Bob Taylor was waiting at the Bovey Tracey pick-up with a nearly new Dawes Super Galaxy. Michael had expressed an interest in buying it so that he would have a bike to ride while his Mercian was being renovated. After careful inspection a deal was struck and Bob delivered the bike to Buckfastleigh while Michael continued with the ride.

Having ridden along the old railway track to Lustleigh we were disgusted to find that the Primrose Cafe was closed! We would have gone to the cafe in Bovey if we’d known, but now we were there we’d just have to go without our refreshments.

Disaster struck for Tao at the top of the Cleave: his front tyre burst, evidently caused by a poorly adjusted brake block. The split in the tyre was so long that it could not be repaired, so he decided to hobble on with us to the nearest telephone (Manaton) and then ring his parents.

The telephone marked on the OS map turned out to be non-existent, the nearest one being a long walk in the wrong direction from Manaton Church. Influenced in part by the good progress he had maintained thus far, Tao decided to continue with the ride.

There was a snack van at Hound Tor, so we decided that we could stop for hot food and drinks while Tao struggled on. When we felt he had a sufficient lead we set about catching him up, but as we rounded each corner there was still no sign of him. Clearly this was a young man to be reckoned with!

We finally caught him near Cold East Cross, from where he set off down the hill towards Bickington and home.