 |
| Please don't let this be the last ferry... |
An unbelievable day. Once again the satnav (now christened 'Bing' cos it goes bing) threw a Wendy as we set off, so we missed the bridge I'd hoped to aim for. So we headed for Crediton, then after 5 miles or so plotted a course for. St Austell over Dartmoor.
This was a great idea. The skies were clear and visibility fantastic as we wound our way gently up the valley. Idyllic for maybe 40 minutes when we came to a 1 in 5 climb that just went on and on. I had to ride it zigzag as there was no way I could have walked up it on cleats. This set the scene for the rest of the day.
By lunchtime we'd made it 18 miles to Moretonhampstead and the start of Dartmoor proper. We met up with Rose and Margaret at the first ice cream carpark and I made the decision to press on as Colin was struggling a bit. There was a stiff headwind which didn't help any!
An hour later I stopped for an ice cream myself at the final ice-cream carpark and headed down to Tavistock to pick up the A390, which in fact is really a poor B road. Up down up down, each screaming descent followed by an equally screaming climb in low gears. I started to dread each downward section, knowing that a stiff hill was to follow and that my quads had pumped out long since.
I emptied my 2litre camelback and a 750ml energy drink, downed 5 gels 3 energy bars and a halfpack of Shotblox. I could feel the edge of the hunger 'knock' creeping closer and it showed in the ever decreasing progress and yawning. I stopped in a pub for water but no food was on, Sunday evening.
By 18:30 I stopped for a pasty, flapjack and lucozade dinner at the Spar shop in Liskeard and then Bing took me on a loony route of minor roads, farm tracks and the odd B road to the Boddinnick ferry. I was very pleased to arrive in time for the penultimate one.
With the light failing I covered the final 7 miles to St Austell but the hotel was at the northern end of town, up (you've guessed it) another 2 mile hill. The light had gone completely as I rode away from the last street lights, no moon, hoping that the hotel was not much further as both Satnav and Googlemaps had it in the wrong place. Eventually I had to get off and walk as I couldn't see the difference between the pavement (which I was on) and the road, and there was a pretty good chance of falling off at the speed I was able to maintain. After 100 yds or so, hooray the lights of the hotel and Rose who had come out to meet me. 10:00 pm.
Today 80.8 miles 13200 ft of climbing max speed 48.1 mph
No comments:
Post a Comment