Day Eight – Saturday
We crawled out of bed at 5:30am feeling full of beans … Not!
Breakfast was a simple affair involving cereals, with no bacon or sausages in sight. A shame, but it time wouldn’t allow for all the extra cleaning required after a fry up.
After packing all our remaining bits and bobs, it was time to strap the luggage onto our bikes. It all went fairly well as this time it wasn’t dark.
We left the caravan at about 8:15am and headed towards Penrith on the A66. It was a little chilly at 9C, but very refreshing. After about 2 miles we ran into very think fog, which slowed us up quite a bit. We joined the M6 at J40 heading south.
9:15am, Tebay Services – M6 J39-38, 33 miles, Foggy, 13C.
We stopped at Tebay services after only 33 miles for the loo.
Carrying on south on the M6, the fog finally started to lift as we approached the Kendal junction and we were mading good progress as the traffic was extremely light.
10am, Charnock Richard Services – M6 J28-27, 97 miles, Overcast, 19C.
This was our second stop of the day. Just enough time for a quick drink, chocolate, loo and some petrol. Then back onto the M6 for more southward fun.
11:45am, Stafford Services – M6 J15-14, 155 miles, Overcast.
This time it was coffee, more chocolate and I had a burger. I bought it from the on-site Wimpy and it was REALLY FOUL!!!! A complete waste of money. From here we were hoping with could made our fuel and bums last until Oxford in the interest of getting home ASAP.
The journey south through Cheshire was slow due to the levels of traffic, but not as bad as the northward leg last Saturday. Birmingham was swiftly dispatched on the M6 toll road and west on the M42. Then south onto the M40.
1:45pm, Warwick Services – M40 J13-12, 224 miles.
It proved impossible to make it the Oxford in one jump. Our petrol levels were too low and our bums numb.
After more liquids were fed both in & out, petrol collected and food munched, we headed off south to Oxford.
3:35pm, Oxford Services – M40 J8, 264 miles, Sunny.
By now we were completely exhausted and this stop was quite a long one. We sat on a bench, within sight of our bikes, drank large coffees and watching all the comings and going in the sunshine. I don’t remember exactly how long we were there, but in the interests of safety we certainly needed the break.
When we eventually set off on the final leg of our adventure, it was south on the M40, left onto the M25 and all those wonderful ‘Variable Speed Limits’. Having had quite enough of all those boring motorways, we left the M25 at J9, Leather Head. Taking a more scenic route home, we finally arrived home at 6:10pm.
As we got in my house I said to Paul, “We are now officially bikers”. He managed a nod as he clasped onto the sofa.
Breakfast was a simple affair involving cereals, with no bacon or sausages in sight. A shame, but it time wouldn’t allow for all the extra cleaning required after a fry up.
After packing all our remaining bits and bobs, it was time to strap the luggage onto our bikes. It all went fairly well as this time it wasn’t dark.
We left the caravan at about 8:15am and headed towards Penrith on the A66. It was a little chilly at 9C, but very refreshing. After about 2 miles we ran into very think fog, which slowed us up quite a bit. We joined the M6 at J40 heading south.
9:15am, Tebay Services – M6 J39-38, 33 miles, Foggy, 13C.
We stopped at Tebay services after only 33 miles for the loo.
Carrying on south on the M6, the fog finally started to lift as we approached the Kendal junction and we were mading good progress as the traffic was extremely light.
10am, Charnock Richard Services – M6 J28-27, 97 miles, Overcast, 19C.
This was our second stop of the day. Just enough time for a quick drink, chocolate, loo and some petrol. Then back onto the M6 for more southward fun.
11:45am, Stafford Services – M6 J15-14, 155 miles, Overcast.
This time it was coffee, more chocolate and I had a burger. I bought it from the on-site Wimpy and it was REALLY FOUL!!!! A complete waste of money. From here we were hoping with could made our fuel and bums last until Oxford in the interest of getting home ASAP.
The journey south through Cheshire was slow due to the levels of traffic, but not as bad as the northward leg last Saturday. Birmingham was swiftly dispatched on the M6 toll road and west on the M42. Then south onto the M40.
1:45pm, Warwick Services – M40 J13-12, 224 miles.
It proved impossible to make it the Oxford in one jump. Our petrol levels were too low and our bums numb.
After more liquids were fed both in & out, petrol collected and food munched, we headed off south to Oxford.
3:35pm, Oxford Services – M40 J8, 264 miles, Sunny.
By now we were completely exhausted and this stop was quite a long one. We sat on a bench, within sight of our bikes, drank large coffees and watching all the comings and going in the sunshine. I don’t remember exactly how long we were there, but in the interests of safety we certainly needed the break.
When we eventually set off on the final leg of our adventure, it was south on the M40, left onto the M25 and all those wonderful ‘Variable Speed Limits’. Having had quite enough of all those boring motorways, we left the M25 at J9, Leather Head. Taking a more scenic route home, we finally arrived home at 6:10pm.
As we got in my house I said to Paul, “We are now officially bikers”. He managed a nod as he clasped onto the sofa.
Mileage Stats
Today = 345 miles
Total for the trip = 957 Miles
posted by Chris Pittock @ 11:54 pm
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