Week 2
Monday 11 to Sunday 17 June 2007 (Bridport to Bristol)
Day 9 - Monday 11/6/07 - Bridport to Torquay - Estimated miles: 60
A new phase of the tour begins as, for most of the next ten days, I am going to be seeing plenty of my family and will be commuting to and from the start and finish points of each stage back to a campsite. My mum and dad, together with Sarah, Shem, Sylvia and a caravan should have arrived in the South West on the Sunday. Today I will begin by being dropped back off at Bridport. From there, a short stint on the A35; then the A3052 all the way to Exeter. I will then dip down some white roads that run between the A38 and the A379, past Teignmouth and into Torquay (home of the South Devon branch). From there, I will be chauffered back to our first campsite (probably near Exmouth) which is to be our base for a few days.
Day 10 - Tuesday 12/6/07 - Rest Day
Although I’ve had at least one day of little more exertion than sitting on a ferry, this is the first official rest day of the tour. I’ve no idea what I’ll be doing but I’m sure it will involve both Sylvia and Shem – in some ways it will be more of a rest day for Sarah (which I think she is more than entitled to).
Day 11 - Wednesday 13/6/07 - Torquay to St Austell - Estimated miles: 75
Starting back at the Torquay branch it looks as though I should be able to stick to white roads that run close firstly to the A385 and then the A38. This should get me to Plymouth. From there I take a rather fast looking part of the A38 through Saltash and towards Liskeard. I will gratefully leave the dual carriageway on a white road to Horningtops and continue on similar roads to Lostwithiel (an ominous-sounding name); then probably the A390 to St Austell where I stop for the day, being couriered to our second camp site base, somewhere near Oakhampton.
Day 12 - Thursday 14/6/07 - St Austell to Holsworthy - Estimated miles: 75
Again, I begin by being taken by car to St Austell. First, it’s the A390 into Truro. After I imagine a decent breakfast there (I should celebrate the most southerly, and possibly most westerly Mainland point of the tour after all) it’s up some white roads in between the A39/A30 and the A390/A391 in between Wadebridge and Bodmin. I’ll then be going round the Moor using white roads and the B3266 before a little dint on both the A39 and the A395 either side of Davidstow. Then more white roads to a place called Holsworthy. (This is hopefully a fine day for the support team to visit the Eden Project. Sarah, Shem and I went last year but it was during the first horribly sickly trimester for Sarah so hopefully it will be better this time.)
Day 13 - Friday 15/6/07 - Holsworthy to north of Bridgwater - Estimated miles: 65
All being well I’m going to have company. John S, a work colleague and good friend of mine, is coming down by train with his bike to join in the fun for a long weekend. In the evening, the girls (John has a wife and four daughters) should be arriving for a weekend by the beach. From Holsworthy, it’s the A388 (with some vicious looking climbs) and the B3277 to Great Torrington; and the B3232 to Barnstaple (the North Devon branch). Then it’s a white road out of Barnstaple passing near Span Head to Simonsbath in the middle of Exmoor. Then the B3223/B3224 and some white roads to somewhere to the north of Taunton (and approximately 10 miles shy of Bridgwater) where we will return by car to families for the night.
Day 14 - Saturday 16/6/07 - Rest day
Depending on how John and I managed yesterday, and indeed how I’ve been doing generally in the first week, the plan is to enjoy a full day of rest and I certainly intend to make the most of it as I won't be seeing the family again until I'm in Wales.
Day 15 - Sunday 17/6/07 - Near Bridgwater to Bristol - Estimated miles: 65
The last day of Week 2 begins with another car journey (from our base camp) to the start point of the day’s cycling. Firstly, from wherever we stopped yesterday it’s white roads to Bridgwater. Then it’s the A38 and A370 to Weston-Super-Mare. At this point I think I’m going to give up on the undoubtedly quieter but also winding minor roads; so it’s mainly the A370 all the way to Bristol. Meeting up with John’s girls will be a mixed blessing; as although it’s great to see them it will soon mean saying goodbye to them and John, and hello once again to a guest house and the full panniers!