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BBC
5 - THE ORCADIAN ODYSSEY
May
24th-27th 2007
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| BBC 5 was the last Bouncy Bike Challenge
event for the Badaguish Centre and arguably the best of
the five challenges that have taken place. |
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| Obviously going
to the magical islands of Orkney was an exciting
prospect and although logistically a bit more
demanding the whole event went like clockwork.
The outstanding camaraderie and spirit that pervaded
the whole final event, together with the extremely
hard work and efforts that those taking part put
into the 85-mile cycle, was a most fitting way
of finishing off this charity event series. |
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| The event started on Thursday
with the majority of the team meeting up at Badaguish
to load their kit and bikes onto the ‘convoy
transport’ for the long journey north. With
wheels buckling under the mass weight of lycra,
Vaseline, energy food and excited ‘bouncers’
the vans set off at 1.30pm and trundled steadily
up the east coast. |
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| In Golspie, under
the watchful gaze of ‘the big mannie’ (no
not Bob - but the Duke of Sutherland monument on Ben Bhraggie)
the convoy rendezvoused for a comfort break and to allow
Norrie to feed his bun habit which everyone joined in
with at the car park café (who thoroughly enjoyed
the surprise trade from around 30 plus colourful and noisy
big kids!). Another comfort stop at Wick in howling wind
and rain was made and then in bright sunshine the team
finally arrived on the far north coast. |
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| After a quick photo
call at John O’Groats (you just have to) we
arrived at Gills Bay ferry terminal in good time.
As we boarded our ferry there were a few worried
faces about the impending ferry trip and sea conditions
and Rob did a good trade selling his stock of anti
seasick tablets! As it turned out, the trip wasn’t
too bad and most people tucked in to fish and chips
or buns and chips as we ploughed across the mighty
Pentland Firth, into Scapa Flow and arrived safe
at St Margaret’s Hope in Orkney. |
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| A short 20-mile trip saw us arrive
at our event HQ, Kirkwall Youth Hostel, around 8.15pm
and after throwing kit into the rooms, checking
the sockets and showers and ensuring all final preparations
were ready for the morning the team wandered into
Kirkwall at approx 8.16pm! After a few quiet refreshments
the team walked back to the hostel along the quiet
cobbled streets passing the magnificent St Magnus
Cathedral on the way and were all tucked up in bed
by around 11pm (ish). |
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Friday morning
arrived very early and a little damp looking, but the
team were up on time, breakfasted and well greased ready
for the day’s cycle ahead.
Departing at 7.45am the team were transported down
to the Start at Burwick on the southern tip of South
Ronaldsay and after a group photo call and full waterproof
kit check set off on the BBC 5 challenge at 9am.
Day 1 morning route saw the team head north crossing
the four Churchill Barriers and then having Bob’s
scrummy tea and cakes at the marvellous Italian Chapel
after 13 miles. |
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| Shaking off the hailstones…the
bikers then turned inland and crossed over to the east
coast passing Kirkwall Airport and the Highland Park Distillery
before arriving back at the Hostel for lunch (24 miles).
Dried out and well fed, the team took on the afternoon
section which had an initial long pull around the north
shore of Scapa Flow passing Orkney’s other distillery
at Scapa en route. After 6 miles, the route eased and
a pleasant sheltered section through the hills followed
with more delicious tea and buns around the 32 mile mark.
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| As the intrepid bikers reached their
next turn at historic Maes Howe, they were met with one
helluva headwind and heavy rain. Undeterred (but more
than a little cheesed off) they fought on and struggled
up the final brae of the day to be joyfully greeted by
a welcome view of Stromness and the big green buses and
hence the days finish. Even more joyfully, the finish
line was only a mile away on a big downhill…yeehas
followed. Skidding to a halt at the finish line beside
the ferry terminal (40 miles), the team ‘gently’
loaded their bikes on to the trailers before being whisked
back to the hostel for warm showers and degreasing. Fully
recovered (ish), shiny and smelling good the team headed
off for their evening meal at the Shore Hotel in Kirkwall.
Outstanding food and drink and excellent friendly service
and hospitality were the order of the night and the only
little disappointment was the level of cheating and bad
sportsmanship during the event based quiz (tut, tut, Jan,
Smudge, Penny, Ingrid, Neil). Needless to say all slept
well that night and the plan of having the legendary bouncing
snorers well away from everyone else actually worked!
