South Downs Way - day 2

SDW - day 2
Monday night was interesting. Steve declared that he was so tired that he needed the room to himself with double bed. Ok, I take the top bunk in the other room and that works well as every time Andy wakes me snoring I just rock the bunks and that wakes him enough for him to stop. Not the best night sleep but in between the interruptions I enjoy a deep sleep.

Started the day watching the boys have breakfast, their normal full English whilst I take a more healthy option. Then I drive them back to Buriton, where they stopped on Monday (and drank beer without me!!). Once they have been deposited I drive the car onto West Harting, only a few miles past my starting point, and head back by bike to meet the trail where I had left it the day before. That all works well and in under an hour I'm back on the SDW and wondering if they are in front of me or behind me. I text (waste of time due to lack of signal again) and wait 15 minutes before heading off. I catch them after a while and we enjoy a nice morning ride together. By 1:30 we are on Cocking Hill. I leave them so I can attend to the logistics of the car, cycle back to West Harting and drive it all the way over to Bury, our next stop. The roads back to Cocking go all over the place so it takes me ages to get back on the trail (5 pm). I've already had a double ice cream stop and hit the paracetamol as my back is aching again (fancy that, after 6 hours in the saddle!!) I drive on as fast as my legs will go but now I'm walking up hills too. After a few miles I manage to break my seat and I'm sitting on it less and less. One of the rails just collapses under me on a descent!!!! I spend much of the rest of the ride standing on the peddles which does n't help the back issue, fortunately the drugs are working just in time. However, the day is just a pleasure. This part of the trail is lovely. Great views helped by the evening sun, fantastic trails and I'm really having a ball inspite of my minor issues. I speed into the b&b at 7 pm, just about 1 hour after the lads. Plenty of time for tea and cake, a chat with the landlady and then off to the pub for the most expensive average steak and kidney pudding ever (the chef should have gone to Tesco's to buy a Fray Bentos!!). Afterwards, I manage to get a signal to make a call which is no mean feat here in the grim south. Thenback to the b&b for some more gentle ribbing before I head off to my own ro (yippee!!) for a good nights sleep.

Steve and Andy 24 miles
David 44 miles