Darting for Doncaster

I was up very early and fortunately the Station Road Farm B and B had a guest sitting room so rather than disturb the exhausted sleeping riding partner I went downstairs to write the blog and have a cup of tea.    Breakfast was taken at 09.00.   With a short ride to Doncaster there would be no need to have a swift departure.   For the first time I tucked into a full English breakfast.   Tasty.  It is always important to balance off the need to have energy to ride and not riding on a full stomach.     Just for once on this trip I was slower of the mark and took  longer to get out and pack the bike up. Not good to keep anybody waiting though.    Despite the negative feedback from Mr. D I felt that the B and B was most satisfactory.  The bathroom was a little small but certainly adequate.  Clean and tidy cottage environment.     We set off in full sunshine heading south on the side roads. I must confess to feeling slightly more sluggish than is the norm.   Nonetheless progress was more than acceptable. We were in coal mining country. Sadly, this is an industry in steep decline and some of the settlements we passed through were worse for wear and in need of an upgrade. We were met with a road closure and this resulted in a fairly long detour.   When riding, detours are very frustrating,  as are wrong turns and doubling back.   We do our best to study the route and get it right.   Passed through the tiny village of Womersly and expected to find no services at all.  How pleased were we when we noticed a sign for the Courtyard Tea Room?   This could not be passed without sampling the goods.   This turned out to be the very best tea  / coffee shop we have visited in 900 miles of travelling on the bikes.  Even our man with such exacting standards could find no fault. Having broken the back of the day's ride we moved on towards Doncaster.   Perhaps the lure of the greasepaint and the call to performance did it but I lost contact with Richard who sprinted into Doncaster.  Who would really want to go to that fast to Doncaster?   I eventually trundled into the town.  Found my own way to the centre, another one of those rebuilt totally soulless redevelopments.   Arrived at The Cast, the venue for the evening show. This modern new arts centre has been built to a high standard and makes for a popular social meeting point and performance space.   Doncaster was in the middle of hosting a cycle race festival outside the venue so the fun of the fair was in progress when I arrived.   On a hot day it is deceptive just how much liquid you need to take on board to prevent yourself becoming dehydrated.  This has always been a weakness for me and I never measure the intake very well.      In good time there a break was possible before putting up the show.      Ticket sales were rather disappointing but for those who did arrive to enjoy a summer Sunday evening show they went away more than delighted with the range and nature of the performance.      Due to the hard work of Louise, back at base, we had rooms at the Holiday Inn Express on the south side of the town.  Convenient for the ride in the morning.   Good welcome and bikes stowed in the conference room we enjoyed a post show drink before bed.   I decided to have a J2O just for a change.   £3.00 please!    They must be having a laugh....     And so to bed pretty tired. 913 miles on the clock.   We're certainly getting up there now.   Steady as she goes.