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Eclipse 1999 Cycle Tour |
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Wednesday 11-Aug-1999
I had to go to the loo at three o'clock in the morning, an inevitable consequence of buying a two litre bottle of coke in the camp shop the previous evening and drinking most of it. The sky was mostly clear and as I returned to the tent I saw a meteor streak across the sky. Was this a good sign?
When I awoke later it was light and the cloud had moved in. Throughout the morning it varied in thickness but stayed virtually total cover. This was very disappointing. As I walked over to the toilets I suddenly noticed my faint shadow and I whipped round to see the moon moving across the sun. Fortunately I had my solar glasses on me as the sun got brighter briefly and I could see the moon half way across the surface. Then the line in the cloud moved on.
That was all I saw directly of the eclipse. Because the cloud was so total I started to pack the tent. I got my camera set up just in case, and put the GPS on so that I could record the time of totality exactly. The darkness came on suddenly but it was still quite light when I checked the time and found only a couple of minutes to go. Gradually the light faded as though someone was turning down a dimmer switch slowly and then from the west the cloud darkened significantly. The moons shadow did not cast a sharp shadow but the light faded to darkness very quickly. It was 11:13:12. All around it went very quiet as people glanced about, it wasn't pitch black, but as dark as a night with the moon above the clouds, and to the east and west an orange glow was on the horizon. People were taking pictures of the darkness and there were flashes all around. In the hedges the crickets started singing as the birds stopped. It was a fascinating time to experience this strange darkness and quiet with everybody else, but also deeply disappointing because I knew that up above the cloud was one of the most spectacular sights that nature is able to show, and we were unable to see it. Gradually from the west the sky began to brighten and at 11:15:14 it noticably began to get lighter. The two minutes of totality were over.
In only a minute or so it was light enough to cycle. I finished packing my bags, said goodbye to the people in the tent opposite and started back up the hill for home. My plan was to get to just the other side of Exeter which would be about the same distance as I had cycled the previous day. This would then put me in a position to go all the way to George, my father-in-laws the next day. That would be a long ride but I should be able to do it having now had a bit of training and a rest. Before I reached Kingsbridge I saw a car that someone had been trying to get away quickly in but unfortunately had gone too quickly on narrow gritty roads. The wheels had turned and locked, but the car had continued straight on into a stone gate post.
One thing I have been blessed with is being able to remember a route. Take me down a road once and I can almost always find my way back. This meant I didn't have to refer to maps, I just sailed along. I kept glancing over my shoulder but the cloud never broke as the moon gradually uncovered the sun.
The main road and minor roads leading up to it were extremly busy as a mass exodus began, I was glad I was on a bike. I briefly met up with a guy on a mountain bike as we went onto the A381 then I peeled off to the minor roads again whilst he continued on the A road. At Harbertonford three miles further on we nearly collided at the junction and grinned at each other. Harbertonford is a pretty village with a small stream running through, but has been savagely cut in two by the main road so most people don't get a chance to appreciate it, they just roar through. At the village store I stocked up with food along with two other cyclists.
At
Totnes the traffic was again solid as I whistled through on my
bike. I was on a mission. Ipplepen and Newton Abbot went sailing
by and I crossed the River Teign by the busy bridge again, on the
far side of the bridge someone had ripped their solar glasses up
in frustration and thrown them out of the car window. There was a
mass exodus from Devon, everywhere there were cars queueing. I
stopped opposite the Wear Farm camp site for refreshment and to
consult the map; from this point I was going to take a less hilly
route up to Exeter and then east from there. This took me across
country and followed the Dawlish Water valley for a bit. Then it
was over one last steep hill from the valley and onto a long road
that was reasonably flat all the way to Exminster. At Exminster I
stocked up on food at a quickie mart then onto the main road
briefly to cross the River Exe.
I saw a cycle path next to the main road bridge roundabout and so presumed that there was a cycle path over the bridge which would be much safer. In fact it made me cross the busy main road twice to get to where I would have been if I had just gone around the roundabout, so rather than making it safer, it was doubly dangerous. I stoked up the hill with the main flow of traffic, went right at the first roundabout, then realising in my enthusiasm I had gone too soon went round it again to continue up the main road. Unfortunately there is no other way across the River Exe except to use this busy main road because this was not cycling friendly. The minor road I wanted was opposite an exit for the motorway link road. I got off the bike and pushed it hell for leather over the bits of road towards the minor road as breaks appeared in the traffic. This was the most dangerous part of the whole journey.
Eventually I got onto the minor road which was much quieter and went through bits of countryside and houses. It came out on the A road which had the camp site I was looking for. By now the cloud had thickened and it was feeling damp and drizzling slightly. I arrived at the camp site which looked as though it was run by a farmers wife from their bungalow as a sideline, but was well organised and had a Camping and Caravaning club sign. It was four pounds for the night, more the sort of price I expect to pay. The facilities were a bit concrete and whitewash but perfectly adequate.
