Kickscoot The Coast: Bexhill-on-Sea - Birling Gap

Bexhill-on-Sea - Birling Gap

I am doing this scoot to raise awareness and funds for the ME Association so if you would like to you can sponsor me here.

Here are the links to the previous sections of this trek;
Whitstable - Broadstairs
Broadstairs - Walmer
Walmer - Capel-le-ferne
Capel-le-ferne - Littlestone
Littlestone - Rye
Winchelsea - Bexhill-On-Sea

It has been a very long time since my last scoot - 10 months I think.

I have had a pretty bad year health wise, January saw me go back to square one and have to rebuild my energy levels. I didn't start making headway with this until May. So unfortunately this has meant a pause in my journey.

Recently I've been getting restless and really wanted to push onward with my scoot. I was going to go last weekend, but then had to have a wisdom tooth pulled out which put a stopper on that idea.

To put energy into perspective a little, having my wisdom tooth removed pretty much wiped out 6 days!

So today was the day. I had a terrible night's sleep and woke feeling rubbish but sod it, this is something I want to do and I've reached my limit of resting and only doing small amounts.

Weather looked ok, no other plans, so off we went.

Let's just say the car journey to the beginning was an eventful one…

Back to Bexhill-on-sea! Which was just as lovely as I remembered it, albeit a tad stormy looking this morning.

The wind was against me but wasn't too strong and I pootled along nicely, dropping the odd special magnet along the way. Lots of roads today though around Pevancy so didn't catch many sights of the sea to start with.

Then as I approached Eastbourne it started to get very busy. I've never been to Eastbourne before so wasn't sure if this was normal, but seaside resort in August I figured it was bound to be a bit busy. It quickly got to a point where I couldn't safely scoot down the sea path so I moved onto the main roads, but they were jammed too...

At this point I discovered this weekend is the Eastbourne air show!

I abandoned my sea view and found my way deeper into the town to find some quieter roads/paths, followed signs for Beachy Head and was soon moving again, my scooter was now reading very low battery, but I was not going to stop without getting up to Beachy Head!

Next there was a lovely path winding down away from the town to a lush green field at the very bottom before the steep climb up to the top.

And my was that a climb!

I am particularly unfit at the moment after 8 months of mostly rest and that particular climb I feel would be hard work for anyone - not pushing a scooter!

The views were **stunning** and I got to watch a red arrows display while I stopped to eat my lunch half way up.

I had imagined Beachy Head would be a very quiet place, I thought I may meet the odd dog walker or tourist but that would be about it. I was about as wrong as I could possibly have been.

It was incredibly busy, cars and people everywhere! I had a large audience watch me huff and puff my way up that hill, they must have thought I was mad!

I was so pleased to have gotten to the top and to find a road again!

My scooter was now reading zero battery but Ben was a long way off in the car and anyway it was too busy for him to park, so I continued.

I am so glad I did, what amazing scenery! And what a wonderful downhill winding road.

I popped up to have a look at Belle Tout as it was not far out of the way and had a great view of Beachy Head lighthouse.

There was a sign here which said Birling Gap 20min walk, so off I went. Absolutely no phone signal at Birling Gap but somehow Ben found me and we headed off for a well earned dinner out.

I remembered to start Strava, but forgot to press stop so the figures aren't exactly accurate.

We are now very much at the point where we need to be staying away from home in order to continue as Ben and the kids spent 4.5 hours in the car today! I don't think I am fit enough to do 2 consecutive days scooting yet, so from here on in may take a very long time… You'll have the bear with me.

Kickscoot The Coast - The Tortoise And The Hare

A year ago today I set off on my first big scoot, the beginning of an epic adventure!

I had no idea how far I would get nor how scooting that far would effect me physically.

That first scoot surpassed all expectations! 26 miles were achieved. Each scoot since has bought a different challenge be it map reading, steep hills, endurance, health, weather, but I have enjoyed every one and can't wait to get back out on that coastal path.

I had planned to get back out this week but bad weather and poor health have made me reconsider.

When doing any sort of fundraising with ME the fundraising advisor always reminds us not to over do it, not to push too hard, our health is more important.

I suffered a major health set back in January which I am still trying to claw my way back out of. Rest, rest and more rest is about all I can manage at the moment.

The scooter itself recently ticked over the 1000 mile mark (I use it day to day to get the kids to school, etc) and now has two lovely new tyres, new handlebars and a rear brake (for the first time ever!) So when I do set off again I will be significantly safer. 

