Babbacombe Day 2

After yesterdays baking I was genuinely a bit nervous if I could take another heat fest like that today.

My room last night was an inferno. I got back from walking around housing estates looking for the co-op and water to literally drip when I got in my room. It was insane. After writing my blog I lay on my bed with nothing over me praying it would cool down. Pants on off course if you were wondering. Tut.

I did get off eventually but my sleep was broken. The bed creaked, the mysterious lodger who I never saw got up at stupid o clock and because all my windows were open, all the neighbours coming home in their cars and on their motorbikes at whatever hour kept waking me up.

I woke up at around 7.30am and just lay there for an hour before getting up, having a shower and sorting my breakfast in a drawer. Coffee, tea, 4 pieces of toast and jam and a bowl of porridge was enough I think.

I thanked my host, retrieved my bike from her garage and was on my way about 9.45am and straight into a bastard climb literally within yards of the front door. It was up a main road before a right at the top and down some stupid lane I’d plotted. Broken surface, 25% and hairpins. What’s not to like. Twat. It was very technical with all the pot holes and gravel. I was heavy on the brakes on the right and knew I needed to be on the left in case of oncoming vehicles so for a split second I let go and flicked across the central mound of gravel and applied the brakes again for the back wheel to kick out. My asshole clenched a bit until I regained control, then at the bottom I seemed to be in some valley surrounded by three hills and began the next climb. It was gentle but eerily silent too. Just me vs the gradient huffing n puffing.

At the top I jumped across a main road and dropped down another stupid single track lane again into Wootton-under-Edge and basically skirted the village. I didn’t see one shop. From here though the road was a rollercoaster for the next few km. Drag, descent, drag, descent. Repeat.

Eventually the roads eased off and I was on flatter roads but then I got deja vu and realised I’d been here before. Then Yes! Back in January for our company party at Tortworth I’d taken my bike and gone for a wet spin around the lanes and here I was again!

I rode into and out of Chipping Sodbury as quickly as I could. Hate the place. Then I seemed to get some legs and a tailwind and get a scoot on until I hit the eastern outskirts of Bristol at Keynsham. From here was a long drag of a climb then the Mendips came into view which was the big climb of the day.

Because of my earlier start, so far the sun had been ok but it was beginning to break through the cloud at times now and remind me of yesterday.

2hrs+ in and I was beginning to think about lunch when, as I rounded a bend a big sign, The Manor Farm Shop, came just at the right moment so I took a right and rode into the courtyard. Heaven. I parked the bike and smashed a toastie, coffee, sprite and refilled my bottle. It was so hot I went to the toilets and soaked my cap in water before I got underway again.

A km down the road was Chew Valley Lake with a Mr whippy ice cream van taunting me. I was actually too stuffed to do one but Sally would never have forgiven me if I had. It’s her favourite.

A couple more km and then the ascent of the Mendips began up a non-descript lane called Ridge Lane. Nothing too bad to start with then the gradient goes mental and it was relentless. I am a knob. Flies buzzing around me, the heat was a killer but in some twisted way I really enjoyed the achievement of getting to the top despite a bit of toastie sick in my mouth. Lovely.

The Mendips have quite a wide plateau on the top so although the steep gradients were done I still had a kind of false flat climb for a few miles before I began the descent towards Cheddar Gorge. The descent before you get to the actual gorge is gentle but enough to freewheel. Gorge included I don’t think I pedalled for 3-4 miles.

The descent was great, made better with no cars behind so I could just sit up, take it in and take some pics before you get to the tourist hell spot at the bottom.

I didn’t stop and got out of there ASAP and into the Somerset levels which you can identify by a lack of connecting roads, roads that are shit because of subsidence and the drains. Irrigation channels of all sizes that have green stuff on top.

Riding through the levels is pretty remote. There is literally nothing about apart from farms, fields and the odd house. They are quiet too. I think the lack of connecting roads prevents rat-running.

At about 4hrs my Garmin complained the battery was low so I stopped to connect my power bank but somehow ended the ride so today’s ride is in two parts until I can stitch them together when I get back home. With sweat pissing out of me I climbed to a really busy main road and dropped off the other side then felt like someone had stabbed my head with a needle. I stopped and took my helmet and cap off and a wasp dropped on the floor. The fucker had stung me. Didn’t even hear it buzz.

There was nothing I could do so I carried on and eventually found the M5 again but as I rode under it my Garmin complained I was off course. I’d missed a cycle path that ran aside a big drain/river thing. This popped out on some road which took me to the A38 and a couple of unpleasant km before back into the lanes and another climb. I was within the last 10km now. Hot and I’d had enough. I just wanted a cold shower and beer in no particular order.

Lanes done I dropped out on the A38 again atop a hill and then a fast descent until I turned left across the M5 then left and a long steady descent into Creech St Michael where I’m staying tonight.

My digs are great. Lovely hosts. I had a shower and walked up the road to find the co-op but found the pub next door and had a few there and food before actually visiting the shop for water and walking back.

My hosts were in the garden. We chatted and it turns out he completed Ironman Wales at the weekend. 16 hrs of swimming, cycling and running so what the fuck am I complaining about? He did it for the BHF so I donated because that’s a shift.

Anyway, my room is not so hot tonight so I may sleep better. We go again tomorrow. More heat, less miles, more climbing. Babbacombe here I come

Over n out.