Tire arrived! After sitting in the sun this morning
enjoying a breakfast of fresh bananas, Strawberries and soy milk it was off to
town to pick up my new tire. Coffee at
Starbucks while checking and sending emails then on to Facebook to see what the
rest of the world is up to. Lunch time
found me back at the campground working on the bike as the sun started to be
blocked out by the clouds.
Thursday, May 26, 2011, 4:57 pm:
Rain, Rain go away come again
another day!
Friday, May 27, 2011, 2:00 pm:
Saturday, May 28, 2011, 6:00 pm:
Today I’m to work the Cathedral
again. Yesterday an email was sent out
stating that functions at the Cathedral required a suit, little late for that,
tie etc… The answer I received after
writing back that all I had was a white shirt and dark pants as stated in the
dress code was not to worry that will be fine.
I hurry to the Cathedral to take up my station and am there one hour
early. I take up my station at where I
think I’m supposed to be and wonder why no one is there to relieve. I pick up a Festival brochure and see that
there are two events with the same name.
It appears the one I’m to be at is in the Cathedral on in the
Cloisters.
Shit I’m late now. I’m five
minutes late to the check in and John,
the head Stewart, is already giving out information. He looks at me and asks if there was anything
he could do for me. “I yours” is my
reply to which he rolls his eyes. Smile, play nice, I tell myself. “Right and you are?” he says. After telling him my name he rustles through
some papers hands me a couple of sheets along with a badge and returns to
giving instructions. Meanwhile an older
gentleman smile’s at me and says “This is the fellow for Arizona.” I smile to all, but across from me is the
grumpy puss lady for the other evening.
She does not smile and my heart aches to think how hard it must be to
live in her unsmiling world. I take up my post at the main door and do as
the instruction sheet tells me. I greet
everyone, hold the door, and answer questions which most of which I guess
at. I’m at the main door; I’m the first
one everyone sees as they come in for their tickets. I’m
quite surprised that I’ve not been placed on the back door or something of the
like. But, nope I’m here right out front
and certainly not dressed as the rest of the stewards are. No suit, no tie, no socks, however, the dress
code did not call for tie and socks.
The show starts and after ten
minutes I’m allowed to leave my post and enter the Cathedral to watch the
show. I’m motioned to come in by one of
the other Stewards so I do and sit.
Grumpy puss lady is across from me scowling. The show finished and I stand to take my
place with the rest of the Stewards, however John walks over and says “I’ll
have you badge now.” Oh my being
drummed out to the service. As I head
toward the doors the two stewards standing there say to me “That was very rude
of John.” I smile and say “It is what it
is.” As I turn to leave I think No he is not going to get away with
this.” I find him and say “Might I
have a word in private.” Of course he’s
very busy but consents and I turn to him.
“John I’m sorry I’m not here to cause problems. I told Helen, who sent out the email, that I
had no suit. She told me it would be
fine. If you have a problem I suggest you take it up with her.” He looks me up and down and says “That’s the
problem with the Festival people. We at
the Cathedral just don’t dress that way.
I sure if you when to something like this in the states you’d not fine
anyone dressed like you.” My answer
“John I go to Plays, Operas, and Symphonies dressed like this. We do things different in Arizona and are not
quite so uptight. Again I’m sorry I’ve offended you I’m here just trying to
help out don’t mean to cause you problems. I understand you may be shorthanded
for the second show and am willing to help if needed.” He tells me there is no need for me to
stay. I shake his hand and leave. Again on the way out the two of the other steward’s
comment on how rude he was.
I’m sad for John and Grumpy puss
to have to live in such a tight world.
I enjoyed the performance as it is always wonderful to here song in the
Cathedral.
Sunday, May 29, 2011, 1:00 pm:
I’m up and begin to get my stuff
ready to pack for my trip tomorrow.
After shower I’m off to the Cathedral for a Sunday service. This is probably the only church service I go
to and usually there is a message for me.
