Monday, June 02, 2008
Friday, May 30: The campground is behind the Pub, very quiet and friendly. Peter was very attentive during my visit. Introduced me to a couple of community members, who of whom was also in the RAF, hanging out there. Leaving the Pub the road crosses the Kennent and Avon Canal that is what I want to ride along to get to Bath. The path down to it is steep, narrow and wet I’ll pass and pick it up somewhere else. According to the story Marlborough is where Neive trapped Merlin in a cave under a rock. He fell in love with her and gave her all his secrets with out hesitation. She then used the magic to entrap him in a cave, which she covered with a rock. What a metaphor for some of the places people find themselves due to relationships. As luck would have it most of the time we have enough magic left to free ourselves, or sometimes with the help of other’s magic.
The campground which is up a killer hill has no showers, but they do have is a lot of families. There is also a back way down to the village, which, I am told; I can ride my bike down. This trail is steep, narrow, covered with grass and rocks, ride down I think not. It is a bit less steep then the road I rode up, and there are no trucks so walking the bike down in to the town is not so bad. The keeper of the park informed me that there was a Leisure Center where I could buy a shower; she also gave me directions to a Laundromat. These are two tasks that need to be accomplished before moving on to ride the canal.
Saturday, May 31: Still here relaxing away riding around the village I find a bike shop in on a side street. Here is the chain guard that has eluded me since purchasing the bike. Also is a new cable lock to keep my possessions safe. My cooking skills are increasing with time. In addition to making chicken, rice and mushrooms have been added to the menu.
Sunday, June 1: Today it is off to Avebury to see the largest ring of stone’s in England. A seven km ride not a hard, hills are not to bad, and then it starts to rain. Stopping at a Long Bourgh that is a mass burial site that is 5,500 years old. Just be for reaching it a swarm of bees come over the next hill heading right at me. No not bees’ bike riders’ lots of them. We wave as they zip by, some giving me the thumbs up. Several people on the journey have asked if I have the kitchen sink on my bike?
It is now time to head to Devizes and my next campground. Another easy, not to hilly seven-mile ride, not to many cars since it is Sunday. Upon arriving in Devizes I’m able to get online at Costa Coffee house. After a search for local campgrounds leaves me with a decision to make. There are two campgrounds, in opposite directions from each other, and not in the direction needed. Well I’ll just follow the canal and see if something turns up along the way. No time to do more searches as the coffee shop is about to close so off in search of the canal.
Riding along the canal a thought come to my mind, “Am I going in the right direction?” After stopping and checking my handy dandy compass, low and behold this direction will not get me there. Time to turn around and head in the other direction, without the sun my sense of direction deteriorates. On my right are a series of 28 locks that bring a boat down 290 ft. This canal gets more interesting zipping along it. Now it starts to rain, lots of rain coming down out of the steel gray clouds. After riding for what I figure is about 24 miles Bath is in sight.
This has been one of the scariest rides to date. Visions of the wheels slipping out from under me and off the wet bank, which in places is less the foot from me, taking me into the canal. Wet branches are slapping me in the face filling my eyes with water causing me to lose sight of the path. Stopping is not easy as the surface is wet and slippery. Riding as close as possible to the wet shrubbery, yet not to close so as not to run into it and be bounced into the canal. Bridges come over the canal must be walked under as the narrow walk way has slippery mud on the paving stones. If the bike gets out of balance it will throw me into the canal. With the heavy backpack and the bike I’m sure, if it were possible to see through the muck, I’d get to see the bottom of the canal.
The rain stops the path widens, I’m going up hill and so is the canal. There is an aqueduct this goes over the highway and the rail, then there is one that goes over a river. Now down the hill that curves downward. The ground is still wet but the path is wider, there are more people about. Boats are putt putting down the river; I am actually going faster then something. The canal is now on the side of a hill looking down about seventy or eighty feet to the river below. There are not boats on the river, only on the canal.
