Day 4 - Okehampton to Wellington, 50 miles. Hilly bits 3620 ft.

You know you’ve met a kindred spirit when you walk into a coffee shop in Crediton and they tell you about their baking quest, perfecting carrot cake. Was just about to order it until I spotted their orange and polenta.

I think I’m a pretty good baker, but one of the best cakes I’ve had in years was the orange and polenta cake my friend Helen made for Simon and me, a few months before he died. Simon was struggling to chew food and swallow by then, but I posted a small piece onto his tongue (his lips didn’t work to move food in automatically). Slowly he let it disintegrate and his eyes widened with pleasure.

I started chatting with the man who ran the coffee shop. - Are you doing this for charity? Which one?

- Macmillan. Our safe charity no objects to. Then I mentioned Dignity in Dying and waited for the shutters to fall. Instead he said he was a member of their organisation (like me) and he used to be a nurse. Which makes him the third nurse who has told me recently they believe in assisted dying because they’ve seen too much unnecessary suffering.

Today’s lessons:

1. Rain and wind only makes you cycle faster.

2. Great cake is worth getting soaked for.

3. Devon’s roads are better than Cornwall’s.

4. We can’t think of any expletives beginning with E.

5. Travel Lodge let you take your bike to bed.

Thank you and goodbye Devon.

Goodnight.