Distance cycled: 59.2 miles
Ascent: 4,274'
Distance from Lands End: 67.3 miles.
Cornwall and Devon have a bad reputation among LEJOGers for being hilly. Consequently I'd planned this day and tomorrow to be short days mileage wise, with longer days for flatter terrain once out of them. But to be honest today wasn't too bad. 4,274' in 56 miles (which was what Strava said it would be, but we missed some turnings and had to backtrack) with loaded panniers seemed a lot, but given a low enough gear and no intention of attacking the hills, they were easy. I feel scared to say it in case it comes back to bite tomorrow, but they weren't hard. I rarely even left the big ring. I've had harder days on the South Downs.
Highlight of the day, apart doing it, finding it wasn't hard, and cycling through some lovely countryside, was arriving at the Lappa Valley railway - a steam attraction - just as the train was about to leave the station. Ok, it's only a minature railway, mainly for families and children, but how often do you see a working steam train these days? :-) 'When I were a lad' steam was still powering trains and there was a track near our house where the younger me, just old enough to venture out by himself, used to go and watch in awe as they passed. Steam is magic. I never did want to be a train driver though :-)
Soon after passing the railway I saw a roadie on a very bling road bike just ahead, looking like he was waiting for someone. He recognised me before I recognised him - we'd met before on a BHF London to Brighton ride (my last sponsored ride). It was Tobias, Nick's nephew, who had come out to meet us and cycle with us the rest of the way to Lanivet. Tobias lives in Bodmin and Nick had given him our route. Nick's highlight was probably seeing his nephew's new baby for the first time - 8 months old. Surely much more significant than a steam train.
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