Kites
Monday, May 30, 2011, 6:00 am:
After breaking camp it was time
to head to the train station to purchase a ticket for Attleborough. Now I’ve done this before may be four years
ago. I’m doing it again because the
pictures taken there were all lost due to a computer clinch just after
returning. This is the area where my
Father was stationed during WW II. I had
tracked down what was left of the airfield he had flown out of then and was out
to do it again so I could recapture the pictures that were lost. So the train would take me to London Waterloo
station, from there I’d have to bike across London to Kings Cross Station where
the next train would take me to Cambridge.
Upon arriving in Cambridge I change trains and am off to Attleborough.
Arriving at Waterloo it time for
the loo and directions after which I off for Kings Cross. This
seems to be a different route then the last time I’m thinking riding down
London streets with a fully packed bike.
People do tend to stare. Arriving
at gate 6 I watch the train pull away from the station darn loo stop. The nice station person tell we it will be
and hour before the next train is due in so I wait, rearrange so stuff and chat
with a fellow about my bike and the load its carrying. It is amazing how many folks I’ve talked to
who are thinking about doing what I’m doing.
I give my card and tell them that reading my blog might help get them
ready for the adventure. It’s time to
board the train to Attleborough via Cambridge.
After the switch in Cambridge I
begin to think that I’d not taken the train to Attleborough, but to
Thetford. I’m remembering this because I
when to the Halfords in Thetford so I must have ridden to the campground from
there. After getting off the train at
Thetford it’s time to figure out which way to go to get to the campground. I have a vague memory of being here, get off
to a false start then get my bearing and Oh
yes this I remember. Riding brings
back some dim memories of the last time I rode here. Only four years ago and most of the memories
of the place and ride are gone.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 11:00 am:
Up early and on my way to
Attleborough via back roads and not highways.
Again my memory is somewhat hazy things look familiar only just. There is a nice fellow walking his grandkid
down the road. After inquiring he gives
me directions and I’m off. About an hour
later I arrive in Attleborough and ride around the town. Finding the post office and take its picture,
then a Saintsbury where dinner is to be found, then to the local church. Oh half a moe here’s the coffee shop that had
Wi-Fi the last time I was here. “Nope
there’s no Wi-Fi here.” She says as I
order coffee and carrot cake which is quite good. Now it
is time to relax, read the paper, eat my cake and drink my coffee. When finished it will be time to ride to the
airfield and retake my pictures there.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011, 11:00
am:
Attleborough to Cambridge
Broke camp and rode into Attleborough
to catch the train back to Salisbury.
Upon arriving in town it occurred to me to stop and have a coffee. So after hitching my bike to a rail I head to
the coffee shop. Arriving at the door
there are two prams blocking the door attempting to get in. Now this is the same coffee shop from
yesterday and it’s not the biggest place.
So after getting inside I find a lady with a pram leaving or at lease
putting hers outside. I enter the
backroom where I know there is a plug to charge the computer battery. In there I find two more prams and of course
each has a baby of some size in it.
There are now no less than six mothers and nine kids stuffed into this
small room. I smile sit and plug in
while I wait for my coffee and carrot cake to arrive. I stay here for about a half hour then head
over to the train station.
I’m thinking of spending the
night at a campground there and head back to Salisbury on Friday. Since I have the time there’s no need to be
back in Salisbury until Saturday. As I
ride up to the station the cars are stopped and backed up down the road. There are two large gates blocking the cars
from crossing the tracks. After finding
the correct platform I look around and again see the gates blocking the cars
from crossing the tracks. A train whips
through the station and I expect the gates to open automatically open. Across the there is a building that sits high
up with windows all around much like a control tower at an airport, not quite
as high. From the building a trainman
come out the door runs down the steps and manually opens both gates then runs
back up the stairs into the control tower.
About five minutes later he comes out again closes the gates and goes
back in the tower. The Train passes out
he come down the steps opens the grates and back up the steps.
