Saturday, 28 June 2008

Devon Delight (or should I say Undelightful)

Determined to get another 100K Audax in before my big ride I offered to help Graham out by stamping a few cards on the Devon Delight Audax which will be this Sunday 29th June if he would let me ride it earlier - so guess who got the short straw to tag along - yes Pippa again poor girl!!!


We set off from Kenton as the ride went through Starcross and onto Powderham on a lovely sunny day - we arrived at Thorverton Village hall for our coffee (but of course it was all locked up but very smart!!) so we decided to go on to Pete & Jean's for a brew but they weren't in either!!

It was then beginning to rain lightly to start then it got wetter & wetter by the time we got back into Exeter we decided to go to Bernaville Nurseries for a hot cup of coffee and maybe some soup! While we were steaming dry in the nurseries we called Johnnie who very kindly brought a heavier duty rain coat and off we set again up Cowick Street and off out of Exeter up a steep hill to Longdown (more like longup!!) then down the Teign valley where we met another group of Cyclists!! John, Kirby, Geoff & Penny on their Sunday ride!! So we had a group photo and a natter and went off to Newton Abbot to a lovely 5 star complex as you can see for the next control stop!!





We then rode out from Newton Abbot around the back of Kingsteignton and got lost

at Gappah!! I had just got the map out to look out (yes it is amazing I can map read occoasionally I might not know my grid references but I can look at a map sometimes!!) and guess what the rain came down again - heavily!! So a very kind man in a white van took pity on us and gave us directions to Gappah again - this time we went the right way and made it to Ashcombe! Admitedly as soon as Pippa said this hill looks steep do you think we should get off and walk down!! I was already off my bike and tenatively walking down the slippery ski slope down into Ashcombe!! Pippa thought this was a good idea when we turned the corner and it got even steeper decending to the church!! We made it into Dawlish - I was on a roll now as it was home turf and I knew exactly where I was for once!! (makes a nice change!) We arrived home very wet and tired and in need of a hot cup of tea and a bucket to tip my shoes into which were just like swimming pools as you can see from the colour of my mud tanned legs!!
8 hours and 70 miles later not bad but very wet indeed!! Lets hope its not that wet on the way to Paris!!

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