Rider’s Reflections from the First Half of the 2026 Pub Ride

Paige White, Content Creator on the 2026 Pub Ride, invited riders to reflect on their journey so far. Collected in a notebook passed from rider to rider, these entries capture some of the experiences, challenges, and highlights from the first half of the tour.

On the 2026 Pub Ride, a notebook with a race plate taped to it has been passed around. In it, we asked our riders to describe their experiences so far riding through the first half of the tour. We invited them to share personal stories, highlights, mishaps, and everything in between. Here’s what they had to say so far.

‘Cycling is what brought us together through a common interest. We all have diverse backgrounds, yet cycling makes us cohesive. What a privilege it is to share this energy, laughter, and conversations with others. For me, cycling brings me joy – a heart-and-soul connection to my physical self. It reminds me of how resilient our bodies are. Thanks, TDA, for taking care of all the logistics so that I am able to focus solely on “the ride.”  Wendy Deloume

Wendy rides along the Scottish canals with a group of riders

‘As always, cycling has brought me many new faces and friends. The encouragement and camaraderie, no matter what your cycling experience has been, on the Pub Ride has been fantastic.  Jeff Cohen

Jeff watches other riders go past

‘Rain. Steep hills. Landscapes!’

‘We walked the hills on the moors, with grades over 11%. These short, steep hills zapped my energy. The moors are a unique landscape with amazing views.’

‘It was an exhilarating experience riding out of London. There were other cyclists, traffic, potholes, pedestrians, and an unfamiliar traffic flow. At the roundabouts, it felt like locals didn’t care about their own rules, and it required hyper-focus to avoid any close calls.’ – Notes from Hans, Ross, Ryan, Dave, and Anne while riding the ferry to France.

Hans and Ross – Dad and Son cycling together

‘I learned once again not to turn back to those behind you while informing them that you’re going to look for coffee. If you forget this, you might catch the curb next to you and suddenly have that awful feeling that you are headed for the sidewalk and the concrete wall beside it. Now that we are halfway through the trip, I’m feeling back to normal and almost healed.’  Bart Berg

Bart inspects the damage after a coffee-related mishap in Scotland

‘There is something unexplainably appealing about TDA’s style of travel. Part boot camp, part social experiment, with so many special moments with newfound friends in between. The lunches are always the carrot of my riding days; fresh and flavourful salads can lure me over the steepest hills. In the days and years after these epic rides, I know that I’ll forgive the early mornings, hilly days, and heavy duffel bags. I will smile inwardly with a sense of accomplishment and fond memories of our host countries and fearless tour leaders.’  Melissa Morse

Melissa rides with Susan along some of the beautiful bike paths in Ireland