I left Avebury around Noon, as I round a bend Bath comes in to view; it is 8:15 pm. I am not there yet, but at least on familiar ground. This is part of the canal that I rode last year on my way to Castle Comb. Riding on the canal path runs out leaving me on city streets. “I’ve been on this street before.” I think to myself. “Yes I rode up the hill last year.” Reaching an intersection that should lead to the campground. Around another bend and there is the campground; it is 9:30 pm. There is a note on the door “After hours find a pitch and pay in the morning.” I pretend not to see the other sign that say’s “No Tents,” I’m soaking wet from head to toe, I sleep.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Up at 5 am to make good my escape from the camp. Riding around Bath until a coffee house opens to attempt to get on the Internet, there across the river is a Labyrinth. Finding away to get there it is a Labyrinth laid out in the ground; I begin to walk it. Finial the coffee houses are open, time to get some coffee in my system. I ride to the train station to find out about a ticket to Liverpool, which costs 48 pounds, a ticket to Salisbury is only 8, Liverpool with have to wait.
Getting on the Internet has been a real hassle this trip, unlike the past two years when it was no problem at all. So cut off from my bank accounts how much money is left is an unknown. So it’s 8 pm time to head to the campground for the evening maybe I’ll have better luck tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
It is 4 pm. I woke to rain on the roof about 1 am when back to sleep. My Eyes open, it is 8 am there is rain coming down on my roof, close them. My eyes open, it is 10 am the rain is still falling on my roof, time for a little breakfast, then back to sleep. My eyes open it is 1 pm the rain is still coming down on my roof, close them. At 1:30 pm it is time of a shower and then head into town in the rain.
I begin thinking about the fact that I have forgotten what rain is. What we normally get in Arizona is down pours that last may three or four hours and it is called rain. This is rain, hours and hours of it. It has now been raining about 10 hours, not hard, not big drops, just a nice wonderful rain. The roads have puddles to ride through, a rare treat in Arizona. The little creek next to the bike path is overflowing its banks and people are tiptoeing through it. Splash I ride right through making sure not to get water on anyone.
Comes to mind that from the fifth grade on into high school a bike was my mode of transportation. Everyday, like the mailman of back then, through sleet, snow, rain, or shine my bike got me to school and back. It also got me pretty much everywhere else during that time. In high school I began driving whatever car was available and started. It did not matter if it was mine or not as long as it would start off we would go. Showing up at school with so many different cars caused one teacher to ask whether my dad owned a used car business the year was 1960.
There was a time I had five bikes. Yep five of them all sitting in the garage ready to use. Some I hardly used at all others were used daily until replaced by a newer model about every other year or so. I still had the two original bikes, yep I got two one Christmas, one from my parents and one from my grandparents. Of course the bike my parents could afford was no match for the sleek green English racer my grandparents had purchased. However I really did not like the racer and mostly rode the bake my parents had given me.
They I go my J. C Higgins a Sears brand at the time, which was a tank. It was Big, brown, with a built in horn, handlebars that seemed to be a mile wide, and huge balloon tires. It came with Saddlebags that would be used to hold my books for quite a few years. I rode that bike for years until it was replaced by the newest idea of the time. Swhin came out with a thing called a middleweight which was I tire that was thinner then the Balloon, yet not as thin as the English racer. It was Candy Apple red with three speeds, hand brakes, built in horn, and a stoplight that worked when you put on the brake. A small ball bearing would roll forward causing a contact to be made and the red light came on, now how cool was that.
In 1974 a new bike was purchased for me as a bonus at work. It was another English Racer that I think was silver. It was moved to Arizona where it picked up every thorn in the road. Don’t even know what happened to it during all the moves made in the 70’s. So it was not until 2006 with the purchase of my Hybrid in England that riding a bike was part of my life again. Now there is a bike in England and a bike in Flagstaff don’t think there will be five again. Fifty-six years of, for all intensive purposes, no bike riding. Then I get on a bike in 2006 and expect to ride as I did in the 40’s and 50’s. Ah well dreams are what the world is made of right?
