Day 3 - Leominster to Garstang

Again I set off at 4.30am.  It was a bit warmer and the wind was from due east, meaning it was a side wind rather than a headwind for the first time since starting on Sunday.  Most of the day was spent on the A49 and the A6, much of that dual carriageway.  The most surprising event was seeing a horse and rider, decked out as a US civil war soldier carrying aloft a large flag, coming the other way on the hard shoulder.  No idea what that was about, and as I was going downhill at a fair speed at the time I didn't stop to take a picture.

From Warrington onwards the route was fairly built-up, with many roundabouts and traffic lights slowing me down.  Just before Wigan I heard a clunking noise coming from my rear wheel, and on stopping and flicking the bike over saw a 3" wood screw sticking out of the rear tyre sidewall.  Glad that it wasn't something more serious I unscrewed the screw, checked the tyre (which remarkably looked OK) and fitted the spare inner tube.

The rest of the day was uneventful and just after 4pm I rolled into Garstang and navigated my way down to the motorway and the Travelodge.  I was running the bath when I heard a loud "moo" from outside my window.  When I pulled the net curtains aside I saw a cow just a few feet away looking curiously at me.  A long soak and a meal at the service station later and I was in bed by 9.30.

STATS:

Depart:       4.30am

Arrive:        4.15pm

Distance:    145 miles

Ride time:  9.40

Av. speed:  14.7mph

Temp:         8 - 16c

Wind:         8 - 12mph E (sidewind)

Weather:   Cloudy with sunny intervals

Total distance so far:  415 miles