Wednesday 29 June 2011

Boring Blogs?

I'm aware that recent Blogs have been rather boring. The trouble is, by the time I get round to writing them, it's usually well after 9pm and I'm ready for bed! Witty writing is then way beyond my ability. So my new policy is to write some words in my notebook at lunch or tea-time. So here I am at Menai Bridge (the village, not the bridge itself), having an early afternoon coffee and flapjack.

I've been thinking about bad drivers this morning, having encountered more than a few. I need to look at the Highway Code and see what it says about drivers v. cyclists. But I maintain that, where possible, drivers should leave a vehicle width gap when overtaking a bike. Few do, but if the road ahead is clear, there's no reason why they can't.

Other categories of 'bad drivers' are those who overtake when coming towards you. It's scary, seeing a vehicle (often a motorcycle) coming at you on your side of the road. Another type is those who blip the throttle before they overtake you. Generally, if a driver does anything that may cause the cyclist to swerve, then it must be classed as dangerous. Sometimes, the suction effect from a large vehicle can be quite frightening, as you're drawn in towards its rear quarter.

But enough moaning, I'm on Anglesey now, heading this evening to Amlwch...

(Later)
Coming out of Beaumaris I encountered my second 25% hill. I don't think it was that steep; it didn't look like a 1 in 4, and I managed to climb most of it, only stopping when the road became rather busy. As you can see from the photo, I also had to duck and watch out for falling rocks.

There were two campsites indicated on the map, just outside Amlwch. But when I got there, both had closed down. So it was into the village to find a B&B. There was just one, with a 'No Vacancies' sign. In some desperation, I rang the bell with the intention of asking if they knew of anywhere else nearby to stay. However, the door was answered by the owner's daughter, who was staying there with her own family. That's why the sign had been posted. The owner said that although there was a spare room, it wasn't ready for a guest. However the daughter insisted, and even offered to prepare the room herself. So I wandered into the village and found somewhere to eat. When I returned, everything was ready - a beautifully clean room.

1 comment:

  1. Not boring at all, Bob. I have been following them and the pics on Facebook almost every day of your heroic trip.

    You mentioned a book title you'd had to discard "... without a puncture". Are you planning a book? It could be quite special.

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