Wednesday May 1st started well. It was dry and sunny. After pumping up tires and lubing the chain on my bike, I set off for Truro. It was a gorgeous ride often on bridle paths through mining country. I was amazed at how many disused mines I passed by. They dotted the landscape like ruined castles. I travelled along the The Great Flat Lode Trail for a few miles stopping frequently to look at the views and take photos of the disused mines.

Remnants of the Cornish mining industry

Truro

I arrived in the lovely city of Truro and stopped for a look around the town and a coffee and Cornish pasty. I have eaten a few of these since arriving in Cornwall. I loved pasties for lunch when I was in school in the 1970’s but they were nowhere near as delicious as the authentic Cornish pasties I’ve eaten here. The history of pasties is quite interesting and relates to the mining industry in Cornwall. Click here for more information on the Cornish pasty.

I left Truro along a beautiful path along the River Allen. The path was decked out with the white flowers of wild garlic. The perfume of the garlic infused the air. My route took me through Settlement Woods. I was joined by another cyclist called Mike who was back on his bike after a couple of serious surgeries. He beat me up the hill!

Another mechanical issue

At Carland, things started to go wrong and I was forced to travel in some serous traffic due to road works that blocked my path. I turned off the A30 at Mitchell planning to go to a campground, but disaster struck when a piece of metal slashed my rear tire. I spent the next 45 minutes making a temporary repair to the tire with duct tape to get me to a bike shop. I FaceTimed with Jacques to get guidance during the process 😃

Along comes John

At some point a lovely local farmer named John showed up and offered to help. He told me there was a very good bike shop about two miles away and could take me there in the morning. By this point it was 6pm. John had a campground on his farm and a caravan. I ended up spending the evening on Threthvas Farm (Christian community) with John and Emily, their two daughters, and other members of the community. They were very welcoming and gave me dinner, a tour of the farm, and the guest caravan for accommodation. It was an amazing experience and I will never forget their kindness and generosity 🙏

Another bike shop 🙄

In the morning John drove me to the bike shop. My rear wheel rim was slightly bent and I needed a new tire.

I was at the shop for about an hour then Jurie and Jacob from the farm came back to pick me up and drop me off at a safe place where I could get back on my trail. This saved me a few miles and I ended up having a short day spending the evening in Hatherleigh.

Hatherleigh

I rode into Hatherleigh on May 4th, another lovely town. It was a much easier ride compared to the last few days and through beautiful countryside. Again it was a rainy day but mostly just drizzle. Now I’m in Devon.

The statues were in recognition of the devastating effect foot and mouth disease had on farming practices in the surrounding parishes.