Day 12 - Tiverton -> Lostwithiel

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
www.justgiving.com/TheHopsons

As you can see, we've reached our beloved Cornwall and what an arrival we had - it felt like the elements had saved themselves for that very moment - our first thunder and lightening and torrential rain - what a welcome!

The boys decided that discretion was the better part of valour and going right over the top of Dartmoor might be a step too far for them and, specifically, FB's knees and bike. FB has now lost 2 spokes in his back wheel so first stop this morning is Halfords in St Austell - it would be pretty tragic if the back wheel gave up between St Austell and Land's End. To that end they skirted round Dartmoor going via Crediton, Okehampton, Tavistock and Liskeard. I'm not sure there were any fewer hills but they were, possibly, slightly less steep. This is just about their first view of Dartmoor and, as you can see, before the rain got going:











































We met for lunch just outside Tavistock and that's when the rain really started - you can see the clouds gathering here:















I know rain always sounds incredibly loud on a campervan roof but this was ridiculous:















and cycling in it was a nightmare:














The sides of the roads had turned to rivers with branches and rocks being washed along - it was all pretty hairy:














And then we reached The Tamar:










































As you can see, they're all a teensy weensy bit wet.

And at exactly the right moment I came along. This is me, literally, crossing The Tamar and discovering that one of my headlights isn't working:














We're now camped at the lovely and very peaceful Eden Valley Holiday Park outside Lostwithiel and this is the view I took on one of my many getting lost detours. The water you can see is the River Fowey:














We were on Radio Devon yesterday - not sure if it was a friend of ours who phoned up or a traffic alert but FB was given some money by a lady who heard that people were to look out for 3 men cycling for H4H through the county and give them a wide berth, a toot and a wave. Bizarrely, our neighbours - Chris and John - passed them on the A38 outside Liskeard - to much tooting and waving. There were some pretty hideous hills and FB's knees are beginning to suffer and even T is admitting to sore quads!

We had a ridiculous incident with a man in a shop we'd stopped at to get more water. At the risk of sounding arrogant, you do get slightly used to people giving you things free or cheaper as you're very obviously cycling for charity. We were in the shop getting water and FB needed some string as the box on the front of his bike was beginning to break and needed tying on. It went a bit like this:
Chappy in the shop rang in the water: "that'll be £5.50 please".
Me (digging out my purse): "OK"
Shop chappy: "I haven't charged you for the string"
Me: "Oh - thank you very much"
Shop chappy (fiddling with his till): "That'll be £6.49".
I paid and sloped out!
Every time FB runs this conversation through his mind he starts giggling.

We're starting to get messages coming in about eta at Land's End tomorrow. The plan is to spend tonight somewhere around Marazion (seems a bit ridiculous and the temptation to go home and sleep in our own beds is very strong but we will resist) and get to Land's End for about 1pm tomorrow (Saturday). When we've set up camp tonight I'll do an update here but - barring back wheel disasters - the plan is to cycle through Marazion, through Pz by going past the station and along the Prom to Newlyn. Turn right at Newlyn Bridge and along Stable Hobba onto the A30 and then A30 all the way to Land's End. G - being sick in the head - quite fancied going up Newlyn Hill but was told, quite firmly, where he could shove Newlyn Hill and, given the state of his chaffing, he has agreed to the other plan.

It is a little known fact that, if you live locally and take your Council Tax Bill with you, you won't get charged for parking at Land's End - this is your customer service announcement for the day.

It almost feels like tempting fate but it will be really fantastic to see everyone tomorrow. As we keep saying, just because lots of people do JOG-Land's End, it doesn't mean it's easy and we know of one chap who got all the way to Pendeen and was then knocked off his bike and couldn't finish. So - it's not over until they cross the line! I'll update tonight and see you all there!

Miles today - 87
Total mileage - 902

PS: I'm still knitting. Could be a very late night tonight.
PPS: The sun is shining!