Day 9.

Fantastic. No illness, no punctures, no injuries.

Day 9 - journey's end

Day 8 - Dartmoor

Today has not just been the hardest of the trip but of any day cycling I have ever endured. Reasonable weather as far as Exeter but we were always expecting rain in the afternoon.
The rain started with a vengeance as we started to climb towards Dartmoor. Low cloud, torrential rain and strong headwinds made the ride into a nightmare. I have seen hell and it is Dartmoor on a rainy September afternoon.
The only reprieve was the East Dart Hotel in Postbridge where we enjoyed multiple cups of tea and two games of pool ( Chris winning both). 

On a day when it was everyman for himself against the elements, massive kudos to Rex, the least experienced of the riders, for completing the ride with fewer rest stops and great determination. 

Day 7 pictures

Pete and Brendan in the hotel car park before the start of the day. 

First tea stop at the Blue Bell just out side of Gloucester. 

Enjoying the view but not the sheep. 

Day 7

A great day in the saddle. Joined by Rex's good friends Mark & Suzanne for 70miles of mixed cycling conditions and to enjoy great view from the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
On the whole our days have been thankfully uneventful. The route is a mixture of beautiful quiet country roads interspersed with unpleasant spells on busy A routes. Luckily, thanks to the extraordinary number of road works we are often the fastest vehicles on the road - which seems to be strangely irritating to some drivers who object both to over and undertaking manoeuvres by trying to block our way.
The country is littered with little lengths of cycle lane that seem to be vastly disjointed and of disturbingly different quality. One can be enjoying a lovely, wide and smooth lane that will either simply stop, often at a climb where it is most needed, or turn into a gravel track that is designed to puncture road tyres.
After the hotel in Derby last night that was offering 2 meals for the price of one, the riders have become accustomed to double portions and intend to continue this for the next two days. We all certainly had more energy today - helped along by Bok and Chris finding regular stops for sugary tea.

Day 6 completed

We are now 2/3 of the way to Land's End.
A day of quiet country lanes, busy A roads, urban traffic lights, lost ways and missing tea.

Day five. Carlisle to Chorley.

Shap Fell! Need we say more. Pete got there first like a man on mission. Since the last time it appears to have lost a launch at the top and gained one further down. The support crew were on a mission of their own to find a cup of tea (and black coffee for our QC) for the cyclists. The day started with rain but soon dried out to leave sunny intervals all day and a cross wind. Rex continued his travails with the red lights of each town almost as if he was searching for them. He was then brought to order and 'press ganged' into cycling in a chain. We arrived at the hotel rather later than we originally expected and in keeping with previous trip we are staying at a motorway services. Pete really knows how to book 'em.

Pete: We did however have the best meal of the trip to celebrate Bok and Ali's 45th wedding anniversary: what an amazing couple. We highly recommend the Farmers Arms, Wood Lane, Heskin, Chorley; a pub in the grand old and sadly dwindling tradition, great food and very friendly landlord.