14 – 18 november Canyons to the coast

Day 5: Half way across USA and almost every day we gain an hour in a new time zone. Surprising how many towns we know from songs or movies. Travelled up the turquoise route (a scenis byway) to Santa Fe, when a large scrap metal welded bison caught the eye. Turns out this cute little village called Madrid (that’s Mad’rid not Ma’drid) is an arty/ crafty epicentre. Dry and rocky, old coal mines and turquoise gems. Climbing up through the mountains to  Santa Fe, at 7000 ft above sea level, has an historic area complete with adobe buildings and mud walls and more art. Back on the Interstate 40, the last town in New Mexico is Gallup, still in the 50s era of old highway 66. It was 16 deg F (yes that’s F not Celsius) last night and snow is still on the north facing banks and rooftops and ice in the road gutters.

 

Day 6: Don is on a mission, so today we packed in Arizona’s badlands Painted Valley, found some native Indian Petroglyphs in the Petrified Forest National Park. Some amazing logs turned to stone, but sadly most have been looted by the trainload over the years and can be seen for sale  in nearby towns and used for carpark edging. We checked into a cheap hotel in Tuyasan just outside the Grand canyon Park. The views from the south rim lookouts in the late afternoon were amazing. The landscape is just too big to be real- layers of pastel pink, green, cream and grey shades, sheer cliffs and creased buttresses, towers and castles and way down below, terraces and more cliffs, and way down further again the Colorado River.

 

Day 7: Bright Angel trail zigzags and plunges 3000 ft into Grand Canyon. Liz and Don tackled the descent to the 3 mile turn around, Tony took his pencils half way but could not capture the awesome scene. We took the shuttle bus 7km around the Rim and walked back, stopping for every jawdropping viewpoint on the way. The drive out through the  park’s eastern entry was punctuated by more gawking at the canyon from different angles. Tonight’s accommodation in a very comfortable hotel (run by the Navaho Indians and complete with backyard canyon) is in direct contrast with the mean native dwellings (generally a shabby shed which looks like it would be freezing in winter).

 

Day 8: Another big day. Arizona, Utah, Nevada and into California! Our route looped north in barren rocky country, lumpy land like Coober Pedy but unnaturally naturally formed, then cliffs with bands and ridge caps resmbling fortifications. As the road climbed westward up to 8000 ft to cross a mountain range, the barren landscape became a forest of spruce and snow lingered on the roadside. Down again north to Utah, the housing standard and pride of streetscape and garden improved dramatically in Mormon county Dade. Through crimson redrock hills, down a valley of yellow checkerboard cliffs into Zion National Park, a green, treed canyon with steep glistening walls and rainbow. This has to be a “must visit again” for longer bushwalks in this beautiful area. Down a highway in the funnel of another canyon into the Nevada desert. Las Vegas screams wealth with gold or bronze tinted skyscrapers, extravagant Treasure Island oasis with sailing pirate ships, Hotel Venetia’s replica of piazza San Marco with gondolas, casino Royale and Caesars Palace and all the neon ablaze at night.

 

Day 9: On Interstate 15, the Californian food bowl is mile after mile of orange orchards, vineyards and feedlots. At Sacramento, we say thanks and bye to Don, to catch the train and bus to San Francisco, arriving at the downtown Travelodge in the dark. 3500 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific, via the most memorable and spectacular scenery. What a great journey.

 

10 – 14 november Go West young man

USA car trip

Day1: Don lives in an enormous “gated” mobile home village for 55+ year olds. We found his home on 8th street about a mile from the entrance, past the clubroom, tennis court, swimming pool and artificial lakes. We et off in his Ford Fusion, trying hard not to disagree with his definite views on politics and theories of big brother, indoctrination and manipulation of the general public. Anti government, anti authority, anti processed GM foods:  pro The Constitution, The 1st Amendment (the individual’s right of religion, freedom of speech, etc) and 4th amendment (one cannot be searched or arrested without warrant). Drove all the way to the end of the Florida panhandle on the first day. Left the Interstate highway 10 for detour to the pristine white sugar sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. The scenic route went through Disneyesque resort villages and perfect cute little towns like the seaside town called Seaside where Truman Show was filmed. Dinner at a noisy sports bar where animated fans cheered the TV broadcast of Texas v Alabama football. Could not finish the oversize salads and pizza

.

