At the beginning of September, Chris set out on his birthday challenge to cycle from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Scotland (aka LE2JOG). This is my attempt to blog along the route.
Dad to the rescue!! My Dad and Mum have been reading both mine and Chris’s blog posts about how far we’ve got to and how things have been going so last night my Dad emailed me suggestions of things to do along the route between Bodmin and Okehampton.
Both Chris and I slept badly last night. Between the high winds, the rain and our tent nearly folding in on itself, we were both in rotten moods and the tiniest things were setting us off. At one point I’d woken up with the roof I got dressed and went to put my DMs on but my right DM had been caught in the rain and was soaked through – there was no way I could really wear it all day (it would have made my socks wet too). I took my socks off and headed over to the car with bare feet – when these things have to be done they have to be done. I got my flip flops out and they were okay for a little while but the right one (what is it with my right foot?) was taking on water through the hole where the stump goes between your big toe and second toe. Well, I decided that wellies or boots might be needed.
After leaving the Mena Campsite just outside Bodmin, I headed for the supermarket, mainly for matches and washing up liquid but also for shoes as the particular supermarket has a very good clothing range. On the way to the supermarket, I pulled into a cycling/car accessories store and got two bits that Chris had requested on my travels. (tick that would make his mood a bit better and made mine better as well) I was pulling my trolley along the shoe aisle and caught the back of my heel on the wheel, I was so grumpy and tired that I nearly broke down in tears – not good!
I got the other bits and pieces needed from the supermarket (having added plasters to my shopping list) and headed for the till. I was probably supposed to report hurting myself in the store but given that it was my own fault and it was an accident there wasn’t really anything the store could have done differently to stop it. I used the self-service till but was having trouble with one of the items. The guy who was on the help till was lovely and very helpful and even made me laugh so that lightened my mood a huge chunk. (tick again!)
I checked over my emails while sat in the car park and decided that I’d head got Jamaica Inn. Somewhere along the route, I overtook Chris who was nearly squashed by a guy transporting a mobile home on the back of a lorry. One of my Mum’s favourite films is Rebecca based on the book by Daphne Du Maurier. I haven’t read the book but I have seen TV adapations so I had heard of the Jamaica Inn. But somehow I hadn’t realised that it was a real place. It was about £4 for entry and was reasonably interesting and worth the money. The lady who was at the reception was lovely and helpful. There’s a museum with a couple of displays about Daphne and then some about the area and things like that. I went into the gift shop and had a wander round there as well. I got a copy of Rebecca to read then again if I’d have thought about it I could have got it yesterday on a BOGOF offer at the book store (oh well!).
I headed up the road in the car then pulled over to take some pictures of the Jamaica Inn. It had started to spit again so I got back in the car and carried on to Launceston which was Chris’s stop for lunch – I’d not really timed it very well and overtook Chris again. This time he knew it was me and we waved at each other. (or at least I saw him wave at me and so I waved back!) I found somewhere to park in Launceston and it seemed to be the main town car park as all the signs pointed to it. I was sitting reading the maps and notes about where we were staying this evening when there was a knock on the back window – I jumped a mile! It was Chris letting me know that he was there. We wandered through the town and got a pasty and a pizza slice from one of the bakeries. It was dry enough to sit outside and eat for most of our lunch – toward the end, it started to rain again which was really annoying.
Following lunch, I drove straight to Okehampton as we needed to sort out where we were staying. I rang the campsite that Chris had contacted a few weeks ago and they still had spaces so we were able to show up and camp at that site. However, neither of us had made a proper note of the address and actually the campsite is at Sourton which is about 2 or 3 miles outside of Okehampton so I had to turn back and drive back to the campsite.
I’d got the tent up and the bedding in (and set up my bed at least) when Chris rang to say that he’d made it to Okehampton but didn’t know where he was going, he’d looked up the site on my phone and realised that it was back the way he came and he “didn’t want to cycle and could I go get him?” well I did because I’m lovely.
We’ve now been sitting chilling at the tent for a little while. I’m now off to make some tea I think. Tomorrow we’re going from Okehampton to Street near Glastonbury. Google Maps sends cars towards Exeter and then join the motorway to come up to Street so might have to check that. Any suggestions of things to do? Other than Clarks Village at Street.
For the stressful, energetic half of the trip read Chris’s posts here.
You can read about the rest of the adventure here.
