Preparation

This is a blog about The Way of The Roses bicycle ride http://www.wayoftheroses.co.uk/index.php

It's a relatively new ride having only been created around 2010

This ride was done with my old friend Davey Blackmore (he's not old (well - he's older than me!) - "old" as in a friend I've known for many years). Andy McIntyre was also meant to go - the Three Muskateers on another trip (we had done the C2C the year before) - but unfortunately he was unable to attend at the last minute. We dedicate this ride and the effort put in to your mum Andy.

Thanks to Davey's incredible talent and insatiable thirst for organisation he organised the trip and split it into the following route

Day 1 - Morecambe to Grassington for 60 miles
Day 2 - Grassington to Dunnington for 66 miles
Day 3 - Dunnington to Bridlington for 58 miles

He booked all accommodation, train journeys and bag transfers.

The accommodation was:
Premier Inn, Lancaster - http://www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/LANBRE/lancaster
The Devonshire Hotel in Grassington - http://www.thedevonshirehotel.co.uk/
Fifth Milestone Cottage in Dunnington - http://www.milestonecottage.co.uk/
Premier Inn, Blossom St, York - http://www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/YORTAB/york-city-blossom-st-south

For bag transportation we used Brigantes
http://www.brigantesenglishwalks.com/index.php

All research had been done. Apps downloaded, maps bought, videos watched and blogs read. All thoughts of requirements had been gone over and over with the final week getting some extra kit.

I used an Android app called ViewRanger. You are able to plot your route on the computer and then upload it to your phone. It then shows the route you've plotted with a blue line and the GPS on the phone shows your exact point. It came in handy several times.

I also used an Android app called MapMyRide which tracks your progress, elevation, speed etc. You can save that to the website at the end of each day and share each days activities on social media sites. I'll link to my MapMyRide pages for each day as the days are discussed.

So everything was ready - the wheels had long been put in motion and the trip loomed