HippyCentral

I decided I’d get a jump on visiting our other office today. It’s in Skelmersdale – about 50 mins ride from home. At least, that’s what all the online maps told me.

Firstly, I missed a motorway turnoff. Anyone can do that, right? I got off at the next exit (I think it was the next, it felt like miles away). I went around the roundabout, and back on the motorway. Heading completely the wrong way. I got off at the next exit, rode for what felt like weeks, and eventually found a pokey little petrol station. I bought an A to Z, and worked out where I was, and how to get back to the right motorway.

Back on the motorway, on the right track, following the directions given to me by Google (from memory, you can’t hold a map on a bike), off I went. Until I saw the sign for Tatton Park, and figured I was probably going the wrong way (again). I got off the motorway at Holmes Chapel (where?), found a much nicer petrol station, and ate.

Back on the motorway, hit traffic. Lots of it. Now a lot of people say “but you’re on a bike, go past it”. That only works if you can feel your hands, and you’re not a scaredy-cat. So I sat doing 15-20mph for a while. Then it mysteriously cleared up, and off I toddled. I followed the signs for Manchester, and ended up on a 50 mph limit road – crawling in 1st gear.

What should have been a simple 2 hour there-and-back-again ride, turned into a four hour mystery tour. And I still don’t know how to get to Skem!!

Now I need to convince Mrs Hippy to spend lotsa money on a Tom-Tom. Either that or get a better memory. Or the train.