Nottingham Life Cycle 5: The Vice Chancellor’s Blog

Way of the Roses: Bridlington to Morecambe This will be a different kind of Life Cycle blog, because this is a different kind of Life Cycle. Despite the plan for only one Nottingham Life Cycle, we have now completed four, and for four different causes. Together they have raised £1.5 million. All of us associated …

The VC’s Life Cycle 4 Blog: Day 13 – Spean Bridge to Strathpeffer

I started with the best breakfast of this trip today at the Spean Bridge Lodge B&B, beautifully served by Glen. Moreover, having pretty well finished Day 12s blog last night, I had time to actually eat it, rather than just cram. The only problem was I had left Marion to order for me last night …

The VC’s Life Cycle 3 Blog: Day 14 – Nevill Holt to Nottingham

What a wonderful day. We knew finishing in Nottingham would be something special, but none of us anticipated just how special. It was a cold start, overcast with northerly winds. Those of us staying in various places in Medbourne had a one and a half mile climb to Nevill Holt, our start point for the …

The VC’s Life Cycle 3 Blog: Day 13 – Hatfield to Nevill Holt

It was another long day, longer than it should have been. Because breakfast at Hertfordshire University was not available until 0730, everyone set off later than usual. Andy, Steve and Neville got off to a flyer, hoping to make time to see Manchester City on the way. Chris and Penelope followed. Karen, Kate, Marion, Stefano …

The VC’s Life Cycle 3 Blog: Day 12 – Wantage to Hatfield

It was so much simpler getting out of Wantage than Cardiff, a straightforward one way arrangement which did not take much working out, and we were away. I have no idea of the order of departure. I had a blog to finalise, and was last out with Stefano and Nick. With Stefano leading we made …

The VC’s Life Cycle 3 Blog: Day 10 – Swansea to Cardiff

Today was another day. What a contrast to yesterday. We ate very late last night, joined by Susan and Jenny. Despite that, all riders were at breakfast before 0700 and ready to go shortly after 0800. Roger, who knows this part of Wales like the back of his hand, suggested some adjustments to the route, …

The VC’s Life Cycle 3 Blog: Day 8 – Bangor to Aberystwyth

We began the day by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Simon in the car park of Bangor University Halls of Residence, where we had stayed overnight. We presented him with a new watch and a card and called for a speech. He said ‘thank you’ and we left. Andy was off like a shot, saying he …

Life Cycle 3

During a visit to our School of Economics, I was asked ‘does this get easier each year?’ Psychologically it does help to have cycled over 1,000 miles, in that you have some sense of what is coming. But physically it most certainly does not get any easier: partly because 14 consecutive days in the saddle …

The VC’s Life Cycle 2 Blog: Day 14 – Eastbourne to Dover

It’s interesting how distance becomes relative. At breakfast today when our maps were handed out, there was real delight that we ‘only’ had about 65 miles to do. Four months ago we were not even doing that in training runs. And, apart from two big climbs, one out of Hastings and one into Dover, it …

The VC’s Life Cycle 2 Blog: Day 13 – Winchester to Eastbourne

We passed 1,000 miles today, at Rottingdean, east of Brighton. It was a great feeling, that’s a lot of miles in a saddle. We had a comfortable night in a Hall of Residence at the University of Winchester. No breakfast was available, so the Support Team rustled up a Bunkhouse style offering from what was …