Day 11- Great Torrington- Newquay

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Nearly there!!! Just some more hills (surprise surprise) and the threat of some nasty weather (thought it was too good to be true) to contend with. Firstly, big thanks to Dazzer for sorting out revised digs for last night (Barnstaple) and tonight (Newquay if we get there!) No complaints apart from never ever ever ever ever have a breakfast at a Travelodge!!! For the pleasure of a whole fiver, you are blessed with, juice (concentrated) uht milk to go with some shredded cardboard in a sealed bowl and a tea bag in a cup! Thats to go with the coffee and tea already in the room no doubt!

Last night we were shown the delights of Barnstaple by Amy friend of Amy. Interesting night, Colin decided he wanted to convert the minibus to an open top and didnt waste anytime doing it with the help of a height restriction bar over the carpark entrance!! Nice idea but shame about the weather forecast due for tomorrow. Amy friend of Amy led us to a couple of Italian restaurants who didnt want to serve us dinner as it had gone 10 pm !! Obviously Barnstaple has been completely missed out by the current economic downturn and can afford to turn away paying customers. Luckily we found an excellent one happy to feed us (cant remember name though Giovannis maybe??)

The yellow peril (my bike) was fixed in the morning and the guy wouldn't take any money for the repair! Barnstaple really is recession proof!! Cant remember name of that shop either but i am sure Gabe will tell me after reading this.

The ride was pretty good, hilly in the morning and generally challenging but we were now all benefitting from increased levels of fitness so we could handle the hills less painfully. Wee stops still a plenty and we were now all over dosing on energy drinks. Due to our pathetic breakfast, we found a great little Devonshire, Devonish, Devon something coffee shop and ordered cake cake and some cake (and Gem had some extra cake too, and some toast and a toasted tea cake!!). That fired us past Bude (nice views) and on towards Newquay. We had lunch in a layby, yep we had the whole of the cornish countryside and coastline between Bude and Newquay and we chose a layby! My Mum and Dad arrived here to see us and to give another 400 easter eggs to Charlie and Jess who already were getting their way through an existing 400. Matt and Joe were fighting over who had the Chamois cream (usual conversation during our stops) thats sore arse cream for those of you wondering, and I am always busy trying to find the quickest and less hilly roads on the map. We'd have gone M6 M5 if i'd had my way!

We arrived in Newquay, the rain had stayed away and the wind was not too offensive. We were tired, it had been another long and hilly day and we were all looking forward to seeing our support team to greet us, give us a hot drink, load the bikes up and show us to our rooms with some hot food. Er hello................... we are here......................where are you??!! Oh, i'm all right Jack, they are at the B&B in the bar with no intention of coming to meet us at the day finish point. Just get yourselves to the B&B they say, and hurry up because we are hungry and we want to get some dinner!!!! Gits. We then had to ask directions! but not before taking 10 minutes to watch the surfers enjoying some pretty decent 6-8 footers.

That night, I took the opportunity to stay with the family in the motorhome. Only because there is no way i am going to stay in a B&B booked by Darren!

Only about 60 miles left tomorrow and the adventure will be over. Knowing Burnsey, we will be doing an extra 40 mile warm down or something similar.

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