Moist and sticky
The cubs in pole position were first off the ferry at 2330 and ran the half mile to the overnight accommodation. Oh yes in that short distance with only two turns to take we took a wrong one. Quickly to bed just before midnight 0745 departure was agreed, at that time the Lancashire weather was fine. At Carnforth the four entered the home county, Cumbria was eager to welcome the boys with a Lake District tradition of torrential rain. Monkeynav encountered several Average White Band moments as we arrived at Arneside for breakfast. Restored and refreshed the team headed north with more navigational glitches culminating in us being led into a Booths supermarket car park erroneously identified as the A590. In the midst of this directional chaos Matt and Dee had a minor coming together, no Cubs were harmed and both riders remained upright. More of a manly shoulder rub than a coming together really.
Never in over 4000 miles has a Cub run out of fuel nor for that matter has Bowie needed to activate his reserve fuel. On an assent Dee’s bike stalled and demanded reserve, onwards we went arriving at the junction of the A590 without Bowie. Bowie had shortly after Dee needed to switch to reserve, here he discovered that his reserve fuel capacity was zero. Thankfully a friendly couple in the car behind him has a can of fuel and refusing payment filled up his five litre tank. After fifteen minutes of waiting and planning Bowie’s wake the boys were relieved when he and Pansy came into view. Monkey announced 2.5 miles up the road, seven minutes to Matt was Greenhodd where a fuel station was located. Halfway there Dee’s bike ran out on a bend on a national clear way, thankfully Matt had a can with a litre of petrol in it. Arriving at the once petrol station now an agricultural merchants the team were concerned as all other than Bowie were on vapours. Seeing that they sold ride on and push along lawnmowers Dee went in and asked if they could sell us four litres of petrol explaining our quest and current predicament in the process. The on duty mechanic said we don’t have petrol but we do have an ethanol based substitute which is ideal for lawnmowers and vintage cars. Assuring us it wouldn’t harm the cubs and would get us the next ten miles to the nearest open petrol station the boys coughed up an eye watering £24 for five litres of this rocket fuel. I wish we’d had that on the Isle of Man! Off the four set on the steady climb up Corney Fell, Cumbria’s welcome of dank and sh*tty weather maintained its delivery. Over the fell and after filling up Cumbria relented and downgraded the welcome to overcast and loitering with intent to rain weather, fully satisfied that all four were now in wet undergarment’s.
On to the Ravenglass railway for tea and scones we went then onwards and upwards through the west Cumbrian towns of Egremont and Whitehaven to a chin wag halt at Workington. Here we were surprised to be well ahead of timing schedule, indeed even Matt speculated that our arrival time would surely be less than seven minutes.
To stretch time out after Maryport we elected to stop for ice creams at Twentymans in Alonby, if we weren’t cold enough already. A flying visit to Silloth lifeboat station and then the final run to Port Road and Blood Bikes Cumbrias HQ where it all started three years ago. There we were met by Jim White BBC’s chairman to welcome us home and to escort us to the Linton Holme for our welcome home party. 142 miles traveled today and a total this leg of 1389 miles.