22/08/07 Call it "Coast to Kirkby Stephen"
It was a tough call, but I've decided to bag it and go home.
Reasons to continue: 1) said I would 2)weather to be nicer for the next few days 3) free ride from RHB to Whitby.
Reasons to stop: 1) Feet - blisters and arch 2) knees 3) ankle 4) 20 (+) mile day about did me in and there are more ahead 5) not getting easier 6) Big Bad Boggs ahead (and I hate boggs) 7) saves $ 8) My kit and I are about as clean as we're ever going to be 9) there's a train station just south of town.
So I took a slow start today, visited with the cyclists more and gave away food and fuel. I should have left the tent and bag at the campsite and light footed it through town, but I packed it all out and went for a nice stroll through K.S.
That's something that, on the whole, this time-table thing has denied me and I would advise against - hurrying through these towns. Grasmere for example begged a full day, or at least an unhurried (unlimping) afternoon's exploration. Granted, given that Luke trained AN ENTIRE YEAR for the hike and still had his pack shipped on, I could have been better prepared physically, but i think viewing this as a 14day (or less) challenge is a mistake. Far better to wait a day and cross the Lake District in the clear than press on over the tops with nil visibility! Like I did.
Kirkby Stephen has many interesting sights and sites, and (like so much else here) is a photographers dream - in good light. I was cursed by my father with a compulsive need to document by photograph, and by my photographer friend, Jeff B, to be conscious/critical of the light.
After my stroll I once again headed south out of town the "one mile or so" to the train station. "Or so" was about 1/2 mile and the only part that wasn't uphill. Right foot arch still not happy with road walking (reason 10 - more road walking ahead in the eastern part). The train station is a beautiful restoration, full of flowers and stonework. I stood at the signpost and deciphered the sched , deciding to wait for the 1245 to Leeds, and when I turned around I saw LUKE!! Great Happiness. He had finished his planned 1/2 Coast to Coast yesterday, taxiied back to K.S. this morning and set up in the same campsite I'd just vacated, and was scouting out the train station/sked for his return home tomorrow. We chatted and discussed and he waited out the train's departure to wave goodbye. A gesture I didn't fully appreciate until it was happening.
A gentleman and adventurer.
So, with a credit card one can buy a 30L ticket to MAN and I'm off again through the UK countryside - at a much greater rate than previously. Change in Leeds (quick now) to MAN Intl, where I apply for refund of my Whitby-MAN ticket for the 30th (don't bother prebooking - there'll be room), through the airport to Terminal 3 and the American Airlines Counter which is......closed. Well, the last flight is at 1050AM and its 1630(4:30)PM.
So, dinner, a expensive internet session to lesson the shock of walking through the door unannounced, a book for the wee-hours (Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island", what else?), and a hopefully unobtrusive spot 'till morning
The train ride to MAN.
Waiting out the evening, night, morning.
We have lift off and everything's A-OK.
2 of the 3 bicyclists and the 2 Norton mates. Earlier the younger lads had expressed to me concern as to how to approach the older blokes. They felt there'd be some commonality with 2 wheels and all, but weren't sure how they'd be accepted. Well, it turns out.
Everywhere they can, they grow flowers
Reasons to continue: 1) said I would 2)weather to be nicer for the next few days 3) free ride from RHB to Whitby.
Reasons to stop: 1) Feet - blisters and arch 2) knees 3) ankle 4) 20 (+) mile day about did me in and there are more ahead 5) not getting easier 6) Big Bad Boggs ahead (and I hate boggs) 7) saves $ 8) My kit and I are about as clean as we're ever going to be 9) there's a train station just south of town.
So I took a slow start today, visited with the cyclists more and gave away food and fuel. I should have left the tent and bag at the campsite and light footed it through town, but I packed it all out and went for a nice stroll through K.S.
That's something that, on the whole, this time-table thing has denied me and I would advise against - hurrying through these towns. Grasmere for example begged a full day, or at least an unhurried (unlimping) afternoon's exploration. Granted, given that Luke trained AN ENTIRE YEAR for the hike and still had his pack shipped on, I could have been better prepared physically, but i think viewing this as a 14day (or less) challenge is a mistake. Far better to wait a day and cross the Lake District in the clear than press on over the tops with nil visibility! Like I did.
Kirkby Stephen has many interesting sights and sites, and (like so much else here) is a photographers dream - in good light. I was cursed by my father with a compulsive need to document by photograph, and by my photographer friend, Jeff B, to be conscious/critical of the light.
After my stroll I once again headed south out of town the "one mile or so" to the train station. "Or so" was about 1/2 mile and the only part that wasn't uphill. Right foot arch still not happy with road walking (reason 10 - more road walking ahead in the eastern part). The train station is a beautiful restoration, full of flowers and stonework. I stood at the signpost and deciphered the sched , deciding to wait for the 1245 to Leeds, and when I turned around I saw LUKE!! Great Happiness. He had finished his planned 1/2 Coast to Coast yesterday, taxiied back to K.S. this morning and set up in the same campsite I'd just vacated, and was scouting out the train station/sked for his return home tomorrow. We chatted and discussed and he waited out the train's departure to wave goodbye. A gesture I didn't fully appreciate until it was happening.
A gentleman and adventurer.
So, with a credit card one can buy a 30L ticket to MAN and I'm off again through the UK countryside - at a much greater rate than previously. Change in Leeds (quick now) to MAN Intl, where I apply for refund of my Whitby-MAN ticket for the 30th (don't bother prebooking - there'll be room), through the airport to Terminal 3 and the American Airlines Counter which is......closed. Well, the last flight is at 1050AM and its 1630(4:30)PM.
So, dinner, a expensive internet session to lesson the shock of walking through the door unannounced, a book for the wee-hours (Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island", what else?), and a hopefully unobtrusive spot 'till morning
The train ride to MAN.
Waiting out the evening, night, morning.
We have lift off and everything's A-OK.
2 of the 3 bicyclists and the 2 Norton mates. Earlier the younger lads had expressed to me concern as to how to approach the older blokes. They felt there'd be some commonality with 2 wheels and all, but weren't sure how they'd be accepted. Well, it turns out.
Everywhere they can, they grow flowers
posted by Randy Masters at 4:29 AM
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