Day 4 Whidden Down to Taunton: Jim gets lost, Jim gets found and we find two Stowaways

52 miles today, miles to date 183

Leaving Whidden Down Travelodge

As expected we had a great downhill freewheel all the way to Crediton and the hills of the first three days eventually peter out as we leave Devon and enter Somerset.

Highlight of the day was Thorverton. This is their Hypermarket and Post Office:

And this is the pretty village green. This trip is not just about cycling but sitting in places such as this eating an ice cream.

As we enter Somerset, Jim goes AWOL. The rest of the team wait around at a junction on the A38 for him to turn up, Jim wanders off to Taunton on his own, God knows how he found the place without a map. Tommy then tells us about two stowaways in his bag, Freddo the Frog and Curly Wurly the Snake. Freddo is instantly nominated as Team Mascot and will be contributing to this blog in the future. Pictures tomorrow….

Where in the world would we be without Pauline Backup? Today she volunteered to be  Dinner Lady and  also did everybody’s laundry. (She has to do the ironing when we get back from the pub but no-one has the courage to tell her).

Day 3 Tintagel to Whidden Down – Out of Cornwall and into Devon

Miles today 46, miles to date 131.

 Another day of hilly climbs but great views

You know you have got to the top when you at the radio transmitter

The hostel last night was pretty basic and no chance of breakfast. So we ended up with a paper cup of coffee out of a garage. Alastair has his first (and only) Cornish Pasty…. but for breakfast??? Garage pasties might generally be crap but this one we were reliably informed was ok; Jim sticks to his energy bars…..

Once out of Tintagel, the road to Launceston is mainly downhill but the town was choked with heavy traffic. We cycled on to Okehampton on what was the old A30 over some seriously long and arduous climbs. Highlight of the day was the cycle along a dedicated cycle track known as the ‘Granite Way’ leading into Oakhampton.

We also bump into the family we met on the Padstow Ferry and cycle a few miles with them along to Okehampton. They are from Suffolk and are cycling with 5 children, a guitar and a kiddie carrier carrying all their kit and camping on the way.  They too are going to John O Groast and hope to arrive at the same time as us.

We left Cornwall and entered Devon but there no respite from the hills.

Welcome to Devon! and up yet another hill.....

Had a picnic stop at Lewdown before ending the day on top of Whidden Down pretty well exhausted. At least it means we start with a ‘downhiller’ tomorrow since there is nothing higher than us.

It is Sarah-Jane’s birthday today and we spent the evening at  ‘The Tors’ pub in Belstone:  a pretty village on the edge of Dartmoor. You will see that we did 46 miles today. With S-J reaching the fine age of 48, Alastair suggested that she ought to leave the pub for half an hour and cycle up and down the last hill again to make it 48 miles on her 48^th birthday. I am afraid the answer given is not appropriate for readers of this Blog.

Day 2 Carnon Downs to Tintagel

Fair weather, light winds and sunshine.

 49 miles today, 85 miles in total

On the Padstow to Rock Ferry: Padstow was as busy as the ferry!

More hills were the order of the day. Started out ok with a downhill blast from Carnon Downs into Truro where we has breakfast in Tesco’s. The official photographer (Pauline) was so exhausted by yesterday’s photo taking session she decided to have a lie in to recover and left the hotel at 10.45am. She then spent the day complaining  that Wadebridge didn’t have  a Marks & Spencer’s. Everybody else was on the road by 8.03am. She will come in to her own tomorrow when we have devised a great idea for getting better fed at lunch (more tomorrow).

Got lost around Truro where a friendly local tried to direct us on to the busy dual carriageway: not good!

A real ‘up and downer’ day all the way to Padstow where the crowds in the town were heaving. No chance of having a look around, so over on the ferry to Rock. The room on the boat gives you an idea of the crowds in the town. On the ferry were another family doing LEJOG, but as you can see from their bikes they are ‘loaded to the gunnels’ with kit and a baby trailer. Out of Rock decided to give the £11 sandwich in the ‘Ok – yah’ restaurant a miss (who does he think he is, Rick Stein??) and ended up with a picnic on a field overlooking Rock.

 Haute cuisine in a field outside Rock

Eventually got into Tintagel at 6.35pm with Tommy complaining about the state of his bum. Let’s hope that clears up for tomorrow. Staying at the YHA, the views from which are stunning.

Tintagel YHA

..and this is the view from the hostel

This Blog update from the King Arthur’s Arms (where else?) in Tintagel where they have free Wi-Fi.

We’re off………………Day 1 Lands’ End to Carnon Downs Wednesday 27 July: lovely sunny day

Where is  Jim? He is on the phone to Doug. That's far more important than having his photo taken....

