Day 8 - Dursley to Silverton

The morning started as well as it could - at least in this strange cycling world. We felt it the best coooked breakfast of the trip. Local butcher's sausages and bacon by the truckload. Ok - are you bored now?!

Philip, keen to have a 'bloggable' moment, and Isabelle, very kindly drove with purpose to get some new yellow cleats (attachments to the cycling shoe that clips into the pedal) for Guy and James. Exemplary work from the support team!!

We left the favourite b&b that we have stayed in, past the sheep and the ponies in the fields, out of the long driveway and another 100 miles we go seeing different levels of patriotism!

It was the hottest morning of the journey and we feared the worst. Steve set of at Linford Christie speed - unfortunately for him there was a slight detour while 'Tom Tom' woke up (the machine, not Steve) and found the correct route to the A38.

Guy also got off to a surprisingly quick start - not being a quick starter normally - and we were soon into our usual routine.

The pace was relaxed compared to day 7, despite the late start. We soon hit Bristol - the worst bit, we hope. Then, just as all was going well, Steve's tyre stopped spinning and we had to stop as it jammed once again against the frame. Cue Philip, keen for another blog worthy moment, and Isabella, to help Steve change his tyre.

We pressed on, keen to arrive at our end destination as quickly as possible, as always. The headwinds and some of the the steepest hills we've encountered yet didn't help, but charged with our ever growing thighs, or at least we like to think, we motored on. The hills were so steep that it gave Guy, the 'prowling ginger cat', another opportunity to break the speed record - 46.7 mph into a headwind, despite having promised his mother that having hit 45.8 mph, he didn't need to take it any further. Slightly insane.

On we went - it felt like forever, we passed many a cider producer. We arrived at our final destination since day two, 6:45pm. Andrew and Jane (Guy's parents), and Philip and Isabelle (Steve's parents) were just warming up with their first drink when the slightly charged up trio arrived earlier than expected, thirstier than you can imagine. A steak and chips each and a few bottles of wine meant a merry evening was had by all. Surely this marathon will end soon. Salcombe, beware of the arrival of Guy Stebbings, he's on the rampage!