Land’s End to John o’ Groat’s

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19523, 24 June 1933, Page 12

Land’s End to John o’ Groat’s

OPPERMAN’S BIG CYCLING UNDERTAKING.

Hubert Opperman will tackle a big job in a few months' time when he starts out to lower the Land’s End to John o’ Groat’s record—a ride that many famous cyclists have sped over in 53 years of cycling endeavour. Even in these days of perfect roads this trip cannot be looked upon as a joy ride, but the champions of old mifst have had the hearts of lions when they took it on. In a recent issue of “Cycling” the performances of the earlier warriors are touched upon by “The Loiterer.” He says: “No doubt the spirit that set men making their way by their own effort from Land’s End to John o’ Groats—the opposite corners of the kingdom—was the same as the impulse that has led others to cross continents, to discover new worlds, to penetrate unfathomable jungle and to navigate unknown oceans. There could not have been, at the beginning, any thought of athletic rivalry or the spirit of emulation. The early End-to-End heroes were not record-breakers, but pioneers. Presentday riders should remember that at the time our romance begins, over 53 years ago, it was indeed a ride to be undertaken only by the most intrepid Up to that time no traveller had done it except by the assistance of horses, and then it had taken a very long time. Part of it, of course, could be entrained, but even to this day the train will not take you all the way; it falls 10 miles short in. Cornwall and another 17 miles in Caithness." 65 M.P. Day Average The first real attempt to create a record was in July, 1880, when two members of the Canonbury Touring Club traversed the journey in just under two weeks, after having averaged 65 miles a day. The London papers gave much prominence to the performance, but the riders, Charles Harman and Henry Blackwell, had done so many splendid things before this that those who knew them best were not at all surprised at the achievement.

Shortly after the Canonbury men had set the pace, another great tourist in the person of James Lennox, of Dumfries, decided to attempt the journey, and, being a northerner, decided he would start from that end. Lennox clipped a day off the record, and not being altogether satisfied, he again sallied forth a couple of years

later and reduced his time by three days! Between the two Lennox feats there was an astounding ride by Alfred Nixon on a tricycle. Remember, first, that a tradesman’s carrier trlcyele of to-day would be a light and speedy steed compared with the solid-tyred double-chained lumberousnesses of the early ’eighties. Nixon made it an entirely all-land route, whereas the others all took one or more of the three ferries. He went rather a long way, coming down the John o’ Groat’sLondon line as far as Doncaster before striking across the Midlands for Gloucestershire. So his trip of over 1000 miles occupied two weeks. Big Decrease Two years later Nixon had another attempt and this time decided to take the shorter route, and managed to cover the ground in 85 days. Then J. H. Adams created new figures which were once more eclipsed by Lennox, who brought them down to 6 days 16 hours 7 minutes in 1885. One year later, in 1886, there arose George Pilkington Mills, who might be likened unto Australia’s own Reggie McNamara. Mills was the iron man of the bike game in the days of grandpa, and put the lid on the record by doing the distance in 5 days 1 hour 45 minutes. And then, by way of variety, he again went over the same ground on a tricycle and took but 8 hours longer. Mills had then cut a day off already tight records (he rode on solid tyres), and closed the business to all but himself, and even he was content to sit on his laurels until his time was eventually broken by T. Edge and Fletcher,

Then Mills got to work on his tricycle and Ipwered the time to 3 days 16 hours 47 minutes, which still stands. After this hurdle had been negotiated the intrepid rider set off once more on his safety, and registered 3 days 5 hours 49 minutes in 1894, and it was left to a new generation to alter things.

Many yeai's afterwards T. A. Peck had a remarkable experience. He broke the record twice, but in each instance only held it for a few days. Welsh took it from him in 1907 and Harry Green followed suit in 1908. Then came the latest crack, Jack Rossiter, who put up 2 days 13 hours 22 minutes in 1929. And that’s what Hubert Opperman faces.