36 miles to date

Well, dear Blog Reader, at long last we made it to Lands’ End and set off at 9.03am on Wednesday. One word sums up today: HILLY. It was a breeze to Penzance with 36mph blast into town via Newlyn. After a flat few miles along the sea front to view St Michaels Mount we headed inland….and that’s when the fun began. We all were surprised the day before how quiet the A30 was coming down: we know why. All the tourists are on the ‘B’ and minor roads to the extent we were involved in a hilarious traffic jam caused by tourists and the local bus that gridlocked a whole village. I am pleased to say that cyclists were inconvenienced to only a small extent but then the hills started……………………

As you can see Jim is so into this, its ok he did perk up later at the enormity of it all!

No-one minds hills, usually because you get the bonus of a good free- wheel on the downer. That might happen in Hampshire: it doesn’t happen in Cornwall. One hill immediately follows the other and thus no real ‘gain following the pain’ Nevertheless we eventually arrived at a village of Porkellis where lunch was taken in the local pub (a nice line in fresh Cornish Crab salad, and err ……………burgers).

 In the pub garden we were joined by  two ladies who had set off 15 minutes after us who also decided the pub was also a good stop. They came from Shropshire and were cycling back home, hopefully in 5 days traveling 50-60 miles per day. The trouble is they had got lost twice already on the short trip from LE and had to borrow our maps to plan their trip ahead. Somehow, Shropshire is unlikely to see these two in 5 days’ time…………………..

Tomorrow is another hilly day with a diversion onto the Padstow ferry. Tonight’s meal will be at the Carnon Inn, a bit like a Harvester. Apologies to Damon and jo: The Old Quay Inn at Devoran was fully booked!

Tonight's Pint: St Austell's Brewery Tribute

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Camera Club Corner
This is a note to Mick Speed who will be in despair. Mick will no doubt be unsurprised to learn of Pauline’s photo skills. Did Pauline:

·         Take a picture of the car loaded up?………….No

·         Take a picture of the arrival at Lands End YHA?….No

·         Take a picture of the Land End to John O Groats milepost?…..No

·         Take a picture of her grandson setting off from the Start Line outside Lands End Hotel  to show her great grandchildren in years to come?……No

·         Did Pauline have her camera?…..yes

·         Did Pauline actually take any pictures?………………No

·         Actually, the last answer is not strictly correct. She borrowed my camera and here is the result:

Looks like I’ll have to come back next year for a picture of me actually starting the tour……nice lycra, though………………………

Meet the rest of the team.......

Le Dog for Le Jog

Le Dog is just a  6 week puppy. When she was told she was going on a '1050 mile Walkies', she aged 12 years. Sadly. Le Dog will now be watching from the sidelines.....

Does this lady remind you of your old school mistress? Meet Pauline who is in charge of back-up.
You don't want to mess with this lady especially after she has had her nails done.............

...and finally, Jim: the hotshot rider who bombs along on a MBK. Jim single handedly keeps the energy bar industry alive and kicking but doesn't eat anything else apart from the odd pilchard or two.....

DAY 0 Some facts you might not know about our trip

·        The cycling record is 1 day and 20 hours set in 2001

·        In 1882 two policemen did it on penny farthings in 14 days

·        We will take 22 days (well, they didn’t have traffic lights in 1882!)

·        A Phantom jet fighter plane did it in 46 minutes 44 seconds

·        We expect to cover about 1,050 miles.

·        Our chosen route involves climbs totalling 14000m in height. To put that into context, Mount Everest is 8848m high.

·        We will be staying in a combination of Travelodge’s, Premier Inns and Youth Hostels. (One person was relieved to hear to hear that Youth Hostels now have licenced bars)

·        Other people have done it on a turbo charged JCB digger, on a skateboard, wheelchair and a motorised bath tub. Someone even ‘posted’ himself by first class mail.

·        We will be taking a total of six ferries:

         Padstow Ferry across the River Camel in Cornwall

         Isle of Arran from Ardrossan in Ayrshire

         Kintyre from Lochranza on Arran

         Corran Ferry across Loch Linnhe

         Camusagnaul Ferry to Fort William

         Cromarty to Nigg across Nigg Bay in the Highlands

·        If you have the unfortunate experience of bumping into Alastair on the trip, be warned he will be wearing lycra


Alastair might be smiling now, but the hills of Devon &
 Cornwall will soon wipe that smile off his face........
(Dear Blog Reader, it is too soon on this blog to show him in his lycra)

     

           More happy, smiley people......for now!