Day2: We were soon out of Florida (the Sunshine State), our Lonely Planet got a good workout through the flat swamplands of Alabama and into Mississipi. The southern states, dependent on agriculture and slavery, seceded from the Union then fought the civil war with the industrial northern states in 1861. Alabama was central to the Civil Rights movement in the mid 20th century. Rosa Parkes was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person and go to the back of the bus. Slave-based plantation estate Louisiana was our next state. We made a quick stop to walk around the French Quarter of New Orleans, wacky shops, street performers, Mon Marte-like artists, carriages pulled by donkeys, flower covered wrought iron verandas and paddlesteamers on the Mississippi River and home to Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino. Signs of hurricane katrina still evident in areas with unrenovated housing and swathes of stripped trees. The road continued for about 50 miles of causeway though the swampland.

 

Day 3: An early start on Interstate 49 to Natchitoches, the earliest settled plantation town, with lovely colonial homes and historic street on the Dane River. We tried the local specialty of crispy deep fried meat pie and explain dead horse and dog’s eye to Don.  Dolly Parton  starred in “Steel Magnolia” here. Our camera’s battery had finally carked it (so no pics of New Orleans), so off to Walmart for a new camera, then back onto the frog and toad. Stopped at a rest stop and saw an Emu! Over the border on Interstate 20 into Texas. The countryside is still mostly flat and now drier grassland. We drive straight through Dallas, not stopping for JFK and through Fort Worth even though Liz suggested going to the Cowgirl museum and show. The concrete freeway overpasses are often 3 or 4 levels high, weaving the traffic every which way. Car is King, especially the F150, the Dodge pickup, a huge RV bus towing a SUV, a 1950s Cadillac, or a little car like our economical 4 cylinder Ford Fusion. It would be completely possible to drive from Miami to Seattle without one traffic light. As the sun sets, we found a “delux” hotel and then sat down for a Texan Ribeye steak at Sweetie pies.

 

Day 4: Travelled through prairie, oil fields, cattle ranch country and cotton fields. crazy cafe names like Wired Wabbit. A turn off to Acme and would not have been surprised to see Wil E. Coyote and Road Runnner. Interstate 40 has replaced most of Highway 66 but remnants remain in Amarillo, the planted cadillacs and Midpoint Cafe (equal distance to Chicago and L.A). The rugged beauty of the orange and pink cliffs of Palo Duro canyon was a worthwhile detour. 440 miles of Texas and then another 200 miles to Albuquerque in New Mexico was a big day.

  

4 – 9 november Miami to Melbourne, Florida

In the land of the brave.  we ignored the advice to take a taxi and walked 15 mins across the bridge over Biscayne Bay to our cheap hotel in downtown Miami. Are we really in USA? Nobody speaks English. Everyone, shop assistants, bus drivers, people on the street are hispanic. Cuban food in the cafes, big women and big hair. When English is spoken, it sounds like a cool, laid back, gravelly jamaican lilt. We do know we are in the USA – Hummers and super stretch limos contrast the old public buses (more like trucks). Thousands flocked to the foreshore for the Redbull Moomba type event where homemade flying contraptions were pushed off a ramp and crashed spectacularly into the water. Yellow Forrest Gump school buses, huge pharmacy stores which sell beer and wine, pawn shops and “we buy gold”.

 

Bus and trains, although very old and tired, are an easy way to get around for $5 per day. There is a clever driverless metromover on an elevated track.  Spent a frustrating couple of days investigating rental car deals and car yards to buy a car. It all seems too difficult (too expensive) for non-usa (visitors without usa address or insurance). Another possibility is to deliver a vehicle from Fort lauderdale to San Diego in California but unable to supply an official driving record from RTA. Also took a while to buy a phone and get it working.

Had a great tour out to the Everglades on the airboat powered by an enormous chevy motor. They call it the biggest swamp in the world but it is actually savannah grassland inundated by the slowest moving river in the world, about one or two feet deep. We saw four of the 1.5  million alligators and a few little  ones, great blue herons, egrets, cormorants and grackles. One of the guides spoke with an amazing (to us) real slow, high pitched, sing song, upward inflected drawl (is this the famous southern accent?).

