I think that I passed the half way mark on the journey today; another one that was wet, but the lack of wind made it better. Another very welcome mark also passed – £6000 on the sponsorship page. An article in that august publication, the Dunmow Broadcast, gained me some sponsorship (and also added to my conscious memories!), as did a post on my sister Jo’s blog. The damp today restricted my use of the camera (maybe I should have got a waterproof Go-pro), so apologies for fewer than usual pictures.
The forecast was ok for the start of the day, but then seemed a bit uncertain as to how wet it would get, so I set off as early as I reasonably could from Dave and Pauline’s in Hedon – I am still so pleased to be seeing many friends there a full 40 years after I left. The first part of the journey was around Hull on their very good cycling infrastructure – city with the biggest tick for that yet and then up to Beverley – it too has a Minster.
Onwards towards Pocklington and about 5 km short of that destination there was a loud bang from my rear wheel. I knew immediately that a spoke had pinged and a swift inspection confirmed that. It was raining quite hard so I decided to go to Pocklington which seemed likely to have a cycle shop. It did, just it was closed on Mondays – and there was no sign/no answer from another place that came up on Google. So I retreated to a café in Pocklington and studied my route to discover that it went more or less straight past a cycle shop in the northern outskirts of York, just 25 km away. Cycle Scene confirmed they could repair the wheel as soon as I got there, and sure enough that is exactly what they did. This was a really professional service and a credit to cycle mechanics everywhere. The replacement spoke would have taken me most of 2 hours or so – getting it done in less that 20 minutes, along with a gear tune up was fantastic. They also confirmed that the route that I was taking to Boroughbridge was the best and most scenic. A fine toll bridge at Aldwark was free for bicycles, but cars were paying a whole 40p to avoid a 25 mile detour. Not much later I was into Boroughbridge after a good ride despite the rain.
Today’s statistics: 113 km (new record) running total: 1482 km. Ascent: 439 m, 14902 overall. 3 tubs – running total: 69. No new bird or mammal records.
Down Memory Lane 
I used to think, before I delved into my genealogy, that I was from the North. I have the flat vowels to prove it. However, it turns out that I am solidly rooted in the East Midlands which is really where the divide is. Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire, that nebulous area that is neither North nor South. I enjoyed your ride through the wolds, and remembered visiting you in Hull a couple of times, most notoriously a New Year’s Eve Party. I also have vague recollections about a sloe tree you were eyeing and stomping around on a rainy day to look for it?
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That News Year party went into legend – I remember the 12 in the green Morris 1000 van driving through deep snow lined roads, and that we had only one broken arm. The leaving party for the Boulevard was even more riotous – we broke the downstairs floorboards completely…One guest descended about 3 foot to the earth underneath! I cannot remember the sloe tree, but that does not surprise me – I am often looking for those!
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[Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] You mentioned your Hobart relative. If you have never been, then from today, here are photographs from Bovington Tank Museum of him and his funnies. The first three are in the new history of tanks hall,, the diorama in the original (I was last hear 40 years ago) Second World War hall.
Enjoying your blogs, congrats on the new total.
Best wishes Steve
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Hi Steve
Thanks. The images did not come through. I looked hard to see if I could route this ride past Bovington – I have not been, but my siblings have been (and Mum) when we presented them with grandfathers Home Guard pike – basically a piece of scaffolding with a large knife welded on the end! It was languishing in Mum’s attic, so seemed like a suitable place to go. His funnies probably took a second place to all the original armoured warfare manuals that he wrote – that the Germans promptly “borrowed” for their rapid advances across Europe! He got on the traditionalists bad books – thank goodness for Churchill’s perception!
Best wishes
Mark
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