Jack chose Bickham Bridge over Totnes as he didn’t want to stop at a café, so we decided to do a fast, non-stop ride to the destination for a change. We set off at 10:30, rode up Dean Hill and then down to South Brent where Ash found it very hard not to stop at the co-op for refreshments. From Avonwick we rode up the hill to North Huish and then, for the first time in years, went straight on to the excellent downhill lane to Bickham Bridge for 11:40.

It was cloudy and breezy now but there was no rain around as Michael spent ten minutes photographing the bridge from various angles: Ash and Jack were too engrossed in conversation to go exploring.

We left at 11:50, heading home via Diptford. Rain was forecast for tonight and this probably explained why we saw several farmers out working hard to bring in the hay. We took the short route back via Edeswell viaduct and Rattery, although the final hill proved a bit tiring for Jack who had not been out for several weeks. We got home by 1:22, pleased to have ridden a little further than usual and to have returned close to our 1pm target time.

The social after the ride included some games of Halo on the Xbox console.

Callum came up early this morning with a puncture, but when Michael removed the tube he discovered a hole so tiny that it would have easily lasted all day with a good pump. And the reason he hadn’t tried pumping it was … he didn’t have a pump! Michael suggested buying a pump might be an urgent priority.

Everyone agreed on a car-assisted ride to Lustleigh today, to make the best use of the good weather. We just managed to find a parking space by the entrance to the railway path at Bovey Tracey at 11.00 despite there being loads of other cars there for a nearby football match, but perhaps we should find a better place in or near the town for a future ride.

We set off up the path at 11.15. The entrance gate was well hidden now by large trees that had grown up over the years. Everyone enjoyed the railway path, and the subsequent lane towards Lustleigh looked great in the morning sunshine. We soon realised however that Callum had another puncture. This time pumping was not going to be satisfactory as it went down again in ten minutes, so we had to carry out a repair. There were two new holes now and Callum was a bit frustrated, but he was fine again once we had fixed it.

We took the interesting path through the centre of the village which brought us to the Primrose Café. Everyone except Jack wanted to go in for refreshments, but he still joined us anyway. It was very pleasant inside, although much quieter than it used to be in the old days. Prices were good, there was a small range of very tasty cakes and Callum was very satisfied with the home made leek and potato soup for £4.95. The proprietor was very impressed to find a boy who liked quality soup. She told us that Roger Olver, the owner of the café in the 1990s, had recently bought the Welcome Inn on Exeter quayside, converted it to the Welcome Café by Easter and was now selling his usual high quality range of cakes there. We decided to go there as soon as possible.

We took the lane past Ellimore that includes a very steep climb at the end, then proceeded up to the Cleave where we followed the path into the woods. Michael offered a prize to the first person who could spot the cave: Ash climbed a tree and spotted it, although it actually turned out to be more of an overhanging rock than a cave.

After some running-around fun we were surprised to find that Callum was up for extending the ride to the top of the hill, so we rode on up to Sanduck Cross and down the Mapstone lane back to the village, stopping to look at the massive granite boulder by the side of the lane and again to explore the tunnel where the leat emerged near the café.

Heading back to the railway track we continued to admire the very expensive houses in the area. At Knowle House, however, we noticed that something had changed since the outward journey: the flat platform that we had seen in the garden now had a helicopter on it. Ash or course was very excited about this. We discovered later that the owner runs a helicopter business.

We found two South Dartmoor School youngsters off the side of the railway track practicing BMX-style tricks that looked rather dangerous. After chatting with them briefly we followed the track back alongside the main path and reached the car by 2.35.

We were home by 3.10 after a very successful ride. The youngsters played Minecraft after the ride and were happily planning a beach ride next Sunday and perhaps Plym Valley, Exeter Ship Canal and Haldon Forest in the subsequent weeks.

Excellent weather meant that today we would be doing our second car-assisted ride of the season, this time to Exeter Ship Canal. Callum arrived early at 10am so we loaded the car quickly and got away by around 10.40. We parked the car at Starcross at 11.15 and then set off for the Powederham road.

Once we had crossed the railway line we were on the path along the Exe estuary, which offered excellent views. At the point where the path goes around the copse there was a diversion in place caused by some path renovations. There were a number of steps to be negotiated both down and up.

We rode on past the Turf Lock hotel onto the ship canal path and followed it all the way into Exeter Quayside where we quickly found the Welcome Café that we had been told about a couple of weeks ago at Lustleigh. It was so busy that the only seats were on the table outside. The coffee and chocolate cakes were exceptionally good and reasonably priced, and the lattes, milk shakes and hot chocolates were large and perfectly made. Callum confused everyone by eating the sponge of his chocolate cake but leaving the icing! Jack quickly helped him out with that but wondered what was wrong with him. Roger Olver, of Primrose Café fame, was there as expected and explained that the current desire for healthier cakes meant they now tended to make only one large cream cake per day.

We continued to Exeter Park for a ride along the Exe and around the back, returning to the canal path along the opposite side of the quayside. Michael’s intention of taking a photo of the group on the bridge at the quayside was defeated when his camera battery went flat as everyone was getting into position.

We returned along the path quite quickly, staying mainly on the cycle path, although Michael was delayed by a wheelchair user who asked him if he could pump his wheelchair tyre! We got back to Starcross for 3.15 and were home by 3.45. The Callum, Ash and Jack played Minecraft until the club ended at 5pm.