Sidmouth Adventure

6th August

Big day for me. Up at 7 for a call with my old io mucker Mike Nevin at 0815 then onto the fully packed bike to Paddington Station.

I decided to leave the deckchair strung between the bags off and thank goodness I did

Hello Paddington (the station not the beloved bear)

On arrival the adventure began. For some reason and first time ever I had experienced it they were operating a pre boarding system whereby we were all kettled inside barriers at platform 8 – good I thought but .. the train it turns out was on platform 4 so we had to go up the ramp across the bridge then down two flights of stairs and this is me with a fully laden bike clearly SWR are morons. Anyway I managed and boarded then had to negotiate the infeasibly small bike rack on the train. The hook to secure the bike too narrow for my humongous bike tyres.

My bike is 17kg – heavier eBikes are gonna be tricky

Journey to Exeter uneventful and bang on time. I then had to go up the stairs and over bridge again from Platform 4 to 1B for Exmouth train for my destination Digby and Sowton – on this chugger ofva train I managed by putting bike in wheelchair area despite me seeing after 10 minutes that bikes were forbidden in that spot and wondering before then why the guy in the electric wheelchair was giving me shitty looks.

Disembarked and then started my 13 mile cycle to Sidmouth … without water. 15 minutes in I was gasping. Also, my middle gears were slipping so the bike workshop where Cam was dicking about showing me how to index my gears has royally fucked them up. I stopped and fiddled with the barrel adjuster on the derailleur (that until Tuesday I did not know existed) but to no avail.

Cycle was quite nice on quiet roads but was struggling to read google maps on iPhone in sun until I tried turning up the brightness! Consequently had to backtrack 5 mins at one point but after that way finding was all good.

One hour in with 19 mins to go I was gasping when I came across an oasis..,

A pint of lager and a water bottle fill was had

However, what kind of idiot doesn’t check the lid on his newly filled water bottle before laying it on top of his bag with his clothes in? This idiot (see later)

After sustenance, idiot got back on bike for the short ride to the camp site. And my first encounter with a person (this trip) from the West Country. Within seconds I was wondering why I had left zone 1. Slow of mind doesn’t describe how slow. 10 mins later and a bunch of useless information imparted I checked in with next slow of mind person – dear god it was painful.

That done I found (I think) an ok place to pitch – when I get back later all will be revealed and hopefully tent still there (was all good).

Pitched tent and all was going swimmingly until I opened kit bag to find water had leaked all over most of my clothes – what a twat. it was quite warm still so I laid them out on floor of tent porch hoping they would dry – time will tell (they didn’t).

I scouted out loos, shower and water fill point.

I then attempted another engagement with a slow of mind volunteer to buy a bus ticket – 10 mins later and what seemed like unnecessary bureaucracy I boarded bus for 10 minute trip into Sidmouth – you cannot walk as the road has no pavement and is busy (again why did I leave zone 1 where walking is a thing?).

Arrived in town and hot footed it to the Ham marquee to get a ticket for Kate Rusby – I didn’t realise my day season ticket didn’t include this … they do seem to charge for everything – it is quite the money making machine this place.

Ticket procured I sat and had a beer then wandered Sidmouth – got a strong vibe I had been here before so checked in with sister Jane who was no help. But, convinced I’ve been here years and tears ago – the lifeboat station in particular gave me very string deja vu vibes – I vaguely remember a massive eel having its head smashed in near here back in the 1970s …

Some pickies

I cannot decide whether it is nice or an utter shithole … certainly little or no mobile signal anywhere so you can see why everyone hates London where there is (generally) a signal – except on the trains.

Wandered then found a nice place on seafront called Marine – they squeezed me in literally – every table was booked (even mine from 1930) so I sat and drank and eat a nice fish and chips (though not as good as Kennedys), two old fashions, F&C and a dessert.