We are well into our journey to Land's End, and it sure feels like it! My knees ache, one of my toes has gone numb, my back is as stiff as plank of mature oak, my legs feel like lead, and my innards are doing cartwheels from protein-sugar-carbo surges. As we awoke this morning, the sky was very dull and damp. Energy levels were probably at their lowest, needless to say that our motivation was at rock bottom as well. But what else can you do but get on the bikes and ride? It's still better than work!
After a very slow first few km (to warm up, or course) the sky started to clear, our muscles loosened up and spirits rose. We passed out of the valleys around Lambourn and entered the downs of Wiltshire. We passed a few iron age hill forts and the ever present white horses. This was some of the most serene landscape we have passed through and we were both fortunate to be there (irregardless of the ferocious headwind). We traced along the northern edge of Salisbury plain with grea views of the rolling wheat fields and the Mendip hills in the distance. Lunch was in Devizes with the support team (John and Maile). They topped up our food and water and got us covered with sunscreen as it was starting to get baking hot.
The last few legs of each day are always the hardest, your concentration starts to go, your energy drops and you cant see the end yet. We struggled through horrible traffic in Frome and had trouble navigating through some of the back lanes. Local signage is not great in places, as you see from the picture. We the temperature dropping rapidly with the sun, we rolled to a finish.
Distance cover: 120 km
Saddle time: 6:45
Top speed 62 km/hour
Average speed: 18 km/hour
Litres of water consumed: 3
Devon here we come! Oo argh!
Chuck
p.s. my bike hit its 2000 mile mark today, its looking rough.
After a very slow first few km (to warm up, or course) the sky started to clear, our muscles loosened up and spirits rose. We passed out of the valleys around Lambourn and entered the downs of Wiltshire. We passed a few iron age hill forts and the ever present white horses. This was some of the most serene landscape we have passed through and we were both fortunate to be there (irregardless of the ferocious headwind). We traced along the northern edge of Salisbury plain with grea views of the rolling wheat fields and the Mendip hills in the distance. Lunch was in Devizes with the support team (John and Maile). They topped up our food and water and got us covered with sunscreen as it was starting to get baking hot.
The last few legs of each day are always the hardest, your concentration starts to go, your energy drops and you cant see the end yet. We struggled through horrible traffic in Frome and had trouble navigating through some of the back lanes. Local signage is not great in places, as you see from the picture. We the temperature dropping rapidly with the sun, we rolled to a finish.
Distance cover: 120 km
Saddle time: 6:45
Top speed 62 km/hour
Average speed: 18 km/hour
Litres of water consumed: 3
Devon here we come! Oo argh!
Chuck
p.s. my bike hit its 2000 mile mark today, its looking rough.
1 comments:
glad to see its all going well, nearly there!
See you soon
Tim & Marnie
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