I made it!

John, here, gave me enough smile power to make it over the last hill home. It started with just a hello as I was cycling through the village but after the fourth question and nearly disappearing, I grinned, about turned and stopped for a chat. 

What a lovely man!  

It seems he and his family almost own this village and his roots are firmly here despite not having his base here anymore. It was lovely to hear the stories of his dad as a dairy farmer, snow that filled his shed, him cycling to school in Askrigg and his own life out of farming.  

We nearly didn't coincide because my plan was to dip my toe in Swaledale on the easiest two hills which wouldn't have had me heading through Worton. The descent from the Leyburn side was gorgeous and I had plenty of views to soak in as I dropped down to feel like I'd visited the valley. But, at the bike cafe in Fremington, I realised that if I didn't quite make 100, it would be on my mind to come back to see if I could.  Nuts, but there you go.  

If I continued on a little through Swaledale and took The Crackpot Way, I'd have done it and it won't bother my little brain anymore, at least until next year.  So that's what I did.  That's how I met John.  And his good vibes are how I made it home.