Now it may not look like a long way but Taunton is a flippin long way from Wadebridge, especially up, over, round & through the Cornish & Devon hills

So today’s top ten in no particular order:

1.  The coastline at Tintangel - the road winds round parallel to the coast and can be found in the dictionary under spectacular, breathtaking and bloomin hilly - a beautiful days ride if you can take your eyes off the road whilst climbing the sheer cliffs that masquerade as hills in these parts.  

2. The road to Taunton - 54 miles of it - the B3227 if you want a number - doesn’t actually end and if Taunton hadn’t been in the way we’d probably still be on it.  Never go to Norton Fitzwarren, you will be traying to get there for months without actually reaching it - On the plus side, cloudy-cider made an appearance and took up rather more of our time than it should have.  

3. Fire.  or more specifically an actual flame-fest in our van…my track pump went for a burton and if there was a study in ‘how to panic in a crisis’ we could written a thesis.  Luckily it went out when the doors were opened and some masking tape fixed the pesky problem.  Could have been an interesting conversation with McGee who have lent us the van - and if they read this…..(oh well no lasting damage…)

4. 106 miles was on the plan.  We did 118 - trust me it was a long way.

5. The Fish man.  Jonathan something or other who is riding from Lands End to John O Groats dressed as…wait for it…a Fish (a bit like that Guinness add from a year or so ago).  Apparently he walked into Rick Steins restaurant and asked if anyone had ordered Tuna…top man.

6. Boscastle - lovely for a day with your grandmother….rubbish for a bike ride…stunning village in a gorge…riding in was brilliant despite the feeling that for every descent there is a corresponding ascent…Has been re-built following the flash-flood last year and does look great when whizzing through…

7. Hissy-fit - advice moving forward - if you cant find the hotel just ask at another hotel where that hotel is - don’t drive around trying to find it whilst using various phones and sat-navs with the wrong post-code.  One hissy-fit later and we’re all looking at the walls avoiding eye-contact whilst we find the hotel.  Was a nice hotel mind….

8. Bude & Stratton - lovely - great ride in convoy - upped the average for the day nicely…

9. Dog-rescue - young Finn the black lab rescued from the road and a life of 3-leggedness by one of our number - suspiciously close to the top of a steep hill for our liking but the story held up as others had steered round young Finn on their way up…

10. Ham.  Don’t compromise - just get the good stuff….

What else…

Mileage:  118 miles - 181 in total.  44.7 max speed by Baggio down a cliff - that boy has no fear.

Strops:  1

Map-rage: 3

The Saddleometer:  Initial soreness…forecast for lots of moving around to get comfy over the next 24 hours.  No actual chaffing spotted yet.