United Kingdom 2006
 
 

Day 14

September 1

 
 

I'm a bit like a mule that smells his feed in the barn - I'm ready to get back to London and wind this ball of twine up. The ferry leaves for Fishguard at 8:00 AM and we need to be there at least an hour before they start to load. So I'm up way early in anticipation. Since nobody else is stirring I quietly go outside to pack up the bike. The ferry is just coming into Rosslare as the sun comes up.

 
 
 
  I clear out my room and have everything on the bike. I hate to be late and I hate to make other people late, so I make sure I'm ready to go as soon as the others are ready.  
 
 
  I still can't get used to the palm trees and the unusual flowering shrubs on the grounds of the B&B. It's like the stuff you would see in some parts of Florida or California back home. I guess it does not get that cold in this particular area.  
 
 
 

Before long, the rest of the crew is packed up and ready to roll. It's just a short ride over to the ferry, which is one of the reasons that they picked this particular B&B. We ride into the bowels of the ferry and get the bikes strapped down for the 2 hour ride on this high-speed ferry that will take us back to the English countryside.

 
 
 
 

These ferries are really nice and have restaurants, lounging areas and gift shops throughout. Since there will be no time when the ferry unloads, we say our good-byes during the crossing. I give each of my travel mates - Peter, Miss Fi, Bob, Keith, Miss Ellen and Bryan - a big hug and invite them over to the Holler any time they'd like to come over. I've spent almost 2 weeks with most of them and they've been a real blessing to me. I really have appreciated and benefited from their many kindnesses of taking care of all of the reservations for accommodations and ferries that would have been difficult to do from the States. As we make our way down to the bikes, I know that I will miss them all in the upcoming months just as I miss my other riding friends scattered across the USA.

Keith and Miss Ellen have once again come to my rescue and have decided to lead me into London. Once we leave the ferry, we hit A40 to Carmarthen then A48 to M4, the major motorway that will take us into London. Once you get on one of the motorways, you'd better be ready move right along. We make great time on the way in and once we are near London, we make a stop so I can refuel my ST1300. The nice thing about the motorways over here is that the stops for fuel and food are really nice. This one at Burghfield, Reading is no exception. There's even a health food store inside - Marks and Spencers - with lots of tasty goods. I pick out a club sandwich and a diet coke, but then I see my poison of choice. They have bags of natural chocolate covered Brazil nuts for sale and I grab one. I love nuts and my favorite ones are Brazil nuts and I have never seen chocolate covered ones before. Since the chocolate in the UK is so much better than in the States, I contemplate throwing away what's in my riverbag and just filling it up with these delectables. But then I'd get nailed at customs, so I bag that idea. Soon we are back on the road again, and I am sticking to Keith's taillights like gorilla glue.

 
 
 
 

London traffic can be pretty hairy, and the route back into Wandsworth is not exactly a straightforward one because of the one way streets. But Keith has his GPS cooking and he leads us right in. We come in from a different direction that I am used to and I do not recognize where I am until we're right at Brewer's Pub. I check the odometer on the ST1300 and I have done a little over 3,000 miles on this trip - a lot of riding for this part of the world.

 
 
 
 

Brewer's has a nice lounge area outside and in the back, so Keith, Miss Ellen and I just chill out for a little while. Keith is planning a trip to the states and I tell him -

"Well, the Holler Hotel will be open, so come on over. But now you may have to sleep out in the doghouse to make up for that first night in that wigwam."

He again apologizes and tries to blame Peter, but I tell him again -

"Just remember, I don't get even, I get ahead!"

We all laugh, but they've got business that they need to tend to so they have to go. I give them both another good hug and wish them safe traveling mercies.

Now it's just me and the hotel room, so I finish unpacking the bike and drag my stuff up to my room. I remember the route I took back to AboutTown last year, so I mount up and ride the bike along the back streets. Since it is a one-way in front of the pub, this saves me from going around the world to get 200 yards up the street.

 
 
 
 

When I get to AboutTown, Mike is not there but a nice lady checks me out. I give her the information about the tires and tell her I'll just sort it out with Mike when he gets back in and I get back home. It's a quick walk down the hill to Brewer's to finish packing up my stuff for the trip home tomorrow. I quietly reflect on the great roads I've ridden, the great friends that I have made, and the great time that I have had. I do not believe that I ever ridden with as much freedom as I had in Scotland in my entire riding history. There will be other rides but this one will always be one of the best in my memories. I go to bed early tonight, cause tomorrow will be a long day of buses, trains, and airplanes. But at least I'll be back in my beloved Holler when the sun sets on me again.

THE END

 
 

A FOOTNOTE

My beloved Friend Bubba had to be put to sleep December, 2006 due to bone cancer. He was always sad to see me leave and always glad to see me return. He is deeply missed.