Westward Ho!

No, not the town, just my general direction of travel.   I am setting off tomorrow to continue my trip round the coast.   It's ten years since I started my ride, leaving London to ride up the east coast of England, a fresh-faced, newly retired lad still in short cycling trousers.  With a bit of maths, I have worked out that it makes me ten years older now, and supposedly with ten years experience under my belt, which is why my belt is a bit tighter these days.

I'm re-joining my route tomorrow lunchtime at Bridgwater, after cycling from Taunton station.  I am as excited as ever about starting out into the unknown, but also a bit wary of how my legs will cope.   I have heard there are hills in the south west.   People who have cycled Lands End to John O'Groats say that the south west is the hilliest part of the ride.   There is a place called Exmoor, and something else called Porlock Hill.   Also, I just noticed the Quantock Hills in the picture above.  And the North Devon AONH  (Area of Outstanding Natural Hilliness).    It doesn't help that all the lovely seaside villages have been built at sea level, so most of them involve a steep descent and then ascent again.    With this in mind, and bearing in mind that my legs gave out after about five days (admittedly five days of drizzle and rain) last year, I have not set a target for where I want to get to.   It has never been about the destination; it's about the journey.  And there are loads of gorgeous places that I'm looking forward to seeing.   (Westward Ho! is one of them).

I do hope you will join me for the journey, in spirit at least.   I will aim to post an update and a few photos every day, so please do take a look at this blog to see how I'm getting on.