Rugby, My New Favorite Sport

Sunday, July 1st
really? really? what a cold start to July...brrr!!! but the evening has brought sunshine so not so bad...especially now that the gail-force wind has died down.

Moddershall, England



I found myself in the middle of the biking stage of a triathalon this morning:) Some thought I was actually competing!!!



Then I explored Isaak Walton ("The Compleat Angler" author)'s cottage and met the nicest women. I'm going to make a stab at their names, but forgive me and correct when I remember them wrong...Dorothy and Julianne. Not even close, am I? I usually write names down as soon as I depart so that I'll remember them for my evening journal, but I forgot to do it this time. Darn. The cottage was adorable with a rebuilt thatched roof too and gardens all about. And "Dorothy" was a wealth of knowledge about researching geneology to aromatic oils for arthritis. And talk about timing...this cottage is only open Sundays from 1-4 pm and I arrived on Sunday at 12:45! What luck! Beats arriving in Lampeter for the quilt exhibit a half hour late and the the gallery was closed for the next two days. Things are looking up.



Took this picture of Blaze today...I really do look the part of a bag lady:)

I have the sounds of a rugby match playing in the background by a group of Indians...interesting accent that is:) I pulled in here during a match and asked about staying. None of them are club members, the just have the key to the gate which they have to lock when they leave. "Go ahead and stay and chuck your bike over the gate in the morning." My bike isn't chuckable! Let me see if I can find an opening in the fence to get through. And I did...a gap in the hedge row. Blaze jumped a ditch getting in so I'm sure she can jump again in the morning.

About 60 miles to go to Sheffield but there's lots to see between here and there so, I'll be taking my sweet time. "Dorothy" gave me ideas of how to research Mossbrook in local records in the area, so I'll see what happens.

Ya know how in Rochester we say "if you don't like the weather, wait a minute it will change"? Well, here they say it...and mean it! I've never...NEVER...seen weather change so quickly from cold to hot, wet to dry, calm to windy and that's all in the same half hour! I never know what to put on to start the day or what to wear during the day. Whatever I have on is not right for the weather of the moment. I'd laugh about it if it wasn't so annoying.

A Tuckered BagLady


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Learning to Dance in the Rain

Saturday, June 30th
Newport, England
Rain, sun, rain, sun, wind, clouds, rain, sun...well, you get the picture:) and temps 50's, I'd guess because I never took off my jacket

My morning started when I heard the tractor mowing the rigby field where I was camped. What time is it?!! 9 am?!! I need to get out of here! So I packed up quickly, lucky that he was mowing another field, not mine, waved to the driver, and left. A mile up the road there was an Abbey... Haughmond Abbey. It was rather spectacular.



Why do these ancient ruins impress me so? I'm amazed in the effort to construct them. I'm amazed in the design. I'm amazed they're still standing over 600 + years later. What structures of today's building will be around 600 years from now? Anything?

That and the weather were today's highlights. I enjoyed the town of Newport, but was busy doing my usual town chores: wifi and eating. Had a Cornwall Pasty today. They're like a croissant with a filling. They were how the wives sent lunch with their husbands who were miners: last night's dinner cooked up in pastry - half dinner, half jam for dessert. I missed having them last summer in Michigan but I think it's the same thing (right Bluebearee?).

Funny sign today:



Since Fuat left I've been kidding when asked how long I will I cycle for? Either a year or until the end of the month...we'll see. Well, month's end has come and I'm still out here! This is similar to hiking a long trail in so many ways, but without the trail family. Friends I make I have to leave behind. And I get up each day and do it all over again: same thing, new road. It sounds so romantic when you read about it.