 

Explored the art deco Ocean Boulevard on Miami south beach. Saw lots of “the beautiful people” strutting their stuff, great bodies,  fancy cars. Amazed at how many people cover themselves with graffiti (tattoos). Sat down at a bar/ restaurant on the footpath for a happy hour bucket of “Miami Vice” – a concoction of pina colada and rum runner. The divide between rich and poor is pointed out by our waiter – a woman rummages in the rubbish bin as a Porsche Boxter pulls up to the kerb. Segway and electric tricycles and Cadillacs.

 

US elections see Obama returned for second term. Florida is one of the swinging states, with hispanics in Miami-Dade urban county voting for Obama and the rural areas going to Romney. Travelled by Greyhound bus to Orlando, comfortable hotel in dead part of town. Orlando is Universal studios, Disneyworld, Waterworld, etc but we rented a car for 24 hours to make a trip to the Space coast. This is Kennedy Space centre, rocket launch pads for Apollo and Space Shuttle (and I dream of jeannie). We watched 3D IMAX movies of Hubble Telescope view into deep space galaxies and nebulae – fantastic, and the building and use of the international space station- amazing. Saw the cockpit of Apollo 11, the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars and had a simulated ride in the space shuttle – zero to the speed of sound in 55secs. Lots of rockets and the actual Atlantis shuttle.

   

After several hours of educational and scientific wonder, we travelled south along the narrow strip of land of Cocoa Beach. Lovely unspoilt sandy beaches, then on to Melbourne where we enjoyed the hospitality of Saul (the Epic cruise bridge director) and wife Sam. Back to Orlando in the morning to return the car, greyhound bus to Tampa. Greyhound bus travel is an interesting experience; the amusing insistence of baggage handlers and security officers to “stand behind the yellow line”, do not pass go . . . and the not so amusing hand luggage searches and security wands. Managed to check emails on the bus’ free WiFi. The next few days will be even more interesting. We have found a lift (via the internet) to California and are on our way to meet Don ! Not sure how it will go, sharing a car with complete stranger to New Orleans, Grand Canyon and Lss Vegas. Liz has been talking to him on the phone for the last few days. Fingers crossed.

26 oct – 3 nov U.S. Virgins and across the big puddle

Life on the ship is settling into a nice routine with this typical  snapshot : 7pm Hypnotist (Tony still a skeptic), dinner in  Manhattan Restaurant with piano-clarinet-violin trio, 11pm Comedy Magician (brilliantly clever, professional and funny), get another hour of sleep for new time zone, 7.30am morning workout at the gym, stretching class, treadmill, bikes, weights, shower, breakfast, 10am contract bridge lecture (Tony), cooking demo (Liz), Rock climbing wall, Chess (not good enough against the Russians), Foot Assesmment, Caricature artist portrait, watch the sunset from Deck 19, go to “re-Voiced” the five-man a capella group, dinner at “Taste restaurant.

 

 

October 31 breaks the pattern as we disembark on St Thomas Island (one of the four USA Virgin Islands) in the Caribbean. US immigration officials give us a hard time as we do not have an address or a ticket to prove that we will leave  the USA. One official even told us some nonsense that we would be put in jail. First catch up with emails at internet cafe, lovely to hear from Alice, Emma and Wal and Robyn. Also booked a hotel in Miami and a Greyhound bus ticket from San Diego in California to Tijuana in Mexico (total outlay of $22.50 in case immigration come the heavy again). Go downtown, where another enormous cruise ship (the Aurora, 5000 passengers) is also in port). Bob Marley is everywhere in the market stalls – on T shirts and in real life, cheap jewellery and Hawaiian/ Jamaican prints and every second shop is selling diamonds. We climb aboard an ancient taxibus for a scenic tour of the island, grand views, banana daiquiri tasting and a swim at beautiful “Secret beach”, a delightful crescent of sand and palm trees with a warm and pristine ocean.

 

Back on board for dinner including Halloween themed cakes and sweets. The ship steams on and on – it seems a long long way even non stop at 26 knots. How much further is the Pacific crossing? And what if one is on a small yacht? Liz has been using the swimming pools and hot tubs for a few days now as the Caribbean weather is beautiful. Tony joins in on Day 12, trying out the giant water slides, between lazing and reading – only just managed to finish one book.

