Just one wing. No more. :P

Three weeks ago, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and self-inflicted agony that would take me across the United Kingdom, from my hometown to the nation's capital. After four days of near-constant peddling, I completed a challenge I set for myself several years ago, and naturally I had to take some snaps along the way to share with you. ^__^

Getting up earlier than planned in my hotel, I enjoyed a leisurely buffet breakfast overlooking a busy intersection next to one of Cardiff's most famous pubs. Back up to digest that for a bit and pack, and to speak on the phone with my uncle, which I do almost every weekend. In fact, our conversation was so enjoyable that I actually ended up leaving about half an hour late (whoops!). But, having arrived in Cardiff almost an hour ahead of schedule on Friday, I was sure I could make up that time on the way.

Today's leg would take me from Cardiff into England via the Old Severn Bridge, and to the ancient city of Bath. Today's journey is about 10 miles longer than yesterday's and I split it into longer legs with fewer, but longer 20-minute breaks after each. I chose to stop at Bath for two reasons: first, it's a convenient stop-off point on the route, and second, it was where my legs gave out last time. As a brief aside, my thinking behind planning this trip was that if I made it to Bath, then no matter what came afterwards would be a personal best for me, and that if I made it to Reading, it would seem pointless to give up when I'm at the furthest west point of London's public transport system. But that's tomorrow's journey; for now, we're off to the city of the hot springs!

Surprisingly, there isn't really a cycle route between Cardiff and Newport, not one that's marked for much of the way, anyway. So I simply followed one of the many roads out of Cardiff to the east, picked up roads for agricultural traffic along the coast and through the Gwent flats (you can guess the terrain based on the name), and then picked up National Cycle Route 88 again to take me into Newport. Passing the old Transporter Bridge in Newport signalled my rejoining of National Cycle Route 4, which I would continue to follow for most of my way to London. I stopped for a coffee near the Usk river, still feeling good after my hearty breakfast.

The route from here almost exactly mimicked the route I took almost two years ago. I continued along the flats to the town of Caldicot, where I gorged myself on a sandwich and drink, and then proceeded to Chepstow, my final stop on the western side of the Welsh border. My route deviated a little from the one I took last time, most likely because this time I was doing it in the light, and saw the correct way that I needed to go (though the hill up to the town wasn't any nicer on the cycle path than it was on the road). I actually stopped in the same pub that I stayed in last time, and feeling suitably full, I simply ordered some ice-cold water and half a pint of local cider, and actually took a bit of a longer break due to the good time I was making.

Cycling over the Old Severn Bridge was as magical as before, even more so with clear skies. It was also just a little bit harrowing given the rather breezy conditions, which made the lampposts on the bridge sway back and forth and make a 'cling-cling-cling' sound - when you're cycling at about 10mph, you can't tell if it's the posts or the bridge itself making that noise, and I didn't want to stop and find out. But, fear aside, I made it safely to Aust, but forewent the customary 'taking a picture by the Welcome to England sign' tradition, because another cyclist was using it as a rest stop. Classy.

With part of NCR Route 4 still closed, I picked up the A403 heading south, and the road bike did what it was born to do. For once, I had the wind at my back, and the Daicycle absolutely flew down that road. The result of that was, even with a longer break in Chepstow and a big hill up to Cribbs Causeway motorway services, I still arrived 5 minutes ahead of schedule. Here, after a stop at DcMonalds, I would leave NCR Route 4 for the last time, picking up NCR Route 16 to skirt around the outside of Bristol, going through Filton and passing the hotel where Just Fur the Weekend used to be held (R.I.P Jefty :<). I also passed the Airbus factory in Filton, where they apparently decided to put a wing by their entrance, presumably in case anyone had any shadow of a doubt about what AIRbus does.

My final stop was at the Emerson's Green shopping centre, and with the evening sky clear and bright, I watched some of the evening departures coming out of Bristol Airport before continuing on my way. I rejoined NCR Route 4 at the 1869 Mangotsfield Railway Station, the skeleton of an old station of a line long closed, on a section called the Bristol and Bath Railway Path. Part of the path is still a working heritage railway, and cycling past the few miles of track it operates I promised myself I'd be back to cycle along it while there's a steam engine going by, just for the novelty. Before long, the ornate limestone buildings of Bath were in sight - when they weren't being obscured by the trees - and as you can imagine for a student town on a saturday night, the city centre was heaving.

I eventually found my hotel, and after parking my bike next to another bike that was the exact same make, model, and colour as mine, I checked in, deposited my belongings, showered and changed, and heading back out. You see, whenever I visit Bath, I have to eat at one very specific place, and my hotel was just around the corner from it. If you're ever in Bath, go to the Raven pub, and have one of their pies. Trust me, you won't regret it. Pie consumed and feeling a very fat and happy Shep, I retired to my hotel room, which admittedly was a step down from my room in Cardiff (no bath, for starters), and I thought ahead to tomorrow's journey. The longest day of the journey, and the day that would make or break me...

Hope you enjoy!