Although I left Newcastle early I stopped off to say cheerio to Paul in his shop and then to sample some excellent cherry crumble in Kerry's equally excellent school... OK it was actually rhubarb crumble but I couldn't resist the linkage. While I found the school alright the only door that I could see turned out to be a locked back or side door, but it had an intercom and it didn't take long for one of the students to open the door for me. He was very helpful and offered to bring me to reception but his teacher opted to give me directions instead. His offer, her overrule and why they were both in the corridor were explained as I walked away when she resumed lecturing the boy on his behaviour, homework, and the list went on.
I was so impressed with the school. At risk of sounding ancient it's literally a world away from the school I went to where we spent the first two years in temporary prefabs that are probably still there and the main school was little better! The facilities for the kids and teachers in this school are magnificent, it's hard to imagine how it could be improved. After a brief tour and a little lunch I had to go, time was ticking and I had to get to West Yorkshire to see Yvonne and James before heading South West to Holyhead for 9pm.
I had only 30 minutes with Y&J but as I hadn't seen them for years that was never going to work so well over an hour later I was back on the bike and up against the clock. As I approached Chester the petrol light flickered on and from previous experience this machine never lies. Luckily I noticed a sign for Services quickly followed by a sign for the next main exit. I assumed they were separate exits and all the evidence point that way as I approached the main exit where there was literally no sign of the Services, but as I whizzed past I noticed a really small Services sign... bugger! I had no option but to carry on to the next exit and either turn around or find a petrol station at that exit. It turned out that latter option was my only one as this exit brought straight onto a motorway bound for Chester. This was not good, the petrol indicator was down to single digits, pretty soon I'd be running on vapour. Taking the next exit brought me into Chester where I was sure I'd find a petrol station nearby but it took several miles by which time the reserve tank was virtually dry.
With a full tank and directions to the A55 I was back in the road but seriously late, that diversion added 30 minutes onto my journey and as I was running late before that comedy moment I was now in danger of an over night stay in Holyhead.
I calculated an ETA every time I passed a road sign, assuming a 100 km/h speed I would arrive at 9.30 and as the ferry was due to leave at 9.30 I was understandably concerned. As I left Chester behind the road opened where I spend a lot of time on the far side of the speed limit up to make up a little time. Somewhere after Holywell the speed limit increased to 70mph or close to 120 km/h which made all the difference, I was gnawing away at the ETA's with each sign I passed. Passing Bangor I was down to a 9.00 ETA but roadworks on Anglesea stole 10 minutes but I made it to the ferry all be it just in time!!
The ferry crossing was very rough and although I was hungry I decided not to eat to avoid a possible repeat viewing. We docked in Dublin 20 minutes late but at that time of night the ride home was quick and I was tucked up in bed by 2am.
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