June 2, 2012
Telford via Wenlock Edge & Much Wenlock
Iron Bridge for breakfast
Dawn wake me early again, at around 4:30, but it's after six when I pack up the tent under a grey sky.
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Breakfast on the go is a couple of cereal bars bought yesterday, but Much Wenlock, a village about five miles away, will no doubt have something nice to offer.
It's a bit early, the time being just after 8 o'clock, and the only place open is a Spar store, so I pop in and get a carton of yogurt and a cold coffee. Across the road, which is wet with light rain, a fayre is being set up and I go in to have a look at the bricabrac and handicrafts before heading off towards The Iron Bridge without buying anything.
The 60-metre long bridge, made of cast iron, arches over the River Seven and rain is falling as I get sight of it along the gorge and I duck into a nearby cafe and get a Full English Breakfast and a pot of tea, thinking it might clear up pretty soon. There's a hint of brightness to the sky, just enough to offer hope.
I am half-way through my brekky when Randy appears outside, his fancy purple Lycrak leggings marking him out as an American cyclist even before I hear his Ohio accent. We 'visted', as Americans would say, for about 30 minutes, by the end of which the sun is trying to come out and we both explore the cast iron structure that dates back to the 1770s - a marvel of industrial engineering.
Instead of riding up to tour Derbyshire, I opt to ride to Telford to get the train directly back to Lincoln - the weather predicted to be miserable for the next few days. On the ride north and at the top of a mile-long climb I ask a couple if a bike path continues to Telford. They say this is the wrong direction, but my compass needle points north. They then refer to the bus route, which goes from Ironbridge a different way and after a few minutes of nonsense they're relieved to get away from me - a passing man having started to explain a way of cycling there. He makes more sense and it's good to hear there's a cycle lane of sorts to follow.
It takes a bit of finding, but once on it it's hard to get lost. The path traces an industrial railway line and then seems to be built on a disused one. Trees line it and Telford is only 30 minutes away and it's an enjoyable half-hour ride.
Less enjoyable is the second leg of my train journey, from Nottingham to Lincoln.
A group of four young men board soon after me and as the train is now full; I sit in the doorway near my bike. The four join me and they're all obviously pretty drunk.
The conversation is as good as can be expected but is laced with profanities and focuses on banal trivia. They aren’t violent, thankfully, but it's a relief to get off in Lincoln after an hour of all that and ride back to Dave's place.
Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 3,417 km (2,122 miles)
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