I really do hope to get back out there on my scoot as soon as I can and I have absolutely no intention of giving up! I told my husband I wanted to complete this by the time I am 40, which gives me 7 more years 😉

Slow and steady, the tortoise will win this race.

Kickscoot the Coast: Walmer - Capel-le-ferne

Walmer to Capel-le-ferne.

Well as you may have noticed I didn't quite make it to Folkstone!

That was the most physically, mechanically and mentally challenging route so far. Very hilly. Not well signposted.

Coming out of Kingsdown I asked a local which way the cycle route went as there were no signs, he told me which way it went, then gave me a nicer route to take along the cliffs, which was great, completely off road and some nice coastal views.

Next step was getting into Dover which I had been worried about, but actually this proved fairly straight forward too, well signposted choice of cycle routes. However getting out of Dover again proved difficult. All the signage stopped, looking at the map was telling me where the path should go, but I couldn't find it.

I ended up on a national trust coastal path up over the cliffs out of Dover. Which gave fabulous views, but was unrideable. Also at the far end of this path where I found the cycle path again (hoorah), there was a swing gate. No way could the scooter get through. I stood for quite a while on this deserted path wondering how best to proceed. I couldn't bear the thought of going back the way I had just come so I decided to find some super strength and lift the scooter over the fence and back onto the cycle path!

Next followed lots of very bumpy off road path ways, and a few more hills for good measure.

By this point I was pretty knackered from all the walking up hills and bumpy path ways and the scooters battery was reading empty so sadly I had to stop with Folkstone in sight.

There were points on today's ride that made me wonder if I am completely crazy for undertaking this trek. But also some fabulous views amongst the mist which is ever present on this part of the coast.

It will be a few weeks before I can try the next section due to birthdays and new bathrooms. I haven't been completely put off today just a little disheartened.

If you would like to you can sponsor me here.

Here are the links to the previous sections of this trek;

Whitstable - Broadstairs
Broadstairs - Walmer

Electric Mayhem!

You may remember Kermit, Kermit was my lifeline when my eldest started school. It was the only way I could ferry her to and from school. It was a way to get out of the house without being reliant on others.
For a very long time even with the help of Kermit I was still a quivering wreck by the end of the week most weeks.

Kermit spent 3 years with us doing the school run, but with both girls there now and getting bigger (now 7&5) it was becoming apparent that they were getting too big to be on the back.

So back to the drawing board we went. I am a lot better (most of the time) than I was 3 years ago when we got Kermit, but I'm still not up to the walk on a twice daily basis and still have big ups and downs. I wasn't keen on an electric bicycle, still don't want a mobility scooter or a car... Hmm, how about a scooter, an electric one at that?

Well first I ordered one of those "electric scooters" which are basically a kids scooter. It took me a whole 100yrds before it gave up. Then I ordered the adult version which weighed in at 40kgs and quite frankly looked scary, so we sent that back. 

Then I came across adult kick scooters. It was a revelation. Basically a bicycle that you stand on, so I challenged my husband to convert one to electric for me! 

We had lots of hurdles a false start or two, but I have now been riding around on it since the end of July!

My girls discovered a love of cycling this summer and together we racked up about 80 miles through the holidays, it was amazing to be able to leave the house with them and for them to come back more tired than me (well once maybe)!

Now school has started back the girls can ride, scoot or walk to school and I can safely ride along behind them keeping them safe, perfect!
I'm not sure how enthusiastic they will be when the cold wet weather sets in, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

So Kermit has now gone to a new home where it is still getting plenty of use and is much loved by the new owners.

So without further ado let me introduce "Electric Mayhem"!

Kermit the electric tricycle!

16/06/2014

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Last summer I was very worried about how I was going to get my eldest to and from school.
The school was not that far away, not even 1 mile, but I simply could not walk that far.
We knew no one else going to that school who could help. My mum suggested a mobility scooter, great idea, but they are expensive and how was I going to get the kids on board?

Then my husband came up with the idea of an electric tricycle. Initially he thought we could buy a tricycle, convert the back to a bench seat for the girls then buy an electric conversion kit.

Luckily we found the perfect tricycle! It is called a "Child Transporter" and it came from a company called Mission Cycles near Maidstone in Kent. We then found and electric bike shop in Swindon E-Motion who were happy to do the conversion, so they got the trike shipped in, built it, converted it and christened it Kermit!

We have had ups and downs with the electrics, but I wouldn't be without it, it is wonderful!