Sense of Achievement (1)

I thought I was ready but couldn't get the bags on the bike properly so I set off a bit late from here on Friday morning. I had to peg it a bit to get to Euxton on time to meet George. Fortunately I made it just before him and we set off through Chorley towards Blackburn. That was easy enough but it was quite a complicated route after Blackburn and my maps weren't detailed enough so we went wrong a couple of times. We didn't lose too much time though and, even with George fancy tyre puncture we met Phil on time at Crosshills. He took us through Keighley on his chunky mountain bike and then we enjoyed a nice stretch of the Leeds Liverpool canal followed by a monstrous hill up to his place. We decided to drink first and eat later so we ventured into downtown Guiseley and enjoyed a few pints while watching the Leeds - Many World Club Championship game and what a game it was - a great advert for Rugby League? We eventually ate in an empty restaurant with a carbo-charged Italian meal and some decent red wine. Back at the house there were a number of family members so we socialised for a bit and then I decided enough was enough. George doesn't know the meaning of that word.

I came around on Saturday morning to the sound of a howling gale and rain battering the window almost drowning out the snoring of my companion. It was 7.40 so I turned over and drifted off again. An hour later it was a bit lighter but all the noises were the same so I lay there wondering how we were going to get home. I must admit the train entered my thoughts as I drifted off again. I eventually surfaced at about 9.30 and checked the weather on the laptop. Full blue rain all over the North of England at 9.00. I moved on to 12.00 and it was clear apart from a small blue spot in the middle. Great stuff - that meant the rain would stop sometime between 9.00 and 12.00 and we should be ready to go. By about 10.30 we had eaten enough and were ready to go. The rain stopped and the sun came out and we left in good heart to face the journey home which promised to be breezy but thankfully dry.

(To be continued)