Dear Blog followers, and general passers by.
I'm having a relaunch of my blog under it's own URL of http://www.lifecycler.co.uk/ . This won't just be cycling related, but will have posts on whatever tickles my fancy, from photography to fly fishing.
For those of you that are currently following my coast to coast blog, I have imported all the posts and comments from that over to Lifecycler and would like to invite you to follow this blog instead.
Regards
Stu
Monday 7 September 2009
Friday 4 September 2009
NCN 2 Totnes to Torcross
Some pictures of todays blast through the South Hams
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalicat/sets/72157622243649888/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalicat/sets/72157622243649888/
Sharphams Estate
My Totnes "local milled this, freshly produced that" breakfast should keep me going until Slapton.
Ground Hog Day
Ahh the 6.15 am from Exmouth....
What magical mystery tour will it take me on today?
Well with any luck Totnes station followed by a days jaunt around the South Hams via the National Cycle Network route 2.
If google earth is anything to go by it looks like a stunning route.
Just hoping this weather front will shift a bit sharpish and give me some sunshine.
Thursday 3 September 2009
A weather window?
According to the Met Offices long range forecast....
"Most parts are expected to become mainly dry, bright and warm around the middle of next week"
But BBQ summer comes to mind!
"Most parts are expected to become mainly dry, bright and warm around the middle of next week"
But BBQ summer comes to mind!
Wednesday 2 September 2009
Severe Weather Warning
The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways Agency for further advice regarding traffic disruption on motorways and trunk roads."
Looks like I made the right decision, this morning I would have been cycling down the right hand side of that Met Office weather warning zone! I can't find yesterdays figures for the area, but I assume they were similar to today.
I'm aching bad today.
Coast To Coast.... done and dusted!!
Well what a day, my earlier posts hinted of dark clouds rolling in and thunder and lightning forecast. Little did I know that after my lazy lunch all hell was going to break loose.
About 5 miles from Okehampton high winds and heavy down pours started to come in from the west. Within 5 miles I was soaked through. My breathable jacket was earning it,s keep but the rain was hitting me and running down my neck finding any way it could to soak me.
The lady at the granite way cycle hire centre looked at me in disbelief as I stopped for a drink, I was drowned and she sheepishly informed me that the forecast for Wednesday was even worse!
I decided to get down off the high ground quickly and head for Peter Tavy as my brother had recommended a camp site there.
Hoping the rain would be less intense at lower altitude (where did i come up with that homemade science), I raced off down the rest of the granite way until i popped out on the main Okehampton to Tavistock road.
I should have consulted my C2C guide book for the approved rural route, but this was already looking like paper machee so instead I joined the busy main road and spent the next 10 miles being sprayed by trucks and cars as they skimmed past me.
I eventually got to the camp site but the field looked boggy and swamped from the days torrential rain.
I was starting to feel the cold and only pedalling was keeping me warm, knowing from experience I can do 100 miles in a day I quickly hatched another idea.
So at 4.30 still soaked and no sign of the rain stopping I initiated my master plan!
Cycle hell for leather to Plymouth train station to get the last train home, dry out my kit, wait for a weather window and head down to the South Hams for a more relaxing cycle.
I headed off in a general Plymouth direction fighting with the traffic through Tavistock and eventually got back on the sustrans route at Yelverton.
The sun poked it,s head through the clouds a few times as I reached the Plym Valley trail and this final descent down off the moor was a real gem.
I was starting to fade badly as I hit the edge of Plymouth, it had been a long ride hauling loads of wet gear into a raging head wind and every bit of me ached, but I had warmed up!
I got to the train station at 8.00 and with waits and one change at Exeter our trusty train service got me home 4 hours later!
I was on the road for 12 hours today and awake for 20.5, at least 7 of it in torrential rain, nonetheless it was a great ride that I highly recommend, the scenery was just stunning, I just don't recommend packing it into one day, it deserves time to explore. I'll be back to give it another attempt in the spring.
Today also proved to be a great test for touring in extreme conditions with a heavy load, the bike and it's setup worked flawlessly and it only took a few hours for me to gain confidence in the bikes handling.
Time for a nice long kip..
I'll put some photos up tomorrow.
About 5 miles from Okehampton high winds and heavy down pours started to come in from the west. Within 5 miles I was soaked through. My breathable jacket was earning it,s keep but the rain was hitting me and running down my neck finding any way it could to soak me.
The lady at the granite way cycle hire centre looked at me in disbelief as I stopped for a drink, I was drowned and she sheepishly informed me that the forecast for Wednesday was even worse!
I decided to get down off the high ground quickly and head for Peter Tavy as my brother had recommended a camp site there.
Hoping the rain would be less intense at lower altitude (where did i come up with that homemade science), I raced off down the rest of the granite way until i popped out on the main Okehampton to Tavistock road.
I should have consulted my C2C guide book for the approved rural route, but this was already looking like paper machee so instead I joined the busy main road and spent the next 10 miles being sprayed by trucks and cars as they skimmed past me.
I eventually got to the camp site but the field looked boggy and swamped from the days torrential rain.
I was starting to feel the cold and only pedalling was keeping me warm, knowing from experience I can do 100 miles in a day I quickly hatched another idea.
So at 4.30 still soaked and no sign of the rain stopping I initiated my master plan!
Cycle hell for leather to Plymouth train station to get the last train home, dry out my kit, wait for a weather window and head down to the South Hams for a more relaxing cycle.
I headed off in a general Plymouth direction fighting with the traffic through Tavistock and eventually got back on the sustrans route at Yelverton.
The sun poked it,s head through the clouds a few times as I reached the Plym Valley trail and this final descent down off the moor was a real gem.
I was starting to fade badly as I hit the edge of Plymouth, it had been a long ride hauling loads of wet gear into a raging head wind and every bit of me ached, but I had warmed up!
I got to the train station at 8.00 and with waits and one change at Exeter our trusty train service got me home 4 hours later!
I was on the road for 12 hours today and awake for 20.5, at least 7 of it in torrential rain, nonetheless it was a great ride that I highly recommend, the scenery was just stunning, I just don't recommend packing it into one day, it deserves time to explore. I'll be back to give it another attempt in the spring.
Today also proved to be a great test for touring in extreme conditions with a heavy load, the bike and it's setup worked flawlessly and it only took a few hours for me to gain confidence in the bikes handling.
Time for a nice long kip..
I'll put some photos up tomorrow.
Tuesday 1 September 2009
Sheepwash
Apart from a nasty head wind the weather has behaived itself but dark clouds are rolling in.
Having finished the Tarka Trail i,m now in the country lanes heading towards Okehampton. I,ve just found a great pub in the village of Sheepwash and I,m treating myself to some well earned nosh.
I stopped and chatted to a guy a few miles back in the middle of know where who was on day 2 of a charity LEJOG. He had half the luggage i,m hauling and an altzeimers collection box strapped to his rack.
Made my C2C seem rather inferior!
All aboard....
What a gorgeous scene, dawn on the Exe from the relative comfort of my FGW carriage.
Arriving 45 minutes early to ensure my bike got on the train, I decided to treat myself to a pre dawn circuit of Exmouth.
What a site to behold, post bank holiday detritus, squeeling seagulls and over flowing bins. Beautiful!
It looks like thunder and lightning is on the cards for later.... Eeeekkk
Next stop Barnstaple...
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