Up and away early this morning (8.15) and back on the A38. Breakfast and coffee from snack van and just kept plugging away with some good running in the afternoon. Got the 18 miles to Bridgwater done. Some extremely tattooed people in Bridgwater. I know you shouldn't judge a
town on two roundabouts and the Sainsbury's caff but seriously guys Bridgwater looked grim.
Left the place by the A39 in the direction of Minehead. Now I had fun on the A38, road running is fine as long as there is some kind of footpath which there was even if it was often busted or weedchoked or both. The A39 is a whole different game. There's no footpath so you're running at the edge of the road with the traffic coming at you. And for miles it has been up and down and twisty with endless blind corners. And there's usually not even a grass verge to throw myself onto if think I'm close to being hit. I keep having to take a break out of sheer nervous exhaustion.
When I saw the signs for Coleridge's Cottage and for Porlock I distracted myself by reciting Kubla Khan. 'Caverns measureless to man' and all that.
As it was getting darker I decided it was just plain stupid to stay on the road so I'm camped in a little wood just outside the village of Holford still about 15 miles short of Minehead and the start of the Coastal Path. Should get there late tomorrow morning.
Nice warm day today by the way.
Still thinking about you and reading about your travels. Has anyone told you you're slightly amazing??
ReplyDeleteSmiles from Canada..... Anita :)
Hi Joe - Following your progress with great interest. There could be a long-running tv series on this. Really impressed with your energy and endurance, but put this down to the mars bars. Will keep tuning in to see the last days of your journey and your final glory.
ReplyDeleteSeems a long time since Dufton and the teashop that wasn't a teashop. By the way we think the female astronaut was Valentina Tereshkova.
Good luck with the home stretch!
Pat & Margaret