2 April 1997

After breakfast, I got packed up and talked with the Linda-biker who was telling me that she used to take her daughter around on the bike and, when people saw big-person little-person, they thought, Aha, guy and his girl. But it was mother with her girl which led to all manner of meals paid and interesting conversations. Great stuff! We talked for quite a long time before I tacked up the bike and discovered that I had parked her down a slight incline, the sort which would normally have posed no problem but, as the ground underfoot was gravelly, I could not get enough purchase with my feet to push her out! So, I had to recruit the cyclists to push, much to all our amusements. I had my usual paranoia checks ("Have I got this, this this and this?") and then, with directions to Woofferton, headed off.

I found Woofferton within five minutes. The rather filthy sign was posted on the A49 but only in the return direction. As it was a busy stretch of road, I didn't go into the village proper, but took my pictures quickly and was on my way. I'd sort of got into go-home mode; it wasn't ’ as sunny, and on one stretch I put on my under-gloves, but at least it didn't rain.

I picked up the A44 around Leominster and that was the way home - a rather lovely route. I went through the heart of England villages, seeing many thatched cottages and new counties and lovely flowers. The traffic was quite light and often I would let cars pass as I didn't’ know the bends well enough to really drive fast; I wanted to pootle. My route took me through the outskirts of Worcester which were rather busy but at least reasonably well signposted, though at one point I just had to hope I'’d chosen the right direction. There were lots of stretches of roadworks and I pretty much had to queue as there was no real scope for overtaking on the very narrow roads.

The Heart of England

I found a Little Chef at Chipping Sodbury and took a good long break there. I was getting rather tired. But, soon afterwards I found the back road to Bicester which was peaceful and I could go at my own pace. At Bicester, I picked up the A41 and went on my way. At the next roadside petrol station, I filled up Katie and emptied out myself in one of the scruffiest loos ’I've ever seen, but by that point I didn't mind!

And then it was away, away to Aylesbury, the nightmare of my journey: it made me just want to go :: gibber :: On the way out, I'’d skirted the town, but in this direction went right through it, complete with many double mini roundabouts, changing lanes, signposts that made guesswork a requirement, busy traffic and a truck driver who tried very hard to park on top of me - missing by an inch. I was totally drained by that and when I got through the Chilterns I just wanted somewhere to stop, but didn't find anywhere suitable. Just before the A5, I found a police car had decided to trail me, much to my annoyance. In my then tired state of mind, I didn't want anyone watching how I was riding, I just wanted to stop and make sure I was safe. I left the police car behind at the junction with the A5 and there was a Little Chef there, next to the Waggon and Horses, and I stopped there for a pot of tea.

I wasn'’t too refreshed even then, so sat in the carpark eating chocolate before setting off and doing the last part of my journey home. Back to Hertfordshire and the real idiot drivers, but at least it wasn'’t rush hour. And I reached home sweet home a little after three, having been on the go for about six hours. And did I ever stay in my bath a long time!