Sunday, May 18, 2014, 2:23 AM
Phoenix, 10:23 AM Salisbury
Kicking back and relaxing after my
Odyssey. Made my meeting at the
Festival office where I renewed acquaintance with the general manager Helen and
the met the head to the volunteers Jane.
We are trained in how to answer phones and what to say when one picks
up. Seems they may need more of my time than
originally planned; no worries mate!
Picked up my bike and packed my panniers in an attempt to get ready to
travel. However, yet another glitch
raised its head in the form of a sim card that is turning out to be a
pain. Have to wait for the store to open
so I can have them give a look see what’s up.
So back at the Kings Head for another porridge and coffee along with the
use of their WiFi. Contacted Adelia, a
person I met on the Camino last year, and said I’d like to head her way for a
visit.
It looks to be a two day ride to get
to where she lives then will probably take the train back to Salisbury. However, I may have to put that off due to it
being too late a start time. I’m checking
the map again to see if I can make the first campground since I don’t want to
dry camp right off the bat. When to the movie rode around town, worked on
the bike, bought some stuff that I found out I could not live without. I’ve not been up to much guess you could say
I’m on vacation.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6:41 AM,
2:41 pm England
Spend most of Sunday dealing with the
phone store in an attempt to get my phone sorted out. After a little research I find that on a
recent downloaded updater from Android my phone was re-locked and it would now
have to pay for an unlock code. Tired of
dealing with it especially since there are so may free WiFi hotspots around the
city. Left Salisbury on Monday at around
8:00 AM and am glad I’m finally on the road.
My plan is to ride down to Poole
and then catch a train to Adelia’s town, spend a few days then head back to
Salisbury to work at the Festival. No
plans after that at his point.
It was a long hard ride as it seems I’d
forgotten just how steep the hills are here.
It’s been awhile since I've made a long ride that included many
hills. I did spend a great deal of time
walking along side my bike up some quite steep inclines. Past through some lovely villages one of
which is Rockbourne is close to the New Forest.
The Roman villa once stood in the center of a large farming estate, and is the
largest known villa in the area. Its history spans the period from the Iron Age,
about 800 BC to 100 AD, to the 5th century AD. Next stop was Cranbourn where had lunch in a charming
pub called the Sheaf of Arrows
with good food and friendly staff.
They watched my bike and backpack while I took a little break and
visited the local church. St Mary’s and
St Bartholomew which was once a monastery
until Henry the VIII came along.
Harder riding to come then the commencing of a sore butt and
ending at a lovey camp site which I had all to myself. I arrived at Wilksworth Farm Caravan Park
around 4:30 PM and was warmly greeted.
After checking for the first time in all the time coming to England this
is the first with and electricity at my pitch.
The clerk even gave me a cord to use.
Set up and ready for dinner I pop down to the store to see if they have
a roll or two. The helpful lady was sorry she had on frozen
bread available. They she say’s “Here I’ve
just been shopping you can have one of ours, my husband won’t miss it.” We have a good laugh after I ask if her husband
will come looking for me and his roll.
After a dinner of vegetarian beans on toast and a salad it’s time for
some sleep.
I’m up and off reaching Wimborne where
I stop to take a picture from a bridge.
A fellow comes along and tells me how a month ago the whole area I’m looking
at was under water from flooding. We talk
a bit about where we are from and where I’m headed. He tells me of a bike walking path, Castleman Trailway, created from an old RR
line long gone. It is a lovely ride
right to Poole. It is a nice level ride,
thankfully, no hills. Up on reaching
Poole I head to the RR station expecting to catch the next train to Exeter and
south. I find out, again, that I don’t
know the English train system as well as I thought. In
order to get to Adelia’s town I have to make five changes and it will be a 5
hour ride taking me back to Salisbury. I
get a text from Adelia wanting to know when she can expect me. I’m on my way back to Salisbury, disheartened
that I had not planned things better, where I call Adelia and explain my
plight. We have a laugh and make plans for
me to head, via the correct train to her with no restrictions on the amount of
time I have to get there or leave.
I arrive at the Salisbury Caravan and
Camping Club with Wendy waiting for me at the door step. After the usual warm welcome she escorts me
to the Arizona Corner or the Carl and Mark Corner. We chat on the way about family and
travels. Nigel is off flying so will not
get to see him until later. After setting
up camp it is time to head into town for some provisions and dinner at you
guessed it; The Kings Head. Up no my
return I find two fellows from Italy set up near me. I have
a talk with one of them about the equipment we have. He
does not speak English and I do not speak Italian, but we have a conversation anyway. I’m always amazed at how, no matter the
language barrier, we find a way to communicate and laugh. What a
shame that our world leaders can do that.
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