Life is a mixed bag

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... After falling seriously ill with Crohn's disease in 2008 I had emergency, life saving (and life changing) surgery to form an ileostomy (I now poo into a bag glued to my abdomen). While many might be horrified by this, for me it is normal: it is because of the bag that I am still alive and my children are not orphans (my wife, Jo, died in 2014).  I have learnt to live each day as it comes, for good & bad, with my children Alice and Maisy to inspire me. Read these pages to find out about living with a stoma bag and a journey I am undertaking from Land's End to John o'Groats in August 2018. Please share these pages as I want to raise awareness about living with a stoma (for both those with and without bags) and raise money for Crohn's & Colitis UK and the Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Support Group.

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First post: planning a Land's End to John o'Groats trip

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Hi, I am planning a Land's End to John o'Groats cycle ride in Summer 2018 travelling mostly unsupported (camping for all but one or two nights). This is mostly just for fun, something I have wanted to do for a long time, but also to raise awareness of hidden disabilities. In 2008 I became very ill with Crohn's disease and subsequently underwent life-saving surgery to create an Ileostomy, I now wear a stoma bag. You can find out more about what a stoma (I have an ileostomy) is at  Stomawise . I will also be hoping to raise money for Crohn's & Colitis UK  and The Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group . This is quite an undertaking for me, although I have done some cycle touring in the past. Here is me leaving for a 4-day tour around the coast of East Anglia in 2017 (photo is a panorama shot that went wrong in a fun kind of way!):
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Planned Land's End to John o'Groats route

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Finally planned my rough route which is 15 days long. You can use the map above (in Komoot) to look in more detail at where I plan to stop each night as each has a number for the night. It is not following my exact route though as I will be using B-roads and the Sustrans National Cycle Route for most of it, the whole route version only pins the stopping points.  If you want to see more about my exact route each day look at my profile on Komoot:  https://www.komoot.com/user/417102468365 . I will be spending two nights in a B&B near Keswick, very close to Suprise View where we scattered Jo's ashes. The rest of it I will be camping, and camping wild where I can!
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Day 3 Dartmoor To South Of Glastonbury

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Fantastic day of cycling! Three of the longest descents I have ever experienced: down from Dartmoor, a decent from a village called "Long Down" into Exeter (wondered why it had that name until the descent), and down from the Blackdown hills. Wind behind me all the way. Day started with yoga on Dartmoor and an off road cycle to Hurston Stone row which is impressive. Now camping in Long Sutton just south of Glastonbury. Star gazing at the moment, have never seen so many stars!
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