5th June 2019 Wednesday – The B3227 enough said

Hello Everybody!

Route: South Molton to Cleveden

For the non-mathematicians out there:

Distance:  92.1 miles (Total 240.1)	Average speed: 12.7 mph
Calories: 1,765	Cycling time: 7h15m
Average cadence: 65 rpm	Climb: 3,002ft, Descent: 3,366ft
Heart (yes I have one): max 137 aver 113	Aver Temp: 15C, Max temp 22C
Temperament:  3rd day after lunch and your brain in now on board with your legs

Breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast with extra mushrooms and tomatoes and off I went like a cannon ball from a cannon. Weather looking good and after checking, the wind was pushing my back and not my face, so two ticks out of two.

I’d changed the original route overnight and had produced a more reasonable route I thought. Some initial climbing in Devon and then onto flat Somerset and Avon or whatever they call it these days.

But first I would like to acknowledge the best road in Devon, the UK, the World, the Universe an all. Yes the B3227. List time…..

Why the B3227 is the best route FULL STOP list

v It is smooth, flat, easy to access, gets you 10-12 miles down the road before you know it, enables lovely photees and smells like the inside of a new car.

Ø Hey look at this next level list bullet, wonder what’s next, here we go….

§  Bit boring, next

·      More boring

¨    A bit better but only just

Ø What? We’ve had this already

§  Forget it

The view from the B3227 - O yes!

After descending down a wettish forest road I met my first two LEJOGees, Geoff and Sue from Australia. They had hired cycles and Geoff was carrying a tent as a “just in case” measure. Sue had not enjoyed Cornwall and Devon due to everything about cycling through them. They are planning to arrive in JOG about 10 days after me so I will not put them on my “people I must beat to JOG or else” list. A quick chat and photo and then I sped off in the opposite direction to Geoff & Sue – we’ll see who made the right choice.

               

WARNING ACT OF KINDNESS. A bit before Taunton, I decided to stop as I’d done about a third of the distance. I moved off our beloved B3227 and arrived at Minverton but sadly no-one was at home or so I thought. I looked for a high street but it was more of a no street. So my detective spirit was set forth and forthed a community café in a Methodist church just up a little hillock. I put my best Devon/Somerset border accent on and entered the church saying “Oh Arr those cows need brushing”. This seemed to work as they did not throw anything at me. Anyway I ended up talking to a bunch of Ruth Age Plus (RAP) people who very much liked me, as I let them look at my birthmark – you know the one that looks like an upside down Effiel Tower. They all ended up giving £53 to Starlight and 2 really nice pieces of shortcake which I ate later that evening with a cup of coffee. I also told them my name but they got it wrong as when I left all I heard was “good riddance” which does not even spell the same as Alan although it has some [EDITOR = two] of the same letters. Anyway thank you for such a great act of kindness.

As I approached Taunton the hills were almost becoming a memory and I started to cycle not on roads but trails. This did not help the average speed really but was a change from traffic. 

After I popped out of the final trail around Burnham-On-Sea it started to rain and then rain quite heavily so wet water, rather than dry water, gear was put on pronto. It stopped after 30 mins or so and I continued to follow the coastal route eventually arriving at my next Airbnb in Clevedon which site right on the coast with great view out to sea and to Wales also.

I drank a pint of milk, had an Italian meal and Magnum ice cream prior to failing asleep with the gang. I crossed the M5 six times today BTW.

Love & Kisses to Everybody x