On Day 1 (Sat 24 July) we left Lands End at 0950 and made quick progress on an ‘undulating’ road to Penzance and on to Helston, before heading North to Truro and St Austell, our first night stop. It was steep in Cornwall but nothing to what we would face on Sunday (Day 2) as we cycled 70 miles from St Austell to Exeter. If the hills in Cornwall are steep then the hills in Devon are exceptionally, seriously steep, and it took us all day and a monumental effort from everyone to get past Liskeard, Callington, Gunnislake (where Cornwall becomes Devon) Tavistock and right across Dartmoor to Moretonhampstead, before arriving in Exeter. However, the sun was shining and the views from the top of Dartmoor were quite exceptional. On Day 3 we were rewarded for the hard work of Days 1 and 2 with the ‘Somerset levels’ and made good progress on relatively flat roads to Bath (80 miles), via Taunton, Glastonbury and Wells. I then departed to return to the office and the remainder of the team of Martin McCluskey, Janette Bartlett, John Hall, along with non cyclist Tony (Driver/Logistics/First Aid), had another splendid day yesterday (Day 4) through the Cotswolds to Evesham (65 miles), where Ann and Ron were waiting to take over for the next leg. Also waiting at Evesham was Captain Windsor and he will be cycling with our team today, under blue skies as they head towards Leicester, via Warwick and Leamington Spa.
I do hope that you like the pictures.
We are now also featured on the home page of the newly branded Sea Cadet Corps website www.sea-cadets.org
As you are all aware our ‘Just Giving’ website can be found at: http://www.justgiving.com/SASeaCadetsLEJOG and the donations are increasing nicely. In my previous letter to all COs and Chairs I asked you all to consider fundraising or making a donation for our efforts, with a deadline of mid August. Due to the impending summer holidays, I would like to extend that deadline to 31 August. Then, once all Unit donations have been received at Area (and I sincerely thank those who have already made a contribution), we will be able to work out who will receive the Area Office Team at their Unit for a one-day ‘work party’ sometime in the autumn.
Once again I thank you on behalf of the entire Area team for your support on this epic fundraiser which will benefit our cadets with extra offshore voyages and more opportunities to have fun in Snowdonia (I bet those in North Wales this week come home exhausted but smiling and full of stories about their white water rafting and other adventures!)