Over hill over dale...

Today was the quintessential English hiking experience in the Yorkshire Dales. Beautiful day, lovely paths along the hills/dales, rivers/streams, thru a few farms, tea breaks, a wonderful bakery, then a sweet B+B. Life is good.

We awoke at 7:45 still groggy and sore from the marathon yesterday. I wasn't sure how April would be feeling, when she got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night it took her like 15 seconds to limp into the bathroom.

Anyway like the trooper she is, she seemed to have recovered after tea and the big English bfast. I had scrambled eggs with salmon on an english muffin. Nice for a change.

We set off about 9:00, stopped at the pharmacy to get some advil to replace the Aleve (which seemed to be causing stomach issues). Then as we sat on some stairs in the sun and studied the books it really felt like we were in the swing of traveling. It always takes a few days to get over the jet lag, get with the program, stop making rookie mistakes, get a feel for the food/shops/people/accents/traffic. We felt totally comfortable and at ease. Except for April's feet that is.

Today would be a short day, Richmon to Reeth, ~11 miles.

Headed out of town up a long hill. We could tell we were getting in pretty good shape too because we moved pretty well up the hill. Great views down to the Dale. BTW - Dale means a "valley", and alot of the places here take their names from the (river name)+dale, eg Airedale, Wharfedale. Past some great gardens, then exited the town and pssed into some mixed woods and farmlands. Beautiful drystone walls. These are built with two walls lined up back-back. The whole countryside is divied up with these gorgeous walls. And then the pastures are just loaded with sheep. And you know it's getting a little weird cause we're starting to notice all the different breeds, some have longer faces, the wool is different, some have broader haunches.

In fact when we were having a tea/scone break at this one farm, and naturally we started some sheep talk with the woman, she was describing her two different breeds which they were selling at an auction tomorrow, and she said look at those large "tiskels". We couldn't really understand what she meant, but I jumped right in and was commenting on the different tiskels between the two sheep. A few minutes later we realized she had said "testicles". She was really proud of those big balls. I would have been proud too!

At the tea break April had apple pie with hot custard and tea, and I had an egg sandwich and a scone with tea. April loves the desserts here. In fact since bfast this morning she's had apple pie, fruitcake and chocolates. Great hiking diet. Ha!

Ok so after tea we head down into the lttle town of Marske. We pass the public telephone booth and April says do we go down this road, and I say, no we turn right here. She follows, and sure enough we go about 1/4 mile before we realize we're off course again. Sigh. the good news is we didn't really get lost. The bad news is I have to endure April's smug and condescending looks. This is different from the LOOK, referenced in an earlier blog entry. This is a look that says: how can you keep screwing up, what a wankster, I've never pointed us in the wrong way, just follow me and we'll be all right. Its quite amazing, all this and more contained in a slight glance and head shake that takes about a second or two.

Ah women, can't live with them and can't live without them.

Ok so I give up navigating. My confidence is shaken. We now have the books and maps in the back pocket of my pack so it's April that pulls them out and looks at them. Soon I'll be massaging her feet every night. Wait, I just did that!

Ok, back to reality. The day goes smoothly. Over hills and dales. We drop down a delightful stone path built by nuns thru a beautiful woods. We pass a Benedictine Priory from the 1200s and hit the road that leads into town. This Priory was occupied by the nuns from 1154 until Henry the VIII closed it. We finally hit the road into town and start down it. But then we spy a path next to the river, and one of our books describes it so we take that into town instead of the dreaded road walk.

We hit the town and head straight for a noted organic bakery. April gets a fruitcake and I get some lemon cake thing. We go 300 more yards up a hill and find our B+B. We take off our shoes. The owner brings us a beer and water and we sit outside and have our desserts. April was about as excited as she's been on this trip as she bit into that fruitcake. I'm talking the hieght of sensual pleasure! Immediately she regretted not buying more fruitcake. And she tried to convince me to run back down the hill and get her some more. Shoes off, beer in hand, miles of enduring the sting of that look, no freaking way! Ha-ha!

So we get our room, the shower is finally pretty good. A little rest before dinner.Forget the diet, I'm looking for a nice steak pie and beer tonite.