Day 4: Great North Loop - On Song

Sometimes the stars align and everything is on song. That was how my 'rest day' unfolded, but I didn't know that when I awoke.

Below, the sunrise at Tan Hill where I would later spend the night.

The 'McDonald's Chef' at the Cross Keys in Tebay cooked a smashing breakfast and the Mexican hosts were both humourous and courteous, I really took a shine to those guys. I wish them all the success they deserve.

My bike had seemed a little off colour the past day, the gear changes being harder and less smooth than normal so I decided to seek out oil somewhere off the TET.

I followed the TET for a few KM and ended up at river where the front end slipped and I almost dropped the bike during the crossing.

 A little later I came to a double river crossing, it was deep and the river fast flowing. The memory of the death of Del Bondio, the Spanish guide/skier/motor bike adventurer, that Jason and I met whilst crossing the Pyrenees was still fresh in my mind and I wasn't about to go out the same way. So I doubled back and found an easier crossing that a girl guide could manage.

Presently this brought me to MHB Motorcycles in Kirkby Stephen, where the owner was stood outside. He immediately shouted 'you look like you're doing the TET!' his mechanic came out, took my photo and we swapped stories. They were both jovial and great guys.

I bought my oil and headed towards Tan Hill, the highest pub in England.

The road between the last town and Tan Hill is fantastic, a slip of cracked tarmac dribbled over the landscape like icing on a lemon drizzle cake.

The scenery was incredible, the bike purred over the undulating landscape and i didnt stop to take photos. I found a rhythm and the bike and i were at one. Like the world was the orchestra and I the conductor, I wafted along in biking nirvana.

Reaching Tan Hill there were loads of bikers that sparked up conversation as I serviced the KTM outside.  My favourite person has to be this old fella on Royal Enfield Himalayan, complete with his dog in the basket on the back!!

'he would rather be with me than at home alone' he noted. Indeed, the dog did seem happy.

As I chatted and serviced the KTM,  she entered the scene. Looking every bit like the cover girl of an Adventure Magazine, young, pretty and blonde, driving a swamper style VW van and sporting an orange carbon fiber mountain bike.

My eyes were on stalks, but for reasons that will never be known to me, the stars aligned and the swamper van became my home for the night.

 Its clear to me now, i must have banged my head at a river crossing and hallucinated the whole thing!!

Below Tan Hill pub est 1732.

My progress today.
Yellow - start, blue - end.