There weren't many people in and I pitched the tent on a flat part in the middle. The grass was a luxurious thick growth and the tent pegs went in easily. I was going to sleep well. There then followed the usual shower, food, sleep. Next morning I would follow the A road for a couple of miles then pick up the minor road where I crossed it two days previously and retrace through Ottery St Mary.
Thursday 12-Aug-1999
This was the big one. It was seventy six miles as the crow flies, but with the minor roads it was going to be over one hundred. Fully laden it was a serious cycle ride. The day was a bit brighter than the previous evening, and it was dry which was a definite improvement. I spent the usual excessive time getting ready but I was off before most people had stirred.
A mile up the road the bike chain fell off between the block and the wheel which I thought odd and readjusted the mech to suit. Why should it suddenly get misaligned? I tried to start off but it jumped again and I readjusted again. This time it seemed to work and I started off again. Suddenly the gear changed up twice and as I looked down I saw to my horror that the block was wavering from side to side. The bearings were disintegrating. I checked the map and was probably going to have to divert to Honiton and hope that there was a bicycle shop there if I couldn't find one in Ottery St Mary, where I didn't think this was likely I would find one.
This was not fair, two big failures on the bike in one trip, this one on the day I wanted to do a big stint. I didn't want to let the block freewheel at any point lest it gave up completely so kept pedalling even down hill with the brakes on, and didn't change gear. As I rounded the first bend in Ottery St Mary I saw a shop with a blue sign sticking out with a Michelin man on a bicycle. If an angel had descended from heaven with a bicycle repair kit I would not have felt more relieved.
It was 08:31 and the shop was due to open at 08:30, it was still closed. 'Probably still in bed, doesn't get much custom at this time of day', I thought, so I went off to buy a sovenier paper and some food. By the time I got back he had opened up. I explained my predicament and he managed to find a 7 speed block which he could fit. I didn't care what I had as long as it worked, in fact this would give me another gear and better gear ratios. Within the hour it was fitted and I was roadworthy again. The old block disintegrated with destroyed bearings as they took it off, it was amazing it had got me that far.
The journey back retraced my steps up the steep hill that I came down to Ottery St Mary, a nightmare hot brake descent to Stockland and a hard drag up the far side in a lot of heat as the sun came out. I took some slightly longer but flatter routes round such places as Coombe St Nicholas and Martock, and used the main roads for a few miles more rather than take outlandish detours to avoid them. This time I went straight through Yeovil where I am sure I have been through on holiday, then dropped onto a convenient minor road to the south. On this road I phoned George, my father-in-law to take him up on his offer made a few days before.
Presently I reached Shaftesbury and had refreshment on the same octagonal bench as before. It was just gone six o'clock and the shops had shut for the day which was a shame because I really fancied an ice cream. I visited Gold Hill again, it really is something different. I left Shaftesbury on the main road and followed this until the turning for the River Ebble valley road. The last ten miles were the worst. My legs had nothing left to offer, and taking in more food didn't make any difference. It was slow progress now and even slower up the hill towards Wilton. At least it was downhill into Wilton and as it began to get darker I put my lights on.
At last I reached Georges house, wheeled the bike in and didn't spend very long getting to bed. I took even less time to fall asleep.
Friday 13-Aug-1999
I had not ached like this for a long time. With the monster cycle ride the previous day I had virtually seized up overnight, but fortunately loosened up fairly quickly once I started to move.
I still didn't have any power in my legs and had to walk up most hills but it didn't matter, I had all day and no pressures. I snacked before Nether Wallop and gently cycled through Monxton, Weyhill and began the long, long climb at Wildhern. Up and up, then a quick drop to Upton, up and up to Linkenholt and a quick drop then at Coombe up and over Walbury hill. At the top of Walbury I stopped for my sandwiches and a drink.
Steadily down the other side of Walbury I checked the temperature of the wheel rims which were ok, then continued taking the direct route to Newbury and the road to Thatcham. I was very glad to arrive back home. At home I dragged the bike up over the doorstep, unloaded the tent, the sleeping bag and the panniers then put the bike out the back...until the next time.
It had been a good cycle ride. I need to pay more attention to contours, carry less and I could have done without the breakdowns but hopefully the bike is stronger now, and I am glad that I have experienced a total eclipse even though it was cloudy. I still want to see one properly.
Links:
Return to Home page or see tour equipment
NASA site with all the Solar eclipses for the next 20 years.
Campsites:
Southfork Caravan site, Parrtett Works, Martock, Somerset. TA12 6AE. Tel (01935)825661.
Wear Farm, Newton Road, Bishopsteignton, Teignmouth, S.Devon. TQ14 9PT. Tel (01626)779265.
Alston Farm, Nr. Salcombe, South Devon. TQ7 3BJ. Tel/Fax (01548)561260.
Oakleigh, Upham Lane, Farringdon, Exeter, Devon. EX5 2HZ. Tel(01395)232736.
Helpful Cycle Shops:
Craven Cycles, 40 Bartholomew Street, Newbury, Berkshire. RG14 5LL. Tel (01635)582872
Browns Motorcycles, 89 Mill Street, Ottery St Mary, Devon. EX11 1AJ. Tel (01404)813853.