Team Orkney

Nick Lovick

I’ve been obsessed with 2 wheels ever since I got my first bike, the confidence and feeling it gave me when my stabilisers came off and I knew I was in control. As a teenager I spent many a happy hour tearing round the Hope on my mountain bike. When I was a little older I progressed onto motorbikes and spent 15 years racing motocross on and off with Orkney Motocross Club.

About 4 years ago I hung up my motocross boots and swapped my body armour for Lycra! I have been riding road bikes since, involving myself with the Orkney Cycling Club. While I’m still a mountain biker at heart, these days most of my miles tend to be on the road.

The idea to do a long ride for charity has been in my head and something I’d discussed for a few years, but in 2019 I put my money where my mouth is and committed to this journey. Covid has delayed this for a couple of years, but I knew as soon as things opened up and were safe again, I would be setting out on this undertaking.

3 years down the line I am now just looking forward to the challenge of actually doing it, rather than just talking about it.

Dave Higgins

This would be my third Lands End to John o' Groats trip, having walked End to End in 2004 & Round Britain in 2013-14, but being a non-cyclist I would need to do some serious training, as I will be the weak link in the chain! With an average of 75 miles to do every day for 2 weeks I would work up to this gradually and started in January.

My bike was my daughter’s old mountain bike so I was going to be using my wife, Sandra’s road bike as she now has an e-bike (that cost me more than I have ever spent on a car!). Nick took pity on me and gave me his old racing bike and trainer stand. I still started my “fair weather only” training on Sandra’s bike but used the racing bike inside on the trainer while playing bridge on-line.
I had been given cycling clothing & equipment as xmas presents and in March decided it was about time to get my act together and start using the racing bike.

March 17th: My first trip on Nick’s old racing bike, in all the gear: lycra & cycling shoes, a 30 mile round trip to The Gloup via Tankerness in a fairly strong wind.
It was not without mishap, I had to stop to see what had fallen off the bike, before I had unclipped both shoes the wind had blown me off balance and I toppled over onto the grass verge.
I had some sandwiches at the Gloup and just after leaving the car park saw a car coming up behind me so I pulled into a gateway to stop. I didn’t manage to unclip either shoe this time and toppled over again, fortunately not onto the road, a tad embarrassing but no damage.
I must get the hang of unclipping quickly.

Norman Myles

I took up cycling in my 50’s and, since retiring, has become my main activity, happily going south on my own for some long distance rides … Aberdeen to Orkney, Applecross Peninsula with a climb over the mighty Bealach na Bá to name a couple.

I also like spectating at track events and had planned a trip to France to watch stages of the Tour de France in 2020 but Covid put the brakes on that.

When I heard, from my wife Elizabeth (Lizzie is, like Dave, another bridge player), that Dave was planning to cycle Lands End to John o’ Groats with his son-in-law I thought, that at the age of 71, I wouldn’t have many more opportunities for good long rides and asked if I could come along with them.

The trip would also be an opportunity to raise money for the British Heart Foundation as a means of thanking everyone involved in the treatment and care of Lizzie after her heart attack in October.

Rodney Spence

During a recent conversation with Norman & Lizzy, Norman told us about their Charity Cycle run from Lands End to John O’Groats and when he said that they would be travelling down on the train with their bikes to Penzance, Janice jokingly said that as Rodney had just retired that would be a grand trip for him, he could go & be their backup & support vehicle.

Having slept on the idea, I quite fancied doing it. I had previously helped support another charity ride so knew what to expect. They are also raising monies for two very good charities The Blide Trust & The British Heart Foundation.

Next day I spoke to Norman & offered to provide support for the trip, which was quickly accepted before I had chance to change my mind.