The (not at all) Secret Diary of @davedentist

Day 9- St Austell to Lands End

64.7 miles, 5 hrs 36, 11.6mph, 4793 feet of climbing

The last day! "A short one", lots said. " Easy ride to the finish" others said. "All downhill"!!!!

None of those really. it was one my toughest days, a day I doubted I could get through at times, even so close to the finish line.

I had looked at the route quite closely, and it was obvious that it was a continuation of the previous day, and maybe even harder. - almost 5000 feet of climbing in only 60 miles!

The day started badly. I dropped my chain twice on the way from the hotel to the start line/meeting point. By the time I got to the meeting point EVERYONE HAD GONE!

Cue grumpy call to Denplan Gemma- as I had no map of the route and no trust in my garmin. I waited 10 minutes or so for Gemma, so I reckon I set off about 20 minutes after everyone else. I had a vague hope that someone would realise and wait, but no. ( I found out that later, that the riders in the front thought I was behind and vice versa!).

So a solo ride from St Austell through Truro to the meeting point 28 miles later. The hardest leg of the whole journey for me,. Relentless climbing out of river valleys (Psst Cornwall-- BUILD SOME BRIDGES!!), and constant pain from my knees and neck.

I arrived at the meeting point, where Sarah and Lawrence were waiting for me, as they had now realised I was behind. Sarah was a superstar riding with me to the end, and tolerating my regular stops for the next 10 miles or so.

I started to improve at Helston, with about 25 miles to go, most pain had gone, and from that point we FLEW!

The sight of St Michaels Mount as we arrived at Marazion was breathtaking. The end is (almost) in sight

Ice Cream on the beach at the meeting point and then onwards for the last 15 miles.

We had discussed between ourselves taking the main road to Lands End (shorter and less steep hills), but we were told by the support team that the other riders would be waiting for us 4 miles out, so we could ride in together. So the hilly coast road it was then. (as it turned out, we were misinformed).

A lovely ride around the bay at sea level, dodging the tourists and we arrived at Mousehole and the climb that took my prize for hardest of the trip. Short but 20% in places.
By the way, throughout the whole trip, Sarah and myself rode every climb, without stopping, and without walking- I would never have thought that possible before this week.

The last 10 miles from Penzance to Lands End were relentlessly hilly and incredibly beautiful. 6 hills in that short stretch is a sharp sting in the tale.