Scarborough

The Scarborough ride was interesting, to say the least. I prepared well on Thursday night, cleaned my bike, packed my panniers(bags on my bike) and went to bed nice and early. I was going to stay up and watch 'Deliverance' a classic film about some guys on a canoeing trip in the wilds of America. I promised myself that whatever happens I am not going to squeal like a pig....you have to watch the film. I may as well have stayed up and watched the film. I was awake all night worrying about my alarm going off, which I'd set for 4.00am. In the end I got out of bed about 3.00am and pottered about, rechecking everything. I set off about 5.00am and traveled down the East Lancs Road, the cycle path there is really crap....I would have been better on the road. The birds are really loud at that time in the morning.....they'd probably just come out the night clubs...only joking, I mean the flying types. I am very much a morning person and I hope to start nice and early on the actual ride. The sounds and smells that you experience as the sun rises are amazing, but I digress. I was fine until I came to the Pennines. I don't really mind climbing hills. As I have already said I have a scientific strategy 'peddle like mad until I reach the top, it works. Rochdale and Halifax were difficult but it was good training. The hills seemed to go on forever but like every nightmare, love story, shopping trip, piece of string and hopefully, bike ride, they come to an end. As I crossed the Pennines the rain was very heavy. The advantage of wearing Lycra is that it dries off pretty quick in the wind, it's also nice to the touch but that's another story.
It has been said before 'I attract nutters' which is probably what people say when I meet them...what comes around and all that. In the wilds of Yorkshire I asked a guy how far it was to a particular destination. His exact words were " If you're in a car it takes fifteen minutes.....if you're going by bus it will take you twenty five minutes...are you going by bus?" I was sat on my bike as I asked him the question. I love people like that and hopefully I will meet loads on my trip.
Mike met me in Leeds, about half way. It was really good of him to cycle down from Scarborough and meet me. It makes hell of a difference when you have someone to cycle with. Ultimately my solo journey will be a psychological challenge as well as a physical test. I realised that more than ever after the ride to Scarborough. We stopped and took a photo after I did my first one hundred miles, a feat that I am very proud of.
We had a break at Stamford Bridge, about half way between York and Scarborough, where Harold fought the Vikings before his long trek back to Hasting, where he lost the crown of England. I can't believe that Chelsea travel all that way from London to play their home games.......no wonder the tickets are so expensive.
It was great to finally get to Scarborough. Donna, Mike's wife and a friend of mine for over thirty years made me very welcome. I gave her a job when I was looking after my brothers hairdressing salon in the early eighties and we've been friends ever since. She cooked a lovely curry, which I devoured. My brother, Kevin and his wife Marie were also there. They drove up from Salford after the Warrington Wolves match, which they lost.
I had a fantastic weekend and felt more relaxed than I have done for ages, perhaps it was the sea air......or the lager. Whatever it was it was rejuvenating, something that I definitely needed. I went to visit Eden Camp and it was a fascinating place. Some of my MA students did a film about the place a number of years ago and I've been dying to visit it for ages. As you can se in the pictures I am not a soldier.
I do feel more confident about the trip, purely because I know that I can cycle for a long time and not find it that difficult. I was particularly proud of climbing a hill in Yorkshire that Caravans are not allowed to go up because it is so steep. I wasn't fast, but I didn't stop and cycled to the top without stopping, with a packed bike....after which you could probably crack walnuts with the cheeks of my bottom, I'm available for Christmas if anyone is interested.....job done. It will probably be a different matter doing it every day over a long period of time but I can't really replicate that....or I don't want to in case it puts me off. I'll just imagine what it's like and have a go....the best strategy I think....ignorance is bliss.