Day 4

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Bridgwater to symonds yat, gloucestershire

68 miles

Happy birthday Jo.

A fine day. We crossed 2 bridges over the severn. The avonmouth and the severn. Lots of photo opportunities.

After lunch at the oakham museum we set off. Expecting the last 25 miles of hills. Which never came. There was some climbing but manageable.
 

The route was challenging to navigate with garmin and maps and we lost some considerable time today debating turnings.

Then in the afternoon, an accident. After being alerted to being off course on a busy road I was up front and found a pull in. It was a drive way. The kerb edge was slightly higher than expected. I pulled up my front end, perhaps too aggressively and my back wheel slipped out and down I went. Hard. On to the gravel. I was shocked. It hurt. Particularly my thigh. Blood. Grit. Ouch.

I took a few minutes and then off again.

 

Heather and I went up ahead and stretched out.

 

A dream awaited us. A beautiful spot in symonds yat. Gardens. Clean, warm room. With towels.

And a hot tub.

Tea was fish and chips. A whale of a fish.

Great day. Really glowing.

Day 3

Moretonhampstead to Bridgwater 

58 Miles.  

Sue made porridge as the girls retrieved clothes and shoes from the aga at the accommodation where they had spent the night.  

We had a big day ahead. Big hills.

We left at 9 and 4 hours later had only covered 26 of the 58 miles because of the gradients of ascents ...really steep... And the gradient of the descents...really steep.  

Over the day we needed to replace 3 sets of brake blocks, one tyre and 4 inner tubes. 

We lunched at M & S at Tiverton and Glynis repaired 2 punctures.  

We had a delayed start out in the afternoon but it was a much easier ride. The morning was hard climbing and very slippery technical descending. Hence the slow speed. The afternoon was better and we caught up some time.   

We arrived at our hotel at 7 and dinner was at 730. Bit of a rush to make it. No time to clean the bikes off which were filthy. Then brief for tomorrow and debrief for today.  

Early start needed tomorrow to mechanic.  

Glowing. Tired.

Day 2

Ladock to Moretonhampstead  

After a self catered team effort banana porridge and egg breakfast and a sullen look outside to the heavily laden dark clouds, we dressed, packed and left Ladock en route for Moretonhampstead. Liz was punctured and a replacement was sorted efficiently.   

Each of us was allocated 1 day to coordinate. Mine was today. 67 miles. A hilly day. A long day with time estimate of 8.5 hours.  

With smiles on our faces and for me, generously applied sun cream (just in case) we left in drizzle. The persistent type. The stuff which lasts all day, varied only by heavy bursts of rain. 

Morning coffee came at 20 miles at a garden centre at lane skin woods. Carrot and pineapple cake and a coffee for me.  

And then on. To lunch at the highest pub in Cornwall. The cheeswring. Lovely.  

Then off again. Over the countryside. But before too many yards an accident. A slip on a corner by sue and heather ran into her. A bent wheel for sue and an afternoon in the van and shopping for a new wheel.  

And on .... Leaving Cornwall. Into Devon. Across the moors with the mist low low down. We saw ginger sheep. Ponies. A sign warning of sheep lying on the road.  

The rain was driving. The visibility was very poor. We separated to try and keep visible in smaller groups and share the lights out we had.  

And then we arrived into Moretonhampstead. A lovely town. We stayed at the sparrowhawk backpackers in a bunk house. A 14 bedded room. 10 women and 3 young German boys!!  

We had a Morecambe and wise curtain comedy moment and a wonderful homemade by sue and Glynis pasta pesto and pasta with tuna dinner. With a couple of buds.

Day 1

St Just to Lands End to Ladock

57 miles

Average 12.6 mph

Max 40.7 mph

Dry and sunny

Tailwind

After photos at lands end we followed a lovely route across the southern edge of the peninsula

Before Lamorna we stopped at the Merry Maidens, a circle of stones and then on to our first refreshment  stop at marazion. We cycled right by the coast. Beautiful turquoise sea. Rocky outcrops. And a clear blue sky.  Great espresso stop and then off again.

Then off to bissoe for lunch at the bike chain. Great to sit out and relax in the sun. And chatter.

With only 12 miles to go it was a relaxing run into Ladock where I lost my chain. A quick replacement and off up the hill to realise that the rest of the group had missed a turning and had gone. A short delay to contact them and re group before arriving into the farm where we were staying. Bikes were washed and then chocolate milk and a bath.

Dinner was spaghetti bolognese and chocolate brownies.

Today's review and tomorrow's briefing.

 

Then bed at 9.

 

Great day. Glowing.

Day 0

Nadia,Niki, Heather, Carol, Sue, Suzanne.  

Travel from Manchester to Newquay. Flybe. 1030 am. Arrive 1140am. Smooth flight I think. I slept. And missed it. Apart from noticing a group of pensioners who polished off 3 famous grouse and ginger each on the 1 hour flight!! 

Minibus transfer to st just where we found a cafe and ate a massive lunch. Cheesy beans on brown toast for me and a mug of latte.  

Then off, on foot to cape Cornwall. The beach. The cove. The waves crashing in. Time to watch the seals bobbing in the water. Time to take in nature and be grateful to be alive. Time also to get bitten on my bum by an ant!!   

Then a lovely coastal walk to the yha at lands end. Not actually at lands end at all. And a sit in the garden overlooking the sea whilst we waited for the van with the bikes and 3 other group members, Liz,Jo and Glynis.