 

 

On day 14, Epic docks at Miami. We join Kiwi friends Chris and Robyn, and Texan friends Steven and Jim for a relaxed breakfast of eggs benedict, fruit and cottage cheese, grits and coffee. Debark is uneventful, no immigration officials to be seen, customs collects our card with all the “No” boxes ticked and we are in the USA!

21 – 25 october just cruising

The Norwegian Epic cruise ship is monstrous, 155,00 tonnes, towering above the dock, 19 decks high, 330m long. At midday we go through luggage check-in, passport control, card swipe and  handwash. Deck 5 includes guest services desk for those who need to sort out their on-board credit facility. We find the couple of bookshelves that is the ship’s library and promptly collect a couple of books. Tony gets “the quantum universe” to go with “the great equations”, Liz got something easier to read. Up to deck 13 we find our little inside cabin, up forward, twin beds, toilet, shower, fridge, TV, wardrobe, no window. We won’t have trouble finding it as the room is right next to the stairs in a cross hall with only 4 rooms. OK.

 

The Garden Buffet Café is a handy two decks up directly above and is already serving copious quantities of food with abundant choice and variety. There is disco music on the pool deck and the all-smiling, singing, dancing cruise director and crew lead the macarena. Down to  deck 14 to the “Pulse” gym and Mandara Spa, where the hard sell is to purchase $200 of yoga/ pilates and cycling sessions, $189 facials, $250 teeth-whitening, spa, massage, acupuncture treatments, etc. A compulsory emergency drill, back to the café for dinner, we are worried how much weight we will stack on in two weeks.

The first three days go quickly, eating, sleeping, exploring, eating, going to shows, eating, learning and playing bridge, sleeping and eating and still there are places on the map of the ship we haven’t found. The ship does 26 knots and on the second evening we leave the Mediterannean through the gap between Europe and Africa at Gibralta and into the Atlantic. The Norwegian captain makes regular announcements that the ship is on schedule, the sea is calm, the cyclone in the Bahamas is far far away too far away to worry and having a wonderful day and a smashing evening. The daily newsletter lists the day’s activities, art auctions, bars, restaurants and entertainment. The casino and poker machines do not interest us, nor does the shopping mall or the internet room at 55c per minute. We enjoy the comedy string quartet Graffiti Classic, and the BlueMan Group is entertaining and different. The Legends in Concert features three amazing performers who do absolutely brilliant impersonations of Rod Stuart, Madonna and Elvis.

 

US citizens (many from Florida) are the majority travellers, then UK, and German. We meet two young Australian boys. Justin is underage, turning 21 in five days time, so cannot purchase or drink alcohol, but is “welcome to gamble”!! Tony meets a woman who has now made 14 ocean crossings (12 atlantic and 2 pacific) on cruise ships! A few people (like us) are cruising rather than flying but the vast majority actually flew from USA to do the cruise or will be flying back to UK or Germany after the cruise.

The first shore excursion is the Azores, an island group belonging to Portugal known for volcanic lakes and tea plantations – this is country number 18 and perhaps half-way around the world. Catch up with emails on free WiFi at café and two coffees for 1 Euro with new friends Wim and Wil from Holland. The weather is warm and sunny for a walk along the coast, past decrepit but colourful houses to a small islet and beach, then up out of town to pineapple farms and back down through cobblestone streets.

 

Back to the starship Epic for a meal, a show another meal and bed. Big day! Still a long way to go, It will be six sea days before we see land again.

15- 20 october Andorra and Barcelona

The day looked like being another wet one in France but we were going south to Andorra and sunshine. Sick of the annoying ascending semitone blong-bong-bong which precedes every announcement at the railway station, so very pleased to be going by bus. Only four of us on the minibus, including Liz’s new best friend, a little old lady who was up for a chat. She worked for the US airforce (Toulouse has space and airbus connections also) and was a pretty keen skier in her day, with regular holidays in Andorra. We left the straw coloured maize crops in France, climbed up through Templar Knights villages, up classic “tour-de-France” switchbacks of the Pyrenees into freshly snow-covered mountains.

