Something funny happened on the way to…

Jonathan Jowett, Greggs Company Secretary writes:

Something funny happened on the way to…

Damascus? No, my lightning bolt stuck on the Biddulph Valley Way en route to Congleton. The first time I had been on a traffic free cycle route, and it forms a part of the route that the team will follow on day 5. Cycling through the woods at 0800 last Saturday morning, I thought to myself “bloody hell….I’m enjoying this”. Mind you, I had yet to tackle the “hills” that lowland Cheshire has to offer on the route around said Congleton and Macclesfield.

Its funny what you think about when you are left to your own devices on the open road. Not all the thoughts are pleasant, as the flies started to gather in my mouth”! (Note to self – breath through nose when cycling), and my mind wandered to a track from an all time favourite album. The line from the track is “And I’m hovering like a fly, waiting for the windshield on a freeway!”. (I will donate £10 to the ride fund if anyone can name the band and album and year (without the aid of a search engine)).

So there I was cycling through sunny Cheshire, having coped with the hill out of Congleton Park, and heading for Macc. To my shame, I then got a bit lost in Macc, but I blame the signage for the National Cycle Route 55. Eventually I found the Middleton Way, an 8 mile disused railway to Marple (the end of day 5 stop over). I positively whizzed along, and for the very first time I OVERTOOK SOME OTHER CYCLISTS!) AT SPEED!.

My plan was to turn around, come back down the Middleton Way, stop off at Tesco for a sandwich, then head back to Holmes Chapel. By the time I got to Tesco in Macc, I had done 48 miles, and was feeling the pace. To make matters worse, a headwind got up as I headed west. And the doubts set in, and I wondered, “WHY”?

Its fair to say, by the time I got home, I was absolutely shattered, but nonetheless pleased with myself having done 60.3 miles (the 0.3 is as important as the 60!!).

Last Monday, I had the opportunity to find out “WHY”, when I visited my first Breakfast Club. The kids were an absolute delight, and the pleasure they got from having breakfast together in a secure environment was a pleasure to behold in itself.

So if you think we are mad (particularly Richard), we are, but it is in a very very good cause. So come on, PLEASE SPONSOR US IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY.”