Phew what a scorcher!

What a day! For once on this trip we got exactly what the forecast said we'd get; hot all day, the cyclists' tan is coming on very nicely. We left Shrewsbury on time at about 9 o'clock and followed the A49 South through Church Stretton, Ludlow and Leominster; lovely places all. From the cyclists point of view it was a great ride because although the road was quite busy it was beautifully smooth, which adds a couple of miles per hour and also makes the cycling physically easier because there isn't as much vibration coming through hands and wrists. After Hereford Stu made a good call on the route and took us down the back roads to Monmouth, which was less busy but even more beautiful than the main road. Unfortunately as we'd almost run out of Barbara's baps we had to stop at a pub for lunch and, a first for this week, a pint en route. Even better for us about three miles up the road we met up with Sarah and Maria who had a pastie for us, so two lunches in twenty five minutes! I love cycling! For me the most beautiful part almost of the entire ride came after Monmouth when we cycled along the Wye valley, especially past Tintern abbey which, while it doesn't have the spectacular intimidating nature of the Great Glen, is an absolutely picture perfect English countryside scene (although it might actually be in Wales!) For a few hours or so we followed the valley and it wasn't absolutely clear whether we were in England or Wales; certainly, after crossing the severn bridge we "returned" to England and after a trip through the outskirts of Bristol we came to the city centre, from where I write this. Tomorrow we're going to do a long run down to Okehampton or even to Launceston from where we'll make our last run on Saturday. Sarah and Maria are planning to set off early (with us) and visit the eden project before meeting up with us later.