Despite most of the UK being in high-risk tiers cycling seems to be carrying on with, where I live, lots of riders on their own and club groups of six.

Unfortunately the lack of pubs and cafes (other than takeaways) has rather taken the edge off riding for me but hopefully the stringent regulations coupled with the vaccine and commonsense will bring the situation under control not too far into 2021.

Subject to the weather I plan to have a ride, only about 20 miles or so, on Christmas morning - I have a small wager with a friend that I'll wear shorts (as at today I have yet to wear longs this winter)

. . . and a bit of whimsy with a shot of the snowmen on the fence at the webmaster's house.

As of 5 November 2020 people in England (and various other rules for Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland) must stay at home if they can until - until (at least) 2 December 2020 . . . with any cycing activity limited to riding with no more than one other person.

So, perhaps time to sit down and plan that End-to-End cycle ride you've said you will always do - lots of resources on the website and Journals to browse.

Hopefully we'll see whatever the new normal will be by Spring 2021 and be able to get out on our bikes in the meantime I'll be trying to stick to my "ride every other day" regime to occupy my mind and for fitness.

Picture: either Belgium or France

A big thank you to Shaun at CycleChat.net for his generous hosting of the site, managing the recent upgrade to the latest version of the software and a move to new, faster, server. 

I have made some changes to the overall structure to make it less cluttered and easier to navigate - a lot of the site has been re-written but a few items still need checking and editing.  It should all appear correctly - the key resources like The Journals are available together with the ONLINE SHOP and The Directory.

The News items that are below date back some time - there's been little added since 2012.   That's not to say nothing has happened - the website has been live and seeing thousands of visitors - it's just that I've not got round to adding news etc.

I've reinstated the old news items just for interest, if there is any.

As may be expected in the current situation there is very little activity on the E2E - hopefully that will change for 2021 .... the website remains live for all the resources and planning guidance for YOUR ride.

All of a sudden it's nearly the end of June ... although the weather suggests otherwise!   Lots of riders on the road and listed in the calendar, for some reason there's about a week in mid-August when nothing is listed - other than that the days have been filled from the start of April to the end of September.

If you are riding this year do please add your ride dates ... and send your Journal to list on the website ... the statistics are showing massive numbers of hits and on Journals as riders look for ideas, routes, experiences etc.

I've just been on our "Boys' Outing" ... eight of us went to Northern France and Belgium for a week: managing to visit a WW2 rocket launching site (Eperleques), a canal boat lift (St Omer) and lots of WW1 trenches, cemeteries etc - and staying 3 nights in Ypres/Iepr.  Lots of fun, lots of beer - but only about 250 miles of cycling.  The cycle facilities and signing in Belgium were a revelation - superb!

And finally, I must mention the Eurotunnel Bike Service* - excellent : it's a mini-bus and trailer that takes 8 people and their bikes - they load it up, riders sit in the mini-bus and it goes on le Shuttle through the tunnel in 35 minutes ... and great value at £32 per person return.

Rob

* If you've read our Wine-ding Down Through France report you'll know that we should have used the service September 2008 but the tunnel caught fire as we were on the train from London to Folkestone!

After all those long winter evenings spent planning (and possibly agonising over) routes the End-to-End cycling season has started in earnest with lots of rides listed on the site's calendar - from now until October there are very few days when there's no ride listed.

When you ride do pleases think about sending a Journal to the site - new riders use the resource to plan their rides .... and don't forget to send your listings for accommodation, cycle shops etc ... and anything else that you think may help future riders : it'll all be added to the site to continue to compile what appears to be the definitive resource for the UK's greatest cycle-touring challenge.

So, the holidays have passed and we're into the season of diets and planning End-to-End rides . . . I've seen a sudden spike in the number of website hits and people ordering the Route Pack, the JOGLE & LEJOG CDs as well as a few seasoned End-to-Enders that have ordered the book and are planning to tackle the ride, Wine-ding Down Through France.

My own cycling activity for 2012 is starting to look exciting : firm plans to ride with the club EVERY Wednesday, and hopefully every Sunday too ... a Boys' Outing to the WWI museums and trenches etc in France & Belgium in June - not forgetting organising the MacRide and Shakespeare 100 fund-raisers  [see  www.macride-events.org.uk for details of these great rides]

Rob

PS : Don't forget that the very special offer is still open for the superb Telegraph Road E2E cycling jersey

Watch out for this guy on a fully-supported ride . . .

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