DAY 3

Usuall 7.30 alarm call.... Yawn!!!
Did not feel too good this morning. I think I was becoming imune to the derrier cream and I was very sore all over plus my bad hip was not playing the game and was painful.
Anyway as Bri always says no pain no gain so after overdosing on anadins asprins and other pills to hand off I set. Leaving Nia to try and escape from the campsite as best she could.The ride up to Portishead was a good start to the day along the B3124 good road surface light traffic. ( Always wanted to see what Portishead was like because it was the place we always called up on the radio from all over the world so as to connect to the uk telephone system and make calls home when I was in the Navy)"Portishead Radio, Portishead radio Portishead radio this is MV Ardshiel ... Can you tell Taffs mum that he needs clean underwear" ( not quite but you can get the general idea( pre mobile phones)

From Portishead it was the A369 to junction 19 M5. This was a cyclists nightmare, 4 lanes of traffic and me not quite sure which way to go. Almost ended up going down the M5 towards Lands End.

It was the a bit of Tricky suck it and see navigation through Easton in Gordano( sounds like a 70s porn star!!!) to try and find the cycleway across the Avonmouth Bridge. This was tricky as the signs seemed to contradict each other and pointed in all directions through a housing estate.

I asked a lady who turned out to be of Germanic origin and she was very helpful( Im sure she was Catherine Tate actually)10 minutes later she was still following me pointing and giving me directions.Over the Avon bridge there was an exellent cycle path running along the M5.

It was then the A403 through an industrial estate that seemed to be the size of Wales. It was quick cycling not very scenic but it got me to the old Severn Bridge where I was glad to see that the Camper van and Nia had escaped from the Land that Time foregot in Clevedon.

It had been a long and tiring morning and at this stage I really had doubts as to completing the days ride.

Following a hearty beans on toast with an extra egg or was it egg on toast with an extra bean? I set off across the severn bridge which had fantastic views ( took a bit of video footage here)

It was then the A466 up the Wye Valley and this was a brilliant ride up to monmouth, fantastic scenery hardly any traffic and good road surface.

However in Monmouth I missed the A466 and ended up on the horrific A 40( This should be avoided by people in Sherman Tanks nevermind cyclists)Steep hill with never ending traffic made me feel awful( thats a nice word for how I felt)

Had changed plans in Monmouth and had decided to cycle on to Kingsland to stay at a friend's house for the night.In Hereford got separated from Nia and the Camper van and decided to slog out the A4110 on my own towards Kingsland. Two hours later as if it was a Brian Rix farce Nia came out of one junction and I passed straight in front of here. Unbelivable!!!!

Had to stop by this roadsign which seemed to sum it all up for the day Wobbly Little Dilwyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had a fantastic nights rest at Glenda's and as usuall she fed and watered Nia and me. It was a much needed pit stop and I felt much better the following day.

MILEAGE 80

Ride Time 6 hrs10

Punctures 0

Problems Very very tired!!! Saddle sore,Pedal fell off again, Route finding was not easy am.