Friday 20th.
Cant even describe what a nightmare day this was. Honestly. There we were thinking Dartmoor would be scenic and blissful, and instead we had to endure 25 miles of of pretty much the most evil cycling conditions you could imagine. Think of crossing Dartmoor on the bleakest day, without being able to see a thing, and then add in horizontal and vertical rain attacking you like knives from all angles, a head wind pushing you backwards like a brake which means that downhills and uphills all merge together becuase you have to pedal like a trooper all the time, and so strong that you have to lean right down over your handlebars to avoid being pushed off. Ha! In fact, we had just set off and were only just on the first few miles, when I looked up and Rich in the middle of the road (luckily only a tiny lane) - the wind had literally pushed him over.
Can laugh about it nowand actually was an incredible experience seeing Dartmoor like that - bleak but magical in a strange way - but at the time it was actually quite scary, we just headto get our heads down and NOT STOP. The most inhospitable national park in the whole of the UK. A ride we will never forget. 7mph average - wow. Normally its around 11. I was actually quite amazed it was 7, feltlike it would have been more like 2.
So, we finally saw the sign to Tavistock and realised the Moor would actually end, and that we would be ok. Had a long downhill into the town, which sounds all good but it was horrible as it was so wet and windy we had to squeeze our brakes the entire way down, which by this point were pretty shot and sreaching like hell, and also we were freezing for the first time on the trip. But we made it in, and dragged ourselves into a tiny cafe dripping (had to ask the owner first whether he'd mind us coming in). Dried off and change of clothes in the mini loo, and then spent about an hour there eating and eating and drinking cups loads of tea and not wanting to leave and head back out into that wild day. why on earth would we? We did, because we both had this crazy energy and drive to tackle it and get on with it, and actually surpised ourselves at how upbeat we were aboutthe whole thing.
In the cafe had out tour t-shirts on that Rich had made us, and had an old lady, Rose, come up and offer to donate, she was so sweet and interested to hear about what we were doing, and also another couple who used to be into cycling, who also offered to sponsor.
So, refuelled, we set off again in the rain with about 40 miles still to go. it wasHARD. that's pretty much all I can say. It was the hardest day of the trip by far, I think because the Dartmoor bit had taken so much out of us. We went up and down through various villages, but couldnt see much because of the weather, and then hit the world's worst road for cycling, pretty much all the way into St Austell. Busy and dark, luckily a man at a garage gave us some extra high vis stuff to wear which made us feel better. Up to this point, any road I would happily cycle down again, it has all been amazing in various ways, even when hard. But this one I hope we never have to cycle again!
Finally we were about 1 mile outside Grampound, the place we were staying, and feeling relief, when Rich had a blow out. Noooo! Stopped, put in new inner tube, and carried on and turned off onto a rugged tiny little path-type road up to friend's of Rich's parents, Pete and Jenny, who lived in a gorgeous farm house in the back of beyond. SO thankful to reach it, we could barely utter our hellos, flopped on bed, but then had most wonderful slap up supper which sorted us out. J+P so welcoming and lovely and made us feel utterly at home....
GOOD SLEEP in giant bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment