Friday 8 May
On the road by 6.00am and it’s very foggy and damp. Had a little trouble starting the Honda but went onto a slope and into gear and away in very chilly conditions through Exeter on to Tiverton. Took a wrong turning to Crediton and up and down hills, in and out of fog – put on another 20miles to my journey. Onto Bridgewater and Wellington, fog lifting for another sunny and very hot day. Went off course (A38) in Bristol and had a devil of a job getting on to the road to Gloucester. It is easy by motorway but the A38 took me round in circles – I relied on the sun for direction – north.
The electrics are giving trouble on the Honda (for the second day now). Am sunbathing and resting and drying out my camping gear for a few hours, near Alveston (Gloucester). All my tenting gear is now dry and packed ready to continue. Honda does not operate very well in this heat and gear changing is a concern. On the road again at 5.00pm, passed Bristol airport. The road is not busy and am heading, in warm sunshine, for Gloucester and on to Tewkesbury – I did not stop but could be really worthwhile a visit. On the A38 going through Worcester and Kidderminster and Telford (complex by-pass). It was hard keeping on the A38 to Bristol. Then the A442 to Wellington and it was about 10.00pm when I set up camp for the night near Whitechurch – I camped in a wood and in was calm, peaceful and dry.
