Day 8

Taunton to St Austell

105 miles, 8 hours 50, 12mph average, 9600 Feet climbing (9600!!!!, thats Almost 2miles of vertical!!!)

Ive now left the hotel, on route home, but still trying to catch up with blog relying on my dodgy memory.
By the way, ive been writing these posts on my tablet, often in the evening when I was very tired, so forgive any typos or smelling mistooks.

So, another sunny warm day greeted us at the start in Taunton.  Everyone looked anxious, as this day had been at the ba k of our minds for many months. 105 miles across south somerset , the whole of Devon and into Cornwall,  with 14 categorised climbs and countless "smaller" climbs no doubt.
I was very stressed waiting for the off. The idea of being able to complete such a mammoth days cycling seemed inconceivable at 7am.

Never the less I set off with my riding buddies for the day Bill Tweddell and David Buchanan, the Essex/Suffolk double act. My immediate focus being merely to get to the first checkpoint 26 miles away unscathed.

A brief aside, -I had ridden with Bill and David a few times over the week, and found them always to be great fun, good company and sources of good advice for an inexperienced cyclist like myself. Both are talented experienced club cyclists, but both were happy to ride with me and wait when necessary, and chivvy me along. Thanks guys. ( I did get a little bit quicker down hill by the end of the week, but not much).

My neck and knees were now going for it full time, so my dietary supplements of nurofen, paracetamol and ibuprofen gelwere not diminishing.  Despite that I made it to lunch in Okehampton.
50 miles done, but only 3500 of the promised 10000 feet of climbing completed.

Anxious lunch , then news came through that Lawrence and Sarah had arrived and,  Lawrence was pulling out as the pain in his knees was too much. Ive rarely seen such a more forlorn sight as Lawrence,  sitting in the back of the truck. As sarah was now by herself,  I would ride the rest of the afternoon with her and let The esses/suffolk boys fly without having to wait for me!

That afternoon will never be forgotten, about 6000 feet crammed into 55 miles of Devon and Cornwall.  Relentless steep down to a river then immediately steep up again, and repeat,.... about 10 times.

The worst being Ennislake on the river Tamar. Stupid steep and long. Im still smiling in the picture because I have climbed the hill yet! The poor denplan support team got a very grumpy me at the top. Sorry... x

Somehow we made it mile by mile through Okehampton, over the edge of Dartmoor toTavistock, Ennislake, Liskeard , Lostwithiel to St Austell. ! And our hotel. We arrived at 820pm. Not too bad really.

What a day. More climbing than most 100 mile on day sportive rides would contain.

Sarah Herbert is a superstar for getting me through it.  No walking,  and no stopping on any climb.

D