Day 3- Exeter to Bristol - projected distance 70 miles.

An easier day today, although still a 73.5 mile slog, mainly up the A38. I was of course sustained by the thought that I was heading home, if only for one night.

Waved off by Shirley and Paul at the B&B in Rewe, just outside Exeter, I started the day by missing a turn on my GPS. I think I was dashing down a downhill section at the time. This meant I headed towards Tiverton rather than Cullompton, but this was easy enough to correct. It meant a few miles along the busy A361, where a Primark lorry decided to see how close to me he could drive. I may have to ask my wife to stop shopping there (ha ha).

After that, it was on to the A38, essentially all the way to Bristol. This was not the most interesting of rides - this was a more functional ride, ploughing north and getting the miles done. The good news was that on leaving Devon for Somerset, the countryside rolled more gently, with much smaller inclines for me to conquer. This was a relief, as I have noticed my legs are not feeling as strong as at the start. No surprise there, really.

A garage stop in Bridgwater - so called, I think because it features a bridge over water - provided me with some more water and Ribena, then it was on to Bristol. With about 20 miles to go I realised with horror that I was going to come back into town on the airport road, which meant climbing Wrington Hill. This is a hill of Devonian proportions - as the profile below shows.

All in all, not an exciting day, but I covered the miles, and without even getting wet. No rain today, and the sun was blazing as I rode into Bristol. Not bad.

Tomorrow brings my shortest ride of the trip - just 45 miles - so the plan is for a morning at home, catching up with some work, before an afternoon trip.