Fear & Loathing In Launceston, Cornwall (Day 0.5)

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Reaching the end of the M5, I've now decided I shall do a portion of the ride today. But not from my original start point. I'm lucky to be accompanied down here with a couple of people who put up (pretty well) with my constant lack of organisation, unpredictability (at times), and the occassional sour mood etc. I was also lucky enough to have family quite local, so that my first 2 days wouldn't be all that "solo". Our base camp was near Plymouth, and although probably never less than an hours drive by car from any part of my route in Devon, it was still a blessing.

Preparing to leave Launceston

Taking the A30 north of Dartmoor, we come to Launceston, just inside Cornwall. To make it easy for drop-off's and pick-up's over the next 48hours this proved the perfect place to start. My aim was to cycle round the top of Dartmoor, and finish at Exeter, just in time for tea (dinner...whatever you want to call it).

It was just after 2pm when I climbed on board "the beast". 30 minutes later I'm entering Devon. Not bad huh?


Well, considering the Devon border is only 1/2 mile from Launceston, and that I can walk backwards at about 2 miles/hour, it isn't really THAT good going. You do the math. 3 miles of riding round in circles, plenty of headscratching, and I've barely left my starting line. The first set of directions were (at the time) completely useless. The fella didnt seem overly convincing, and with a London accent was he really a local? (However, looking at GoogleMaps, I think there was some method to the guy's madness. I just didnt pick up on it). If I do have any map reading skills, that part of my brain had quietly gone out back for a smoke or something, as I was left staring at my pieces of paper with that blank Homer Simpson look. A second local really took the bull by the horns, but was quite hard to understand as his mouth was full of, what I can only assume to be, an oversized scotch egg. He had me walking down a one-way slip road (the wrong way!) back onto the A30 dual carriage way (the busy primary route in this part of the world), then jump on the bike for a mile downhill, battling it out with all manner and size of vehicles, and pulling of at the first junction. That's the road I'd aimed at getting on from the very beginning.

That there (over my shoulder) in the distance is Cornwall. Not bad for 3 minutes work.

The first thing I notice in Devon is that most of the roads I'm cycling along are being re-surfaced. So they are a Mars-like red, with loose fire and stone spitting at me every time a car passed me exceeding the "recommended" 10 mile/hour speed limit.

I took the road through Lifton and Lewdown up to Okehampton. Then down through Sticklepath, Whiddon Down and finishing quite early at Crokernwell, where I was swiftly transported by car back to base camp.

Todays mileage: 30 miles (Approx 2:30pm-5:30pm = 10miles/hour) [Total mileage I've done = 30 / Average speed = 10mph]

The aim: 41.5 miles [Total Mileage I aimed to have done = 41.5]

Woulda-coulda-shoulda been: about 30 miles. The extra miles of the day running round Launceston were racked up before leaving the town, and as I passed the "start point" some 30 mins later, it is from THAT time my stopwatch begins.

Villain of the day: Has to be the sun. But the hills were a close second. As I was only thinking of it being a short ride, I wasnt carrying a load of water or any sun block. Thankfully much of the route was shaded, but the heat wasn't pleasant. Certainly when climbing.

Hero(es) of the day: Martin & Liz. Great hosts, putting on a perfect dinner, and allowing me a good sleep in a proper bed. Also helped with some route planning (yes, the planning that I should have done weeks before starting this thing). Dinner time was a good photo opportunity missed. Shame, as the food and company was great, just what was needed.

Cost: Not much, if anything. Couple of bananas and my water bottle was all that was required.