Amateur video of first day of solo bikepack to Bath
[Music] [Applause] As you can see, I’m struggling. 70 kilometers in and uh I’m on my second bag. Still I can’t put this close this damn thing. Start the side. Oh, that’s right. Do it the wrong way around. Typical There you go. Nice and easy. Hey now to go pick up my rubbish. Yeah. Now it’s on the bend. No problem in the UK and in Jersey. No bins anywhere. There’s one. Wait, wait, wait. Thank you very much. Okay. little shopping that I spotted old in the general store for one of my favorite treats, nourishment. It’s my ride for the day. [Music] Cheers. Nourishment. M. Strawberry flavor. Delicious. since 1981. Good source of protein. I’m also since 1981, by the way. Very nice here. I think this is Hampshire. And um yeah, halfway to Bath now for the second round. Probably going to have lunch somewhere at about 100k and then I’ll go see Bath. Do not stop at a cafe just before a climb. No way. Okay. So, uh, 79 km in a nice fast downhill. Cars passing nice and safely. Probably another 65 to go to Bath where fish and chips await. At the moment it says jelly beans and electrolytes. This is a massive hill this I guess if I’m going to document my rides properly, I’m going to need need a chest strap of some sort because going down a bumpy hill on a tar road, a busy road at 60 km/h with one hand is probably not possible by health and safety regulations. So, uh yeah, let’s hope I have more. Just as I say it, it’s getting bumpy. There we go. Thank you. See it goes. Thanks to a hammerhead, I know exactly where I’m going. Well, I don’t, but I’m told to traffic jam coming up. Quick ride through Salsbury. Very nice. There’s a bike shop. Whoops. Yeah. Go. I think I missed my turn. Okay, so I’m in uh Salsbury and I just stumbled upon a interesting little shop. There’s a sign next to the road saying South African Bilong turn left. So I thought I turn left and quickly go in here. I I hope they don’t mind that I take a video. But look at this out of nowhere. No problem. Just looking. And look at that baby.
Insults for your whole places. Jerry dots for this. Jackies Wilson toff. Hello.
I just saw the sign in the road. Oh, right. Yes.
I hope you don’t mind me taking a video.
Yeah, I know. That’s fine. If there’s anything that I don’t do that you’d like, just let me know.
Oh, I’m I’m not from here.
I um live in Jersey. Okay.
And I’m going to twist. Cheers. That tastes like home. Wow. We are lovely little village called Walton on the route to Shaftsbury or the Brits would say Shaftsbury. Water teach great wish. Okay. Beautiful. Places weren’t built yesterday. Couple of cyclists coming fast. Hi. Hello. There’s a horse. Let’s not spin my wheel. Keep spinning. Spinning. Hello. [Applause] You can see it’s quite windy, but luckily at the moment it’s in my back, so nice and easy going. currently on 93. Probably should have been 85. Had a few uh detours, I guess. combination of me and hammer hammerhead uh not getting on so well at times, but the map is yellow. So, it looks like we’re on the right route. If it’s 93, I’m guessing another 60 odd to Bath. And uh I think I’m going to going to head on and not stop. I’d rather go have my fishing chips in bath and not on the way because then I Oh, Corvette. Very strange for this area. Right. I hope I have enough food cuz now I’m going into the bit more rural areas. I’m not sure which county I am in, but I’m still in Hampshire, but I’m in the southwest of England, which is lovely, as the Brits would say. Nice and easy to record here. No traffic. See, the wind is pumping from behind. most importantly. So hopefully in Bath I can get a um can get a what do you call it? A little clamp that I can put on my bike for this camera so I can record more of the route without having to risk my life to show you what I’m doing. You see how committed I am to show you where I am and I’m okay. Yeah, you. Anyway, later. Okay. So, I’m riding here through a little village called Great Wishford and uh I’m thinking to myself, I mean, as you would when you’re on 170 km bike on your own, I’m thinking to myself, this uh very cool hydration pack that I’m wearing from sits super comfortable. right now if I were I were them or if I was working on their product development team, this hose on the left, um, every single time I take a sip of my electrolytes that I’ve put in the the bladder, the first three sips is like tea because it’s warm obviously because because it’s sitting in that hose and then suddenly it goes cold obviously means Since I’m eating the bladder now, I’m thinking if Usway, who is a market leader in this market, if they could uh develop a hose that is insulated, can you believe that? I’m so smart. Yeah, definitely a good plan. And maybe they can give me some commission once they patent the uh what are we going to call it? Uh, the great Wishford insulated gravel bike bladder sipper hose. Um, they’ll easily get the name on the trademark cuz I don’t think there’s any other names like that. Look at this pup. Should probably have stopped there cuz there I could get my fish and chips and a nice cast ale. But anyway, let’s keep on going from the hose to the other hose at the pub. Yep. So, I thought I’d quickly stop. Um I think this little hamlet, yes, it’s not a village, it’s a hamlet. Um it’s just before Warminster if I’m not mistaken. Anyway, the point uh was for stopping is this little my my uh GPS computer said to me I must turn left in a street called Teapot Street. Yep. Teapot Street opposite the little chapel. Oh, here here’s a gentleman that wants to turn left and he’s giving me the looks because what why am I stopping in his village? Enjoy. Bonjour. Anyway, back to Teapot Street. So, I’m just thinking there’s almost no one here and it must only be old people living here. Um, and in every kitchen window I see an enamel kettle which obviously provides for the teapot. So, maybe