Days 1 to 3 - Done!

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Hello from Okehampton!

So I have survived my first three days on the roads and cycle paths of Cornwall and Devon. Onto my second county as well as my second set of brake pads thanks to the rollercoaster hills and wet weather. Stayed in two lovely YHAs, but nothing compares to the luxury of Meadowlea B&B where I am currently - showered, fed with biscuits, my washing being done for me and free use of their laptop and internet, what luxury! I'm sure you'll all be pleased to know I've not encountered too many mishaps and am actually vaguely enjoying myself now I've got this far. For any of you sponsoring me by the mile, ha ha you owe Bulungula at least another 10-20p because I've been getting myself a little bit lost occassionally!

I'll do me diary by day as it's easier for me to remember that way.

Day 1, Sunday 3rd August: (Stalbridge to) Lands End to Perranporth
53.33 miles
5 hours, 9 mins riding time
average speed 10.3 mph

Up at 4 am after less than 4 hours sleep thanks to the great party put on for Vicky and Steves wedding! My lovely Papa drives me to Lands End, takes lots of cheesy photos and helps me find the start of my route as Sustrans seem to have forgotten to put up signs at this crutial point. See plenty of other people setting off from Lands End but pretty soon I'm on my own. Walk up first hill I encounter thanks to gears sticking and the weight of my panniers - something I seem to be doing a lot, boy does the bike weigh a ton!
Get lost at Lamorna Cove - a very bad move considering the gradient of the hill I then have to push back up again. Somehow miss Dad in Penzance but meet up with him for a sandwich overlooking St Michaels Mount. For the rest of the afternoon I'm cycling in torrential rain, I thought it's supposed to be August?! Everytime I take my maps out to check where I am the rain blots the ink and I can't read them - no wonder I got lost again around St Day. Arrive at Perranporth soaked to the skin but luckily YHAs have fantastic showers so lived to get myself an ice cream and see a fantastic sunset over the sea - typical the weather improves as I'm going to bed!!

Day 2, Monday 4th August: Perranporth to Boscastle
60.90 miles
6 hours 5 mins
average speed 9.9 mph

Wake up to squwarly showers, not the best incentive to leap out of bed for another days hard riding. However I do have fish and chips in Padstow to look forward to so drag myself up and out into the rain. Think the girls in the hostel were particularly amused by my fashion of putting plastic sandwich bags on my feet as I left!! Discover my brake pads have completely worn away in one day so first stop is Newquay and a bike shop for a quick lesson in how to change them - this couold be an expensive ride if I have to replace them every day!!! Ride past Matt's Surf Lodge and some dodgy clubs that bring back memories of a girly holiday here 7 years ago - remember that Mimi, Als and Khem?!
Arrive in Padstow and the crowds are immense because the sun has come out, yeay! Push my bike through them and eventually find Dad after he's mistaken me for a parking attendant (it's the yellow vest, soooo trendy I tell you!) Search for Rick Stein's Chippy and join the massive queue for his expensive takeaway. It's damn good though, especially the huge garlic prawns - I love the fact I can eat anything I like thanks to all this cycling!! Dad accompanies me along the Camel trail to Bodmin. The first leg is heaving with tourists but thankfully the crowds gradually thin out. Nice to be away from main roads and to have someone to chat to for a few miles. Unfortunately the trail is pretty muddy from the earlier rain and I'll need a jet wash to clean up my poor bike by the end!
Leave Dad near Bodmin and find myself climbing almost vertical hills up onto Bodmin moor - not the route I exactly planned. Climb more than 250 metres in an hour or so and beginning to feel very knackered. Pass over cattlegrids and into proper open country, not a soul in sight so I find myself talking to the cows and sheep for company!! When I cycle past the Catherdral City cheese factory the smell makes my belly rumble and I'm really looking forward to getting to the next hostel. Boscastle is at the bottom of an immensely steep hill, which is great when you're free-wheeling down it at over 30mph - I even broke the speed limit and cars couldn't overtake me!!! Another lovely YHA, thankfully with fresh eggs and bread for sale or I'd have starved tonight because the village shop was closed. Used their watercan to wash down my bike and nearly flooded Boscastle again with the huge puddle of water it took to clean it!!

Day 3, Tuesday 5th August: Boscastle to Okehampton
43.53 miles
4 hours 36 mins
average speed 9.4mph

Only 40 or so miles today but almost every one of them was uphill, or so it seemed. I can see why they call the Cornish and Devon roads a rollercoaster! Glad it wasn't any further as it has been raining all day. Starting with light misty cooling rain and finishing with driving-in-my-face-soaking-me-to-the-bone-freezing-rain! The wind has also turned (or at least seemed to be turning everytime I did) to be in my face, just to make those hills all the more gruelling! Passed a fantastic place called Splatt (see photos), thankfully nothing dire happened to me but other creatures appeared to have been less fortunate! Dragged me and the bike up into Launceston and met Dad for lunch. Warmed up over tea and homemade soup in a lovely little cafe (more ideas for my own one day!) Next time I saw Dad was 10 miles down the road on the old A30 when he overtook me (apparently he was getting worried I'd got lost/broken down as he never expected me to have got so far!!) Bumped into Dad again on the Granite Way near Meldon Viaduct but by then the weather was horrid so I just pushed onto the B&B for a hot shower. So glad I did as I've had a fantastic welcome. Now I'm waiting for Dad to take me for dinner - boy am I going to miss my support vehicle and driver once they've gone!

Thanks for everyones messages, been no phone signal at hostels or internet but I'll reply soon. Helps me up the big hills knowing I have a text to read at the top!

I'll let you know how the next leg goes once I've made it. Hope all is good back in the real world? fxx

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Comments

[Ali]

Your doing great Frankie - am so impressed!!! I'm enjoying the diary so far so keep it coming..... Fran is busy sorting you out accommodation - think he has 3 nights sorted so far so will send on details. Lots of love ali xx