into some climbs - redhill in particular opened the lungs - plus it
was raining so with no gloves it was like trying to hold a wet fish on
the handlebars. Great downhill into Bristol - to find it like a ghost
town - nothing open at all at 8.30 - and what was looked ropey so I
kept going in hope. When they filmed 'the road' they should have just
used the a38 from Bristol to Gloucester - bleak does not describe it -
shops shut down everywhere, holes in the road, derelict garages -
classic signs of a road that used to be the main route before the m5
was built parrallel. In the end had breakfast in Gloucester 50 miles
later at 10.30 (Gloucester is also a dump). At this stage it looke
like a long day - sore knees etc - then set off for Worcester after a
cafe Nero stop and the world changed - sun shone, energy back, road
flatter than a witches teet -I had the most enjoyable hour yet.
My realisation was that the saying ' where the head goes the body will
follow' was so so true. By no means is this trip comparable, but they
talk of the guys in the tour de France as having not endurance, but
pain endurance - they are always 3 minutes from quitting, but they go
again for the next 3 and so on - it has to hurt - and accepting that
it will is half the battle I'm finding. But as soon as I felt happy,
everything stopped hurting. Quick stop in Worcester to try and buy the
elusive gloves (having already tried Gloucester) but everywhere shut -
in fact it seems outside London the UK literally shuts down on a Sunday.
Me and the gps fell out today - it just wouldn't pick up a route - so
reverted to iPhone - and set for Kidderminster -made it there just in
time as I boinked big time - dizzy, cold sweat - ate more in m&s than
I ever have - not sure the Lycra went down too well with the locals
though.
The a442 goes from Kidderminster to Telford and I wouldn't send my
worst enemy up there - very dangerous narrow road - and just for good
measure I tagged an unecessary 14 mile detour due to crap navigation.
On realising this I wasn't really bothered - mentally and physically
I'm feeling stronger by the mile - which has been a welcome surprise.
I'd read about the numb hands from riding on bumpy roads and the
pressure on the hands - the vibrations numb the nerves - a strange
feeling but I now know what they mean about lorry drivers getting
'diesel dick' - 79% are impotent - can't feel a thing.
Little things are real lifters - seeing other lejogers, realising I'm
now in the NORTH west, that I'll be in carslisle tomorrow which is a
stones throw from Scotland, the aches are no more and none of the
hills are to be feared.
also now know that 30% of my iPod is crap (u2 in particular have
had some shockers) but my singings coming on heaps.
3 new veins have appeared on my calves - if only my quads would get
bigger
Summary so far:
- 318 miles cycled
- 21000 calories burnt
- 175 miles done today
- 13.5 hours
No photos today - which says a lot.
Finished the day thinking how lucky michael jackson was - at least he
had one glove.
140 miles tomorrow
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