Day 7 - Thornbury to Fownhope (50 miles)

Sunday, May 29, 2011 (50 miles)
Even the Tour de France riders have rest days. Anybody know where I can get a hold of some EPO? Well I am back in the saddle and it may feel like I’ve got thistles in my shorts and rubber legs but I do appreciate how lucky I am to be able to do this trip.
Today has been an amazing ride; Thornbury, Severn Bridge, Chepstow, Tintern Abbey, English Bicknor, Wye Valley, the lanes, and to finish with, picture perfect Fownhope. Another amazing thing is how I can amuse myself for hours listening to the monologue running through my head (luckily). For example, as I approached the Severn Bridge I remembered the last time I crossed the Severn. It was 1993 and a huge bumble bee hit the windscreen of my Citroen Dyane and came into the car through the open roof. It squirmed on my lap all the way across as I weaved over both lanes trying to get it off without being stung.
IF England was a land of perfect country cottages, South Wales is a land of ancient cars that came too close to my pannier. It was raining and misty when I crossed the Severn and rode into Chepstow. I parked the bike there and had a quick look round and a cup of tea then headed a few miles along the road to Tintern Abbey before turning up the lanes into the hills above the Wye Valley. The River Wye is a very popular canoeing place - take note, Les - because it is shallow and it meanders and is very pretty. My lanes followed it closely which meant nice gradients with plenty to look at. Even when I couldn’t see the water I could hear the canoeists chatting quietly to each other; everyone seemed to be having a nice day today. With three miles to go before my B&B at Fownhope, an old Vauxhall truck came up behind me. I stopped to let it past. It did then it stopped right in front of me, causing me to stop too. A shaggy-haired old man got out and asked where Foy was. I showed him on the map and asked if he was going there. “No,” he said, “Do you know that MP, that Mandelson? Well I reckon he’s got a place there ‘cos he calls himself Lord Mandelson of Foy,” then he got in his truck and drove away.
Today’s B&B is top banana and I’ve had a great chat with Tony about EVERYTHING. FYI Mandelson doesn’t have a place there, he just uses the name.

A stormy Severn Bridge

Good thing to do with straw bales

I am now in the Green Man pub eating asparagus soup and pasta with artichokes. It’s almost like being on holiday.