Day 3 - Launceston to Tiverton - 55.5 miles 3990ft of climbing

Another great breakfast

New hair brush

Today was tough. At least, this morning was tough. We left Launceston (after buying a new hair brush!) going really fast downhill and also left Cornwall. Yay, first county done!  Hello Devon and hello hills😫.

Into our second county

All morning it was one after another after another. And some of them were really steep, far worse than anything we’ve seen so far. However, at one point, we found the most amazing long straight downhill. My I’m sure my Garmin hit 40mph but dad was recording it on his which said 37mph maximum. The big chicken!😂. Dad burst out laughing when we got to the bottom because apparently I turned to him with a HUGE grin and said “that was AMAZING!!!”  I would have done it again if it hadn’t meant climbing back up the hill. 

It took us about three hours to ride 20miles (despite the speedy descent!) to Okehampton where we had lunch and recharged the batteries.

Both of us were really hoping the afternoon wouldn’t be the same though dad assured me that although there would be a few hills, they’d be much smaller. He was right thankfully. We cycled in beautiful weather through gorgeous Devon (I got lots more pictures of new born lambs, I think dad was beginning to despair in the end😁). 
3 hours and 35miles later we arrived in Tiverton. Done with hills for a while, been there done that. And dad says the Somerset levels are accurately named. Double YAY!👍🏼👍🏼
Dad rather over catered for tea at Tescos! but I did get a cream egg which was well deserved

Left overs!

Cadbury's Cream Egg!

Day 4 - Tiverton to Burnham-on-Sea - 48.5 miles 1243ft of climbing

Getting rather used to these lovely full English breakfasts!

We stayed in a lovely hotel in Tiverton. They said we could put our bikes inside one of their conference rooms and locked the doors which was nice because it rained overnight. Dad checked the forecast and sure enough, it said we’d have showers all day. So he had to unpack the bags to get the waterproofs out the bottom (they’ve been hidden away because of the constant sunshine so far). He was scratching his head, I’m sure he then said some rude words and he admitted he’d left the waterproof jackets hanging in the wardrobe in Launceston. Why, I don’t know, he usually throws everything on the floor. See where I get it from, mum??

Top of one of the only big hills today and nothing like the last three days

Today was mostly on canal tow paths. Nice to be away from traffic apart from dodging happy dogs but they’re bumpy and a bit thin in places so again, we didn’t go very fast. But we made Taunton for lunch and also a quick stop at mountain Warehouse where dad got us some cheap waterproof jackets and also a fleece for me. It’s really cold today!  

Mum told dad it had to be bright so I'd be noticed - We took her at her word!

Next stop was Bridgewater and then the last stretch to Burnham-on-Sea where dad has booked a room in a pub. As we got near the sea, the winds really picked up. I could barely move sometimes but then as we turned onto the seafront, they became tailwinds and dad said we broke several speed limits (😉).

Beautiful country lanes of Somerset

I had an amazing steak pie and Tuesday is free dessert night!  I had a caramel fudge brownie sundae (well it was free). But dad said it was bigger than my head and even with his help we couldn’t finish it.

Really lovely hotel room tonight, best yet in a pub

Steak pie!

MASSIVE FREE sundae

Days 1 & 2

Friday 29th March drive down to Cornwall 

We had a slightly eventful Friday.

After a very long journey down to Penzance. Accident on the M5. We, the kids, had the DVD player which helped, but kept arguing about which film to have on until mum threatened to take it away! Into Cornwall, we kept complaining about being hungry, but we had eaten all our snacks. Mum and dad were holding out for a food M&S which they remembered being great from camping holidays. Eventually we found it and filled up on salads and pasta. After about 4.5 hours we arrived at a very quiet YHA, only to have 80+ adult and kids rugby players arrive dressed fully from head to toe in pirate gear! Needless to say they went straight to the bar and were very noisy all evening. The children were running all over the building. Then mum realised she had left all her medication at home! She has never done that before. Luckily a pharmacy which was open late until 12 was back 20mins where the M&S had been, so mum got out of her pjs again and headed out while we tried to sleep. Dad spoke to the rugby lot and eventually we all got to sleep.

Day 1 30th March - Lands End to St Columb Major - 58.9miles 4400ft climbing

We were up by 7am, car packed by 7.30 and we had our breakfast in the YHA dining room crammed with pirates! Bottles everywhere from last night! They must have drunk the place dry - I don’t think the staff were very happy!

