Today was a hilly ride, though gorgeous hilly countryside, on another beautifully sunny early summer day. Of course, this means that hay fever is getting the best of me. Before we set out, we had topped up the pressures on our tires. While we were sitting down at a park bench in Haltwhistle, a very cute little town that saw the departure of its main industry (paint manufacturing) move onto greener pastures, we heard a sudden loud bang, which startled half the people on the Main Street. Turns out, Jamie’s rear tire blew out, possibly due to tire that wasn’t properly seated during last inner tube change, and could not handle the additional pressure. Hexham, our stop for the night, was another moderate sized English town dripping with atmosphere. While hunting for a bike shop, we read a board advertising “menu of the day”. It turns out to be a French bistro of some repute, so we made a reservation for early dinner. Our B&B turns out to be a former mansion of a coal baron (who did not fare well during the Depression era financial crisis). The mansion was located on top of the hill, with great views and absolute tranquility. All in all, it was a lovely way to end the day (except for my indiscretion of choosing an overpriced wine at dinner).
