Day 13

Tuesday 30th May

Ok, so I promised to write about how I was feeling as well as anything interesting I saw along the way (sorry if I’ve let you down on the latter so far, I shall endeavour to try harder going fwds). If you are squeamish or think I’m made of steel skip this part & go to tomorrow, otherwise, here goes, straight from the diary, as I sat at the roadside at eleven in the morning…

“What an absolute nightmare. The wind is hard against me; it’s meant to be a prevailing south westerly on this ride but I’m not getting that. It started that way in Cornwall but as I have changed my heading increasingly to the north & then towards the north west, the wind has gradually shifted to blow increasingly into my face, from the Severn crossing in Bristol onwards. It’s blowing hard too, 15-20mph, none of these 4-5mph breezes we get back home. Tomorrow I will hopefully start finally heading north-east, towards Inverness & JOG; doubtless the wind will continue to shift & will be blowing from that direction in a strong north-easterly.

Every plunge on the pedals results in a protest from the tendons in my ankles & shins; every bump in the road reminds me of my sore behind; my rear hasn’t gotten used to the saddle 11 days in, despite what I was told by a variety of people. If my fitness is improving I’m not getting the benefit of it, as the wind is hard against me, which is typical as the roads today have been very benign, a good opportunity to make some miles wasted.

The country is experiencing drought conditions, and yet I managed to set out for this ride in what has turned out to be the wettest May in 27yrs. This ride has turned into a cauldron of pain & frustration; I ache all over & I’m exhausted. It’s all I can do to get up every morning & get on the bike, with all the pain that brings; and my reward is a hard battle into the wind, falling behind on the mileage and the sure knowledge that I have another week of this to go. I can’t face the thought of having another week to go, God help me, I have to make some miles, I need a break, I need my luck to change”

57 miles today, to bring the total to 658m.