THIS MORNING I was up by 7:50 am so I packed my things and went downstairs. The three of us sat down to breakfast when we decided on a place and time to meet in York. We'd be at the Minster at 6 or 8 pm which would give me the time to reach the city.

The morning was sunny, though cool; perfect for cycling. Unfortunately, my ankle [Achilles tendon] was sore for the second day in a row so I wrapped it as soon as I was at the top of the hill. It still hurt. I kept on but all I could see was white so I stopped to take three aspirins. After a while the pain subsided so it either warmed up or the aspirin worked.

I followed along the ancient Roman canal all the while with the wind at my back. I had planned to stop in Gainsborough for lunch but I wasn't hungry at noon so I pressed on. I pressed on to Goole which was a heavy port town on the Humber River. Though many km inland, the tide lines were easily visible.

I finally stopped in Howden for lunch which must have been a town of no more than one thousand residents. I stopped at a grocery story and while I was removing the headphones and gloves, an elderly woman came up to me and asked whereabouts I was from in Canada. She told me her husband worked at a nuclear power station so they'd been to Canada to see some of ours. She's been to Medicine Hat, Toronto, and the Atlantic provinces. One time she rode the bus from Toronto to Medicine Hat - she found it a bit long. While we were talking I heard some young girls whispering behind us that I 'was a foreigner'... 'Yes, a Canadian.' At the store I bought four scones and a cornish pasty which was fantastic.

I put the food in the front bag and along the route many jets were doing manoeuvres based out of the air force base I passed near York. I pulled over in a field where I ate lunch. I don't know why I didn't stop near a flock of sheep - maybe next time.

I pulled into York at 3:15 pm - 116 km in five hours of cycling. I came right downtown and found the tourist information. I can't believe how beautiful the town wall is - it runs for five km around the old city. I also saw a small bit of what's left of the Roman wall.

As I was locking my bike outside the TIC, a guy came up to me and we began o talk. He's from Toronto and has been on the Polar Bear Express excursion train [from Cochrane to Moosonee] but didn't really like it. He was heading up to Edinburgh tonight and asked if I wanted a ride because of my ankle but I declined as I wanted to see York. I did a bit of walking through the Medieval streets but went back to the cathedral to wait, due to the ankle.

As I waited, many Canadians came up to me - 'whereabouts?' Most were from Toronto. I also met a group from Ireland plus one fellow from York who's in the marines and had been to Vancouver ten years ago.

Sue and her sister got here at 8:00 pm so we found a B&B then went for chips. We didn't know where to find one so we asked a Bobby - he gladly pointed one out.

We came back here to eat then dropped into bed to watch tv.

I've been thinking about what to do. I can't bike because of my ankle. Where do I put it? I've been offered a ride with them as they go. But I won't be in Stratford long. Tonight I ponder and check maps.