Dodger duz Cornwall. [RBR] Long, obviously.

As noted in a previous post, I set off around 9, yesterday morning, to
collect the 4 south western landmarks.

Embankment/Earl's Ct/A4 were deserted. Not just by their standards,
either. Onto the 316, and down past Twickers: still no traffic to
speak of. Weird.

Onto the M3, and it got a bit heavier. Came to a standstill at Fleet
services; presumably due to wonderfully anticipatory driving from
those watching cars emerge from the slip road.

Almost immediately, it cleared again, then I was off onto the A303.

The dual carriageway part was clear as a bell, but around Stonehenge,
where the road narrows, and cars wish to turn off, it came to a
standstill. I slotted in behind a couple on an XJ900, and some
enthusiastic filtering ensued.

This set a pattern for the morning: free flowing movement on the dual
carriageways: numbing inactivity on the single carriageways. It
reached its nadir through a little village, where the oncoming traffic
precluded overtaking, and all seemed to be due to vehicles stopping to
turn right.

kudos to the young lady in the little red Metro 1.1S, who was giving
it the feckin *berries* down one stretch of dual carriageway.

Onto the M5, for two junctions, then onto the A30. Cue more of the
same, traffic wise.

Fuelled up for the second time of the day, turned off A30 at Crowlas,
onto the B3309, then attempted to work out how to get to Rogers'
Tower. Having heard that Castle Granite were less than keen on
visitors, I considered the bridleway as a candidate.

500 yards later, I arrived at a 6' fence, protecting the face of the
quarry. Bugger.

Next option: the farm track to the right. Ask farmer if it leads to a
footpath. Indeed it does. Suggests Castle Granite might be amenable to
a polite request. Well they might, had there been anyone in.

Back to the farm, through three gates, narrowly avoiding a sleeping
cat, I parked up, and set off through a sea of ferns.

Some 45 minutes later[1], sweating profusely[2] I arrived at the
summit. I sat in the shade, and cooled off in the breeze, whilst
having a sly ciggie, and admiring the view of St Michael's Mount in
the distance.

Sufficiently relaxed, I set off back to the bike, glad to have noted
that the bike was parked at the junction of two lines of telegraph
poles. I reckon I could still have been looking for it, otherwise.

After drinking a bottle of Coke, I set off towards St Tudy, where I
got a picture of the village pump. Exciting, innit?

Considering the Tower was 40 pts, and the pump 30, that was a lot of
extra effort, for 10 points.

Back onto the A30, heading home, and then it was left onto the A386 to
Hatherleigh, where I found the sheep farmer's monument quite easily.

Decision time loomed: it was getting quite late (around 7) and I had
one landmark left in Devon. I was also some 240 miles from home.

Soddit, I thought, I'm not riding down to Devon again, for one
picture. So off I trundled.

Found Branscombe easily enough in the dusk, found the church just as
easy. I didn't *know* that the "Stone coffin" was at the church, call
it an educated guess.

So, four out four, and time to go home.

Foolishly, I picked up the A35, as the GPS was recalculating a route,
and I was too daft to wait to let it finish.

Into the outskirts of Bournemouth, having filled up at Bridport
Safeways, then a nice easy rn up the M27/M3 back to town.

A316 to the Hogarth roundabout, over the little flyover and off into
Knightsbridge.

Nice little dust up with a Countach past the NHM, which left me
feeling a lot better about life than him, and then home, through a
largely deserted London. Indoors at 12:15.

Finished the remains of Friday night's curry, then collapsed in my
pit, exhausted after more walking than I'm used to, 14 hours in the
saddle, and 634 miles.

I'm *so* looking forward trying for the last 18 landmarks, starting on
Tuesday. I anticipate lots of walking being involved, too.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C/exTS185C
_/_____\_ ..57146../..13615.../..3157./.19406/.fecked.
|_\_____/_| IMC#4 TPPFATUICG#7 YTC#4 DIAABTCOD#9 PM#5
(>|_|_|<) BOTAFOT #70 two#11 Ignoramus #0001
|__|_|__| BOTAFOF #09 IbW#0 & KotIbW# OSOS#07
\ |^| / WG* BotTOS #6 GP#4 ANORAK#17
\|^|/ 2003 RBR landmarks:81 points:1740 miles:6835
'^'

 

I have unfond memories of Amesbury. I went there in '96 having been
conned into doing the "Stonehenge Stomp" as part of training for the
RAuxAF road marching team. My feet haven't been quite right since.

http://amesburywalkers.users.btopenworld.com/page5.html

Still, I got a badge for my pains. We did the 40km version.

