Day 8 - Preston to Telford - 106 Miles. Total: 598 Miles

The sun made a welcome return this morning, doing its best to brighten up the boarded-up streets of Preston. Weaving in and out of burned-out cars, tyre-fires and nurseries with bars on the windows, we eventually made it out of the urban cityscape and in to the rural landscape once more. (note: there were no tyre-fires or burned out cars, it's really a lovely place, honest guv!). 

After a rather sedate and pleasurable run-in to Preston on Friday, we were expecting the same kind of pace today. This was not to be. Speedy Gon-Blenkinsop and Road Runner Sharky, Sonic The Taylor and Billy "Chris Hall" Whizz were intent on starting this as if it was day one of the JOGLE again. Up went the lap average, down went the shoulders and off we sped throughout. There had been rumour of rain coming in at around 4pm and after Thursday there was no way we were going to be caught in it again! 

We stopped in the small village of Flodsham, just south of Widnes, for some lovely pasties, pies and baguettes. The generosity of the villagers helped us swell further the kitty too! From there it was south (of course) towards Telford, skirting Shrewsbury on the way.

The weather held out just long enough for us to make it to our final RV and in to the RMP Barracks that we now find ourselves residing in.

Photos: Rob Thorpe doing pullups because he was bored with the route, 14-year old Scanny in the bath playing with his clothes, a lovely couple who met us at one of our water stops and invited us in for tea on their estate!

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