Editor

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Day 8 – 420 miles – done!

It seems like weeks ago that we were at Lands End in the pouring rain with a mountain (quite literally) ahead of us to climb.

420 miles seemed like an impossibility, but as I sit in a car driving out of London, Tower Bridge and now the Houses of Parliament on the right it’s only just dawning on us all what we have just achieved.

More on this later. For now we need to finish off Day 7.

Dinner at Redhill Premier Inn turned into an awards night for three men on a bike. Categories such as best road, best hill, worst hotel, most expensive bike, hardest looking rider, smelliest helmet and best road kill were some of the many that were debated and awarded. Simon (G) modelled Peter’s man bag with and without shirt, we’re still not sure which he carried off best.   It was one of the funniest nights I’ve ever had and topped an extraordinary week of endurance, challenge and friendship. More >

Day 7 – 42 miles – London in sight

A quiet day planned after the full-on 70 miles from Portsmouth to Eastbourne (via Beachy Head!) yesterday.

Tony White (Bonners) was our guest rider for the day – perhaps we should come clean now and call them victims? Tony took us on cycle route 21 for the first 8 miles of the run, locally known as the Cuckoo Trail. James was hugely excited at the prospect of seeing some birds. Peter and Simon were equally enthusiastic, but I think they were on the lookout for a different type of wildlife. We did see a bird (flying) but it could have been anything. Simon (G) suggested an albatross. More >

Day 6 – Boys with their toys – 70 miles – done!!

Some anticipation to this day from several quarters. However, we need to finish off Day 5 first.

Dinner after the Nevada gig had been booked at Zizzi’s. Simon and Terry (the Boyz from PMT) needed to settle pre-ride nerves with some pasta and sparkling water. This was just as well, as this useless restaurant (apparently they have 50 outlets) had no chicken and no meat!? The restaurant was packed…briefly. Anyway, having found something on the menu that could be served, the staff then preceded to outperform the Premier Inn restaurant crew with service that would have made poor Mr Zizzi turn in his grave.

NB suggest you do not use this restaurant, EVER!

Early night (not) and day 6 was upon us. The Boyz were in for breakfast, slightly the worse for wear….must have slept badly!

A short drive back to Nevada to pick up the bikes was not without incident. Griffiths managed to upset white van man, coming close to a full on confrontation at some traffic lights. As the three burly blokes stepped from their van to confront him, we were relieved to see them wearing Three Men on a Bike jerseys. I think it spiced up a rather tedious rush hour in Portsmouth. More >

Day 5 – long long day – 63 miles

We got back late last night to the hotel after the gig with Howard Jones at Absolute Music and just caught last orders at the restaurant. What a relief as we were all starving. The waiters were clearly in no hurry to get home and I think it was at least 10.30pm when the starters arrived. After 58 miles that day, and no food since lunch this was somewhat challenging. Clearly this particular Premier Inn restaurant had missed the training day that covered the ‘premier’ bit.

We were late to bed and to be doubly secure, I can report another first for me this week – I slept with my bike. There was a rumour that I’d chained it to my toilet seat. It was in fact the only secure point in the room but by the time I got in anyway, the bike was asleep. More >

What day is it? Laundry day of course!

Just as the we’re starting to get over the horrendous weather we’ve had so far, it’s a shame we can’t say the same for our kit, which is threatening to crawl to London on its own accord.

A reprieve came in the form of Janine and Dean who whisked our kit off to the nearest laundrette to save our blushes for the next few days of the ride, only for Dean to whisk his own kit off a la Nick Kamen in the Levis 501 advert.

We’ll let you decide whether Dean is a match for Nick or not! More >

Day 4 – Chard to Poole – 58 miles – done!

An overnight at the Lordleaze Hotel started off in style as we rode (quite literally) into the bar to find a line of cold lagers awaiting! (thanks mum!)

What fantastic hosts and a great place to stay.

That evening they were running a local carnival committee fund raising quiz and Peter, characteristically, arrested the mic from the quiz master and got a Three Men plug in, filling one of our collecting tins. I hope they managed to save some change for their carnival.

A glorious day awaited us the next morning and what a welcome for our first guest rider, Sean Montgomery. After the essential meeting with Ollie, Rose had arranged a daily (or so Sean thought) ‘inspection’. This involved some serious blowing down a tube (alcohol test) and the deposit of a small sample in a cup (another test….). More >

Day 3 – All Creatures Great and Small – 61 Miles – Done!

Delightful stay at the Glazebrook hotel last night. A quiet hideaway (AA 2 Star), great owners and fantastic service.

An air of some expectation hung over us at dinner last night. Even optomisticweather.com (Simon’s Russian iPhone weather app) wasn’t looking good. Day 3 was the highest elevation of the whole ride (just under 4000 ft / 61 miles) and pouring rain was promised. Great company and a team spirit got us through the evening, helped in no uncertain part by Rose’s laundry service (clean shorts for everyone, at last).

Simon’s (L) discovery of a Cheese Mite, quite tasty he said, was to begin a 24 hr animaltastic episode in our cycling lives. More >

Day 2 – Lots of Hills – Done

For once, the TV weather and Simon’s cheap iPhone weather app, downloaded from some Russian web-site, both agreed that today was a good day for cycling.

Unfortunately things didn’t start quite so well, as a strong smell of vomit greeted us in reception on the way to breakfast. Simon (SG) swears it wasn’t him although the late night drinks he had with Alyn (our driver and Ollie minder) can’t have helped. They were doing a lot of cleaning around his room…. More >

Day 1 – 60 miles – done!

One wonders if it might have been slightly easier to stand under a cold shower all day! As I sit in the Premier Inn in Bodmin reflecting on the appalling day’s weather, the sun has just come out – it’s a cruel world!

The journey down yesterday was long, but uneventful. Lands End is one heck of a long way away. Travelled down with Peter, Simon and James. Simon Lewis (Music Tech) made his own way there and we met up later for dinner with the very charming Mary. Our support crew, Terry and Rose (June) and their son Alyn drove the rather full van. A key highlight was discovering what Peter’s been up to since the age of 9. You’ll have to ask him…. More >

And they’re off…(well almost)

Despite the rain, the guys are ready for the off – see you in 60 miles!

24 hours to go…

With just over 24 hours to go until the ride begins, over £14,000 has been raised in aid of Music for All and the British Heart Foundation. However, with the long-range weather forecast painting a bleak picture (it’s going to pour down) the “Three Men on a Bike” team need your continued support. More >

The boys are back in town

After the trauma of their “pot hole incident”, we’re delighted to hear that Simon and Terry from PMT are back on the road again and are training hard for the ride which starts at 10am this Friday Oct 1st.

Check out the video of Simon & Terry training here

PMT crash out in charity bike ride horror!

Three Men on a Bike initiative sees two men off a bike and hears calls for help

Simon Gilson and Terry Hope of PMT, who were hoping to take part on the October 6th leg of the Three Men on a Bike charity ride from Lands End to London, have been involved in an incident, seeing the pair crash their specially ordered tandem bicycle into road works in Southend town centre.

Eyewitnesses have described the crash as ‘a pot-hole incident’. More >

Howard Jones is joining the ride!

The 80’s legend that is Howard Jones has agreed to be a guest peddlar on Three Men on a Bike!

Lets hope he can fit training in between dates on his massive UK tour

Surviving the Gower Bike Ride

Despite wind and rain, the 3 men, plus guest rider James and trainer Terry all survived the Gower Bike Ride last Sunday for The British Heart Foundation. In total, we rode over 36 miles, although this is only half of what we need to do every day for 7 days!

Just over 12 weeks to go and counting…!