The picture below is the sodden welcome at Tavistock after Hugh (on the right) and I had hurtled down the hill from Mary Tavy into the town centre to meet friends from the West Devon Greens. I had to pour water out of my shoes and was pretty fogged as to how I could manage to carry on  to Plymouth. So I waddled down into the market and found a launderette. Took my chance, having politely asked the ladies there if they minded – yup, they giggled a bit – only one person in there at the time and she giggled a bit too. So I stripped to my undies and everything went in, shoes, gloves, rucksack an’ all – for a good 20 minutes – while I attempted to warm my feet up on the glass of the drier. I s’pose it was quite funny – a bit like that 11 o’clock ‘coke’ ad – but customers didn’t really seem to have a fit …….. and to be honest, I couldn’t care! Mind you, if I’d been 30 years younger, there might have been some action.

Message to all cyclists: the new route from Tavy to Plymouth is just fantastic – even the haul up to Yelverton through the woods – stunning. Has to be done. But this is offset by the confusing options around Lydford – which still seem all wrong. No worries – made it!