Equipment check: LOVE my tent. Yes indeed, just love it. Lots of room, goes up quick, comes down quick, keeps all my stuff and me dry. This is the second Sr Designs Electron 2 person tent that is a keeper. I have decided that my sleeping bag is to big, taking up to much room so I’ll be looking for a new one. My Big Agnes air mattress is a full size one, rather then the mummy that came with me last year. There was noting wrong with the mummy, but I found this Thermorest cover which converts your air mattress to a lounge or a chair. This has been a great addition to my gear as it allows me to sit over my cooking stove not kneel by it much more comfortable.
The stove is O.K. I’m not thrilled with it at this point. It has a hose that connects to the stove and keeps them about 12 inches apart. The hose is a bit unwieldy making it difficult to get the stove to sit even. Now that I have a set of stabilizers for the gas can I may go back to a stove that sits on top. Other then the hose thing it works just great, but does take a bit of getting use to for cooking since it really cooks things fast. My “front” panniers are made my Maddox a company which no longer makes panniers. I cannot even remember when I purchased them, maybe the seventies? They work just great, lightweight, however not waterproof.
So I line them with a plastic trash bag and the water stays off my stuff. My friend Mark and I spent a good deal of the summer and fall looking for a set that goes on the back. We settled on a pair of Axion Champagne touring bags. They have a lot of room, a lot. Once packed I thought it would be a problematic getting them through the train doors in order to get off and on. Since I have four panniers with the load evenly distributed as possible this has not been a problem. They have rain covers that are working quite well at keeping things dry. I purchased a set of Titanium cookware that is working out just great. In addition is a Teflon frying pan that is not working out.
I have managed to get rid of some stuff along the way so there will be not $80 extra bag charge. Anything close to being charged that much and stuff will be going in the nearest garbage pail.
Friday, May 30: The campground is behind the Pub, very quiet and friendly. Peter was very attentive during my visit. Introduced me to a couple of community members, who of whom was also in the RAF, hanging out there. Leaving the Pub the road crosses the Kennent and Avon Canal that is what I want to ride along to get to Bath. The path down to it is steep, narrow and wet I’ll pass and pick it up somewhere else. According to the story Marlborough is where Neive trapped Merlin in a cave under a rock. He fell in love with her and gave her all his secrets with out hesitation. She then used the magic to entrap him in a cave, which she covered with a rock. What a metaphor for some of the places people find themselves due to relationships. As luck would have it most of the time we have enough magic left to free ourselves, or sometimes with the help of other’s magic.
The campground which is up a killer hill has no showers, but they do have is a lot of families. There is also a back way down to the village, which, I am told; I can ride my bike down. This trail is steep, narrow, covered with grass and rocks, ride down I think not. It is a bit less steep then the road I rode up, and there are no trucks so walking the bike down in to the town is not so bad. The keeper of the park informed me that there was a Leisure Center where I could buy a shower; she also gave me directions to a Laundromat. These are two tasks that need to be accomplished before moving on to ride the canal.
Saturday, May 31: Still here relaxing away riding around the village I find a bike shop in on a side street. Here is the chain guard that has eluded me since purchasing the bike. Also is a new cable lock to keep my possessions safe. My cooking skills are increasing with time. In addition to making chicken, rice and mushrooms have been added to the menu.
Sunday, June 1: Today it is off to Avebury to see the largest ring of stone’s in England. A seven km ride not a hard, hills are not to bad, and then it starts to rain. Stopping at a Long Bourgh that is a mass burial site that is 5,500 years old. Just be for reaching it a swarm of bees come over the next hill heading right at me. No not bees’ bike riders’ lots of them. We wave as they zip by, some giving me the thumbs up. Several people on the journey have asked if I have the kitchen sink on my bike?
