Day 5 - Chepstow to just past Ludlow

 Sorry I haven't updated the blog in a few days. This LEJOG malarkey has been absolutely FULL ON and I haven't had either the chance or in some cases the wi-fi connection to do it.  So today is actually Day 7, but here's a brief recap...

First really tough day.  Lovely send-off from Ranny & co.  Unfortunately, Duncs & Alison had to drive halfway back to M&D's to meet Dad and pick up some forgotten kit (my fault!).  I had a gorgeous ride in the sunshine up the beautiful Wye Valley to Monmouth for first meet-up.  So far so good. Had a lovely coffee and stacks of pastries in Monmouth, but stayed too long in the sun, and I got a bit overheated.  Then disaster - took wrong turn out of Monmouth and ended up on A30 dual carriageway.  Couldn't get off, so had to keep going and it was even scarier than the motorway bridges the day before! Got off after a couple of miles, but had real colleywobbles. Went across country on tiny lanes after that, towards HEreford. 5 miles short of Hereford, scary moment #2, when I was whizzing down a big hill in traffic, and my brakes went on by themselves so hard, that I got a headspin and didn't know what had happened! Didn't know if it was a mechanic issue or if I'd actually fainted on my bike in the heat and put the brakes on myself...  Needless to say, I pulled over straight away and asked to be picked up by the van. Spent a couple of hours in Hereford cooling off and regrouping, before being dropped back at the same spot to carry one once it was cooler. But it did happen again, and although we pushed on through, only getting to the beautiful little campsite at Culmington, north of Ludlow at 10.15pm!  We were all pooped - a trying day!

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