Tonight's campsite is the side of a farmer's field of hay. I don't think I'll be hassled here. I got set up between downpours... that's the tricky part of traveling through rain. I now appreciate how the class of '03 (the rainy year) of the AT (Appalachian Trail, for new readers who might not know)...how they coped and stayed with it. You learn tricks to keeping your dry stuff dry...and a little water isn't the end of the world. Bedroll and fleece jacket is in a dry sac that does not get opened in the rain - no matter what. The tent gets dried as best as possible in morning and works okay even when damp. The critical part to keep dry is the inside of the floor. Fold it in on itself to protect that surface. Even in it's sack on the back of my bike all day in the rain, it's dry enough when I get to set up. That surprised me!

Then during the day, keep the body warm even when wet and I'm happy. That's when my umbrella comes in ever so handy...and my new coat. I'm glad I persisted and found peace with the rain. Maybe even enjoying it.

Got a story to tell. The other day as I was saying goodbye to the Hall Family and they were getting loaded on their bikes, the skies opened up with a cloud burst. Lyra, the 4 yr old, was on the back of her mom's tandem already so I grabbed her down and nestled her under an eave with me to stay as dry as possible. "Why am I under here?" So you don't get any wetter, says I. "But I love the rain!" as she proceeds to run out into the heaviest of the downpour dancing in the puddles! Dance on, Lyra...and teach us all to "dance in the rain"!

And I think what I miss about being around children and old folks is the wisdom they have to teach those of us in the middle:)
You just have to be patient enough to listen.

Oh, ya, the observation of the day: Welsh houses are made of stone and English are made of brick. And many of the old homes are really large. I counted one with 6 chimneys today. This area isn't as I imagined England to be. Where are those quaint thatched roof cottages?

Doing more backroads tomorrow now that the land has gotten flatter and I won't be surprised by a 25% grade hill. I've been worried about that. The green, red, and even yellow roads have been so, so busy. Even the boackroad I took tonight has more traffic than I like on it. England is a busy place:)

My favorite flower is a poppy, I think and I found them growing wild along the side of the roads here. Beautiful!


Popping BagLady

p.s. wanna see one of the first modern houses I've seen here?



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Beware of Journal Dates

Watch out for the dates. My posts got out of order when uploading I'm afraid.


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Snowdonia National Park

Thursday, June 28th
Somewhere in Snowdonia National Park
Morning rain, afternoon sun. Getting to be a theme., thank goodness.

"Do you want to take a shower?"
"Are you kidding?"
"No, while the we're down having breakfast, make yourself at home."
"Do I smell that bad?" I joked:)

Thank you Talbot-Halls for the delectable shower and delicious breakfast and enriching company. I sure hope our paths cross again, some time, some place:)

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this young family (ya, that was Emma who came over to my tent this morning with the offer). We had so much to share: similar interests and similar parenting ideas. And the girls...the girls. They came over to my tent this morning and figured out how to turn on my iPhones. I did not teach them any of the games, though!



"Strange place to camp" said a woman walking her dog this morning as I was packing up.
"This is where we bring the dogs for their walks!" Oh!!! That's the smell! They seem to be scooping the poop though as I didn't see any of that.:)

So after a cloud burst in which Lyra danced in the rain, stomping in the puddles, they were finally off to the beach. I wish I could upload the video I took of them leaving with Lyra waving goodbye from the back. Priceless.

Then I returned to the cafe because I finally had WIFI! As I was sitting outside at the cafe, the jeweler who repaired my mother's silver and turquoise bracelet clasp yesterday (even though his sign said "no alterations or repairs") stopped by, recognizing me. I told him I didn't manage to get out town yesterday, but I would today:) Love that small town feeling:)

What an incredible afternoon ride up into the Snowdonia National Park. The slopes on this high hills is vertical. I know my pics won't do it justice, but I took them just the same. Lush, idyllic countryside with steep, steep large hills. No mountains here, by my estimation. And the road (a green road - major) was delightfully graded. I met some young girls touring as I left town this morning and gave them some info about the route since they were heading south...and they said they'd taken a cycle path and found it incredibly steep. Scares me. I'll stick to roads. Can always hitch, if need be:)



Fanciest bathroom I've been in in awhile! Cloth hand towels, oh my!

