On the A5127 I saw a cyclist, his bike lying on the pavement. I crossed over to see if everything was alright.
"You okay?", I asked.
"Them am soaking me on purpose! They're laughing every time."
"What's up with your bike?"
"I got divorced, see."
It struck me as an odd way to begin an answer but I tried to be sympathetic. "I'm sorry."
"She 'ad me car, so I bought me a bike. But it's stuck in top gear. I'm soaked and them buggers am laughin'."
The poor chap was suffering the breakdown of a marriage and a bicycle and was now the victim of malicious splashing. It never rains, it pours.
"Sorry mate. Anything I can do?"
"Nah y'alright, me mate's gunna bring 'is van."
I wished him all the best, wondering if I could have perhaps fixed his gears with my Leatherman Micra Multitool (which so far has only opened one bottle of French cider and a packet of salami). Never mind, at least I'd stood in saturated solidarity with him.
I stood on Chris and Alison's doorstep looking as bedraggled as I have all journey. But a hot shower and a glass of Campo Vieja Rioja Reserva improved things considerably.
For dinner Alison had cooked a delicious tangy chilli - my second and by far the best of the day.
My walking verse was 3 John 1.34, "I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth."
I've just been enjoying catching up with your travels - we were without internet access for a few days in a log cabin by a Canadian lake, including watching humming birds feeding. I've just seen we'll be back in Leicester the same day as you. I hope and pray you end your journey well. That book simply MUST be written.
ReplyDeleteRosemary
Hi Simon
ReplyDeleteas ever your observations are both keen and very witty (particularly liked the comment about only having used the Micra Multitool to open a bottle of cider and a packet of salami! In my book that justifies the expense...........)I hope that your cyclist made it home and, with regard to sheltering under the National Grid in a thunderstorm, I think that I would take me chances in the open - all them Killervolts are just too frightening (it's the volts that jolts, it's the mills that kills - remember that from your college days?!)
Well, your penultimate day beckons - as do the delights of Stoney Stanton (somehow, that didn't have quite the ring I was hoping for.......) and we're all eagerly awaiting your return. Have a great day tomorrow as you cross the Leicestershire border and if you could give us some idea of your prefered route back on Saturday we will ensure that the welcomers are ready (you could do a nice loop back along the canal and off at Newton Harcourt to cross the fields by the golf course but: a) you've probably had enough canal walking, and, b) the shortest, most direct route is perhaps the preferred option! Whichever route you choose congratualtions on your excellent timing: Breakfast at Barney's on Sunday - full English???
Go safely and steadily.
C & A