Day Zero: Let the adventure begin!
Perhaps unsurprisingly I woke up at 4am this morning… safe to say I am very excited and very nervous. I did eventually drift off again but not for long. Time to pack.
Despite my best effort to pare back to the absolute minimum of clothing it’s immediately apparent that I have overpacked. The bike weighs an absolutely ton but what to get rid of?
Jo and I say our goodbyes at the doorstep and I’m off. I managed not to get all weepy but that’s only because I will see her again in about 45 mins at Paddington Station. I am certain that the big goodbye won’t be so straightforward! The 9ish mile ride to Paddington reveals two things:
1. The sat nav (Garmin Edge 1000) does not seem to be recording distance or climbing. Disappointing. It was working before so will hopefully sort itself out.
2. The bike is really (and I mean REALLY) heavy!
Meet up with Jo, grab something to eat (who knew there was no Pret at Paddington?) strap the bike safely into the guards carriage and then settle into the quiet coach on the 12:05 to Penzance. Now I have got five hours to decide which t shirt I don’t really need and whether or not I can manage with anything less than the optimum number of pants (it’s fourteen in case you were wondering).
Arrived safely and on time and for the second time today I have to say goodbye to my lovely wife as she gets into a taxi and heads off to the Lands End Hotel. We will meet again in about an hour but it’s not getting any easier to say goodbye. It’s certainly not made any easier by the fact that it is blowing a hooly and teaming with rain. Not the most auspicious start to our adventure. Oh well, it’s only 9 miles and surely the weather must get better, mustn’t it?
The weather didn’t get any better… I am absolutey soaked!
I don’t mind getting wet so much when I know there is a hot bath and and a comfy bed at the end of the day, but how am I going to cope for the next two weeks with just a flimsy bit of canvas?
Nice meal at Ben Tunnicliffe at Sennen to end the day and then ready for sleep. The proper challenge starts tomorrow.