Indeed, but this was "dreadful".

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C/exTS185C
_/_____\_ ..57146../..13615.../..3157./.19406/.fecked.
|_\_____/_| IMC#4 TPPFATUICG#7 YTC#4 DIAABTCOD#9 PM#5
(>|_|_|<) BOTAFOT #70 two#11 Ignoramus #0001
|__|_|__| BOTAFOF #09 IbW#0 & KotIbW# OSOS#07
\ |^| / WG* BotTOS #6 GP#4 ANORAK#17
\|^|/ 2003 RBR landmarks:81 points:1740 miles:6835
'^'

 

Having read your post......

I won`t pretend to understand what drives you to do this.

It`s obvious you enjoy it.

Would`nt it be more fun without GPS and use a more Zen[1] approach?
--
Petel .
02 M2 Buell.
C90-ZZR.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/peteh1/website/index.html

[1] Point the bike at the rough area and hope;-)

 

Erm...

[1] that's my 30 minutes of aerobic exercise for that day ticked off,
then.
[2] I'd foolishly decided to keep my coat on, but having toppled
headlong into brambles a couple of times, I decided it wasn't such a
bad idea after all. I was still brushing fern seeds off me when I got
home.

Another top tip: if you're going to ride around in the sun all day, in
a flip front lid, put the front down if you don't want to look like
the victim of a deranged face painter.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C/exTS185C
_/_____\_ ..57146../..13615.../..3157./.19406/.fecked.
|_\_____/_| IMC#4 TPPFATUICG#7 YTC#4 DIAABTCOD#9 PM#5
(>|_|_|<) BOTAFOT #70 two#11 Ignoramus #0001
|__|_|__| BOTAFOF #09 IbW#0 & KotIbW# OSOS#07
\ |^| / WG* BotTOS #6 GP#4 ANORAK#17
\|^|/ 2003 RBR landmarks:81 points:1740 miles:6835
'^'

 

It's just a thing of getting on the bike. And going. Stupid mileage.
Stupid traffic. Stupid conditions. But, you can say. at the end,
you've done it.

Frankfurt to Bucuresti.

 

I settled for a picture of the tower as viewed from by the farmhouse
at the bottom of the hill on the north side. I have re-read the
rules, and nowhere does it say how close you have to be to take the
picture

Now you have me worried. What you got is completely different to what
I did (no, not the Ram's Head in the village centre) and looks more
convincing. Do I go back or do I argue the toss with David? This
reminds me of the James Brindley memorial last year when I went for
the tree that grew up through the remains of the cottage where he was
born instead of the graveyard memorial. Do a search on Henry Mallet
Veale and see what you think.

 

Indeed it don't. I've had some "distance" shots accepted in the past.

Hmm. A bit obscure, even for David. Then again, he said that this
year's would be trickier. The one I got just seemed so obvious.

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C/exTS185C
_/_____\_ ..58464../..13655.../..3157./.19406/.fecked.
|_\_____/_| IMC#4 TPPFATUICG#7 YTC#4 DIAABTCOD#9 PM#5
(>|_|_|<) BOTAFOT #70 two#11 Ignoramus #0001
|__|_|__| BOTAFOF #09 IbW#0 & KotIbW# OSOS#07
\ |^| / WG* BotTOS #6 GP#4 ANORAK#17
\|^|/ 2003 RBR landmarks:99 points:2100 miles:8000
'^'

 

It is, it is. OTOH is looks so new, was it there when clue was first
used? I am grounded till October anyway [1], so I may not may able to
fit in another run down to Devon in any case.

[1] Work, karting and desparately needing a big 32K service on the
bike.