Day 11 Great Torrington 2 Redruth

We were very gloomy at breakfast unsure of what the day will bring. It was to be a planned dash diagonal across from Great Torrington to meet the A 39 and then A 30, the route to the A39 I had in the bike computer but from then on it would be main roads and sign post readings as we had planned to go to Mawnan Smith today. The day started ok with manageable pain from both of us but slow as was quite hilly. We started in warm short sleeves and quite hot, the river looked beautiful at Great Torrington. Cautiously working our way up and down the hills, quietly passing into Cornwall at some point on a back road, no signs or fanfare just a flag flying to confirm our location. As we approached the A39 black clouds started to close in and the temperature dropped so much you could see your breath! Again , this is May right? Then the heavens opened, thunder lightening, we pulled in at Wadebridge for a hot drink, already drenched. We headed back out again into torrential rain more thunder and lightening and cycling up stream as, not for the first time, there were rivers running down the roads. I thought at one point I was hallucinating, as I saw a motor boat drive by! It really was one. Some sort of boat/car conversion, Colin saw it to, you just couldn't make it up! As we fought our way ever closer to Redruth, the weather began to give up trying to stop us and with only a few miles left to go the sun came out, as if the weather gods were saying, "ok you guy's, I give up, you're going to make it regardless of what I through at you, aren't you?".
I look skyward and shout out loud "HELL YES".
Just 35 ish miles tomorrow. I think Colin said we've done 985 miles so far. Again we can't thank you all enough for your messages of support, it's meant so much to us . X

Day 10 Cheddar to Great Torrington Belated

A hill too far!
Ok sorry for the delay. This day didn't start well, we we're both really tired even on the Somerset levels, which is how all roads should be built by the way, flat! We did see a great windmill and it was sunny. We did meet, on and off, a group of 4 MAMIL'S on a quest from Bristol to Lands End over 4 days and were able to take mutual "welcome to Devon" photos.  After that the problems started Colin's thigh was complaining, a lot! He was really struggling. Most days we have reached 30 miles to go and they have always been tough. Today the last 7 miles felt like 30. We came to a sign 15% downhill, use low gear, same going up the otherside. Tough. Shortly followed by the same again but 20%. Very Tough. Unbelievably less than a mile later 25%! First he downhill, which was terrifying! It was like the moment you go over the top on a rollercoaster, brakes on full hardly slowed you down, which we needed to do as the road was wet and in poor condition too dangerous to just free wheel. The uphill was a hill to far. We managed 3/4's but were beaten. We pushed the last 50ft or so, which was really hard and the only time we'd had to do this the whole trip, gutted. We arrived at Great Torrington totally dejected not sure if Colin could continue. It was a very somber evening.

Day 10 Cheddar to Great Torrington

Hideous hills, exhausted. Can't write any more right now.

Day 9 Tewkesbury 2 Cheddar

Tired and tyres.
Neither of us slept well and were slow to get off this morning. Colin's neck now giving him grief as well as his arse. We took a few shots of Tewkesbury before we left as it wasn't raining! Lots of time as we only have 75 miles today. Sods law plays it's hand, again! My knee takes a while to get going through shouts and curses, then Colin gets another puncture, not that far down the road, great! After close inspection we find a 1/2cm cut right through tyre. I patch it over with an inner tube patch to get us to Gloucester. We pass a bike shop, closed. So decide to start to look for Halfords for a new tyre. That took a while and probably an extra 5 miles. We replace the tyre, some more spare inner tubes and set off again. I'm sure Gloucester is a great place to visit and we passed the rugby ground but we needed to crack on in case of any more delays, which was a shame. The sun makes an appearance and Colin stops to take a picture of the blue sky, as he says he can't remember what it looked like. It was like we had cycled into an alternative universe, warm and sunny, mad! Then I saw a sign for a health farm that had us laughing again. Shortly after,  another route inputting error had us going down a lane, well barely a lane, more off road, picture of Colin on it is attached. This ended up next to a field of sheep who all started with the baa's, Colin got a great video of them rushing over singing to us. There was a long gradual drag up to the top of Cheddar which was great apart from one point where it first said 'welcome to Somerset' next to a sign indicating 11% climb, the knee really not happy with those short sharp ones.  Soon we were spoilt with a great decent into cheddar, great fun, Colin beaming at the bottom. I did clamp the camera to the handle bars and filmed it :)
I have to be realistic and having spoken to Colin, I'm not going to push my luck and do the bit down to the Lizard, which was included in our original plan, to take in the most  Southern point of mainland UK . I think the plan is now to get to Lands End the easiest way. So we are looking at 79 miles to Great Torrington tomorrow. Then probably just to Redruth ( see if friends Tony and Lucy can store bikes over night) this will save about 25 more miles, rather than go all the way to Mawnan Smith and save some hills as well. Get picked up from and dropped back to Redruth for the Saturday's final ride to Land End.. Well that's what we think is our best chance. Enjoy pic's

