St. Michaels mount

St. Michaels mount along the dodgy surface cycle path that caused kevs puncture.

Kick off at lands end

The start sign at lands end in the freezing rain!

Day one kicks off at lands end

So...here i am once Again at the start of a ride across a country...only this time it's my own one. This is the sign book at the start of the le jog ride at lands end.
As I set off it was freezing...I mean so cold my hands were numb. Then the rain and wind...and I was starting to think....pub.
But ...onwards and upwards as they say and I set off into to the tempest.
The ride past st.Michaels mount was on a gritty path, not really suited to roadbikes. The grit and sand got everywhere and kev had a puncture. Punctures in cold rain are not fun.
But soon we were on our way. The sun forced a way through and all was good. The ride progressed under blue skies and bright sunshine. This area is beautiful, I could live here easy. The king harry ferry was fun. The houses and the villages are wonderful. The Jefferies are full of wild flowers and life is good on a bike here.
I saw a sign saying fresh muscles at the pub, they were fresh too as the guy was just collecting them from the river on front of me.
The hills here are very steep, and the downhill don't allow you to let go of the brakes for fear of potholes and cars coming around the bends.
After yesterday's bike repairs by john in st.just Celeste ran fine through all these lovely small lanes. No big roads today, lots of winding country lanes.
We put on our signing armour suits to help two damasels In distress with a stuck chain, then headed on to the golant hostel. Today's ride was 76 miles of hilly countryside and a perfect first days ride.
I have bought a WiFi card at the hostel as there is nowhere here with free wi fi.
Dinner tonight was a big burger ans chips overlooking the river.
Think I need to wash my stuff as well as my bike as I'm starting to smell ...rather dodgy !
Hope I sleep better tonight, last night's snorefest had me yawning on the ride.
We arrived at the hostel over two hours ahead of the big group who left an hour before us.
So all in all things are really good!!

Ponies on cycle route 27

Ponies running loose on cycle route 27 this morning.

Cycling on part of Dartmoor

A picture from the rolling bike on Dartmoor.

The cycle tour gods sent a bike.mechanic

Ok...so the bike broke...it's a good omen so early in the trip! The chain suddenly stopped shifting up the the larger front chain ring. Thought it was a cable not stretched in properly, but no joy. The nearest bike shop was back on Penzance, where I had just come from. I had tried all i knew. Then suddenly john Nash arrived ...a qualified bike mechanic! John identified the issue as a loose bottom bracket . This could have been very dangerous, anyway we walked back to his bike workshop in st. Just and got it up on a stand and fixed it.

So if any cyclists staying in an around st.just , lands end, need a good mechanic, and a mobile one at that then make a note of John's number.

07879461963.

Then it was back to the hostel for boab pasta especial...and a nice chat with other travellers, cyclists, back packers and a nice lady who is running 40 miles at 4 am tomorrow!

The sun  is setting here overvthe sea, and rabbits are playing on the grass in the hostel garden.

Wi fi is an issue so far, so I have to store blog posts in my phone until I get WiFi to upload them.

It is hilly here, very hilly, lots of short sharp climbs. The hostel is clean tidy friendly and an ideal first night before the off in the morning.

I've ordered the biggest breakfast in the kitchen for the morning!

Sunset at the st.just hostel

This is tonight's view from the garden of the hostel looking out to sea.

Penzance

Celeste at Penzance station. The train from Plymouth to Penzance took just over an hour or so.

Ride partners

Kev and me starting the ride to Plymouth this morning. We took cycle route 27 ong an old railway track . Beautiful scenery over bits of Dartmoor.

Yawn zz

Snoring is a hazard of youth hostel life I had forgotten about. Last night in the small dormitory room.with three other guys ( all starting le jog on the morning too) was a bit of a snorefest of doom. I didn't get much sleep. Outside I can hear the wind howling a bit...hopefully it's the traditional tailwind of deep joy I booked and there hasn't.been a cock up on the wind front reservation!
Anyway...up and at 'em me thinks...!