June 17 2017 Farnborough to Land’s End Cornwall.

We were on the road by 9:00 am this morning on the way down to Land’s End.  Google made the distance 262 miles and 4 hr 44 min.  Jos was saying 10 hours. We were close to about 6.5 hours and we never stopped for lunch.  We did however have a 30 minute delay where a double decker tour bus and a motorhome were trying to get past each other on a small road.  

The scenery along the road was very impressive; large rolling hills with stone walls and green pastures.  Off in the distance you could catch glimpses of the ocean.   At one point we drove past Stonehenge.  It is not on the tour until later in the week we did not stop (but I was still impressed anyway).   I did catch a couple of photos out the van window.   The road down to Land’s End starts as a multi lane divided highway and narrows down until it becomes a track.  

As the day was so nice we decided to go do the Land’s End museum and visitor center this afternoon and then skip it tomorrow which is the first days ride.  We will still ride past it so visiting it early will not actually shorten the ride.   The little museum at the visitor center did have a lot of interesting facts on the trip.  It is the longest distance in the UK and it has been traversed in all manner of ways; everything from walking to bike to wheel chairs.  Plus a myriad of the unusual such as walking backwards, motorized tool shed, motorized toilet seats, crawling, roller skates etc.  It also noted that only 3000 people per year actually complete the journey.  While still a large number compared to how many cross the United States which is only around few hundred it is dwarfed by pilgrimages such as the Camino de Santiago which numbers around 250,000 per year.  So a little patting on the back as we are in an elite group. 

The views from the visitor center are totally amazing.  Huge cliffs with crashing waves.  WOW.   The visitor center is kind of commercial as they want 4 Pounds to park and 10 pounds to have the privilege of taking your picture under the Land’s End markers sign. 

Supper was in an amazing old pub in St Jude and down to Cape Cornwall for sun set.   We are staying in the guest house of a 1900 century manor house which is now a golf course. It has been totally modernized and is totally stunning. 

Tomorrow is the first ride day.  We have 53 miles and close to 4000 feet of climb.  I haven’t been on a bike since April 5 so a little bit of trepidation.  Surly is mounted with a 28 inner rink in front and with 32 large rear rings.  However Patrick’s bike has a 24 inner front ring and a 38 on the back and he is talking about how tough the hills look.

Terry