Our first stop was Tavistock cycles, where Robert's bike had its gear change adjusted. I got some glasses with clear lenses- it hasn't been bright enough for shades, and it's useful having something to keep dust and bugs out of the eyes.
On then towards Okehampton, keeping Dartmoor to our right. The clouds were low and seemed to rest on the hilltops, creating quite an atmospheric scene.
The best place name of the day was Sampford Peverell. I could imagine a novel starting with: Sir Sampford Peverell enjoyed nothing more of an afternoon than to go to the Athanaeum Club and sit in his favourite armchair, reading the Times and snorting with disapproval at what he found in it. He had made his money in gold mining. .....
The hills weren't as tough today, and there were a few stretches of flat road where we could make good progress. However, we had lots of enforced stops going downhill. It seemed that just as we wanted to build up speed to take us up the other side of the valley, something would happen. Once it was roadworks, another time a tractor stopped, then Robert had a puncture while speeding downhill.
The steep valleys gave way to more gently rolling scenery, and cows started to appear in fields as well as well as sheep.
Compared to some of the charming towns that we passed through, I didn't warm to Taunton. It also seemed to be entirely closed at 5:30.
Leg index- 5 don't ask me to go down stairs
Saddle sore index - 3 amazing, all things considered
Hill index- 7 some good ones
Falls score: Robert 1, Douglas 2
Breakages etc. 2: gears and 1 puncture
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