Distance travelled: 68.02 miles
Climb: 4,522 feet
Average speed: 11.50 mph (it was hilly)
Pain ratings-
Adam: 3 (chamois cream worth its weight in gold)
Alan: 5
Neil: 6 (grinding hills)
The day dawned bright and cool- set fair for what had been held out as a tough day's cycling over Dartmoor. We had approached the day with a degree of trepidation- tales of horizontal rain, zero visibility, gale force winds and general misery had set the scene. What we experienced, however, was radically different in all the right ways. Sunshine, glorious vistas, colours....all were ignored as we gasped our way up endless hills before hurtling down the other side- and then climbing up again.
Joking aside, this was a brilliant day's cycling. Dartmoor was superb- some of our readers will be familiar with the expression "it doesn't get much better than this"- and it really doesn't.
The highlight of our day, however, was still to come. Prof Alan, currently writing "Alan's unreliable guide to Great Britain" had regaled us with tales of the wonders of our destination, Tiverton. We were to expect lobster pots, hey nonny nonny and assorted top notch rural (actually, if truth be told, seaside) action. Given that we had spent over an hour cycling up the Exe Valley from Exeter getting here, we had already concluded that lobster pots were unlikely. Still, hope remained and we rushed to the town centre on arrival, ready to soak up the atmosphere.
Of what happened next the less said the better. Perhaps the highlight was the beautifully synchronised temporary traffic lights on the High Street. Not sure I would fancy a visit after dark.
Apparently he was confused with Truro (also not by the sea).
So here we are at the Best Western, pint in hand and food in contemplation.
A great day.
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