It is now time to head to Devizes and my next campground. Another easy, not to hilly seven-mile ride, not to many cars since it is Sunday. Upon arriving in Devizes I’m able to get online at Costa Coffee house. After a search for local campgrounds leaves me with a decision to make. There are two campgrounds, in opposite directions from each other, and not in the direction needed. Well I’ll just follow the canal and see if something turns up along the way. No time to do more searches as the coffee shop is about to close so off in search of the canal.
Riding along the canal a thought come to my mind, “Am I going in the right direction?” After stopping and checking my handy dandy compass, low and behold this direction will not get me there. Time to turn around and head in the other direction, without the sun my sense of direction deteriorates. On my right are a series of 28 locks that bring a boat down 290 ft. This canal gets more interesting zipping along it. Now it starts to rain, lots of rain coming down out of the steel gray clouds. After riding for what I figure is about 24 miles Bath is in sight.
This has been one of the scariest rides to date. Visions of the wheels slipping out from under me and off the wet bank, which in places is less the foot from me, taking me into the canal. Wet branches are slapping me in the face filling my eyes with water causing me to lose sight of the path. Stopping is not easy as the surface is wet and slippery. Riding as close as possible to the wet shrubbery, yet not to close so as not to run into it and be bounced into the canal. Bridges come over the canal must be walked under as the narrow walk way has slippery mud on the paving stones. If the bike gets out of balance it will throw me into the canal. With the heavy backpack and the bike I’m sure, if it were possible to see through the muck, I’d get to see the bottom of the canal.
The rain stops the path widens, I’m going up hill and so is the canal. There is an aqueduct this goes over the highway and the rail, then there is one that goes over a river. Now down the hill that curves downward. The ground is still wet but the path is wider, there are more people about. Boats are putt putting down the river; I am actually going faster then something. The canal is now on the side of a hill looking down about seventy or eighty feet to the river below. There are not boats on the river, only on the canal.
I left Avebury around Noon, as I round a bend Bath comes in to view; it is 8:15 pm. I am not there yet, but at least on familiar ground. This is part of the canal that I rode last year on my way to Castle Comb. Riding on the canal path runs out leaving me on city streets. “I’ve been on this street before.” I think to myself. “Yes I rode up the hill last year.” Reaching an intersection that should lead to the campground. Around another bend and there is the campground; it is 9:30 pm. There is a note on the door “After hours find a pitch and pay in the morning.” I pretend not to see the other sign that say’s “No Tents,” I’m soaking wet from head to toe, I sleep.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Up at 5 am to make good my escape from the camp. Riding around Bath until a coffee house opens to attempt to get on the Internet, there across the river is a Labyrinth. Finding away to get there it is a Labyrinth laid out in the ground; I begin to walk it. Finial the coffee houses are open, time to get some coffee in my system. I ride to the train station to find out about a ticket to Liverpool, which costs 48 pounds, a ticket to Salisbury is only 8, Liverpool with have to wait.
Getting on the Internet has been a real hassle this trip, unlike the past two years when it was no problem at all. So cut off from my bank accounts how much money is left is an unknown. So it’s 8 pm time to head to the campground for the evening maybe I’ll have better luck tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
It is 4 pm. I woke to rain on the roof about 1 am when back to sleep. My Eyes open, it is 8 am there is rain coming down on my roof, close them. My eyes open, it is 10 am the rain is still falling on my roof, time for a little breakfast, then back to sleep. My eyes open it is 1 pm the rain is still coming down on my roof, close them. At 1:30 pm it is time of a shower and then head into town in the rain.
I begin thinking about the fact that I have forgotten what rain is. What we normally get in Arizona is down pours that last may three or four hours and it is called rain. This is rain, hours and hours of it. It has now been raining about 10 hours, not hard, not big drops, just a nice wonderful rain. The roads have puddles to ride through, a rare treat in Arizona. The little creek next to the bike path is overflowing its banks and people are tiptoeing through it. Splash I ride right through making sure not to get water on anyone.
