Last year – on Tom’s 16th birthday, I snapped this chance photo of a highways maintenance lorry as we circled the Penn Inn Roundabout ‘just for fun’ – in South Devon.  A gift in itself for highways fanatic Tom; he is undemanding and easy to please! Tom’s birthday always falls in half-term week so we mark his day with an outing of his choice – this year he chose South Devon again – and a cruise up and down his favourite stretch – The South Devon Link Road. 

He has gained considerable knowledge of Devon’s highways and byways from years of studying roadworks.org – and from his travels around the county.  I can’t remember a time when he hasn’t been interested in road construction and planning.  It’s been a lifelong interest and even though he’s seventeen now – he has always known where he is going!

On the 16th February 2017 – we sailed along the South Devon Link Road – to Kingswear – and across to Dartmouth by car ferry – aboard the appropriately named – ‘Tom Avis’…

Hands free driving. Big Brother at the wheel.

After a quiet afternoon mooch around Dartmouth’s individual shops and colourful houses – we drove back over the water again to Kingswear – for a sunset walk to the Daymark Tower.  It stands high above Dartmouth and Kingswear as a guide to mariners – because Dartmouth harbour is notoriously hard to find from the open sea.

Viewed from land the tower is equally outstanding. Viewed from within it is inspiring…  

Tom enjoys watching this great video on YouTube about the construction of the South Devon Highway – and I have learned through him – to enjoy watching too.  I’m looking ahead to when Tom can realise his dream of joining these amazing earth-movers…

Tom at seventeen standing tall inside The Daymark Tower that’s just 74 feet higher – at 80 feet!

The sky’s the limit when you’re standing inside the ultimate navigation cone.  Good Luck Son in all your aspirations and endeavours – the road is yours…