I can’t believe that 5 years ago today, I was cycling from a somewhat misty Dunnet Head in Scotland, on the first leg of bike ride to Lands End. I couldn’t have done it without my friends at RSS who supported me throughout my journey.
I was presented with the Joan Cave Memorial cup at the annual dinner for my GB Extreme Tour!
I was really moved and honoured to receive this unexpected award,thank you Road Safety Support Limited.
The inscription on the award reads:“2013 Graham Brain for his magnificent achievement in successfully completing the GB Extreme Tour.””
I attended the 2013 National Safer Roads Partnership Conference with my colleagues on behalf of Serco as an exhibitor. At the gala dinner on Wednesday evening, I presented the ceremonial cheque to Laura Woods, Research & Information Officer for BRAKE, the road safety charity for the monies raised by my GB Extreme Tour cycle challenge.
To my total surprise I was then presented with the first “Annual Road Safety Support Award for Individual Excellence in Promotion of Road Safety” by Meredydd Hughes CBE, Executive Chairman Of Road Safety Support Ltd.
A little summary of my adventure.
After an fantastic evening of a family celebration, good food and tasting the delights of some local cider, there was only one thing left to do…… smile whilst I think of my next adventure…. No Graham, get that thought out of your mind 🙂
There’s not many options after finishing a 35 day tour of the geographical extremes of the UK other than to have a family celebration, but not before soaking away some of the aches and pains in a hot bath 🙂
My sister Yvonne came down from Leicester especially to see me in. 
Unfortunately, Russ who organised the support as well as providing me with support for the first and last weeks, needed to get the motorhome back and not long after arriving in Lands End he started his long drive back to Essex.
Once again my heartfelt thanks to Russ, Jan, Paul and Adam all from RSS for the fantastically wonderful support they provided over the 5 weeks.
We cycled through Lands End (village) and headed out to the lighthouse, to the end of our days journey and the end of my Extreme Tour.
There waiting for us at the entrance to the Lands End complex were my eldest daughter Jo, her husband John and my three delightfully wonderful grandchildren ready to join me for the last few hundred metres for the fishing line.
Then a minor disaster struck, Lucy, my youngest daughter, Lucy, who had been cycling with me, waved to Jo, John and the kids with her left hand…… for some strange reason her right hand pulled hard on the front brake lever and with disc brakes, the front wheel locked and Lucy went crashing to met the tarmac. Luckily she was only a bit bruised and appears to have sprained her left wrist, but being brave she picked herself up and remounted her bicycle and we all to rode to the finishing line and a wonderful welcome
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The route from the Lizard to Lands End met with my expectations, hills hills and more hills with the added challenge of Westerly winds blowing in from the Atlantic. The three of us battled on along the A39 past Marazion and were treated to a spectacular view of St. Michael’s Mount as we approached Penzance.
Although a relatively short distance, the hills were tough and seemed to go on forever, especially in my case with the 3 previous days of cycling over the rest of the hills in Devon & Cornwall.
Slowly the miles passed beneath us and the distance to our final destination gradually clocked down into single digits.
When we reached a sign that said “Lands End 2 3/4 miles”.
In the distance we could see the reflection of the Sun off the Atlantic ocean and this really gave all our morales a boost and provided some renewed energy into our tired legs.
GBExtremeTour 