Day One

I wasn't expecting to be that nervous. Possibly it was the wind and rain rattling the windows all night and wondering if the gale was still pointing in roughly the right direction. Anyway by the time I arrived at the start my stomach was in a half granny, full twist double sheep shank.
My anxiety was not helped when I found I was sharing the start-line with 150 proper cyclists - all shaved legs and not a cycle clip between them.
Anyway I found a gap among the staggered starts, hit the road and set about getting overtaken, again, and again, and.... After half an hour of this I started to feel something was wrong. Surely I'm not that slow? So as each new whizz kid went passed I yelled after them "Drug Testing ahead" Just to see how they reacted.
But in an hour they had all disappeared - either taken another route or, and this is my guess, were hiding.
So by just after Penzance I was on my own. By this time the wind had got very angry - hammering the slab-fronted grey houses and making me thank God it was on my side. They have bus shelters like bunkers down here, and I could see why. Just going for a walk must be considered an extreme sport...it was WILD.
After the early excitement of the start, and sharing the road with 150 other cyclists, things then began to settle down into a reasonably relaxed tedium.
The A30 is dull, hilly and busy. The last 80 miles of it delivered only two cyclist sightings, and I don't blame you Devon and Cornish cyclists - it's not really the way to see the area.
But for me today it served its purpose and I rolled in to Okehampton in a respectable time having completed 97 miles for the day.
I think I may have nightmares tonight about going the other way on the A30 today. Those two cyclists I did see were going the other way and didn't seem to be doing too well at maintaining forward momentum. My cheery wave was returned with a clenched teeth grimace and a look that said "You ought to try it this way Mr Cheery." No thanks.
My back-up man Nev did a brilliant job today, securing sarnies, keeping a check on me and guiding me in the last four miles to the b&b - which incidentally is very nice - MeadowLea on Station Road.
So, one down 12 to go and 97 miles on the clock.
If you want me I'll be in the bar
Jez




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Location:Okehampton, Devon