A short drive to Lands End which was deserted at 8.30am in the morning. Mum took LOADS of photos by the sign - I suppose she needed to to prove I was actually here. It was really exciting to eventually be heading off, if a little nerve wracking... there was definitely no turning back now! I felt good though, except mum made me take off all my warm clothes to get pictures of the Grand Appeal cycling tops. I’m always cold at the start of a ride. The weather was glorious and the views over the sea amazing. We said our goodbyes and dad couldn’t believe we were leaving at 8.45!

Setting off from Lands End

We cycled out of the attraction past a mini Stonehenge... I know! Random! But then realised we had forgotten to get all our snacks out of the car and get the LEJOG association paperwork stamped at the hotel to prove that we’d started. So Back we came to sort that. We were still away by 9am though. The twins were already at the adventure playground. They also went swimming in the sea at Sennen beach - rather then than me as it was freezing apparently!

Emily and Tom on Sennen beach

We covered lots of miles quickly in the morning. Not too many steep hills yet. People have been telling us about the first few days being the worst because of the amount of climbing, but I think living in Bristol helps as we are very used to hills! There were a couple of big ones today, but nothing worse than our training rides.

Typical Cornwall sight! This one is quite intact, many are much more derelict

Mum met us for lunch in a lay-by outside Redruth at the 35mile mark. Which was good as I really did need pasta fuel!

Random Lay-by - stripped off our legs as it was getting hot!

The afternoon was much tougher with more climbing and I was just tired and achy and a bit sore!

One of many hills

We did see Alpacas though and a Go-karting track!

We finished just outside St Columb Major in a farmhouse AirB&B. And the best bit was there were two boarder collies and baby lambs to play with!!!!

I had a quick shower! I know, very unusual - mine usually take ages - must be practising for the camper van! And then we drove to the local pub for a meal. I ordered lasagne, but could only eat the garlic bread and at one point thought I was going to be sick! Pure exhaustion- all I wanted was to go to bed.

We left quickly and I was asleep as soon as I got into bed with mums hot water bottle!

Day 2 31st March - St Columb Major - Launceston - 44.37miles 2290ft climbing

We woke up early and read books while we waited for mum and dad to get up. We are a massive farmhouse fry up in the B&B and the weather was amazing again which bode well. We left half an hourly later than we’d planned because I was playing with the dogs and stroking the lambs.

The riding was mostly lovely today. We cycled along the Camel trail (which we have done various bits of lots of times before) from Wadebridge to the base of the only big hill today leading up to St Brewards. Apparently this village is the home of the highest Inn in Cornwall. It was definitely a climb to get up there. 

Then across Bodmin Moor which was spectacular in the sun (except for the continuous headwinds - dads drafting me so it’s much easier for him!) with lots of stops to look at tiny lambs, calves and foals. Dad lost interest after the third or forth one, but I never got bored of them, they are sooo cute!

Mum had found a nice spot for lunch off the road on the moor and we found a pond full of tadpoles which we caught in a drinking bottle before releasing them again.

Catching tadpoles

2 inquisitive horses came bounding over at one point which was slightly worrying, but they then wandered away. Dad loaded up his panniers with all the stuff we will need for the next 3 days and then mum and the twins said goodbye and headed back to Bristol leaving us on our own. Dad says the panniers are heavy... serve him right for all the drafting he’s been doing while I work hard!

The afternoon route had us joining the extremely busy A30 dual carriageway at the base of a long steep hill where there was no verge to ride on which I didn’t like the idea of, so we took a detour on safer roads doing an extra 3 or 4 miles riding but got us much more safely to the hotel in Launceton.  Don’t come here! There is not much of a town and the hotel is quite shabby. We got takeaway pizza to eat in our room.

I realised that I had forgotten to bring a brush and shampoo/conditioner and the amazing plaits which my best friend Evie had done on Friday for me were needing to come out, so I'll just  have to deal with the mess tomorrow! Tired, I headed off to bed early.

PS... My hair is usually completely straight!

February half term training rides

LEJOG.... I can do it! 36 days until I start!

I’m feeling really good about the distances...

Why?? Because I’ve just done 3 days of cycling in a row this half term and then a further 2 rides and covered about 200 miles.

The weather was kind with no rain at all and certainly no ice or snow which I had worried about getting in the way of the training. This was the last block of time I had to prove to myself that I could get up every day and cycle around 50miles.

