ireland members for not only organising these events but helping me round them!

Audax is a great way to see the country, eat and cycle at the same time.  I do it for the food, the challenge, the craic and the views.  All you need is a bike. 

Animals that tried to kill me:

Sheep

Dogs

Horses

Pole Cat (which apparently don't live in Ireland so I'm changing my opinion to Stoat) - it might have looked small from a distance but I think it had sharp teeth.

Geese

Guinea fowl or small turkeys

A clowder of cats

The man who wrote the route sheet

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That was a whole lot of Ireland I've never seen before and it certainly didn't disappoint.

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My quest for a Northern Ireland driving license continues!

Dear Sir,

Following my letter dated 05/11/2012, I am happy to inform you that I have now received a Northern Ireland driving license (driver no xxxxxxx) from DVA.

Regrettably, upon examination, this license was found to be missing some of my driving entitlements.

I contacted DVA and they examined the D737 from DVLA and informed me that the categories were missing from the D737.

I contacted DVLA and they have confirmed that the D737 issued was in error and they have issued a corrected D737.

For your records, I have enclosed copies of

1) Correspondence to DVA,

2) New D737 entitlement for exchange purposes.

I am now awaiting a corrected license from DVA.

Thank you for your ongoing patience.

Here is the text of a letter I am currently writing to West Yorkshire police – I missed out the bit where my initial application to DVLNI was rejected as my passport was deemed to be damaged (it went through the wash with my driving license) and not good enough for ID – I had to find a birth certificate.  I did point out the same passport was good enough to fly to Spain and London in the previous few weeks.  I guess DVA/DVLNI (they wont even tell you what there called) could not talk to the Passport office just down the road.

Anyway, here’s the letter.

RE FIXED PENALTY NUMBER: C17691656

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have been advised by HMCTS to keep you advised on this matter (see enc. 2).

Following receipt of a fixed penalty notice, I sent my driving license and payment to HMCTS, North East. However, due to the license being damaged and the address being wrong, they were unable to process payment (enc 2).

I then contacted DVLA for a replacement licence. Unfortunately, they cannot issue me with a new license as I now reside in Northern Ireland.

I then applied to DVA (NI)/DVLNI for an exchange license (enc. 3). In an unfortunate, if not ironic turn of events, this application was rejected as the GB license I tried to exchange was “damaged” (see enc. 3).

I have now obtained a D737 letter of entitlement from DVLA and forwarded to DVA (NI) /DVLNI and I am awaiting a new NI driving license to send to HMCTS, who, in this strange world of licensing, will, I believe, issue me with a GB counterfoil to my NI license and put points on this!

Enclosed

1) Correspondence from HMCTS rejecting driving licence,

2) Correspondence from HMCTS advising to contact yourselves and that DVLNI license would be acceptable

3) Acknowledgement of driving licence application (DVA),

4) Rejection of driving license application (DVA),

5) Confirmation of GB Driving license details (DVLA).

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Sincerely

Stuart McLean

I find it pretty bizarre that we event need a driving licence – surely just the number should do!

Following on from the excellent advice “Take a Monday off and get two days holiday for free", I thought I’d share another gem.

“Always take your own bomb on the plane”.

Pelé, Sweden.

Sounds a bit mad at first, but really makes perfect sense.  The chances of there being a bomb on a plane is, as everybody knows, incredibly small.  So, what are the chances of there being two?

Disclaimer:

THIS IS A JOKE AND NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY EITHER BY TRAVELERS OR SECURITY FORCES!

I put this last bit in as I know there have been some paranoid actions over the last years.