A Temwa Odyssey: Cycle Pain-Blog

When you do a sponsored run, cycle, swim, bungee-jump, or you-name-it other activity, I always feel there should be a pain-blog. A blog which proves that the challenge you undertook was, well, challenging.
So to prove that our Odyssey from Bristol to Devizes and back was every bit worth your donation to Temwa, I've copied and pasted the first few books of Homer's finest below and done a global find and replace on Odysseus ('me and Leah') and other pesky terms like Ithaca ('Devizes') and Cyclop's cave ('the tent').




With the wind in our sails, and thinking of sweet Penelope, me and Leah set off from Bristol at 10am as part of a group of 23 Temwa cyclists. Lots of us knew the 16 mile stretch from Bristol to Bath along the converted railway path which goes up a gradual incline for half of the way, then pretty much levels out. It's nicely tarmacked and the only real obstacle is the number of people frolicking around in the pathway teaching their kids - wobbling precariously - how to cycle.

By the time we were through Bath, heading in the direction of Bradford-on-Avon along the Kennet and Avon canal, it was a wearying level of balmy heat. It felt like a long way, on such a hot day, and we were seduced by ice cream, cold drinks and dappled shade on offer at the Crossed Guns in the idyllic hamlet of Avoncliffe. All a little too close to napping, we struggled against the fetters of fatigue and advanced before we were all turned into pigs.

From Bradford-on-Avon, the even towpath becomes a rough, narrow gravel track, which covered us and our bikes with a good glaze of dust. I have never been so covered in dust. On the plus side, peering through the layer of towpath on our faces, we could see lots of attractive, well-kept narrowboats, bedecked with plants and dogs and solar panels. There's an odd sense of satisfaction when you overtake boat after boat as they pootle along at 5mph, navigating the succession of locks along the canal.

Soon, wearied and a fraction sun-kissed, we arrived at the Three Magpies in Seend, a village near Devizes, where we set up camp. We were fed and watered by the somewhat nervy proprietors, had an evening stroll, and hit the sleeping bag before 11, tired from the day's exertion.

The next day, after a hearty breakfast of toast, egg, beans, mushrooms, and hash browns, we set off on our sure-to-be arduous journey back to Bristol. Actually, we flew along, and clocked a pretty satisfying 10.2mph average speed as a group. Psychologically, going back was a lot easier. We recognised the terrain, the distance to the next stop was quantifiable, we weren't left thinking 'agh, when will the pain end?!', and it wasn't a massive shock to the ole' leg muscles by then.

We steamed along to our lunch stop of the Jolly Sailor in Saltford (we had goats cheese tarts, for the nones), then arrived back in Bristol in record time, able to pick our camping gear up from the Temwa drop-off point, and hot-footed our separate ways (me to catch a train, sticky and dust-covered; Leah to make fiction happen).




Thanks to everyone who sponsored me and or Leah in this our latest daring cycling adventure. I'm sure the above trials, tribulations, pain, sweat and dust-covering are proof that every penny was worth it. Not to mention, of course, the actual useful stuff Temwa will be able to do with your donation, like sending kids to school, HIV education, and running sustainable development programmes. So thanks again, all, and watch this space!