The whether to forecast

Despite the star quality of Marion's cooking (breakfast was the equal of anything you'd eat anywhere), if we emerge from this tour with a Michelin Guide, it will be of the rubber tyre genre   The day started in a bike shop. Again. This time in Street's brilliantly named On Your Bike, with James getting a new back wheel.  On a punning note, we couldn't help remarking on this town having missed the chance to rival Okehampton with Street's Ahead.

Anyway, the next four hours were about rain. The only diversion was to agree on an adjective. Was it teeming, driving, persistent or, for the melodramatic types, lashing? It was certainly wet. After five minutes we stopped getting wetter.

Mercifully, this was one of the shortest rides, albeit that it had our longest unbroken climb - 2.25 miles according to James' (Statto's) on board telemetry.

Adam felt the ride required another puncture (he's greedily collected three now), but other than that it was relatively incident free trip.

The inhospitability of the weather was overwhelmed by the hospitality of Bob and Sally's welcome. They are Adam's girlfriend's parents, and they opened their house to us with enormous warmth. More great food, to the point where weight gain is a serious possibility, and a full laundry service from Sally. We've been thoroughly spoilt the last two nights.

So, to Worcester, my liege. We've been promised better weather, but this update has been tapped out in tune to rain tapping on the window. We shall see.