Here's the inn the bathroom was in:



And, as usual, I didn't take any pictures with my phone of the countryside. Let me see if I can take a pic of a pic for ya'll.



Tonight's campsite is a nook off the main road in the woods where the owner has started to cut some of the wood. I know because he stopped when going by and seeing my tent.

"I hope this is all right that I'm camping here. Yes, just one night. I'll be gone in the morning. Thanks ever so much!"

Too bad it's a busy road and quite noisy, but that will calm down as the evening wears on and pick up early in the morning. Can't have everything. It's sunny out right now even though I'm in the woods. I can see it through the trees and that's good enough for me!

Off to start a new book that won the Book of the Year, British Book Awards. "man and boy" by tony parsons. One review said, "I cried five times and laughed out loud four." Sounds like my kind of book.

And that's all the news from the BagLady encampment.



BagLady

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Loitering, Lingering, and Lolly-gagging

Tuesday June 26th
Machynlleth, Wales (and don't ask me to pronounce it!)
Rain...what else? Yesterday was an anomoly - however that's spelled...


Worse campsite yet. It was getting late and I was getting desperate and it was raining and a big town was coming up. I'm right by a major road but back off yet in plain view and near all the road noise. Shut up in my tent with new lines strung above to dry things overnight and gear out each door...this place looks trashed. Amazing how all this gets packed up and fits on Blaze in a fairly orderly and consistent way.

New lost item: headlamp. Haven't needed here because I'm asleep before the sun sets, but the last time I remember using it was at the hostel in Bantry. Haven't seen it since and couldn't find it this morning. Backup is the headlight on Blaze since it's not getting any use on her.

Late, late start this morning. I do not even begin to pack up if it's raining. Nope. It's my rule. So this morning I didn't start until 11 am! I slept late, made coffee, read, slept some more...and awoke to silence. Ah, I love this pace. How slow can I go?

(There's a song playing on my iPod that is bringing tears to my eyes. I have a memory of Dana dancing with me in the kitchen to it and I cried then...too... Top of the World - Dixiie Chicks... I loved being their mom more than anything I've done in my life and so miss having them around all the time. But alas, they have lives of their own and I'm free to wander the world...)

ok, I digress...back to Wales and rain and ...

I was biking along the coast with the most spectacular scenery: green rolling pastures dotted with little white sheep, old stone houses with rosebushes winding up the sides, ancient cemeteries and churches, and off in the distance was the Irish Sea.

Also saw a sign for the steepest grade yet.



I'm sure glad I was going downhill. I do not even think I could have pedaled up that hill. I would have had to hitch a ride for the both of us.

Borth where I got lunch a wifi (not free) is a beach town, but today was not a beach day. Grey, overcast, and drizzling. But it had it's own essence to it and I enjoyed it just the same.

Then I pulled onto a "green" road. They're the largest roads on my Wales map. Lots of cars. No choice. Got to use them to get across the mountains. That's what the next couple of days brings. Today I had to cycle through road construction while it was raining. Oh, the cheers I got from the construction crew pedaling along with my silver umbrella up was priceless! Even some drivers gave me cheery beeps. LIfts my spirits immensely. So the next time you see a loaded cyclist, signal to her: thumbs up, a wave, or a cheery beep. It will make her day! Some days it's the energy of others that pushes us through.

I managed to have a successful day of loitering, lingering, and lolly-gagging around. Dropped the guilt and traveled to my inner voice. Great day even with the rain and the lousy camping spot and the car traffic (which is dimming as rush hour has passed).

My thumbs seem to be holding up as long as I don't do any writing. Tonight I did some postcards and holding a pen really irritates them...well, the right one. Not taking anything for them because I don't know what causes that skin reaction and I don't want anymore of it.

Enought babbling. I figured out I write at night for the company, so thanks for spending the evening with me.

