Right this is the most nervous I have been about writing a journal, The success of my previous posts, well I got a thumbs up from my Mum and Girlfriend, means I need to better it. So much so I was contemplating getting a Dictaphone to strap to my handlebars to capture as much detail as possible.As I knew I was going on a 'big' ride I thought it would be better to be prepared. I ate a bowl of porridge, had a cup of coffee and a glass of smoothie. I filled my bag with leftovers pasta from the previous night's dinner, a spare inner tube and a copy of the Daily Mail's free Britain Road atlas(forgot to mention in last blog my Dad handed me their copy last Saturday). It was at this stage I thought, I wonder if Mark Cavendish has to pack his own bag on the tour? Actually my mind wandered completely off track.
The question to pop up was what was more rules gone mad; when Lance Armstrong and his Team squad wore black jerseys featuring the number 28 (to signify the number of millions of people worldwide dealing with cancer) and were advised to change in the recent tour or the fact the bin men couldn't go on our drive to pick up our black bin. Yes I forgot to put the bins out again! Oh well another two weeks hopefully they won't be overfilled otherwise bureaucracy suggests the bin men wont be able to take them in case of injury. Right rant over, 9:15 off on my cycle.
Now I realise with my writings I have some Bristolians and a lot of non-locals so thought I would add tips from time to time. After pumping my tyres I set off on my travels the way the AA website suggests is the best non-motorway a follows a scenic route (which if non-locals ever come to visit) I cycled past Bristol Zoo now this reminds me of a story forever floating round normally around April fools, the car park attendant is official do not believe anything else about a guy grifting money for 6 years or more so do get a ticket. I cycled past this only to find out the road after was closed off.
So I detoured back around the Durdham Downs and down Park Street and next to the River Avon passed the SS Great Britain (40th year going worth a visit). I then got on the A370, I have travelled to Weston-Super-Mare on many occasion so I thought the easiest way would be to put my head down and cycle the way the Romans wanted us to. Within the 20 Miles there were only a couple of highlights, an Eddie Stobart lorry which I tried to get to use their horn but they weren't playing the game. Also a restaurant called Flavours an exclusive Indian restaurant, which I couldn't work out if that meant it only sold Indian food or it sold Indian food to a certain clientele.
Pier 1 (Weston)
I arrived on Weston Seafront 2 hours later, what a disappointment, it could be known as the Blackpool of the South but at the moment it is in its transitional period renovations everywhere. On to the beach, there was a Sand sculpture exhibition, luckily there was a hole in the scaffolding so I could take a picture using my camera and we all can save ourselves £5. I followed my way around the seafront taking various pictures of the newly built pier, when I came to a place called Kewstoke and Sand Bay. My objective at the start of the day was to cycle round Weston then take the coastal road down to Burnham it all looked easy although my map reading skills aren't up to scratch so an hour later and a tour of Weston and its surroundings I was back on track on my tour. However if I hadn't got lost I would not have found Sparky. Basically there has been a number of Donkeys sponsored by companies placed around the town and I had found one.
Pier 2 (Burnham)
I then cycled via Bleadon, Berrow and on to Burnham on Sea. This is where I found the best poster, Pig & Donkey racing for charity near Berrow, £2 admission prams and pushchairs for free. However 100 yards down the road outside a pub was a sign for a hog roast on Saturday. I'd like to think that it was an extreme race and the slowest pig loses its life, a modern day Darwinism. So Pub quiz pens and paper at the ready the answer to the UK's smallest pier number 2 on the tour, Burnham on Sea. This is the spot I chose to take lunch, opposite a Morrison's and a Wetherspoons it was either my pasta or lunch at the Ritz, and the hotel isn't a patch on its sister establishment!
Cycling away from Burnham and Highbrige I cycled the B3139 towards a village called Mark this is where if you haven't been, there is a big resilience to Pylons, there campaign was Pylon moor pressure. Can you see what they did there, genius. I then cycled to Cross and stumbled across the Sustrans Strawberry Line between Winscombe and Axbridge, I didn't have a clue which way to go until an old boy said the route past Winscombe would take me towards Clevedon. This was the best cycle path as it took me through a pitch black tunnel which was scary and the Thatchers Cider orchard.
Pier 3
The track took me all the way to within 2 miles of Clevedon the third pier. But by this time I had about enough and the extra 4 miles would have been too much. So I followed another route to Nailsea and found out something amazing, I thought Nailsea was a little village and even stopped at the village shop to get a fizzy drink. On the outside there was a sign stating they sell Thatcher's cider in 2ft plastic re-usable containers, if only I had more storage on my bike. Anyway I cycled out of the village and past the town centre and a massive Tescos it is bigger than I thought! I cycled back via Long Ashton and through a solar panel speed checker which to my amazement picked me up at 14MPH. So I then cycled back home to a well deserved cup of tea and a nice bath at 5pm.
9-5 what a way to make a living. Yes after all that cycling I am still walking like John Wayne.
No comments:
Post a Comment