 

Over the pass, down through one “Thredbo” village after another, to Andorra La Vella, the highest capital in Europe. The economy of this little country is almost entirely based on tourism and must be chockers with skiers in winter. Every second shop is a pharmacy or cosmetics and probably tens of thousands of hotel rooms. Our B&B was perfectly situated for exploring the town and walking to the views. We ate at a Catalan restaurant, did not have the snails but enjoyed goats cheese salad and salmon (Liz), spaghetti bolognaise and pork steak (Tony).  The waiter (a Dali look alike with no moustache) brought Tony’s thimble of espresso and plonked a couple of bottles of limoncello and another of peche de vigne on the table. Help yourself. The bill came, no charge for the liquers, so left a nice tip.

 

The bus trip from Andorra to barcelona was amazing. First down a narrow ravine, less than 100m wide, just room for river and road, occasionally widening to 200m so that a small village could be squeezed in, steep angular mountains and vertical bluffs. Then through villages the colours of natural ochres- red, orange, yellow (either extreme spanish patriotism or the only colours they have), then dry rocky land terraced and ploughed, with villages a mere cluster of buildings on the top of a knoll and all the colour of the sand.The smooth bare rocks of  mountain ridge of Montsarrat made a weird bobbly silhouette.

 

The bus continued without stops to Barcelona. What a city! Dali, Gaudi and Picasso. Three Catalans who saw nature and life quite differently to the rest of us. The tourist bus city circuit took a whole day through the old quarters, the new, along the beach, the 1992 olympic area, the parks and the hills. We learned that Gaudi was run over by tram and died. We spent some time walking in Parque Guell looking at the Gaudi mozaics, moulded architecture and fabulous grottoes. Catalunya square and La Rambla were alive with tourists. The ornate architecture of Gaudi dominated, the curvy botoxed window frames and sandcastle Sagrada cathedral. We loved the ordinary buildings with their five story multi balconied facades and treelined streets. Our room had a balcony overlooking Avignuda Diagonal, which indeed was geographically diagonal. (Two other main streets were Meridian (of longitude) and Paral’lel (of latitude).

 

 

Four warm days in Barcelona (some rain) was time to be tourist and relax, buy new clothes and spend the last of our Euros. Liz added a new horse for the collection, a long-legged Dali creation. Tomorrow we sail from the same place as Columbus but hope to achieve what he did not: find North America.

12- 15 october France nord to sud

Starting to get worn down again by the constant challenge of finding accommodation. It is much easier on touring bikes to arrive in a town and just cycle around a bit, find the tourist info or a just a place to pitch a tent. But arrival by train, and therefore on foot and in the rain, can be tedious.  The question is always- to book a hotel in advance and hence lock in the destination – or not. Caen had no accommodation available in the centre at 9am due to a conference, and we had to settle for an apartment on a tram stop out in the ‘burbs. We were told that travel to Mont St Michel would be difficult – and it was. Trains did not go there and Bus links did not run on Thursday (or in October or something). Tony booked a hotel in the middle of nowhere and yes it was impossible to get to. Train to Avranche, local bus with the school kids, a 1km walk and, with threatening black skies, a kindly woman drove us the last 3km.

Dinner at the hotel was superb- “milk-fed lamb” and a glass of Medoc. Next day started badly. No public transport in any direction, none of the other hotel guests took pity on us, the host insisted on a taxi. After a half attempt to hitch-hike and an unhappy discussion amongst ourselves, we returned to the hotel and agreed on a taxi. The taxi arrived and to our horror the meter was already 35 Euro. We argued about this, called his bluff and got the metre wound back to 2 Euro.

Mont St Michel is an abbey built on a rocky outcrop surrounded by sand or sea depending on the 15m tide. It looks fantastic. We took turns in exploring the Mont or sitting with the suitcases. The abbey and the walled city has withstood every English seige in history. No lockers could be found, nor hotel reception to leave the suitcases due to French anti terrorist regulations!

Direct coach from the Mont to Rennes, train to Nantes, raining, 200m to our hotel (prebooked), pretty floodlit rapunzel castle and white stone cathedral. Next day train to Bordeaux, raining, 50m to our hotel, beautiful city, cream sandstone and like a Paris/ St Petersburg. Explored by tram and foot, evening crowds in busy squares and lanes, fairgrounds and carouselle and Roman ruins. Back lanes full of market shops, a mini Tunisia.

