Day 6: Presteigne to Chester

Quick, the sun's out!

Guess what. Yes, tipping down. And even though we were at breakfast for 8:00, we still hadn't started before 9:30. Faff is the killer. And didn't you think that there was something odd about that couple at breakfast? He was far too old for her... Still, after nearly getting locked in the hotel's garage we got started and managed about a mile before Damian exploded. Top tip, don't put fizzy lucozade in a sealed water bottle and start cycling down a bumpy road. Didn't take long for the rain to clean him down though and then, miraculously, it stopped raining for at least an hour. Time enough for us to reach the land that time forgot, or Craven Arms as it's also known. We managed to escape just as we were starting to turn into the zombies that habit the place, and nervously joined the busy, lorry-filled, A49 where our average speed doubled together with the chance of us not making 50. Followed this all the way to civilisation (Shrewsbury) where we sat in Starbucks and through the window watched a traditional dance troupe from Bosnia-Montenegro-akia, and a bloke with a really crap umbrella (he read John's lips and threw it in the bin). Also found the smallest and most useless bike shop in the world on the road out towards Ellesmere. Ellesmere itself however does do a marvelous line in bus shelters, big enough for 3 blokes and their bikes to wallow in luxury whilst ringing out their socks. The final leg, back on lanes, to Chester continued to criss-cross the Welsh border. I reckon we'd left Wales behind for the last time though once we spotted the sign for the Chester Polo club. Chester also hosts a Specialized Concept bike shop where you can go for a monologue which only the serious bike-bore will understand. And they will try their hardest not to sell you anything (in my case gloves, overshoes or saddle - yes, it's got that bad). Finally extricated ourselves and found our way to Christine and Steve's house for an evening of fine food and wine and excellent company. And made the most of the last chance to use a washing machine for a while.