BagLady


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Teenage Hooligans!

Friday, June 29th (2012...for when I'm reading this years from now and wonder...)
Shrewsbury, England
Rain in am...sun in pm...

9 pm. Late night for me to be starting my journal. Got lost in Shrewsbury and was going in circles, I found out. Thanks, Sam...for trying to orientate me:) I did finally - after another asking down the road and cycling down a one way with folks yelling at me, like I didn't know it...did finally find the road I wanted.

A kid, Ben, also tried to help me but I didn't believe he knew enough and my problem is explaining where I want to go: the yellow roadl, not the green or the red.

I'm camped in a clearing behind a sports complex...kinda in the bushes because I didn't want to be on the beautiful grass. It's sort of trail back through here that has been recently weed-whacked. Again, I'm in the dog walking area! Me and the dogs fighting for turf! This woman tried to walk down the path and was weaving around my tent. I apologized for being in her way and said I didn't want to camp on the sports fields. She said they'd probably arrest me! Well, maybe I'd get another shower! I know it's going to be much harder finding places as it gets more congested. I'll just have to play it by ear. (Another dog just waddled by:))

Did a lot of cycling today and got to another country: England. Feels different than Wales and different than Ireland. It's a bit more worn around the edges, but the people have been as terrific as ever.

Just when I crossed over the border...and you don't know when that happens without consulting a map...I came across "Hill Climb". What's this? I was needing a distraction anyways, so I pulled into this incredible park. Turns out it used to be part of some Lord's estate and now the 300+ walled acres just contains mostly deer and woodlands...and this 1 mile, twisty, turny, paved, one-lane race course for cars.



They are timed as to how fast they can navigate the climb and there are different classes for the different types of cars all the way up to Formula 1 cars. The record was something like 43 seconds. The guy let me walk part of the course. Pretty cool. Obviously it takes some definite good driving skills! Has anyone ever seen something like this in the States? Not I.




Not all chews are good. I'm suffering with today's purchase which is sticky too much to my teeth...annoying! Got to have at least one torment!

It's about 100 miles to Sheffield. I planned out a route today on my map app. It's so hard to get it to give me the backroads. I have to keep putting in way points of little towns on the roads that I want to take. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Well, this may have been a bad place to camp. Some guys just came by and slapped my tent. I stuck my head out to let him know that a woma
}"@:>@
>>>>*@#

10 pm. I had to pack up and move. Even though it was after 9 and I was all comfy in my tent, those boys were gonna be trouble. They pulled the cover off of Blaze and ran with it laughing. I don't feel safe. They were too brazen and they were drinking and it's Friday night. That was the fastest packing job I've ever done. It was dark due to heavy clouds and threatening rain again! Half hour later I'm camped a mile down the road in the side field of a Rugby Club. Hope they aren't earlier risers. Maybe I'll get to see them play. I'm in the country now and although I can hear the city noise, it's further away. Well, that was a first! As I left, I noticed it was across from an apartment complex. Not good. Teenagers are the worst. I hope my British experience improves. It's not off to a good start:(

Oh, before I forget. In Wales (and maybe here) you have to pay about 8 cents for a plastic bag at the grocery store. It's the law. And they say it has reduced bag requests about 80%. Didn't they do that in LA? My problem is I use those bags for garbage. I'll have to remember to get bags in produce for garbage.

Goodnight. Sweet dreams!

BagLady


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Emma, Ben, Lyra, and Sylvie

Wednesday, June 27th
Machynlleth, Wales
Rainy morning, sunny afternoon

Yup, same town, other end. This going slow is most enjoyable! Opportunities to do other things and share connections. Guilt free.

Lots of honks for me this morning from the many cars passing my spot by the roundabout. And all they could see was a soggy tent and soggy bike cover through the mist. Sure made me feel welcome. Since I was so close to town, packing up wasn't as difficult because I knew where I was getting breakfast! And when I got to town: market day! The street was lined with vendors. My lucky day! Found a veggie cafe and got scrambled eggs and toast and my latte...trying to hook up to wifi, when in comes a young family.
"We love your bike!"
"Are you touring too?"
"Yes with the 2 girls!"
"Please join me!"



