Southport to Lancaster

Saturday September 25, 2010

My campsite for the night in Southport.

This morning over breakfast in Victoria Park, a bloke walking his dog stopped for a chat, just to ask about where I'd been and where I was going. He recommended I travel through the Lake District, and also that I stay in youth hostels through there. He said "if you see the YHA sign, turn in there, you'll get a bed for only a couple of quid for the night". I thought this sounded like a good idea, and would be much easier than setting up the tent each night.
I rode into the main street and topped up my phone credit, and had a chat to another bloke with red hair and a young daughter, who was also a cyclist. He said to his daughter "this guy's come all the way from Australia!", as though it was amazing. He told me about some guy who'd done lots of bike riding around the world, and that I should check out his website "just type in 'crazy guy on a bicycle' into Google". I haven't done that yet, I might have a look in a minute. He also told me about how he'd spent £90 pound on a really strong D-lock from Wiggle, and that he'd had to send it back because the keys barely worked with it. He said he had an uncle in Wagga Wagga, Australia, too. Like I say, everyone who I mention I'm Australian to seems to have some kind of relative or connection to Australia.
It was a late getaway, after 2 o'clock in the arvo, which was disappointing because it was such a nice day, and nice days don't come around every day in the UK.
The iPhone battery went flat on me, so I was without my map for a little while. I had a chat to a guy while riding along the bike path out of Southport, he was just out for a quick trundle to "stretch the legs". He used to work at Heathrow Airport.

Riding out of Southport, England.

Riding towards Preson, England.

The River Ribble, Preston.

It was another rather uneventful day of riding, except for one point when the road went underwater!

Evidently there's been a lot of rain in the area. The bike path underwater on route  6 of the National Cycle Network near Lancaster.

Approaching the other end of puddle.

Looking back on the puddle I just rode through.

I couldn't be bothered trying to find another route around, I just wanted to get to my destination so I rode through it. I sacrificed my right foot to the water, and propped the left one up on top of the frame to keep dry.
I made it to Lancaster at sunset, and rode along a path beside the river in search of a campsite, there were a few decent spots along there, and after a good look I settled on one.

The sun setting as I approach Lancaster, England.

The sun setting in Lancaster, England.

I felt a bit strange today, I wasn't hungry again, I haven't been for the past few days. Yet I still felt really low on energy and lethargic. Hmm. My motivation is waning. I have quite a sense of loneliness each night when I'm setting up the tent in the dark on my own, and spending the night alone. I'm getting quite sick of camping like this each night. I do miss company!

Ride Stats:
Distance: 86.89 km
Average: 18.3 km/h
Maximum: 45.5 km/h
Time: 4:44:50