Day 9 | jogle-2014

Day 9 - Taunton to Launceston

So on to the penultimate day, not much sleep the night before but again the weather turned out for us this morning. John made it down to breakfast but was in obvious pain, there was no way that he could have carried on, let alone the fact his bike was in 3 bits.

The three of us had breakfast together reflecting on yesterday and planning how we would get John to meet us at the finish line. Emma would drive back to Taunton tomorrow and both of them would drive to Lands End where we were all be staying the night anyway. Meanwhile John would book in another night in Taunton and just try to take it easy.

Chris and I got our kit together and loaded the bikes ready for the off. We left a bit later today, knowing that it was only a 75mile day (only!) but also to give enough time for breakfast and make sure everything was ok with John.

Back

Route: Day9
Activity: Cycle
Started: 22 Jun 2014 08:21:51
Ride Time: 6:09:14
Stopped Time: 4:19:18
Distance: 76.80 miles
Average Speed: 12.48 mph
Fastest Speed: 33.24 mph
Ascent: 11396 feet
Descent: 10853 feet
Calories: 4356

Temperature - 21oC

Weather - Mostly Sunny

Wind - 1mph North

Humidity - 77%

Sunrise - 04:56

Sunset - 21:28

As I reflect now, it would have been difficult for John to see us off and not be involved, he took the picture above then we disappeared without him. Having cycled 800 miles and not be able to do the last 150 or so miles because some idiot ended it for you is a hard one to swallow. Nevertheless health is more important than this stuff and he was in good spirits when we left him. A reminder though to everyone who undertakes this journey, it isn't without it's risks.

The events had taken my mind off the inevitable Devon stretch of hills we would face today but to be honest its a bit of a myth anyway, by the time you are on Day 9 of a trip like this, a hill is a hill and it doesnt really matter how many there are, your only objective is to get through the day. We cycled out of Taunton and joined the A38 until just past Whiteball where we took a right turn and headed down to the canal path. This route, apart from being spectacular, takes you down the valley floor for the best part of 15 miles following the canal or rivers. After that it's all hills! My thanks has to go to Steve Pullan from Launceston who contacted me via twitter prior to the ride having seen my posts. His very sound advice was don't go anywhere near the A30 and very kindly supplied us with a GPX route for the last 2 days. This was invaluable and undoubtedly made the last 2 days easier [and much safer].

After 25 miles I had just about got used to cycling with someone different. There is no doubt that after 8 days solid you just get used to the riding style of your partner and you pretty much know what they are going to do and what pace they are comfortable at. The early part of today was like starting again and getting used to cycling with a different style. Chris was great though and he didn't bother if he could climb the hills at a quicker pace, he just did his own thing, after all he had fresher legs than me (not even mentioning the age difference!). The good news is that his bladder was more aligned with mine than his fathers was, therefore I didnt feel guility having to stop so often to offload some waste water!

We crossed a picture postcard bridge on the River Exe and carried on along the A3072 which was relatively quiet but [very] hilly, one particular 600 foot climb springs to mind. We eventually came to Crediton where it made sense to stop for lunch. This was however a Sunday and despite it being peak tourist season there wasn't a great deal open. We found a great pub though in the village square and as you can see from Chris's plate, we refuelled our tanks to full. I remember it being baking hot here and i had to sit under the umbrellas to become anywhere near comfortable.

We set off again, probably about a stone heavier but feeling better, it was now a lumpy incline for the next 20 miles which was tough but it was ok, the scenery keep you going and frequent stops just gives your muscles a rest, its amazing how quickly you can recover in a short space of time. We skirted around the top of the Dartmoor National Park and on the back roads toward Launceston. It seemed like a bit of a long slog but eventually reaching Launceston we looked for the accomodation that night. I had booked apartments on a golf course as like Kendal pre booking even months in advance here was tricky. What we didn't know was there were 2 golf courses, both with accomodation. It was getting on a bit timewise so I was keen to get to our destination.

A quick look and a question to two passers by and we concluded we were in the wrong place, the golf course was about 6 miles away. I know its only 6 miles but it was a bit of a blow. It was nearly 19:00 so there was only one thing for it, the direct route! We headed on to the now quieter A30 (best avoided) and headed down this road for 3 miles until we reached the approach to Trethorne Golf Club. It was a welcome sight as I was tired.

It was a great feeling to be lying down at the end of Day 9, knowing that I only had to do this once more, not because I didn't enjoy it but because i'd have finished and be able to reflect. It would also be nice to have a meal, with Emma, John and Chris knowing you didnt have to get up early again and be able to reflect on our collective achievements. Chris had enjoyed the day and he was easy to cycle with, very laid back, chip of the old block really.

After getting out of the cycling kit we went for dinner in the golf club restaurant, hearty meal as usual and a plan set for the next morning. There was a golf society dinner on in the restaurant so we had to endure the prize giving session of a large group of predominently overweight golfers. Chris's wife was expecting their first child in the coming weeks so a few phone calls back home to make sure everything was ok and we were set to carry on the final leg to Lands End.

Take me to Day 10