Day 8 Alsager 2 Tewkesbury

Sweat, tears and rain.....
Let me start by saying although I'm clearly suffering, I'm ok (well sort of)  Those who are worried, please don't be alarmed, pain is just weakness leaving the body! I must be very weak as there appears to be a lot of it leaving! Joking aside what I try to write is a true account of what happens, physically and emotionally on my journey, as well as the sites. When we can see them!  This is not sympathy or to worry anyone or for another reason, other than for you to know what happens and later for me to recall.
So I begin again with a big thanks to Ei and Ray for their generous and kind hospitality, setting us off with Staffordshire oat cakes, bacon and melted cheese (look them up)  yummy.
Within 7 miles and about an hour of cycling, I'd given up and restarted about 7 times! The knee was incredibly  painful and more one legged cycling, adjusting saddle etc. There have been tears on and off over the last few days but I really thought this was it and I wouldn't be able to continue. Colin was great, patient and we discussed the options. Resting a day, arrive on Sunday etc etc. I looked at the codeine tablets, 2 tablets 4 Times a day. Ok I'll try 4 tablets twice a day, with the Naproxen and paracetamol and see how far I can get. Also purchased deep heat, to see if it could help.  Taking it mile by mile we made a bit of progress, although I was by now feeling a little light headed... not recommended. For the last few day I have only been able to use smallest chain ring on the front and half the rear gears, so progress was slow. After about 40 minutes I became very drowsy. We pulled in at a service stain to get a high caffeine drink. Luckily that worked and I perked up a bit. We were able to continue, with the knee slowly accepting the pain relief. Most of the 96 miles today were very wet, with torrents of water washing across the roads, again. The plotted routes have also been great picking out great, quite roads. However there was a bit of an issue today. Shortly after Albrighton we turned up a road that said, "private strictly no access", I shortly followed the reading of the sign with another "oh COCK", I really wasn't in the mood. So I said to Colin "lets just do it". As we got to the front steps of Patshull Hall with a games keeper looking at us oddly, we turned right off down the dirt track I was being directed down ( by the bike computer, another minor suspect road choice). Expecting to here shouts of "get off my land " at anytime. The track shortly brought us out alongside, what appeared to be the 12th fairway of an exclusive golf club! Here we received even more wide eyed stares from the members playing their round. Probably not happy with Colin's choice of shorts! They clearly weren't tailored! We kept our heads down and were shortly back on the public road, laughing like school kids. Other than becoming wetter than ever, not much else happened other than our first puncture with 20 miles to go, on the shopper. Not much fun repairing it in the rain at the side of a dual carriageway.  Arriving today at 19:00. I said to Colin, if (and I'm still not sure I will) , I do get to the finish, I really think I want the "jogle4bc " and rainbow logo tattooed on my left knee! Colin laughed and added he'd have it on his arse! To Cheddar tomorrow.

Day 7 Blackburn 2 Alsager

Late start today, needed a bit more rest after the ordeal of the day before. Colin informs me he's sure his saddled physically violated him yesterday! He showed a great amount of willpower, we were very broken men when we arrived yesterday. Colin's mum was very welcoming and a cracking breakfast to start us off today. Left about 10.00 having only 66 miles today. We decided for the first time not to do the planned route and use main roads, due to the smaller country roads being harder to find if I need rescue. Hail stones to start us off, nice, it is May isn't it? The A666 was terrifying! No wonder it's called the 666 . We did get to see few nice places Worsley was fab, Tudor houses, a canal, and a very nice McLaren garage, £215,000 for the yellow one! There was a massive thunder and lightening storm, we luckily seemed to have just missed as we pulled in and watched it behind us. The knee still a big issue, big day tomorrow. A wonderful welcome from Ei and Ray, with poster and balloons on arrival. Thanks again for all your support x

 

Day 6 Carlisle 2 Blackburn, belated

A war of attrition........
Every foot felt like a mile, every minute an hour and every hill a mountain.
Ok, so you know a few miles in left knee too painful to continue, so one legged, literally unclipped left leg out of pedal and used just right leg for a while, we limped our way to Penrith Hospital. They were very helpful, the doctor said I really need an ultrasound to see what's going on but thinks I've either strained or torn some fibres in the ligament across the knee. They also confirmed the joint wasn't damaged, which I guessed was good news. I looked at the doctor, who looked back and said " there's no point in me telling you to stop and rest and ice it is there?" and promptly added the strongest painkillers I could have would be codeine and wrote out the script. Having collected that from a nearby Sainsburys and a knee support we plodded on. I think if I am able to complete the ride, this day will have been the hardest thing I will have ever done or likely to do. As we hit, what I think was Shap and the top of the lakes the weather was hideous. I'm sure the views were fab but 35mph head winds (again) the cloud and rain so low, you couldn't see more than a few hundred feet. The cycling across Shap were reading 4.5mph it took us an infinity to do just a mile! We stopped at Orton for hot drink and food. I was now in a very dark place, my own purgatory. We got to Settle, God knows how shear will power I think and Colin's mum came and collected our bags to help lighten the load, We eventually arrived at her house something past 22.00, truly exhausted over 14 hours after we started, having done 106 miles. Thanks to the support of friends and family we made it. My mum must have played a big part in that or I never would have made it. x . Only one photo :)

I'm sorry for the Grammar and spelling please let me know when you see them so I can go back and update . Thanks