So that's how this day begain. Ben and Emma, Lyra and Sylvie live in England and are biking to friends' house for holiday. They've been on the road for 4 days, camping too. Their daughters are 4 and 2. What brave young parents! They ride with Lyra on the back of a tandem and Sylvie in a trailer. Then after breakfast, some great info on the best route to Sheffield, and goodbyes, we went our separate ways. Small town. I kept running into them. They decided to get a room and go to the Center for Alternative Technology this afternoon which was just outside of town. May I join you?

Then after lunch we met up and cycled there. Fascinating place they started in a quarry 40+ years ago by local hippies, exploring sustainable building, heating, and growing methods. Now it's the largest alternative energy research and education center in Europe. This is something I have a strong interest in and know I need to find a way to do it. It feels right! The "where" is still a big question.

I had such fun. Lyra wanted me to sit beside her. What an honor that is! And later tonight after our pizza picnic in the hotel courtyard, while Lyra had mommy time, Ben, Sylvie and I went to check out the camping site Ben had found for me. Sylvie, who previously had not really acknowledged me, played tag with me. And she's fast! The smiles, the giggles, happiness is...

In the morning, we'll have our goodbyes, but I so enjoyed today and their energy, patience with their daughters, and interest in a sustainable future. A fascinating couple! Thank you, Universe!!! You done good!

Oh, and they introduced me a drink I really liked: lemonade and beer. (Although I think the lemonade was more like Sprite.) It's called a Shandy. Now that I can drink! Makes beer actually tasty:)

BagLady






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Ups and Downs, But No Hills

Monday June 26th
Aberystwyth, Wales
Sun! I awoke to sun! Didn't help. I still didn't want to get up:/

11 am (sitting at the laundromat) But finally did and was blessed with Donna, Griff, and Tomas. Mom and kids going down to the river via the cycle path before nursery school. Said hey on the way down and we got chatting on the way back. I needed that! Thanks Donna for the lift me up.



8 pm What a fabulous day. Did less than 5 miles and couldn't care less. Spent the day in Aberystwith (I'd been missing the y before), gots lots done, got little done, enjoyed the people I met and got to facetime with my daughter, Dana for hours this afternoon. Was like spending the time right with her. Would love to do the same with my other daughter and her hubby, but time differences is one challenge since she's in San Diego so it's 8 hours and I have to be in wifi range and the skype has to work. I've been trying to skype a few different friends lately and it just drops. Don't know why facetime works. But wait! Avery, don't you have an iTouch? Can you do Facetime with it? Dennis can with his. Send me an email and let me know. I can't even make an appt because I don't know where I'll be when.

Aberystwith is a mini city right on the coast with a harbor and a beach and condos! And a lot of one-way streets, my nemesis. I don't even know how to tell a street is one way except to watch the traffic flow. I never saw a one way sign anywhere today. I did see some Do Not Enter slashes. They don't mean me! I take to the sidewalk usually if it's a one way because I don't know how else to necessarily get where I'm going. These streets aren't laid out in a grid, ya know.

So met the most fun people today! The guy by the laundromat who said he had seen me yesterday and wanted to stop then and talk but didn't. He'd been researching these trikes and knew a lot about them. He didn't accept my offer to take Blaze out a spin though.

Then the lady that I asked directions to a cycle shop and it turns out she was giving me directions out of town to a hardware store. When we were chatting about TV, she said "I like a bit of my trash!"

And the girl at the coffee shop with free wifi who just couldn't get over that I was going to cycle all the way to Sheffield, but gave me great directions to the shore road (where I'm camped tonight).

