Great day, legs seem to be stronger or maybe hills less steep. Lovely welcome from Noel and family in Clitheroe.
Jon got Faststream for FCO so big celebration in evening!
Picked up from Fordsham, taken to campsite to start route. Similar start to the end yesterday, lovely countryside over the Manchester Ship Canal Toll Bridge (no charge for cyclists).
Over canals, railways and motorways. Passed by Bromedge near Auntie Linda's parents home.
Coffee at Bent Garden Centre at Glazebury. Huge mecca of large people having meals and not buying plants.
Became more built up around Wigan, with "interesting" route through housing estates, a pub garden and lots of traffic lights. Country opened up again, and a super lunch at Rivington Village Hall (soup and caramel shortbread). Water stop on the brow of a hill, warm sunshine, sat on grass looking at view.
Climb up to radio mast around Blackburn, then easier cycling to Clitheroe.
5 miles before town met Noel Hodgson who had cycled out to meet us having seen our position on the blog. I met Noel in Bahrain where he and Elaine were visiting their son Andrew who is married to Merlhi a doctor at Awali, and was cycling out with Seana one Friday. Phew, thats some linkages! We had arranged to meet up at Clitheroe, and so it was. Small world.
Noel and Elaine gave us a great welcome with tea and choclate cake, then they all walked over to the Waddington Arms for dinner. WA is a great hotel, attractive barmaids and large bedrooms (no connection) and its own beer, Waddy's. As Jon had just heard he had been accepted on the Faststream for the FCO, the drinks were on us and we had a very jolly evening with the Hodgsons and the usual cycling subgroup.
(posted by Stuart on behalf of Richard Atkinson)
ReplyDeleteDo I gather that you had to buy a new Tandem from SJS on Day 2?
Bugger, what?. 2 thoughts
Firstly, I'm glad you were in reach of SJS. I bought the Santana on which you practised from them in 1996, and they were as helpful, knowledgeable and efficient as you could wish for
Secondly, I wish I'd made more explicit that you'd have been welcome to use that one for your trip. At least you'd have been used to it,
even though it's a truck with minicar brakes!
All the best for 'bon continuation' as the cheese eaters say. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, so you both must be ripper by now
Affectionately
Richard