Bit of an epic today… see below
I stayed over last night with Mark and Jane. Family friends from Plymouth. I hadn’t realised how good a chef Mark was until he basically cooked me 2 meals yesterday evening and full English this morning. As I write its 11 30pm and this morning seems like days ago !

After Mark helped me sort my rack mounts to stop the squeezing (thanks Mark) I trundled off in the sunshine towards The Hoe and en route spoke with a young lady sat on a large flower pot. I asked her directions initially, then had a brief conversation where i asked her “If she believed in miracles ?” She said “She did sometimes” so I followed up and gave her a trypraying booklet (An initiative we are using in North Devon) I said goodbye and continued towards The Hoe only to pass St Andrews Church right next to the Magistrates Courts where Mary and myself used to work. While there, I felt to give The Lord a worship offering and then met a local chap called Mac. We traded stories and then prayed for each other.
My objective was still the Hoe and particularly praying about military connections, pride and the family’s hurting from missing loved ones.

My journey then started in ernest (well kind of) I dropped down to the barbican (see below) and then went across the lock of Queen Anne’s Battery (as its known) off towards Caddsdown and then onto Saltram House. I had a lovely ride up through Plymbridge woods to Yelverton on some lovely trails.

On arrival in Yelverton it was starting to rain. I met with 2 mutual friends for tea, cake and pray for the community’s on Dartmoor. I then continued up and up and up and up (you get the idea) to Princetown. See short video below from my time riding on Dartmoor.
A windy dartmoor https://youtu.be/0rBEdhUEgfM

Well this first section was hard work but the real adventure was still about to start ! I passed Princetown and then it really started to rain. I haid a choice to make 1. Get on with it for the rest of the afternoon 2. Haul up, put a brew on, sort the tarp and wait for it to pass. I chose the latter. I was cold and wet and could easily have got very unpleasant with minimal spare clothes! I decided to get in my sleeping bag under my tarp and sleep.. within minutes I was out like a light. I awoke an hour later to find the rain had stopped and the sun was breaking through. I stowed all my now wet gear and went to start riding only to find I had a puncture! That fixed, I then headed past Two Bridges and then, Post Bridge and onto Moretonhampstead.
My legs were holding up well so I took food in Moretonhampstead only to find an independent Pizza restaurant. (Rude not to! I thought) I then completed the remaining 13 or so miles to Exeter. I was expecting to camp but due to my wet gear I booked myself into a b and b in Exeter to dry my gear out..

Tomorrow Exeter to Bridgewater. Jim








