Fixed the puncture. If I have another one, I'd much prefer to have it in the front tyre...
Although everyone says to avoid the A30 at all costs (when cycling!), I simply had to do a short stretch just before Launceston. I knew there would be a Welcome to Cornwall sign and I just had to cycle past it and take the obligatory photos. Dinging the bell as I passed it just isn't quite the same as tooting the horn, now a ritual whenever I drive home.
The odd thing was that I could see the River Tamar beyond the sign. So is the sign in Devon?
I stopped in Launceston for a bargain pub lunch... £2.60 for roast chicken, potatoes and veg! And it was quite good. Try getting that combination in London!
From here I headed west to the A39, then through Camelford and Wadebridge, the original planned destination for today. I was buzzing, thinking how every pedal stroke was taking me closer to finishing, and I wanted to push on.
Finding accommodation was turning out to be a little tricky. The new plan was now to find somewhere in St Columb Major, 8 or so miles further on. Sharon drew a blank online as did I when cycling through. Here I had one of my closest shaves yet - bombing downhill and someone half pulling out of a junction without looking - I left a long black streak on the road! [from my rear tyre...].
I wasn't too bothered, knowing that Newquay wasn't far away with an abundance of B&Bs. I headed in that direction and found a B&B in Quintrell Downs. Another post 7pm finish.
I'm now well within a day's ride of Land's End! Can't believe it. I'd always planned to arrive on Thursday, in order to have a rest day before hopefully playing cricket. But now it looks like I'll arrive a day earlier. Fingers crossed for tomorrow, and recovery and selection for Saturday's game!
