After my trip with Marc to Aberystwyth last week I pretty
much knew that I would have to come back a week later. The original plan was to cycle back as well,
but Marc with his “get the job done” mission outlook on life had already booked
a train ticket back and wasn’t really excited about coming back the way he had
come. This didn’t sit well with me as I
felt I was just not finishing the job…
I guess that I understand one day I may not be able to
accomplish it so I had better do it while I can, or maybe I was feeling that I
was somehow just plain chickening out!
The upshot of all this is I find myself on the journey back to
Aberystwyth so that I can cycle back this time solo as normal.
I had arrived at work and noticed my headset was loose, this
was the second time it had come loose, I pulled out my allen key to tighten it
but there was no more to tighten… disaster… it wasn’t huge play but it was
noticeable. There’s a bike shop over the
road, I called them and asked if they could do an emergency job, no chance they
were fully booked. I asked if I could
get a new set of bearings and possibly cups and bolts I didn’t know what the
cause was but figured I could cover most of the bases and do a repair in my
break or when I arrived.. they said pop
over.. the guy checked it out and we found one of my spacers had cracked at the
back, never happened before. He took
pity and said leave it with him.
About half an hour later he had put a new spacer on and the
headset was as good as new, I picked the bike up paid a tenner for the repair
(well worth it).. another one of life’s
little curveballs overcome with the help of someone willing to put themselves
out for other people.. remember that
because I can’t remember when I have been truly stuck because someone or something
always comes along… that’s why I will always go out of my way for complete
strangers because that’s whats saved me sooo many times.
The plan was simple, leave directly from work and catch the
5:50 to Birmingham International then the 6:09 to Aberystwyth. The plan was simple until I got to
international, I made my way down to the platform, I was expecting one of the
more modern trains, but it looked more like one of the more local trains. It was only two carriages so in my naivety I
believed that it would be a quiet train…
How wrong can you be.
I approached the guard and asked if it was the Aberystwyth
train he said yes, but you can’t get on because I already have two bikes on and
there’s only two carriages so it will be jam packed once it gets to New
Street. My mind froze for a second and I
blurted out “I have a reservation”, something I made damn sure of after last
weeks debacle and quickly produced my ticket.
I could see the drop in the poor guards face, he checked my
reservation and said resignedly; “I am going to have to throw one of the other
bikes off”. Almost as if he was hoping
that I would say no it’s ok I will catch the next one and pay £60.00. I am helpful but not stupid… He got to the bike carriage and quickly
located the owner of the last bike to get on and asked him to leave the
train. The gentleman was in his mid to late
50’s and simply refused to get off, stating that he had a season ticket and
didn’t need to reserve his bike as he travelled this train all the time, see I
told you it wasn’t going to be simple.
The guard repeated twice that he would have to leave and I
suggested I didn’t mind putting my bike alongside and standing with it, but
that wasn’t really fair on him as he explained that the gangway had to be kept
clear H&S and the trolley had to come through and I would block the only
toilet. At this point the guard simply
picked the guys bike up and walked it off the train. I got on and parked my bike with the other
gentleman giving the guard an unfairly hard time, I then had a brainwave, his
bike was only light so I said, “I don’t mind if he puts his bike on top of
mine”, the guard seemed to think that would help all round and he brought the
bike back in and laid it out on top of my bike.
The guy gave one last harangue to the poor guard and I stepped
in between as my patience was now a little thin and said, “ the rules are
clear, reserve your bike or it’s on a first come first served basis”, stop
giving the guard a hard time”, I think my tone of voice made my point, the
guard had used the diversion to escape and the other gent decided that it was
time to shut up, he slinked off without a thankyou… I began to wish I had left his bike off and
simply waived at him from the window, ahh the joys of time travel… Groundhog
Day would have been good at that point.