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Day 2 (Saturday) arrived dull
and damp (but enough about Clive) and once again
the team ‘sprang’ out of bed, ‘sang’
whilst preparing their toast and were very orderly
in the ablutions queue! Departing on time, the vans
returned to Stromness with the wipers on overtime
and on arrival, the team readied themselves in military
fashion and Finlay repaired a puncture twice before
leaving the car park. Setting off on schedule, |
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| Day 2 route left
Stromness and headed north to Skara Brae 7 miles
away. This short section was planned to allow the
bikers to get their muscles warmed up however, the
freezing hail, rain and wind lashing them from the
Atlantic coast on their left didn’t really
help! Stoical as ever, the team arrived at the famous
Skara Brae heritage site where everyone was deeply
grateful to the Historic Scotland site staff who
allowed free entry because of our charity efforts
and probably took great pity on the multi-coloured
drowned rats that turned up at 9.30am. |
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| After a look round the incredible
Neolithic site, unusually the team tucked into tea
and buns in the café and bought some souvenirs
from the shop including replica Viking helmets.
However, these helmets were no match for those worn
by Jan and Rob who had theirs affixed to their bike
helmets all the way round the route. |
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A chink of sunshine appeared which
was the cue to leave and astonishingly, the next 7 miles
got warmer, brighter, clearer and sunnier with bikers
peeling off the layers as they sped along the western
seaboard of the mainland passing the huge Kitchener
monument with glee. Lunch was taken at Brough Head on
the north western corner of the mainland and copious
amounts of tea and cakes were (as ever) on hand from
the wonderful support team. People were able to lie
in the sun watching the sea roll in, munching their
sarnies/rice cakes and marvel at the ancient brough
across the causeway. At Bob’s command, we were
all dispatched away and with continuing warming sunshine
headed along the north coast before turning south once
again to follow the eastern coastline.
With increasing average speed matching the increasing
average morale, the next 15 mile section literally flew
past with great views of Orkney’s many islands
and even a few minor undulating hills at the back end
caused no real hassle to the hardened peddlers. As the
wonderful sight of the two green support buses loomed
into view for the final pitstop, the question on everyone’s
lips was “What will Bob’s treats be?”
and never one to let the team down we were all treated
to pancakes with jam and jaffa cakes!
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| The final section
beckoned and in true Bouncy Bike fashion contained
the inevitable ‘Bimble Hill’ –
a long steady gradient leading over the hills to
the finish area – just what jaffa cakes were
made for. Pumped up with pancake energy, the tough
hill was tackled and conquered with consummate ease
(ish) and rewarded the team with a long yeeha descent
and a continual view of the increasingly nearing
finish line. The final miles slipped past and all
too soon the team were on the final mile leading
along the narrow isthmus between the Lochs of Harray
and Stenness and ultimately to triumphantly finish
at the magical Ring of Brodgar standing stones circle
(43 miles). |
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| After a delirious dance around
the stones and the team finish snapshot it was back
to the Hostel on the transport with many spending
a reflective minute or two to consider; what they
had achieved both for themselves and for the charity;
what they had seen; and the camaraderie they had
enjoyed not only on this fifth and final challenge
but on many of the other four challenges too… |
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Back from the land of dreams…the
team disgorged at the Hostel and packed up their sweaty/greasy/smelly/lurid/happy
bike kit into double strength bin bags before spending
an hour or two together in a communal shower scraping
off dead flies and oil and generally having a grand
time all round (thanks for the shampoo and beers Eleanor).
Gleaming like a brand new chain set, the whole team
gathered together in the hostel for a pre-dinner drink
(or three) before returning to the Shore Hotel for the
final Badaguish Bouncy Bike Challenge dinner and presentation.
Another excellent meal with great service and a couple
of ‘speeches’ preceded the final ‘final
presentation’ with everyone getting their well-deserved
event T-Shirt and certificate of completion.
Sunday morning saw everyone pack up and even have time
for a short walk in the warm sunshine into Kirkwall
before leaving for our noon ferry back to the mainland.
A very pleasant crossing saw the team back in Gills
Bay on time and subsequently head back down the country
dropping off people on route and finally arriving back
at Badaguish around tea time. The vans were cleaned,
all kit returned, farewells said, handshakes given,
everyone back safe and well, mission accomplished…BBC5
has left the building! |
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| Many thanks to everyone who took part
in or was involved in BBC5; bikers, support team, Shore
Hotel, Kirkwall Youth Hostel, Pentland Ferries, Badaguish,
Duke of Gordon Hotel and of course the many sponsors who
have supported those taking part in the event. Hopefully,
the event will raise enough funds to allow Badaguish to
purchase a specially adapted side by side tricycle - see the top image on the right above |
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