More from Dale Farm
30th July
I just remembered looking at a YouTube vid of an intrepid Norwegian wild camper last night while in my sleeping bag who says a luxury he takes on his trips is a filter coffee maker. What a good idea. A simple small plastic version and a supply of filters would be lighter than my metal expresso maker. And make more like the coffee I like. It’s almost worth going on another camping trip to test it out.
Later...
My un-parking and setting off this morning was tricky, full of fear and loathing and stuckness and in the end I had to ask a passing camper (my quiet neighbour who happened to walk by eating an apple) to help me by pulling me backwards so I could turn round and get going. Looking at my vid - my helmet cam was on throughout collecting evidence - I see that I was trying to move the bike for nearly 8 minutes but was stuck! Too close to a car that had parked right next to me and on too sloping grassy ground to move the other way and now on too much of a slope to get off without dropping it. Oh for a light bike with a low saddle too. I’ve been worrying about it all day and what to do.
Now, today’s events. The Ride Bikers Britain routes are quite good but getting on to them with my GPS is a bit hit and miss. I must go on a Garmin course so that I am no longer being hit and miss and can plan ahead. Some attention to detail on this would really enhance the experience... and in terms of courses I must do more slow speed practice to boost confidence on the bike. I hate the phrase 'all the gear but no idea' but it might fit.
Now today’s events again. Where was I? I selected (I thought) one of the rides, number 40, and headed off to Glossop. It was meant to be a circular route but I was taken onto the amazing Snake Pass on the way when I was expecting to come upon it on the way back here. But anyway it is indeed a beautiful route spectacular in places. A fair amount of traffic but not too bad. Glossop or the slice I saw was ok but as I said before everywhere is crawling with people. But the riding was mostly fun and when the sun finally came out as it is now my slightly flagging spirits lifted. Once there I set the controls (not for the heart of the sun) for Ashbourne again where I knew there was somewhere with ample parking to shop for dinner. As I returned to Belinda parked carefully in the shade a couple pulled in next to me driving a bright red open top Morgan. I thought all Morgans are vintages (my ignorance) but I found out that they still make them. We engaged in mostly car but also motorcycle conversation for quite a while before they left and I sat on the grass and ate some Co-op lunch - I think it was some sushi. I really don't mind sitting on a curb eating supermarket food for lunch.
On my return to this lovely campsite I asked our host if I could park somewhere flatter than this morning and I think he understood my problem. The solution which was very flexible of him was to suggest I park on an unused grassy flat terrace near the bottom of the site with the proviso I’d have to move to another option if someone turned up late and needed the space. Its a nice touch that not everyone would have agreed to. Luckily they didn’t so my manoeuvring and packing up and finally driving off in the morning went without panic on my part. I keep asking myself whether a KTM 690 would end up feeling just as heavy as the BMW once you’d got used to it - but its nearly 100kgs lighter. That’s two years travels in a row I have come away thinking about a lighter bike - after experiencing tricky terrain that is almost impossible to manoeuvre a big bike on.
The temperature had risen during the day and was mid to high twenties with now a fierce sun, so previously welcome the last couple of nights here when it was getting cold by 6 or 7pm, but this evening it became something to try to hide from. I’m reading Dhalgren, bought for me by my son. Its not exactly a page turner (though its description on Wikipedia makes it sound as though it is) in the way that another science fiction gift from him, Snowcrash was, but is still good. Everything is so murkily described that it is hard to imagine any of the characters. I read in my sleeping bag till about 9 when, unbelievably for me who is normally a night owl, I closed my eyes.
Friday 31st July
I woke around six, stirred by the cows talking to eachother, maybe saying ‘good morning, we’ve been spared for another day’. The beautifully restored and maintained and lit and cleaned amenity building was surprisingly busy at just after 7 - but waking early is the stuff of camping especially with crying tired toddlers of which there were a few with admirably coping and patient parents (actually mostly mothers I think).
I rolled off to head south for home after buying a frozen pack of their beef in their little farm shop. I expected a smiling person taking my money and advising me on how to cook it, but instead there is an instruction up on a blackboard telling the campers how to join the site wifi and a PayPal address to put the money for any item into. And a large security camera pointing at you - so it is a kind of honesty principle but not quite. As I fumbled with my phone looking for my PayPal app, I noticed there was also a glass jar and a notebook - a much easier option for a slightly frazzled traveller (as I often seem to be when on the bike). I was wondering how many days it takes to properly relax and get over the tension about little things. So a fiver in the jar bought me a pack of beef (cut unspecified). Frozen but for how long on a hot day - and what turned out to be a slow and hot return to London trafic.
click here for the last day of this short trip