I’ve got about a 45 minute wait
for the train and during that time this fellow runs up and down those stairs
about ten times. He reminds me of figures
in a clock that pop out one door and back in another when the hour is
struck. I can’t imagine doing that for
eight hours a day, five days a week. But
then again sometimes my life has been like that. Gotten into a doing the same things over and
over get comfortable doing it, and become kind of like the man at the rail
station. Then become fearful of changing
the routine for whatever reasons.
Sometimes events happen that push towards the need for change but are
resisted even when that little voice tells you move on.
Off the train in Cambridge and
it’s off to fine the campground. After
requesting directions to the general vicinity of the campground it’s time to
ride my bike in Cambridge. Now I thought
Oxford had a large bike parking lot at the train station, but this one is three
times as big. Riding down the street I
begin to notice bike parked along almost every inch of fence or wall. Bike fly by, car fly my on the road leading
out of the station. I’m getting to be
really good at riding in cities and being right out there on the road with
busses and cars. At times I follow other
bike riders to learn the ropes not that they are doing the correctly.
After a bit of a ride I find the
campground and after setting up I’m off to ride about Cambridge less my
panniers. The closer I get to town
center the more bikes go zipping by along with cars and trucks. They weave in and out fearless of the
vehicle’s size or speed. Now I’m liking
this reminds me for driving in Manhattan.
So I start zipping also busses inches from my rear wheel down the road
we go. You have got to watch those
corners bike riders just pop out hardly looking left or right. I’m not speeding just riding along with
everyone passing me by like I’m standing still.
But, no one blows there horn or yells.
I ride around for a bit up and down very narrow streets. I find the town market and near by a
Starbucks. Time for a little
computering.
Starbucks here has a new Soy
Strawberry and “cream” drink. So I ask
if there is any dairy in it and am told there is not so time to try one. These are very good I could get hooked on
these. Sitting at a bench my bike is
tied outside to a section of post I manage to find. Everything that a bike can be attached to has
one. Mark was here already and told me
about the bikes and riding in this city but you have to experience it. It’s time to head back to the campground for
dinner and some rest. Tomorrow I’m gona do some serious riding in
this town because it is fun like an amusement park ride I think heading
back to the campground.
Thursday, June 2, 2011, 9:00 am
Up early and I’m ready to
ride. Cambridge here I come! I’ve spied a bike path that that’s you
directly to city center down I go.
Peddling around a corner brings me head to head with a herd of
cows. No way in the middle of a city,
in a park blocking the path is a herd of cows.
Carefully I walk around them and am off to Starbucks for a coffee and
some internet catching up. Now it’s
time for some serious riding the streets of Cambridge. With reckless, abandon, whipping up this
street, then down the next one heading nowhere, but ending up seeing some
interesting sites. After passing Kings
College, Queens College, Christ’s College, and two vast parks with bike paths
chris-crossing them and finally ending up in front of the Cambridge Press book
store.
While surfing the book shelves I
find book after book to read. I must stop reading all the paperbacks and
start reading these. Then I look at
the prices and remember why I reading $5+ pulp books and not these. There are some 5 pound books here, a special
selection, none of which, of course, interest me. But
the history, psychology, Linguistics, religion and Science books oh my I want
the all. Well not buying them here at
the pound price when I can get them in them for dollars at home. Finding a Wetherspoons I decide to have
dinner here so I can do some more riding around on this glories armament
ride. The weather is warm, the sun is
out, and it is a beautiful day to be playing here. For a short while the nagging of what I
should be doing and where I should be.
My spirits fill from time to time
especially during time like these.
However, I find myself not smiling much these days and know this has to
do with my wants than anything else.
From time to time all that comes to mind is to go home. Go home to what, to do what, I guess to find
some of what has been lost, which might be lost only in my mind. Realities come to me that make my no happier,
but need to be paid attention to. It is time to return to the campground for
some sleep. Tomorrow I’ll pack and ride
through Cambridge fully loaded as I’ve decided to return to Cambridge Print
Bookstore for at least one book.