Comes to mind that from the fifth grade on into high school a bike was my mode of transportation. Everyday, like the mailman of back then, through sleet, snow, rain, or shine my bike got me to school and back. It also got me pretty much everywhere else during that time. In high school I began driving whatever car was available and started. It did not matter if it was mine or not as long as it would start off we would go. Showing up at school with so many different cars caused one teacher to ask whether my dad owned a used car business the year was 1960.
There was a time I had five bikes. Yep five of them all sitting in the garage ready to use. Some I hardly used at all others were used daily until replaced by a newer model about every other year or so. I still had the two original bikes, yep I got two one Christmas, one from my parents and one from my grandparents. Of course the bike my parents could afford was no match for the sleek green English racer my grandparents had purchased. However I really did not like the racer and mostly rode the bake my parents had given me.
They I go my J. C Higgins a Sears brand at the time, which was a tank. It was Big, brown, with a built in horn, handlebars that seemed to be a mile wide, and huge balloon tires. It came with Saddlebags that would be used to hold my books for quite a few years. I rode that bike for years until it was replaced by the newest idea of the time. Swhin came out with a thing called a middleweight which was I tire that was thinner then the Balloon, yet not as thin as the English racer. It was Candy Apple red with three speeds, hand brakes, built in horn, and a stoplight that worked when you put on the brake. A small ball bearing would roll forward causing a contact to be made and the red light came on, now how cool was that.
In 1974 a new bike was purchased for me as a bonus at work. It was another English Racer that I think was silver. It was moved to Arizona where it picked up every thorn in the road. Don’t even know what happened to it during all the moves made in the 70’s. So it was not until 2006 with the purchase of my Hybrid in England that riding a bike was part of my life again. Now there is a bike in England and a bike in Flagstaff don’t think there will be five again. Fifty-six years of, for all intensive purposes, no bike riding. Then I get on a bike in 2006 and expect to ride as I did in the 40’s and 50’s. Ah well dreams are what the world is made of right?
Equipment check: LOVE my tent. Yes indeed, just love it. Lots of room, goes up quick, comes down quick, keeps all my stuff and me dry. This is the second Sr Designs Electron 2 person tent that is a keeper. I have decided that my sleeping bag is to big, taking up to much room so I’ll be looking for a new one. My Big Agnes air mattress is a full size one, rather then the mummy that came with me last year. There was noting wrong with the mummy, but I found this Thermorest cover which converts your air mattress to a lounge or a chair. This has been a great addition to my gear as it allows me to sit over my cooking stove not kneel by it much more comfortable.
The stove is O.K. I’m not thrilled with it at this point. It has a hose that connects to the stove and keeps them about 12 inches apart. The hose is a bit unwieldy making it difficult to get the stove to sit even. Now that I have a set of stabilizers for the gas can I may go back to a stove that sits on top. Other then the hose thing it works just great, but does take a bit of getting use to for cooking since it really cooks things fast. My “front” panniers are made my Maddox a company which no longer makes panniers. I cannot even remember when I purchased them, maybe the seventies? They work just great, lightweight, however not waterproof.
So I line them with a plastic trash bag and the water stays off my stuff. My friend Mark and I spent a good deal of the summer and fall looking for a set that goes on the back. We settled on a pair of Axion Champagne touring bags. They have a lot of room, a lot. Once packed I thought it would be a problematic getting them through the train doors in order to get off and on. Since I have four panniers with the load evenly distributed as possible this has not been a problem. They have rain covers that are working quite well at keeping things dry. I purchased a set of Titanium cookware that is working out just great. In addition is a Teflon frying pan that is not working out.
I have managed to get rid of some stuff along the way so there will be not $80 extra bag charge. Anything close to being charged that much and stuff will be going in the nearest garbage pail.
Paragraphs! Paragraphs! Everywhere!
ReplyDeleteParagraphs are helpful, indeed!
Thanks so much for fixing that,
And making things easier to read!