Super day today, not weather-wise because it rained, but sponsor-wise.
When I went into a pub for a trifle to use their wifi, a group of cycling tourists drink something. We all left the gala together after the rain shower to continue cycling, and in the car park they asked me what I was doing. Result: 4×£20, or €90.2 for Cipriano!
Thanks, guys, you 've made my day!
Generous cyclists at Waverley Inn
I would for the magazine the World Cyclist/Vacation Cyclist Going to interview British female long-distance cycling pioneer Josie Dew and drove some 200 km to get to Portsmouth, instead of cycling straight from Dover to Fishguard to take the ferry to Ireland.
Last week, because of the school holidays, she had gone cycling on the Isle of Wight. We could not meet there because Josie's son had fallen ill and they returned home early.
Over the weekend, I notified her that I would be cycling back to Portsmouth on Tuesday and asked her to communicate a time and place that suited her for the interview. I heard nothing until Tuesday evening, when I had already checked into a campsite 25 km NW of Portsmouth, my driving direction to Fishguard.
In response to a very last-minute e-mail, Josie wrote that Saturday would work for her, but I could not afford to wait another four days. To that, she apologised and said she did not know I was riding for a project and on a - albeit loose - schedule, adding that she could spare half an hour today at 4.30pm in her village, which is 50 km back to the east, i.e. back from where I had come and all the way out of the direction for Fishguard. I could not see another 100 km of cycling, so the interview will have to be conducted in some other way. I was quite disappointed with the time and needless kilometres it took, as I could have been in Ireland by now. Isle of Wight was fortunately worthwhile, which softened the bitter pill somewhat.
The route to Winchester proceeded over rolling rural asphalt lanes. I camped in a campsite a few miles from Winchester
Winchester is a cosy and picturesque town. A visit to the cathedral cost 9€. I visited it back in the early 1980s and should even still have a guidebook of it somewhere, so I kept those pennies in my purse.
It was tough and long climb to get out of Winchester, but then the slopes became gentler and it was great cycling along quiet country roads and gravel paths to Pitton.
This was the first day of my trip through southern England that the whole trip was purely cycling fun!
A heavy storm was predicted for tonight, to give my tent extra protection against wind gusts I secured the storm ropes with double pegs.
En route to Pitton
Last night, the tent had its first severe storm endured: Westwind 7. She held up well. My bike didn't, it was knocked over. Not much sleep came of it either, with all that tugging and clamouring around the tent. Earplugs did bring some relief.
In the morning it was still windy, but no longer so extreme and it had fortunately stopped raining heavily. Thanks to the wind, the tent was dry pretty quickly and a little after 10 o'clock I was packed and ready to leave for Stonehenge, some 25 km away. I had bought a ticket for 13 hours, so plenty of time I thought. That was beyond my rear tyre gerekend: it stood like this flat Like a pancake. Sigh and curse. All luggage back off and a new inner tube stuck. It worked, but meanwhile we were just under an hour later.....
The ride to Stonehenge was via pleasant country lanes and a grass path over 4 km. Not exactly pleasant to bike on a packed city bike, but after about three kilometres I was first rewarded with a number of prehistoric tomb tumuli beside the path (the Normanton Down Barrows, I later read at the Stonehenge visitor centre). As I trudged over another hill, I suddenly saw right in front of me the Stonehenge monument standing in its full glory.
Stonehenge
That makes your heart beat (even) faster for a moment! Click below for my report on Stonehenge.
At the campsite in Tilshead I had 'aperitifs' until half past ten at three West Flanders motorcyclists and a British-French cyclist. Then I had to go cook something and shower... So it turned out to be a long day.
The main part of this ride was along a gravel path along Bath Canal 6, which over all its length of some 140 km no less than 105 locks counts that manual must be operated by the skippers themselves. On the canal, only 'narrowboats' because the locks are so narrow. Many of those boats are permanently inhabited. It was pleasant to know that you are not motherly alone there. You can also book a holiday on one of those canal boats. On the rough gravel path, I had my second flat tyre on two days to thank.
Narrowboats on Bath Canal 6
From Bath to Bristol, the route was via the Railway Cycling Path, to me the first cycle path worthy of the name in Britain. Including a train tunnel with seepage that reminded me very much of some of the numerous Norwegian tunnels.
Because of the length of the ride (80 km), flat tyre and a long downpour in Bradford on Avon I didn't get up until around ten Enneywevvers campsite to. A campsite with very high sixties content.
Camping Enneywevvers
16 September: Opening the door at Diamondway Buddhist Centre in Tallinn The centre's meditation sessions are open