Friday, June 3, 2011, 11:00 am
Today finds me up at 6 am, packed
and on the road to Cambridge. People
staring at my fully loaded bike is nothing new, other bike riders coming up
alongside me to ask were I’m heading or where have I been are not new. Going back to the Cambridge Print bookstore
and buying a book which is not pulp fiction is new. It is also something I’ll be doing more of,
but at the price there may be fewer books to read. In Starbucks I’m reading my new book with
coffee rather than internetting. I’m
going to stop typing now and go back to my book.
Saturday, June 4, 2011, 11:00 am
Salisbury: Closing Night of the
Festival
This morning starts off with my
doing wash at the campground. I get
things organized as I’ll not have time tonight because I’ll be working at the
Closing Night. Around noon I ride into
the town marked to get some fruit and look around for some bungee cords. There may be a way to hold my panniers on
other than the system they came with.
Sunday, June 5, 2011, 8:27 am
Arrived at the train station an
hour early to catch a train from Salisbury to Clapton Junction where I’ll
change trains for Victoria Station where I’ll change again for a direct train
to Canterbury. I’ll meet Mark at a
campground we stayed at last year.
Arriving in Canterbury an hour early on a rainy day I headed for the
town center to see if I could find Mark.
After having a coffee at Starbucks and using the wireless to see if Mark
was online somewhere in town I head out to the campground.
Arriving at the campground I find
that Mark has not yet arrived. I get us a spot and begin to wonder where he
might be as he was to be here before already.
Just as I’m finishing setting up my tent Mark arrives after riding down
from Sandwich. It is good to see him and
now we will be doing some riding together.
He has spent the better part of two weeks in Holland ending up in Calais
where he ferried across to Dover. It is
a rainy, drizzly day and we decide to have dinner in town.
Monday, June 6, 2011,
Canterbury
Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 9:00 pm
Canterbury to Ashford
Bikes loaded we had out to
Ashford. The ride is filled with up the
hill and down the hill which covered 25 miles of country lanes. We had agreed to follow the National Bike
Route to get to point “B.” Arriving at Ashford we stop a Wetherspoons for lunch
then off to the campground. We don’t get
too far before the course decided on can’t seem to be found. As we stand on the corner I fellow rides up
and asks us where we want to go. After a
bit of explaining the route he must have thought there is no way these guys are
going to find the campground. He tells
us to follow him and he take us to the campground but he has an errand to
do. So he sends us off down the road and
tells us he’ll catch up to us. Yeah right I think.
We reach the end of his
directions and are about to strike off on our own when he does indeed show
up. So we follow him across the street,
then down that street, across the street again round and round she goes and
where she stops nobody knows. At last
we arrive at the campground and set up for the night. We have a pleasant dinner and I enjoy some
nice Italian wine Mark has purchased for me.
There is Wi-Fi here so we purchase a day’s use which we use prior to
falling into a deep sleep.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 9:35 am
Broadhembury Holiday Park:
This campground is really quite
nice. The showers have heated floors and
are very roomy. There is a TV room, game
room, and outside two playgrounds one for children under four. The laundry has heated towel dryers on the
wall. At breakfast we decided to spend
the day here and head off to Hastings tomorrow.
As the wash gets done I watch a
little British TV in the hope of find a channel with weather on it. We find a map in the campground office which
gives up directions to get back to town on a less hectic route then the one
which brought us here. Arriving in town
we head to the Witherspoon settle in and spend most of the day catching up
online. I spend a great deal of time
planning a route to get us from Ashford to Hastings using National Bike routes
and other back roads. The days are nippy
with little sun. So after spending the
better part of the day here it’s time to ride back to the campground for dinner
and rest.
Thursday, June 9, 2011, 6:55 pm
Broadhembury Holiday Park to Rye. 28.5 mile ride
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