I made it. Over one and a half days I covered 150miles of busy A roads, quiet B roads, very wet puddle filled roads, segregated cycle paths, shared pedestrian/cycle routes and canal towpaths. Unfortunately I did not manage to outride the brooding skies on the first day and spent 4 hours in fairly heavy downpour. I arrived at my Warm Showers accommodation dripping and frozen (with hands so cold I could not turn off my lights!) and I was met a very warm welcome, hot shower and delicious dinner. Thanks Pip & Bill.

Although a cool 10c when I left the next morning, the weather soon became perfect – all sun and clear skies. Taking Pip and Bill’s advice I headed to the canal and followed it from Devises all the way to Bath. From there I followed the Bath to Bristol cycle path. Being car free it was a longer route but I still managed to arrive in Bristol early afternoon and I got to marvel at canal boats negotiating 26 lock gates at Caen Hill Flights in Devizes in order to float uphill, listen to birds, eat handmade chocolate chip biscuits and say hello to lots of walkers. More to add about the experience in following posts. Since my GPS decided it was too wet to work properly I can’t add pics to my route, so instead I clump them here.

Rachel and I are starting Bristol fieldwork today. This is the third of four fieldsites in the research project. As per our ethnographic and interview-based approach, we will spend a week in the city to familiarise ourselves with the area, meet people, go on rides, visit bike shops and begin to recruit respondents. We will then return to Bristol at the end of May to live full time in the city for a month. We also expect to visit the city regularly throughout July/August to participate in various events and activities that are relevant to the project. I have only been to Bristol once before and I am really looking forward to it. We have a packed week ahead with meetings, rides and interviews and the weather is finally looking up.