And the little girl about 3 all dressed up in her princess costume of a full-length pink dress with wand. Princess Sophie! Precious! (Meeting kids is great because I'm right down at their eye level!)

And I got clean clothes!

The downer today was a technical challenge. For some reason, my mail accounts wouldn't download onto my iPhone while everything else was working fine. And it had been awhile since I had checked my mail so I was a bit peeved. I know I've had this problem once before but I''ll be damned if I can remember what the fix was. And a quick google brought no solution. So I thought I'd try deleting one of them (I keep 2: business and personal) and reloading it. But when I went to reload it, it wouldn't. Arrghh! Then I tried to get into it through Safari and it didn't like my password. Really? I know it's right. It's really odd how disconnected it made me feel not to be able to check my mail. And I felt like I couldn't get the problem fixed from my phone...and it's gonna be a long time before I'm home at my own computer. I already can't use Facebook except on my phone because I have turned on login controls that only work by sending me a code to my phone when I try and log in from a new computer...and my phone is turned off so I can't get the text message...and I can't change this option from my phone, so I'm stuck. And from the phone I can't "Share" or send "Friend Requests". So today, while on the phone with Dana, she was able to get into my gmail accounts and get it so I could view them in Safari. I still don't know why they don't load onto the phone as they used to. Anybody else know what's up with that?

To top off the day which started with me feeling lonely, was the invitation from Tina and Huw, my new neighbors for the night, of a cuppa tea. Yes! Newlyweds of just a year, so lucky to have found each other, beautiful modern home, great stories of his hitchhiking through Canada to Alaska and her daughter going to Rio Grande University in Ohio for an exchange program. But the best is just sharing a connection. Thank you both for the hospitality! I needed it and you shared it with me!!! And hot water is quite tasty...try it some time:)


Ok, my last tidbit tonight before I sign off is about my bath. I told you I got the clothes done today, but what good are clean clothes on a dirty body? It's only half the job done. But I didn't know how I was going to complete the other half. I cycled by a campground tonight and thought about getting a shower there and cycling on, but that would have felt quite cold to bike afterwards in the evening. But the Universe provides! Of course! I'm camped tonight on a plot of grass across from a church. An old church. And churches over here have their cemeteries right in the front yard...and the side yards...and the back yard. So for entertainment while I munched tonight's salad I wandered the grounds. And right next to the front gate and the front wall was a spigot! Hmmm. Unlimited water...hmmm. Get some and heat it up and ...oohhhh...hot bath in a cup! But wait...what about my hair? I know...under the spigot...so I did...crouching down behind the wall so I couldn't be seen...I lathered and creme rinsed...and now...it's CLEAN! Then I heated my big pot (all 3 cups) with water and used some to wash and some to rinse. A full, warm bath! I'm all clean and shiny now!



And full...of connections. No, I'm not lonely any more...just traveling alone...meeting the nicest people...who are filling me me up! Thank you to all the wonderful Welsh folks who are are reaching out to me on this journey and warming my soul:)))

I think this is the first time I've seen it get dark over here...it's 10:30.

Blessed BagLady


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SUN! Need I say more?

Rosy Swales. Walked around the world. Note to self to google her.

Sunday, June 24th
Aberstwyth, Wales
Sunny clouds ALL DAY!

In the grey, drizzly morning, it's so so hard to think about getting up and packing up. So I don't. I linger and I dawdle and I sleep some more and I ask myself why am I doing this and I feel guilty for laying around reading and guilty for going slow and I ask myself why do I feel guilty and on and on and on until something...I don't know what...pushes me to get moving...probably guilt of some sort. When Fuat was here, he always got up around 7 ish and got up straight away and started the coffee. I lingered then too. But then I knew there'd be a cup of hot coffee just waiting for me whenever I could manage to drag myself out of bed. I lingered less then then I do now. Just one morning, I'd like to awaken to sunshine and see if that made getting up any easier. There's always tomorrow.