Next day train, 100km of vinyards  and farmlands, concrete bungalows with red tiled roofs (look Mediterranean) to red sandstone Toulouse, rain, 20m to hotel, great view from hotel, grand town hall with Salle d’Illustations impressionist paintings, streets awash with rain.

Our impression of France includes young men wearing scarves, old men with ponytails, elegant women, less than helpful people. Our Lonely Planet says it is beautiful but maddening, perfect country except for the French. A bit harsh? One example we will remember: At Nantes railway station we found a noticeboard hidden away in a corner saying the next day 11.15 train to Bordeaux was replaced by a bus at 10.45 due to weekend work on the track. Tony asked about it at the ticket office – they insisted the train left at 11.15, but made some phone calls, checked their folders and eventually agreed, but no sorry or thanks for nothing. Next day we bought the ticket which indicated a bus (autocar), Liz asked where does the bus leave from? The response was the train leaves at 11.15, showed them our ticket, still same response, next ticket window, yes autocar! Liz suggest he tell his colleague, response – not his problem! Liz was not going to get a “pardon” or “merci”. Found the bus around the corner. It left exactly at 10.45, even with other passengers frantically waving from the footpath. Wonder how many expected to catch a train at 11.15?

6 – 11 oct How do we get across the next bit of water?

October 6th is 50th anniv of the Beatles’ hit “Love Me Do” and also 50 years for 007s Doctor No. Both are being celebrated big time here by the patriotic poms who are still basking in the afterglow of London 2012 Olympics, a royal jubilee and a Royal wedding.  Our first sunny day for a long time and we were on a coach from Manchester to Southport via London. We pass through the burbs with rows and rows of houses paired off like siamese identical twins, terrace houses with the personal ID of a different colour door, the Marble Arch, a few Monopoly streets, Lords Cricket Club, double decker tourist buses, black cabs in all colours and multicolours. (Tut tut), Harrods windows displaying models in 007 poses, beautiful Victorian buildings and the river Thames.

We arrived at Southampton at 5.30pm with no accommodation booked, the tourist office is closed, the nearest hotels have no rooms at any price and we head for MacDonalds for free WiFi. One hour later cannot turn up a room in a hotel or B and B anywhere within 5 km. Contact a warm showers member as last resort and feel like frauds as we have sold our bikes. Taxi out of town to Susan and Michael’s and tent space in backyard gratefully accepted. Next day share cycling stories, see products of Michael’s incredible woodturning skills then back to town for two nights in hotel.

Queen Mary 2 is leaving for New York today (on the same route as the Titanic). We could have berths but Tony does not have a dinner jacket. Instead we visit the Royal Southampton Yacht Club to ask if anyone wants crew. We are told that none of the yachts go further than the Isle of Wight! The rain won’t stop raining, we think it may be better further south in France or Spain. Time to be tourist again. We are aiming for Barcelona to catch a cruise to Miami.

 

A short bus ride to Portsmouth, home of the Royal Navy, and a cross-channel ferry to the beaches where the Allied ships landed en-masse on D-day, 6 June 1944 to fight the Germans and liberate France. We explore Caen, the capital of northern Normandy This is where the young Guilliam, Duke of Normandy, married a distant cousin against the will of the Pope. He atoned by building two very impressive abbeys  to go with his fortified castle.

 

We took the train to Bayeux to get the full 1066 Battle of Hastings story on the 70 metre long tapestry (actually an embroidery). Edward the Confessor, King of England had no heir, so thought Harold,  his Danish bro in law should be next king. Harold sailed over to France to tell his french cousin William. William said No way. Edward died, Harold became king, Halleys comet, William and his Normans sailed to England and defeated Harold and his Saxons,  hence William the conqueror. Bayeux has a nice Cathedral of Notre Dame too.