I settled down and waited with trepidation for the New
Street onslaught… The guard wasn’t
wrong, it was sardine city fortunately there was a pleasant and understanding
lady who sat down next to me. I should
explain that I am fairly broad… and my shoulders extend nearly a third into the
seat next to me, a cause of several train related incidents previously with the
person sitting next to me somehow believing that I had the ability to fold
inwards at the sternum… and the fact my other shoulder was pressed up against
the window was an excuse to avoid folding my sternum. I have learned to apologise up front to avoid
several hours of sitting next to someone huffing and puffing or in the case of
some men, deliberately putting pressure on my arm until I tell them to ease up
or I will relocate them (pleasantly).
The train atmosphere was stifling so I started up my laptop
just to chill out and begin this blog for the weekend. We pulled out from new street and I suddenly
became aware that we were travelling through a very long tunnel… I didn’t
realise there was such a long one so I decided to look it up.
It is a long trip to Aberystwyth I hadn’t had a meal yet and
I needed water but my bike seemed like an eternity away… through the
crowd. I waited a while as we went
through a few more stops, Smethwick Galton Bridge.. Wolverhampton… The crown thinned out and I
decided to head for the water. It wasn’t
to much of a challenge, I made the last stretch by asking one of the sardines
to pass my bottle for me and made my way back.
As we passed a few more stations the lady to my left
eventually got off along with the Norwegian or Finish gentleman with an
enormous macbook who was sat opposite. I
felt positively rich with space and positioned myself on the opposite seat so I
had a view of my bike. Eventually we hit
Shrewsbury and the other guy with the bike got up to leave, I followed to
ensure he didn’t tear a hole in my bike as he pulled his bike off the top, I
can imagine he was in no way grateful for me interceding to keep him on the
train and people can do strange things when they are in the throes of righteous
indignation, I know I am one of them but that’s a different tale…..
A young girl in her early twenty’s came and sat opposite me,
she too had a huge mac book and a matching pair of studio quality headphones
perched on her head. I began to read
some more of the moominland midwinter and she couldn’t help but lean over to
get the title. I turned my eyes towards
her and her head dropped down as if caught in some nefarious deed, people are
funny.. if I am curious about a book someone is reading I just ask them, it
usually leads to some good conversation.
I bet she was wondering what a 40+ yr old was doing reading the moomins…
im a psychopath dear we all have fixations on our childhood favourites… with me it’s the moomins with others it’s
pulling tails off puppies…
I settled in for the ride occasionally looking out at the
changing countryside, whilst alternating between typing, reading and whatever
track was on my ipod nano, (incidentally it was rage against the machine –
killing in the name of, probably why I was feeling a little belligerent J The journey was passing pleasantly for the
most part. I had bought myself a black
coffee as usual no sweetners fortunately I come prepared haha arriva trains I
have learned your tricks… Coffee is one
habit I haven’t been able to give up, I kicked sugar & milk but coffee
eludes me… maybe my heart would stop if
I didn’t carry on.. anything is possible.
I got a momentary signal and Jazzy popped up on skype,
confirming bill was visiting at the end of August, while jazzy swanned off
abroad, she really is a bohemian…. Poor old bill, I was looking forward to his
visit and the chance to make a fuss of him the way he and jazzy look after
me. (they are my adopted scotish
parents, everyone should have some), please Scotland don’t leave the UK you are
the only known natural source of adopted Scotish Parents… I can imagine you would have to resort to
kidnapping some … if you could get past
the hillclimbing mc haggis’s. (see the Broons and oor wullie for an
explanation)
I looked out of the window to a lonely hillside and imagined
what it would be like in winter, it was alive and verdant now but I imagine in
winter it would be exposed and barren alone through the winter, all at once I
thought of the Groke, poor Groke… I had always felt sorry for the Groke as a
child I imagined I would put on lots of coats and go and sit with the Groke no
matter how cold it got.. but I would probably end up like the squirrel with the
marvellous tail… yeah I know turn to
page 26.. read the Moomins and you will understand, if you can’t be bothered
just imagine im going a little senile..
