He ain't heavy, he's JPD

Although this was a short day of 125 miles, and so to some extent I'd written it off as a done deal, the miles still had to be covered. We started with some rolling Devon countryside, climbing up and down repeatedly between about 200 and 700 feet. This is really bad news for JPD, who's been struggling to get much force down on the pedals, so pushing on uphill really isn't an option. Once things flattened out a bit, we were able to make much quicker progress with a lovely tailwind that gradually moved around throughout the day from east to south and later back to east. With me leading continuously, time seemed to pass quite quickly and we ticked off the miles gradually through the morning and with a few more big but generally steady climbs (today we've climbed more than any other day) we found ourselves signposted to Penzance, which we reeled in from 35 miles out on busy, fast main roads.

In Penzance we checked in to our hotel and dumped our bags, then set off on the final ten miles to Land's End. This was a fun ride, especially with the weight off the bikes, but also slightly melancholy as the focus that's been fairly all-consuming for the last six days started to fade away as the sea came into view either side of us, before vanishing completely as we coasted down a gentle slope to the signpost at Land's End that marks the official finish point for the trip.

Oddly, one of the most common things we've been asked on the trip is why we're doing the route 'the wrong way', I think the setting for the finish gave us an unexpectedly good answer. The sun, which had been at our backs in the morning and overhauling us all day, was low in the sky out over the sea, giving us a perfect hazy view to gaze out at as we wound down over a well-earned pint. I wasn't sad to have finished, or even particularly happy, but thoroughly satisfied with a week well spent. We certainly couldn't have done it in five days.

We were met at the finish by Zara (thank you!!), who drove us back to the B&B. After a week averaging 15/ 16 mph I felt like a Victorian taking his first train ride, the sensation of speed initially alarming and my legs restless, as though feeling they ought to be working.