A Different Day

So far no two days have really been similar.  Today was another good day, but not without its challenges.  There was some sadness that now that we had been to Stonehenge, there wasn’t a tangible goal in the near future, and certainly not today.  Spirits were not buoyed by this amongst the stokers.  Liv, ever quick to come up with solutions, outdid herself in the end.

Yesterday's route to Stonehenge from the phone lady had included a simple way to avoid the “A”roads, which are the more main auto routes.  She wanted us to do a nice 14-mile cross-country journey up over the mountain on tiny field tracks.  When we started down the first (still paved) track, I may have been heard to say something like “Oh, heck no."  We backtracked and rode the “A” roads, which added 5 miles but was all paved.

After yesterday's experience, when the lady suggested that we start today with a nice 3-mile cross-country trek over the hill, we actually considered it.  Much map poring and consideration and consultation eventually led us to give it a try -

Which, after some hike-a-bike and some riding up, some down, ended up with this -

So, after repairing two flats and breaking for lunch by a lovely stream, we were now 2 hours into the day, and a full 3 miles into our 30+.  With the rest of the day on roads, it seemed only reasonable for it to then start raining.  Not constant, not heavy, but an intermittent, warm rain.  Luckily the sign for the Ginger Piggery came up, and after a while some quality time was spent with a couple new friends

The mood improvement from the Ginger Pigs was not long lived. 14 miles from the village we were to begin a 5-mile diversion to the campground that the owner mentioned was “at the bottom of the hill." The crew looked a little haggard at the only store for miles -

Liv then took it upon herself to make everything right, and suggested that if we slogged on to the village, we could then look into getting indoors for the night.  Spirits rose, and while even finding lodging in a town as big (?) as Bruton was challenging, she found us a spot where they were willing to also have the bikes in a service corridor. We will see how sheets feel tonight.  Kids on the floor, but that will be fine for them.  The local pub is well known for its Persian food (aren’t they all?), and so we ate a remarkable quantity of  very good food-

Tomorrow is a reasonably flat 32 to a Caravan Park that is at least on our route.  Or perhaps something different?  At least we will be starting with “The Full English” to help us on our way, wherever that turns out to be...

Still roughly on track for Plymouth in time to see Giorgio before he goes off on a trip, and should be in France this time next week.

-Dave