I glanced out of the window again and the train was running
parallel with a snaking river for a moment there was an optical illusion and it
appeared as if the river was racing the train like some water spirit from a
studio Ghibli production. It soon passed
and the trees lining the railway subsided to give me a wonderful if fleeting
glimpse of the river flattened out over shallows in my imagination I could
almost smell the water… I would much
rather be out there.. I spotted a min
suspension bridge straddling the river just before the train pulled into
Machynlleth. It seemed oddly out of
place.
It wouldn’t be long before I pulled into Aberystwyth, I was
hoping there would be a late night shop for supplies, I had planned to get my
supplies while at work, in the end I had nipped for a quick lunch with the
server team but no supplies for tonight.
Aftert disMy plan was to camp out in the grounds of the Castle ruins but the weather was so lovely I decided to camp out on the beach. I made a quick dash to the local Co-Op, I bought the makings of mince beef and vegetables with two nice roles and then set about cooking it on the sea front. I pitched up on the beach, after checking the seaweed line and asking several locals I determined I was very safe camping at the sea wall, I made sure I was camped by one of the shallow ramps in case an emergency getaway was required.
Aftert disMy plan was to camp out in the grounds of the Castle ruins but the weather was so lovely I decided to camp out on the beach. I made a quick dash to the local Co-Op, I bought the makings of mince beef and vegetables with two nice roles and then set about cooking it on the sea front. I pitched up on the beach, after checking the seaweed line and asking several locals I determined I was very safe camping at the sea wall, I made sure I was camped by one of the shallow ramps in case an emergency getaway was required.
Can life get any more perfect than this? I am out on the beach it is warm but the kind
of warmth that surrounds you like a cocoon.. theres a sea breaze and I can hear
the crashing of the waves at high tide…
theres a light blinking in the distance and the seafront is marked out
by a waving line of street lamps. Dotted
further along the beach towards constitution hill are campfires out on the
beach, I had passed by several groups of teenagers just relaxing and enjoying the sea. Im listening to Kal ho na ho on
youtube and tapping out my blog. Its
really time for bed but it’s so nice I don’t want to sleep.
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| Couldn't resist a photograph of an enfield, not an orginal but it's great to see this old design still going. |
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| My view from the Beach the sky was a beautiful azure blue |
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| shaky shot |
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| Eating my evening meal on the sea front |
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| Packing up in the morning aroused this big lads's curiosity. |
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| Whats that then, can I eat it, is slobbering over your camera acceptable! he flung himself down anyway and demanded some fuss1 |
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| Almost packed, and no rubbish or sign of my presence was left. |
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| Things look so different in the morning |
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| yep the weather looks bad |
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| Rain and cloud |
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| Coco's Truck Stop Keith & Angharad Evans Time for a bacon and egg bap :-) |
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| Haulwen (Welsh) = Sunshine (English) |
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| Entering Powys |
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| The Post Office at Llangurig You can get coffee here and it's cheaper than the stop just down the road, who's coffee isn't briliant! |
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| A well spring opposite the Llangurig Post Office a nice place to have that coffee! |
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| Rhyada Carnival |
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| Rhyada Carnival |
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| Only 40 miles to Leominster (yay) |
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| The Thomas Shop |
Website: http://www.thomas-shop.com/Gettinghere.php
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| Apologies for my camera but it was steamy and I didn't realise |
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| Wooo Back in England, missing wales already |
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| The Border Bean Cafe Just opened in the High Street Kington IF YOU ARE A CYCLIST STOP HERE THEY ARE REALLY BIKER FRIENDLY |
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| Callum & Shaun cycled from Rome to Home together http://www.sponsorme.co.uk/shaunhaydon/hometorome.aspx |
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| On the Black & White Village Trail |
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| I had one puncture all day, and it happened the second I saw this vehicle.. Thankyou to the car behind me that avoided hitting me when the puncture caused my bike to slew sideways. That is the last slime filled innertube I will ever buy, at the higher pressures they don't seal, and the Halfords Ones are the worst ones I have come across. |
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