After bike mechanics and check in, an hour of sleep before dinner.

Bubbles to celebrate and great company. Lots of laughs. 

In bed by 9. Good night. Big day tomorrow.

Saturday 16 June 2012

58.5 miles from Silloth to Haltwhistle.

Rain, rain, rain.

I am starting to get a bit of a complex about the weather. But I was dressed appropriately. In head to toe waterproofs.And I looked like a scuba diver apparently. I didn't care. And off we went.

On a B road, I was cycling with Kay at the side off me. I was on the near side. We were chatting. Paul and Niki were behind us. A good pack of 4 making progress along the road.

Niki shouted there was a car back = behind. So I communicated to Kay my intention to drop back allowing her to pull into the space created in front of me so that we were then single file and the car could pass. I am not sure quite what happened next....but I noticed Kay moving in to her left BEFORE I had got out of the way. The tarmac in front of me was in quite short supply.....and the supply was getting less and less.

I left the tarmac and was running in the narrow muddy channel at the side of the tarmac. The water was deep in there and muddy. I had nowhere else to go as Kay contnued to move in to her left. I had no option but to hit the ejector button, leave my pedals and dive on to the grass verge for a soft landing. Which I did. And it was a soft landing. Good. No idea where my bike went. BUT......

The grass verge merged into a rainwater ditch and then there I was ...in it. I was on my back. My legs and arms in the air. My body under filthy, muddy water. Oh, and how I laughed. I wasn't hurt at all It was another soft landing much as the day before, The differences today were that I wasn't in a nettle bush (so that was good) but I was wet through - from inside out (that wasn't just as good).

Kay was apologetic....I was laughing. She promised me some of her home made lemon drizzle cake - am still waiting for that:-(

We carried on to lunchtime at the Sands Centre in Carlisle. I once ran a half marathon from here and it brought back happy memories particularly of the text I received on my drive home to Manchester which said 'Congratulations, you finished that Carlisle marathon and came in 475th place' I think there were 500 runners that day but I don't proclaim to be a runner!! And anyway I was proud I completed the run.

A parking ticket was issued to the group at The Sands :-( for parking across 2 bays. That is the subject of a legal challenge - watch this space.

I took the opportunity to change completely at lunchtime - and remove all of my flithy, wet clothes. I was happy in dry gear.

After lunch the group separated and two went off to do a monster hill climb. I wasn't up for that.

I did the standard route and we took in a lovely length of Hadrian's wall. The sun came out. David had a puncture and the rest of us lazed around in the sun. I took lots of photos - it was beautiful. Unfortunately the lens was steamed up - after all my phone had been underwater (albeit in a dry bag) and then suddenly it was boiling hot.

And then on to Haltwhistle. Staying in a pub. Which served real ale. One consumed. Some dinner. Then sleep.

Tired and glowing

Friday 15 June 2012 Hadrian's cycleway Day 1

Introducing June, Cathy, Paul, Sandra, John, Sara, me, Kay, Niki (Rachel and David missing)

After an evening in the Ratty Arms in Ravenglass and a real ale, had a great night's sleep. Shared a family room with Niki, Kay and Rachel. Woke at 7.30am for breakfast and to witness the early morning rain. We had a lovely view of the estuary from our attic room. Stunning. Even on a wet morning.

Lovely breakfast in the B&B and then off to pack and find the support van to drop bags and collect bikes. I needed to fit my new race blades (clip on mudguards) and managed with the rear. The front was more challenging and there was insufficient time for it - the group were chomping at the bit to get going.

A 50 mile ride out to Silloth today for dinner at the golf club.

We had a very beautiful route to follow. Route 72 on the National Cycle Network. Starting out across the estuary over a narrow bridge and then a coastal path alongside the sea next to the dunes. The rain eased and it gragually brightened. I even took off my waterproof coat at one point and cycled in short sleeves. Lush.

A section on an off road but smoothly tarmacadamed path caught me unawares. A deceiving right hand bend was either a) misjudged or b) tighter than tight. And I was off into the grassy verge. It was soft. It was wet. It was really stingy. I somehow came unclipped from my pedals and left my bike to land also in the grass. Lucky really. I was fine. But then I looked up to find the carnage which was Niki in a heap on the pathway, unable to steer around me. She had her right foot still clipped in to her pedal and was twisted. She was holding her right arm and elbow. She had a ripped right knee on her lycra 3/4s and .....blood. My attention immediately went to her. There were other cyclists coming up behind too and she was in the pathway. Kay helped too. Niki was unclipped and helped to the side of the path and her bike cleared. She was shaking and shocked.

Rachel opened her vast pannier to reveal a full first aid kit and whilst I had my 300+ nettle stings coated in tiger balm and rubbed with a dock leaf, Niki had wipes, remedies and a drink.

Paul checked over the bikes only to find that my steering headset was.....well....not tightened. That may have contributed to the incident. Niki's bike seemed fine.

After a few moments, and lots of apologies we were off again. Laughing about the incident. Laughing about the flattened patch of grass.


We lunched at Whitehaven and saw a group setting off on the C2C route. It was a lovely day by now.

The route continued into Silloth where we checked into the Queen's Hotel (with secure cycle storage - LIKE) and had time for a shower and a mini sleep before dinner. It was raining very hard when we were heading out for dinner so that we hopped into the back of the van for a lift.

We had a lovely meal and then home to bed....via the bandstand on the front for a moment of quiet reflection.

The day started and ended....GLOWING