The day has now been and gone, the B2E Wheelers have rolled across their first part of the English countryside and, overall, it has been a success. The last part of that statement is probably not a universal rule, but more on that once we get outside of Hampshire...
Chris and I started the day in Bristol, posing outside the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery before we spent 40 minutes lost and trying to root our way our of Bristol city centre and onto Route 4. However, between the staff of Bristol's Specialized store and a helpful traffic warden (I know) we were put right and soon on the old railway paths zipping to Bath. By the by, if you ever get the chance to do this have a go, the paths and tunnels are great fun and not difficult riding either.
The weather was hot and it was lovely to ride getting sunburn after weeks of training in the cold and rain. That said, our wonderful plan of riding with the prevailing wind has been scuppered by the stiff easterly breeze we rode into all day - and it looks like tomorrow will be the same!
Salisbury - looking stunning today
Aside from lunch in Warminster, coffee in Salisbury and a few gritty sections of A-road the defining characteristic of the day was chocolate-box scenes of thatched villages and early harvests being done. I could keep gushing about this and the weather and how helpful the Garmin GPS systems were but the day wouldn't have worked at all without our dedicated soigneurs (aka the B2E Drivers). They not only ferried equipment, mixed drinks and braved traffic jams but scouted the very best coffee and lunch places in the southern counties (fyi, if you're ever in Salisbury make sure you go to the military museum cafe...).
The day ended, after over 70 miles of cycling, in sunny Dunbridge, the B2E Drivers having found us a pub to de-mob at. After having covered such a distance of cycle paths, A-roads, old railway tunnels and more than a few historic sites we wound down with a long drink in the heart of the English countryside (contemplating what could possibly be in The Wallops).
What goes on in The Wallops? The B2E Wheelers left that to others to find out.
It's been a great start to the ride and things feel good at the moment, tune in tomorrow to see how a second long day of riding feels though. One final thing, we were over the moon to find out this morning that we've now raised over £6,000 for our charities. Thank you all for your support and generosity. It means a lot and we hope to do you proud over the remaining 175 miles.
[PJH]