The stars aligned!

On the train this morning, I swapped texts with Sarah who was heading off to walk The Pie. After saying I was heading round to the same cafe that we went to last time, we light-heartedly said we could meet up. It would be fun if it worked but highly unlikely really. I had another hour on the train and then 40 miles to cycle. The chances of coinciding were limited.

I had taken a new train route (for me) to Carnforth on the west coast. With a wild westerly forecast, it was the perfect route!

The sun was shining and I had a plan for a cafe stop in Clapham. It was a stunning start on new roads and with the wind on my tail. When I arrived here though, at my Blip, the stewing clouds and last of the light had me thinking I wanted to avoid the afternoon showers that were coming in - maybe sooner than forecast. That gave me another realisation; I may then also be more likely to be at Kilnsey around the time Sarah would finish her walk. So I cracked on and didn’t stop.

I actually headed around to the right here before cycling around the back of Pen-y-Ghent which is in the middle of the photo. I picked up a text from Sarah when I made it round to the downhill towards Wharfedale. She was in the vicinity and headed back to wait for me at the cafe.

How lovely! It was a real treat to catch up and have a break together. The cafe people were as amazed as us, claiming the stars had aligned!

Aligned enough for me to find yet another barn owl on leaving the cafe although it nearly didn’t get my legs home this time.

I’m toast! I’m not used to a 1:60. It was 3:30 in Tenerife... cafes to miles, that is.