I didn’t do sports in high school. I’m ashamed to say I looked down on athletes while I spent all my time practicing viola or studying. My sixteen-year-old self might be mortified to see me now.
Part of this was because I am dreadful at any sport involving a ball (pretty much all American team sports). However, I’d cycled the two miles to school in New York and at the end of every day I would swing my leg over my trusty steel steed and hop away, weaving through traffic and smiling ear to ear. It wasn’t until university that I began swimming and then joined the bike racing team. I haven’t looked back.
Maybe I should have called this the “Giro di Devon” in acknowledgement of the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy), currently on day 6 of 21. Certainly the weather in Devon this week has been Mediterranean, si? Our intrepid correspondent, Gabi Mills, is in Italy right now following the race and providing me with daily bulletins.
Gabi hard at work down south
This morning, I would have liked to explore Dunster more – the castle, church, and all the little shops – but at least I did get a walk in after breakfast.
Dunster Castle
Outside of town, after a bit of winding around, the road started going up in earnest and after around 20 miles of climbing I found myself on what felt like the top of the world.
I’m feeling good but for sure the steep stuff hurts more. I’ve never done five days in a row of sustained climbing like this without even one rest day. I’m still eager to be off each morning but let’s see how I feel on Sunday, oy vey!
Tomorrow – Barnstaple to Tavistock.
We want… a shrubbery!
One that looks nice.
And not too expensive.
If you would like to support my ride and the Ashburton Chamber Music Festival, no donation is too small.
David Yang, Artistic Director, Ashburton Chamber Music Festival
Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.
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