Babbacombe Day 2

Right. First up, not many photos today because the weather was so bad. It was an eventful day. All bad but I’m warm and tucked up in bed now so I can call it an epic.

The forecast hadn’t promised much and to be honest, when I woke I expected rain but a look out the window and it was just low cloud.

Breakfast in a drawer done, I left about 9.30am and headed back into town taking the road up past the pub, as I expected, but the Garmin complained. Seems the route I had chosen vs the route I expected were different (I had 3 versions today). After a short climb out the village I was descending quickly down over the M5 to the A38 for a quicky then right to Berkley.

I was in and out of Berkley in the blink of an eye then the rain started. From here to Bristol the lanes are really good, a little rough in places but really quiet. With the rain coming down hard I just tried to keep warm and avoid the puddles that were building. I started to feel I was chafing so I pulled over in a bus stop and applied some cream out of the rain.

My route eventually brought me back to familiar roads on the outskirts of Bristol as I climbed back up under the M5 to the Blaise Castle Estate and Henbury. From here I was riding through a housing estate before I found the cycleway that takes you over the River Avon adjacent to the M5. It’s great but makes you realise how chaotic and noisy motorways really are.

Traverse done, I scooted back under the M5 on another trail direction Portbury Docks before a sharp left and back over the M5 again following the Avon Cycleway by Gordano Services. Here you cross the main road just off the motorway junction and you’re on the back roads to Clevedon.

I know this route quite well from riding it in the dark when I’ve stayed in Bristol with work. It’s nice and quiet but soaking wet and mucky in the rain. The weather was pretty relentless. I wasn’t cold. Pushing on was keeping my core temp warm and I was nearing Yatton now, ready for a cafe stop at the head of The Strawberry Line.

I arrived at the cafe in reasonable time and wheeled my bike around the back so it was safe. The cafe wasn’t busy so I downed a coffee and beans on toast. While I was in there the weather had got worse. When I left I was really cold but my Garmin wouldn’t restart. I took it back inside to try to dry it under the hand dryer but a reset gave me a message ‘system software missing’ then a few failed reboots eventually killed it. No more Garmin. I tried a few things to revive it but I had to accept it was dead and I was navigating myself for the 2nd half. after about 30 mins I decided to go. Shivering from the cold I set off and hit The Strawberry Line. The first couple of miles I contemplated just turning around and catching the train. I couldn’t get warm but I persevered and then I began to warm up. The trail was riddled with puddles so I gave up trying to avoid them and just focussed on riding. I had 99% of it to myself. It was deserted.

The trail briefly ended at Axbridge and then continuedon the other side of the village past Cheddar reservoir which, ironically, looked half empty. After the trail ended I was on the B3151. I’d noted I needed to stay on this road now through Wedmore and all the way to Westhay which worked out. The rain couldn’t decide what it wanted to do. Sometimes a light drizzle, sometimes torrential. Spirits were ok though and the legs felt good.

From Westhay I had to check my phone a couple of times as I was back into back lanes. My planned route was derailed by a closed road so I had to try and remember the route I took to Bridgwater on the Mendips and Quantocks Gravel ride a few weeks ago.

After crossing a busy A39, I was back in the lanes and sign surfing from village to village I recognised until I finally got to the River Parrett and it’s riverside trail on the outskirts of Bridgwater.

I got a bit lost here then found the right lane to be on with a bit of gravelly towpath thrown in. The first section was fine but the second section had a very narrow gravel path which was sunken. Fatigue meant I meandered a bit and I washed my front wheel out on the grass and I came off and gamboled into a load of brambles. FFS. Pride hurt I picked myself up, right leg bleeding and carried on only to do it again 100m further on. This time I matched my legs and did the left one.

I was fucked off now and just wanted to get it done. The rain had stopped and I had a tailwind. I got off the towpath and headed south tracking the M5 to my right only to be greeted by a lane full off hedge cutting debris. I think I even shouted FFS out loud. Not sure how I didn’t puncture. Fucking farmers not clearing up their shit.

Then, finally I saw a sign for Creech St Michael, my destination, which was mostly downhilll to my digs for the night.

I felt really guilt when they let me in grimed to the max. They gave me an old towel to wipe my bags down which were covered in shit. I took my shoes and socks off and wiped my feet so I could walk through their pristine lounge.

I went for a shower and dropped my cycling shorts and a load of rabbit dropping dirt pellets fell out the crack of my arse all over their bathroom floor which I had to carefully pick up and dispose of. 6hrs of grime right there.

I don’t normally do long showers, they’re normally just functional for me, but I spent a good 10 mins in this one as hot as I could take it.

Feeling human again, a little later the owner dropped me off at the pub where I demolished a burger and a few pints of Proper Job.

I’m back home now and ready for bed. Tomorrow looks wet again early on. Lets hope the bike hasn’t seized up.

Today was about 80 miles, 70 yesterday and 60 tomorrow. I may have lost my rides on the Garmin. 🫣

Adios.