it had to happen;
I like this write-up; it sums up what AUK is about (names removed to protect the innocent)
This wasn’t an easy ride but the long ones rarely are. Re the GPS. I’ve set mine to record every 30 seconds, the reason being it will record the whole of a long ride (1001 Miglia) without running out of memory. Hope this isn’t an issue with AUK as I’d like to avoid a re-run, at least this year! One set of lithiums just lasted for the run down, and a 2nd set for the return. So there are 2 track logs, one each way. But I switched it off at Sennen to conserve power.
Getting out of London to the SW I use the NCircular /A4/A30 but at least there wasn’t much traffic late at night. Pushed into a SW headwind all the way out. A mixture of main roads and lanes. I’d put alternative routes in the GPS and followed one thro Crediton North of Exeter which was very laney and rather hilly. In fact some roads I wouldn’t have like to drive down. Can see how the artics get into issues using these devices!
Hit by an appalling mini storm at night somewhere on Bodmin moor and instantly soaked. Eventually found shelter on an industrial estate and spent a couple of hours in a cardboard box til the worst had passed, which rather slowed things down.
7am Wednesday arrived at Sennen Cove where I have the keys to a cottage, so I had the chance to dry out for a few hours before the return leg. Used the old A30 from Okehampton, then a new route in Exeter, looked shorter on the etrex but involved a monster climb in the dark.
Had a very rough third night, stopping at every garage and shelter I came across. Had enough of climbing and chose the A303 expecting the SWesterly to blow me home only it had turned round, so grovelled into a headwind all the way back. With the last 120k into London thro the rush hour, not nice.
I stopped at maybe a dozen bus shelters which I can now mark on the etrex for future use. What the LED lights, floro jackets, 24hr petrol stations GPS and mobile phone this long distance game is a lot easier then it used to be!
