Hosepipe Ban ??!!!!!!!

Now this is something I can't quite work out, there's a hosepipe ban in Englandshire yet me and Andy cycled 92 miles today over about 8 hours and it didn't stop raining once. All that water must be capable of being stored somewhere. Even we both managed to store a few pints in the bottom of our panniers !!!!

We rattled off the 40 odd miles up to Aust services on the Severn bridge in quick time and were greeted by a large group of family and friends waving as we cycled in. It was great to see them all and really appreciated, raising our spirits on such a damp rainy day. I could sense a little emotional tear in the eyes of a number of the people there, as we set off again, bellies full from all the food and cakes given to us.

Up to Monmouth we headed, past Tintern, and is was then that the spokes pinged again. Two have gone, and we limped gingerly on, up to Hereford where I can hopefully find a cycle shop that can rebuild the wheel in the morning.

We decided, mainly due to the continuing awful weather, but also as a treat for cycling so far, to stay in a travel lodge. So we are in the room, which is looking like a Chinese laundry with all our kit hanging up, both our bikes in the room with us, and having full bellies for the second time today having devoured an Indian takeaway!!!!

My knees are aching, helped by neurofen. Andys saddle sores are, well, sore, helped by sudocream. The bikes are groaning after all that rain and grit hopefully helped by a bit of oil and new spokes. But ultimately we are getting there as we clocked up nearly 300 miles already.

So far we have been taking a lot of the national cycle routes, which have been through some super country roads off the beaten track, but the next couple of days we plan to be a little more direct with the route to let the legs catch up a bit. Todays route up to Hereford was hardly what we would call an easy relaxing route and we will sleep soundly tonight in a comfy bed.

Fingers crossed we can get the wheel rebuilt in the morning.

One thing I found not too bad with the rain today was the fact that as my back wheel kicked up a lot of spray, Andy (who is still drafting in my slipstream all the way) is hanging back a little. This has the massive benefit of me not being able to hear his constant monologue about his life story year by year. I mean, is anyone really that interested about the time he had his first superman outfit aged 4 years and 6 months !!!!

Pounding out the miles

Today we hit the road a little earlier at 8:30 and rather than go via Exeter, opted for a more direct but 'lumpy' route North up over Exeter hill.

I must admit, after another massive hill right from the off, I thought we had made a mistake, but within a couple of hours, things had levelled, we entered Somerset and everything became flat. A very satisfying 82 miles completed and we're celebrating with a couple of beers (the first of the trip) and a hearty meal in Rodney Stoke not far from Cheddar. In fact a big thanks must go to the Inn which has a camp site attached to it, as we are camping free tonight as a gesture to the charity.

A few things of concern today which I thought I would pass on to you avid readers

I love pie and pasties which many of you will know, and Andy has now also adopted the trait as well - devouring pork pies on a daily basis as eagerly as a vampire might sink its teeth into human flesh!!!!

For some reason, whilst discussing the route today, I called Andy 'Hun' - he looked at me very strangely with a look of dread in his eyes. I wonder if I may push my luck by giving him a good night kiss tonight !!!!

We don't have an exact route plan, and are sort of making it up as we go. Today I made our first navigational error. A learning point is not to navigate in the centre of town by the sun - "it must be a right turn as the sun will be behind you" does not in fact mean you are heading North at Midday, when in a one way system in Taunton !!

My tactics of farting as we ride, to try and get Andy to take his turn at the front is no longer working. He now quietly drafts along with earplugs up his nostrils !

Continuing North tomorrow - crossing into Wales over the Severn Bridge by late morning - weather looking poor, but our happy smiling faces will brighten the day

Its a bit lumpy

Lumpy is how Andy describes the last couple of days. I would use a few choice expletives to reflect upon the relentless onslaught of steep hill after steep hill. The first day went well, avoiding the main A30, we took a circuitous route via Penzance, and St Austel, finishing up in Lanlivery and a lovely little campsite costing just £6 for the pair of us. No phone signal though, hence no blog update. Finished the day with a cracking meal of steak and pasta.

Waking to a drizzly morning, we packed up and set off on day two. Equally as punishing on the legs as Hill appeared after hill. Halfway through the day, I was burnt out. Completely sapped, and even the slightest incline had me beat. It was becoming clear the our calorie intake was still lacking after yesterday, despite the huge meal. After tucking into provisions, we pushed on, me still a little sluggish. Even Andy admitted that he was feeling a lack of his usual vigour. This made me feel better that the physical machine that he is also was feeling the pressure.

It is at this point, I must point out, that I have so far been solely responsible for navigating us this far. Andy was insistent from, well about lands end, that I should map read from the front and he would follow. He has of course been about 3 inches off my back wheel all the way drafting in my slipstream like the most cunning of foxes. When we stopped for supplies tonight, I bought us a pasty each, along with a bottle of coke, telling him it would see us through until later. Pasties and coke I have found do generate a significant amount of - hmmm - fart power. Finally he was no longer tucked into my slipstream, and has learnt a lesson. My turn to draft tomorrow !!!!!!

So two days down, about 135 miles done, climbed the equivalent of cycling to the top of Everest 5 times, and Andy still hasn't paused for breath from chatting.

Loving every minute of it :-)

Proof we were at lands end at least !!!

Last minute issues

Well - we are here in Cornwall, camping just about 3 miles from lands end ready to start in the morning. We're just back from a great pub in Sennen cove having filled up with a big meal and the obligatory couple of pints.

It's been a day of last minute panicking. The panniers that Andy had ordered from the web had still not been delivered, so he was rushing around this morning buying some from central Bristol. Me on the other hand broke a spoke yesterday, so spent a frantic evening and this morning tracking down the right sized spokes, nipples, and stripping and rebuilding my back wheel.

But we're here now, all set and soon to hit the sack, ready for a slap up breakfast in the morning.

weather watch

hmmmm - I've just been watching the news reports showing the storms in the North if the UK.

Ok, I know there is the typical sensationalist reporting endemic in journalism nowadays, but I have been wondering if my choice of slick tyres may have been the right one!!!!  Is it too late to switch to nobblies!!

at least its going to be about a week until we will be that far North, so it will no doubt be drought conditions by then, knowing the nature of the fickle weather

New Shirts

I popped in to visit Dad and Carol today, and they proudly handed over the new cycling tshirts. I think Dad is wondering if he can get enough training in to be able to join us on the ride !!!!!

For an 81 year old he's looking good I think - lets hope the youthful looks are in the genes for when I get to that age !!!!