I managed to delaying leaving Lampeter until 11 am: coffee, breakfast, chat with folks for directions, and groceries for the day . Today it was cheese and ginger snaps, cucumber and wine gums, and bread. Keeping up with sharing my meals (because I know one young lady that's worried I'll starve since Fuat has left), I had crusty wheat bread and brie with grapes for lunch and quinoa salad (a Fuat dish, you'll remember) for dinner. I had tomatoes, cukes, onion, cheese, red pepper and broccoli to put in it. So I'm still eating well. But I'm powered by "chewies". Back home I'm addicted to Swedish Fish..oh ya! But when I travel I have to settle for other countries chewies. And in Ireland I discovered Wine Gums. Yup, for now, thems my favs!

I got a bit of wifi today in a town I went through. I've learned to ask at hotels. I tried to call some friends and either they didn't answer of skype kept disconnecting. So no chatting.

Today's ride was much more like what I enjoy: rolling terrain. But outside of one town I wanted to take some smaller roads and go a more direct route than swing back to the coast to get the major road that crosses the mountains. About 1-2 miles out of town I took the picture of a sign that said "Mountain Road" and it had me worried, especially after yesterday.




But I proceeded, strong in my commitment to do this. But when the road got so steep again, I rethought "mountain road" and decided it was possible this was WORSE than yesterday. I'm not getting myself into trouble. So I turned around and whipped back into town, looked at my map, and went the main road. It was delightful and scenic. Got to a pub to get some water and chatted with the barmaid. SHowing her the map, we decided that the road I was attempting in that town was not even the right road and had I continued I would have been directly east (not north, the way I wanted to go) and way off course. Whew!

So tonight I'm camped on the side of a cycle path. Very hard to find my usual nooks over here. Took me over an hour to find this. But it's quiet and mostly out of the way...lots of foot traffic and not one person has stopped to ask me anything. Strange.

I just finished listening to Robert Fulghim's "What on Earth Have You Done?" Love his writing and thinking style. So much good wisdom in there! Do check it out. Better yet, listen to it because he reads it and adds lots of emphasis and enrichment. Truly enjoyed!

Now I"m on to "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. A good reader really adds to a story and they've got 2 for this one because the storyteller is both young and old.

Listening to audiobooks is delightful and makes me feel less lonely out here. Besides it really passes the time and enhances my listening skills, which are very weak.

BagLady


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The Day My Legs Got Stronger

Saturday, June 23rd
Lampeter, Wales
Welsh weather...what more can I say?



Its 6 in the evening and I'm sitting in my tent in a town park in the...drum roll please...RAIN! Can you believe it? Rain in Wales? Who'da thunk??? Every evening. I'm growing moss on my north side. I think I may actually be getting used to it, feeling constantly soggy, that is:)

Do most of you know Miller Hill in Canandaigua? Cyclists talk about it all the time. It's the hill to beat all hills because of its grade. After today, Miller Hill would be a piece of cake. I did Miller Hills again and again and again. 14% grades. On and on and on. I wanted to cry when the steep steep downhills came into the next village because I knew what was coming after it. I did cry once. I felt so defeated and depressed. I didn't think I could go up yet again another effin' hill! Ya know how often when you're biking the steepness of the hill coming up looks bad but when you get there it's actually flatter than first it seemed. Not here. Nope. What you saw was what you got. Straight up. These roads were cut in before switchbacks were even a glint in someone's eye. I felt like I was hiking the AT all over again. The part where ya can't quit in the woods. The part where you're dying but ya still go on. Step by step by step. Well I pulled from deep within and slowly, ever so slowly, 1.5 mph slowly, with granny stops every 10 strokes (if I could do that many), rest, and stroke, and rest again. I know I can. I know I can. I know I can. And I did! And I'm not quitting like I thought I would...earlier today. No. However long it takes, I'm crossing the Cambrian Mountains of Wales and biking to Sheffield. Now from there I may take a bus to the ferries do I can get to the continent sooner. That's highly likely. But I'm figuring I can be in Sheffield in a week to 10 days and still do all the sightseeing I love to do. All the chatting with the locals that eats up much of my day:) And besides. I like a challenge. And besides, I did it today, so I know I can do it tomorrow...and the next day. One pedal stroke at a time. I got to Maine. I can sure as heck get to Sheffield. And what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. (I'm gonna have thighs like an Olympic speed skater when this trip is over:))

