Day 3 - Exeter - Bristol (Devon - Somerset - Bristol)

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Words cannot adequately convey the horrors of day 3. The first 31 miles were into a storm. 30-50m/h head winds all day. We almost gave up. A boat passed us on the A30. Not sure whether it was being towed or not. We didn't take many photos as no-one wants to see grown men cry. But we made it. Surely nothing will ever be this hard again.

Michelle laid on loads of lovely food, we collapsed soon after.

87 miles. 7.5 hrs in the saddle. Buckets of rain. A whole lot of pain. Loads of roadkill too, including 2 or 3 badgers (Ben has never seen a live one) and some weird pig-like creature.

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Photos

Attempting to dry clothes in a pub
This was lunchtime; after over 3 hours we'd done 31.5 miles.

Ben and Glastonbury Tor, barely visible
We'd just found out England, with a remarkable fight-back, had won the cricket, hence the smile.

Gareth and Michelle's house
We made it to Bristol. Our kit glowed in admiration.

Comments

[Rob Turner]

Amphibious Landing Craft
I bet you thought Chafing was a small village in Sussex.......

[Claire Lakin]

Advise from Paul Greenway (my Dad)
Hi - you're doing really! Comments from my Dad ... The worst bits are up until Bristol so you should find it gets relatively easier now. He definately thinks south to north is better (although you might not agree right now!) as now he's in Scotland there's less traffic, people are bit nicer etc. He also veered off the A roads in Scotland as he felt they were too dangerous (perhaps when cycling alone in particular) and went on Route 73 or something for about 50 miles north of Perth. They are the Sus-Trans Routes I think on the National Cycle Network sites? Anyway, enough gabble, sure you'll figure it out for yourselves ... Claire x

[Oli]

Smile
Glad I managed to provide a useful cricket updating service during your day of hell. New Zealand's Flynn may have lost a couple of teeth up at Old Traff, but which of you sadists has got the sorest body-part so far?

[Louise]

Well done for not just staying at home!
Gareth - it must have felt like you had arrived back home and deserved a nice long rest. Well done for getting your kit on and getting back out there! - Louise

[Roddy--Paul]

lightweights
Call yourselves adventurers? New York to Orlando saw much worse than this!!! We had to duck Red neck bullets! Hills in Viginia were a poper size! Everything is bigger in the USA...including the women..believe me! Well done chaps...are we nearly there yet?

[Pete F]

Ooh La La
Well I thought of you while I cycled to work in the rain this morning. I'm sure by now the rain must be somewhat diluted with your tears by now. Anyway - Every cloud has a silver lining and all that. The fact that the lining has turned to a sopping rag is neither here nor there. Keep up the good work. I'm seriously impressed by your progress so far though. Exeter to Bristol in 1 day in that weather - I think I'd have gone loopy. Well done.

[Daniel Haley]

Northward bound
Keep up the good work gents, don't let a little adversity get you down, there'll be three pints waiting for you in Manchester. Either that or I could get you some prescription only heavy-duty painkillers...