that’s where the name came from. Anyway, I’m now on 105 kilometers and cracking on, I guess. Um, I wonder if this chapel is open. [Music] Okay, so we’re riding down Teapot Street in a very small village. Maybe it’s a hamlet. I don’t know. You know the difference between the two? Me neither. The only thing I’m thinking the whole time is what do the people do that live here if they are not retired. Okay. Must have left here. Okay. It must be a village. It’s definitely bigger than amulet. There’s even traffic. But as you can see from the architecture, it’s pretty good looking and idyllic patched houses. Lovely. And there’s a random guy walking with a drill. Other thing I find interesting is the name. How on earth did they name these places? Honet and Yeah. Anyway, looks like we’re going under a three-way here. We can’t be too far from civilization. I think we’re about 60ks uh or 40 miles uh southeast of Bath. I’m going to stay over in a village called Trrow Bridge, which is about 20 miles before Bath. But I’m going to head into Bath and then have my fishing chips and do a bit of sightseeing and then go back because there’s plenty time in the day left. It’s now 25 minutes past uh 12 in a minute in the afternoon and I will probably be in Bath by I’m averaging 24 and that includes all the little stops and pedestrian traffic and old people driving slowly and all those permutations. So I’m probably averaging about 30, which is good. And uh so I should be in Bath in around 2 and 1 half hours from now. So that will take me to 3:00, which is perfect for a late afternoon tea. Yes, a tea, which includes fish and chips. Yep. And there are interesting drivers here, too. This road has a 20 mile speed limit, 20 m perph, and that guy was doing double that. Anyway, each to their own. I wish I could uh be of more information or a better source of information about where we are, but I cannot. I’m sorry. Here’s a a guy that has something in common with me. afternoon. Only difference is I’m going uh downwind and he’s running into the wind. Good luck. Okay, so we just went past um Stockton and I can’t even remember the other village’s name. It’s so small and rural. And then in the middle of nowhere, Jinny Jinny’s cafe and gift shop. Look at this place. So, who am I to not stop? So, let’s stop. Uh, I can even have a massage if I want to. I’m sure if I leave my bike here on the grass, there’s no way it’s going to get stolen. Let’s see if I can get a scone. Can I leave the bike like like that? Yeah, let’s do it. Anyway, let’s have a little walk. The artists Oh, let’s go this way. the artist barn and a little shabby chic shop, which it’s not really for me. I’m more interested in Chinese cafe. I suspected there only people here. Very nice. Must say from all these places, the one that interests me most is this one. [Applause] But I think I’m probably too sweaty to have a massage now. [Applause] And yeah, it will be kind of embarrassing. Okay. Yeah. And that’s the little I don’t know what you call it. Village market center. Um yeah, let’s support them and have a coffee. Good thing I stopped here. [Music] Check this thing. Gingerbread. I’m sure that’s going to get me to bath. and probably back to Jersey too. Pretty warm. The the the forecast is 28° 29° C today. Um it definitely feels warmer. And it’s one of those where it’s overcast but you’re burning. So I think the UV index is like eight as well. So need to put some sun sunblock on on again after my watch of gingerbread and a very nice looking latte from a machine. I might add As I walk into this place, there’s big signs everywhere. Ice cream for dogs. There’s no ice cream for humans. That’s right. I th the cake. As I’m going on with this, I’m thinking the point of this trip and documenting the trip, um, and doing it alone is purely and utterly for training, fitness training, of course, and to talk nonsense. Okay, gingerbread and latte in proper cafe legs for the non- cycling people. That’s cold and tired legs and uh yeah, painy pain painful legs. Anyway, strangest thing happened to me now. After my latte and ginger cake, I went to the L and there’s some very nice hand soap available to wash your hands and I helped myself to uh quite a generous helping on my hands just to realize but none of the taps are working. So here I stand with two hands full of liquid soap. Anyway, go for a walk to find a tap anywhere cuz we’re on a farm so there should be a tap somewhere. Water should be freely available here. Anyway, I couldn’t find one anywhere and the South African burmark plum farmer makes a plan kicks in and I going back to the L. I flush the L and I wash my hands in the toilet. Is that good or bad? I don’t know. Anyway, on we go. currently on 112 kilometers. So, probably about 50 60 to go and it’s warm. So, but it’s very good looking and that will get me there. Okay, 3.7 km till the next turn. And uh yeah, I didn’t even look now at the maps before while I was sitting down. Okay. But it’s nice to do this and not having to be at work. Took one off day. Well, I’m off work today. I took one holiday tomorrow to make it a nice long weekend. Took the boat from Jersey. 40 each way. And my accommodation. Um uh one is on Booking.com, the other one’s on Airbnb. Uh and it’s about £35 a night each, which is very cheap, even in rand land rand value. And then obviously the only other expenses I have is my snacks. That uh coffee and ginger cake I had now was $6.95, which is not too shabby. Um yeah, so on we go to Bath. Quick stop in um Warminster. This is comfortably one of the most beautiful towns I’ve ever been to. Across the road, one of my favorites, the Weather Spoons. Yep. There’s over 200 of them in uh in the UK. Just look at this high street and I’m 23ks from my destination. So that’s going to take me another 45 minutes and then it’s pop time. Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. [Music] Heat. Heat.