Speaking of locals, my day started off by meeting the farmer that owned the land I camped on. I was sitting on a rock having my morning coffee when a truck pulled up to the tiny opening and backed in. He gets out and we begin to chat. He had seen me climbing that hill the night before and thought perhaps that I was handicapped and also thought about stopping to see if I needed help. WHen he saw the bike this morning he then knew who I was...and said "That'll be 50 quid!" I thought oh no...here we go again. (and 50 quid would have been about $75!) He moved here from about 20 km away 50 years ago when he married. Dairy farm he had. But now he rents out the farm and buys back the milk to make cheese. Says it's so much easier to rent than to farm!

Then a short ways on after I started I saw a couple of teenage girls (Kathryn - I spelled it like my name, but I don't know how she spells is...and her twin sister, Maggie) with a horse. I'd had a couple of horses and riders trot by me so I asked if it was them. Then we talked about riding a bit and why the little girl (Sally) had rags tied in her hair to hold the curls. And I have to say she had the most beautiful head of red hair I think I've ever seen!!! "Our sister's getting married today!" Oh, how old is she? "We don't know." That had me perplexed. THen they called there mom, Lynn, over to see my bike and she explained that the sister was in her 40's and from a previous marriage. Oh...now I understand.


(that's a picture of a picture I took with my Canon - I've figured out how to get some of my Canon pics into my blog)

She then showed me their pet foxes: Basil and Fern...acquired as pups when they were injured. I'd have been invited in for tea (and would have accepted for sure) but they had a busy day ahead and had to get going. Had it been another day I might have gotten to ride...it was the Starlight Riding Center, after all. Congratulations to your sister on her wedding day! Next time I'm in the neighborhood I'll stop in for that tea, Lynn:)

As you can tell from how this blog began, today was a tough, tough day. But there were moments that just warmed my heart and fueled my legs. People waving from their windows...of their houses! I was stopped on one of those hills adjusting something and I looked across the street and saw and man and women my age waving. So I waved backed. Then she motioned to see if I wanted a drink. I would have loved to have stopped, but I was going ever so slowly as it was and had talked to so many people today already and I didn't need a drink so I gave her a thumbs up and motioned "thank you" and cycled on. But I can tell you, it sure lifted my spirits seeing the smile on their faces and the generous offer of a drink. So without even saying a word to each other we had a connection and I was moved.

Later today a similar thing happened. Again I was stopped and again I was adjusting. I looked over across the road and a young dad is holding a baby showing him me out the window. I wave. I always wave to kids (especially ones down at my level) and Dad waved back and then in the corner I see the arm of Mom waving too. Thank you, strangers for cheering me up today. I sure needed it:)



I almost forgot to mention eating Chunky Cawl. It was a Welsh stew in a pastry pocket. And quite tasty. You should have seen the look on the young girls' faces when I mentioned I was a vegetarian as I ate it. "It's not vegetarian!" they exclaimed in a panic. I said I knew that but that I like to sample local foods and that meant eating meat. It won't kill me now and then. I'm not strict when I visit people's houses because I don't want them to go out of their way for me AND I want to experience their foods. I just don't cook meat at home.

And now goodnight:)

Battered BagLady

P.S. gonna try tent yoga tonight. My legs and hips need stretching and it's too wet outside. This should be fun:/

P.p.s. And the reason I came to Lampeter, the quilt exhibit comparing Welsh quilts up Amish quilts...the gallery is closed the next 2 days and I won't get to see it:(

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