Saturday Day 1 - up towards the airport and out to Clevedon and back - 35 miles

Shorter ride today as we needed to get back for the afternoon - Emily and Tom were going to triathlon and Mum and Dad were going for afternoon tea! We left the house about 9.15... I’m going to have to get quicker at getting ready... mum says I faff around a lot! I’m trying out new kit this week. As I only had one of everything, we had to buy more - I can’t live in the same clothes for 21 days in April! The new bib leggings, long sleeved jersey and socks are really comfy.

We cycled out to Ashton court, through Barrow Gurney and up to the airport. There were quite a few hills but nothing too bad. We ate lots of jelly babies and cycled on quite a few cycle paths which were clear and not too muddy. We stopped at the marina in Portishead to buy food. I had a chicken Caesar wrap from Waitrose! It was cold and windy down by the water so we got going quickly and headed home.

Sunday Day 2 - Bristol to Bath and beyond to the two tunnels- 55miles

I did over the 50mile distance today. I was a little grumpy getting up, but as usual, as soon as I got on my bike my mood improved. I think it’s just the effort of getting ready (and turning off the film I was watching on TV!) We cycled a circular route: Filton, Bradley Stoke and Chipping Sodbury cycling on quite a few cycle paths next to main roads. We went beyond Bath towards Bradford on Avon via the very cool 2 tunnels - they were very dark with music installation in the middle. We then stopped for lunch at McDonalds! Really healthy I know! I told dad it contained all the major food groups so by definition was good for me! Then we cycled home on the bike path and down past Bristol Harbour and up bridge valley road to finish our 3000ft of climbing for the day. I saw one of the teachers from school who gave me a cheerful wave which was nice. 

When I got home I felt tired, but ok. Soaking in the bath was nice!

Monday day 3 - Bristol to Cardiff International Swimming Pool! - 48miles

I LOVE the leisure pool at Cardiff! It’s got 4 different slides including a bowl one where you go round and round like a washing machine and then drop out the bottom!

Dad said that if we wanted to go, we would cycle there. 

I was definitely grumpy this morning... didn’t want to cycle, but again as soon as I got on my bike I was fine. Made it out the house on time as well... result. Both our legs were tired today, so we were slow to get started. I have been stuffing wine gums and jelly babies (thanks auntie Fi for the supplies) for the last 3 days and dad says he’s totally sick of them. I definitely didn’t have enough to eat during the morning as I got a bit grumpy and kept asking dad if mum could pick us up on the way past, but eventually we found a massive superstore and dad treated us to a slice of hot pizza, a steak and cheese bake and 2 bars of chocolate to share which cheered me up no end... it was really windy all the way today - in our faces so really tough going. We got to the pool at about 2.45pm. Mum and the twins were already there. We had 2 hours on the slides and playing hide and seek in the pool and then went to Las Iguanas for tea.

Dads got to get up at 3 am for work tomorrow - he is really tired! Think I’m bouncing back from each ride better than him!

Thursday morning day 4 - ride out with the twins across the downs to have a play on the pump track - Not very many miles at all, but lots of fun!

Tom was on his mountain bike and so was finding it very heavy on the road - I got a bit frustrated at having to go slow, but didn't fancy going on ahead either.

Saturday day 5 - up to Tintern Abbey and back - 45miles

This was the first ride I have done with a cycling club and although I was really worried about cycling with other adults, I really enjoyed it - I rode out with BS10 Cycling Club who were really friendly. It was better riding with them as I kept my pace up more and had less stops. The weather was glorious... so sunny and hot. We stopped at the cafe in Tintern for hot chocolate and cake and still covered 45 miles in under 5 hours. I need to remember what that feels like so I can pace myself better by myself during LEJOG

Things I’ve realised I’ll need to get right if I’m going to be able to get up each day and cycle for 21 days:

• I need to eat little and often otherwise I’ll get grumpy! 
• I need to eat better... I can’t live on jelly babies and wine gums for 21 days - bananas and flapjack would be much better!
• I need to keep my clothes organised in the camper van so I don’t loose things and can get dressed quickly otherwise I’ll drive my mum mad!
• I’ll need lots of warm clothes to put on when we stop for breaks - I get cold easily - and warm comfy clothes for the evening,
• Mum has been reading up on preventing saddle soreness etc... but that’s too much information for me at the moment!

On Sunday the 3 of us are going to the velodrome in Newport for the second time - I loved it last time... once you get the hang of how fast you need to go to get up the side of the track, it’s really exhilarating - I'm really looking forward to it!

That’s it for now...back to school next week.

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