Thursday 12 April 2012

11 April Stage 2 - Denby Dale - Hull (via kindle)

Start 1005    Arr 1753     Dist  122km     Ave  18.7kph    6hr 32min on bike

(Note that Kindle is a small mining village in Yorkshire. Not to be confused with the town normally associated with the very large South American river.)

The second and final stage of the English leg went OK. We saw George off at 9.30 on his way back over the hills to a long weekend of great football and horse racing. Steve and I set off half an hour later minus my bags which Maggie was taking over to Hull because she was picking her mum up in the afternoon and meeting us later. I was still struggling up hills at first which depressed me a bit. I did improve later as I warmed up. We took in loads of ex-mining villages around Doncaster and Barnsley and had a nice lunch in Askern, We then had a long flat section before Scunthorpe before we headed North through some pretty little Lincolnshire villages. We were soon at the Humber Bridge which seemed to move away as we got closer. It was a great experience to ride over it though. The cycle tracks in Hull were all over the place but eventually we met up with Maggie at "The Deep", and I got the bags back on and set off on my own for the dock after more farewells. It was sad to leave my old friends but I was on my own which is what it is all about. Checking in onto the boat was easy enough and I had good company in my cabin. Lying on the bunk as I stumbled in was Paul who had cycled to Turkey a few times. Amongst other places he mentioned were South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Japan. Are you getting my drift? Basically, I felt a bit inadequate but that wasn't his intention at all. He had some good tales to tell and some good advice to pass on. I had booked a meal so went to fill my boots. Chicken and chips for starter then a boat load of lasagne, then chocolate cake with cream and cheese and crackers. I was stuffed and slept very well. So next I'm abroad.

Today's Route



1 comment:

  1. Been checking all the maps and can't find this place you passed en route (via Kindle???)

    ReplyDelete