 

27 sept – 5 oct Manchester orienteers and a Stockport convict

After a relaxing and re-juvenating few days and nights with our good friends in macc it was time to catch up with our good friends in Manchester. We started with the wed night run with the MDOC orienteers, a run from the fellbaum’s up Teggs nose in old running shoes and down and up and down again, supper and talk, still the same crowd as 5 years ago. One night at Jan’s then cycle the Middlewood Way (a beautiful rail trail) to Pete and Rae’s at Hazelgrove. Bought new running shoes and ditched the old.

A day exploring Stockport using an orienteering map to navigate the town steps and zigzags, lanes undercliff and bridges highbankside forming complex layers of street levels. Marvelled at the viaduct and rode the free shuttle bus around a route shaped like a Moebus strip.

On Saturday, Pete and Rae took us to the urban O event in Carlisle, the Roman fortified city at the west end of the Hadrians wall. We ran around and inside the walls, though narrow lanes, busy town squares, beside castle and churches. Carlisle is 118 ½ mile from Stockport, via M6 north past the Lakes district – rolling green and grey moors and lows (hills) dotted with blackfaced sheep.

Wonderful not to be travelling nor being a tourist. Pete and Tony cleaned the back deck with the high pressure Karcher, while Liz and Rae shopped and prepared for a dinner party. Looked in Stockport and Gee Cross for James, Susannah and Cyrus “the highway robber” Wood. This included a few hours family research in the Stockport Library, poring over microfilm and microfiche of deaths in the workhouse, taking pictures of churches and cemeteries. Unfortunately did not turn up anything new for Robyn, but did learn much about the terrible life of the poor in England in the 1800s who worked crushing rocks as inmates of the workhouses. Many were old or sick or unmarried women with children and were buried 40 at a time in unmarked graves in Stockport cemetery.

The following wednesday found us still enjoying Pete and Rae’s lovely hospitality, and of course this meant another MDOC run. This time from Sue’s big house in Hale. Tony went off with the fast group, immediately paddling through the bogs of the local fields, to the airport and muddy trails along the river, hanging on in the rain and the dark. These mad englishmen in the evening blackness!

 

Our two nights at Andrew and Margaret’s were a turning point of our travels. Manchester had been our destination for the last 6 months and now it feels like we are “halfway” around the world (even if it only 10 hours in time zones). We cycled to bike shops all over the place to sell them with no offers. At 4 oclock we put an ad on gumtree. At six, Liz had 120 quid for her bike and panniers. At at 8 am Tony had 100 quid for his. Then Liz dropped a bombshell – she thinks her bag and wallet is in the front pannier! A phone call to her new Polish friend who bought the bike confirmed this and much to our relief he returned it. Aren’t people wonderful? At 2pm we bought two new roller cases. We caught up with Meg and Terry in Chorlton and had dinner with David and Lea. David is still stoicly undergoing surgery on his back and neck, an injury he has suffered for five years since exchange teaching with Tony at Scots School. At 10am next day we boarded the coach for Southampton to find passage to USA.

20 – 26 sept Macclesfield mystery

Just a short cycle today (about 10 miles) along the Macc canal in the rain. Sheltering under little arched stone bridges, cows wandering over, boats going under, green pastures, ducks not minding the rain, but both feeling a little jaded. To use the typical English understatement, the weather was not too clever. Stopped at the appropriately named Fools Nook for 2 pub meals of meat, chips, salad and peas. Back to the muddy wheel rut in the grass beside the canal, with head high stinging nettle to bridge 45 exit and 2 miles to Bill and Kate’s home in Macclesfield.

A day to catch up on washing, another doing nothing then a 10 out 10 walk as Bill’s mystery guests with the old gang of Damo, Dawn, Colin, Deb and Allan. The evening was cool, walking beside hedges and stone walls, up to great night views across fields to manchester and beyond. Fish and chips and mushy peas and good company, stories and laughter. Another lazy day, a drive in, oh so typical English countryside, a network of lanes wandering randomly through tunnels of hedges and darkly and tightly packed woods, a walk around a lake and English manor and through farmyards.

Next day, a long cycle for Tony and the boys. A few good hills and spectacular views from the moors of rolling landscapes with patchwork fields and rock walls. Liz has immersed herself once again in the story of the Plague, enjoyed a walk with Kate in Eyam and on the moors. Tony spending too much time playing chess on the computer, but also enjoying an overdose of crosswords and puzzles in english newspapers.