Beautiful Day part 2

Having lunch was like sitting in a wind tunnel (weird as there hadn't been much in the morning nor later in the afternoon) and we decided to escape after seeing a couple next to us wearing theirs on their faces after the wind whipped the plates up off the table. Ah, summer.
After our lunchtime break we sadly said farewell to Alan. The plan had been for him to join us for 4 days until tonight's rest stop where he would peel off to Frome where he would catch a train back home via Birmingham. Due to our late start today he wouldn't have caught the last train from Frome so decided it best to terminate where we were in Brizzul. Well done Alan, it was good to share part of the ride with you, thanks for your company and mechanical expertise. Sorry you experienced some of our worst days!
Tip for cyclists: a pint of Flowers Original is not recommended preparation for climbing the Mendip Hills.
As we left Bristol we faced an excruciatingly steep climb which went on for ever, well sometimes 2 miles can feel like eternity anyway. Halfway up I sought refuge and a breather in a driveway and got shouted at for worrying the lady's dogs. Poor mites, this was clearly of more concern to her than having a death on her doorstep - I was virtually expiring. Politely and without showing my contempt I moved on and James and I made it to the top exhausted for a 5 minute crash out - I followed Clive's tip of putting my legs up in the air to replenish the blood. White van men just don't understand and think that this perverted behaviour warrants abuse from the security of their cabs.
I forgot to mention that the lunchtime stopover also set James's thigh muscles off again so he was struggling even more. He would have been suffering more if the woman in the blue golf hadn't missed her timing when pulling out with him in her sights and missed him by about 12 inches. He would have been suffering more if his furious swinging right hand had connected with her Golf. Driven to road rage on a bike.
After we'd recovered from the big climb we could enjoy our reward of the long run down to Chew Stoke where we recorded today's highest speed almost 40mph. I think the record logged on the drop down from Shap (42.5) would have been under threat had I not bottled it and kept my brakes on for half the descent. Unless you are confident there isn't a sharp bend or parked lorry ahead it takes either courage or stupidty to let it rip. I just bottled it. My rear brake blocks have almost worn out completely and I'm sure I can smell burning when they're full on attempting to stop the momentum of a fast run down, James was nonetoo chuffed when I hit a pothole on one fast run and my rear light cover flew off and hit him on the leg drawing blood. On a crappy day this might have been enough to put anyone in a bad mood but as an indicator of how well we were feeling today he laughed it off - phew.
We knew the descent had to be repaid with another climb up to the top of the Mendips but promised ourselves another pint once done to motivate us. Unfortunately the Kings Arms in Litton appeared like a vision before we got there. Sun blazing; blue sky; traditional 400 year old quaint English pub; down by the river; plenty of time; no worries about drink driving; advertising Old Speckled Hen - I defy anyone out there to come up with a single reason why anybody wouldn't stop. Beautiful.
We've really noticed how well England does country and village pubs. They're so much better than in Scotland which mostly (from what we saw this trip) seems to have hotels that don't have one tenth of the character. They make this country great for touring so, reader, use them or lose them. James and I are doing our utmost to support them single handedly.
An uneventful but happy final 12 miles or so saw us to reach Karen's Aunty Beryl's place in Evercreech to close Day 11's effort.
We've just returned from taking her to tea at the Bell Inn and then James and I sampled the Cheddar Valley scrumpy in the Shapway Inn - very smooth and deceptively strong. Nice chat with the worzel locals on the merits of the local ciders.
More rain and southerly wind forecast for tomorrow but I hope will clear by lunchtime. We're in good spirits so can take it on.
We've looked on a national map and seen roughly how far away from John O'Groats Shepton Mallet actually is and this has lifted us - we've done over 750 miles or 80% of the total - the last 4 days don't seem so daunting now.
The views from up here in the sun are fantastic. It's such a shame that the last few days rain have cheated us out of others equally good (Long Mynd, Wye Valley, Tintern Abbey etc). As a local in the Shapway said we shouldn't complain about the rain when we should be counting our blessings we aren't suffering like those in Gloucester and Tewkesbury et al.