Sunday September 18th - Coast ride with Caleb

Nice day today up this way and after mowing the lawn and generally having a slow relaxed Sunday morning, Caleb decided he wanted to go out in his trailer today rather than his Yepp seat. We haven't used the trailer for at least twelve months if memory serves, and he has grown quite a bit over that twelve months so wasn't quite sure if he would even fit comfortably. Heather was at a local Market this afternoon from just before lunch to about four. So with this in mind we decided upon a loop on the high road then detour across to Mey, have some cake and a drink, then meander home around the coast and then up the hill to home.
Great sunshine and quite hot when we left but the dark clouds to the south were a forecast of what was coming.
We turned off our road and headed along the inland road that leads to Canisbay, its a singletrack road but is part of the national cycle route #1. The one that leads to JO'Gs. When we turned off there were a couple of guys come past, road bikes, matching sponsors jersey, shorts etc, clearly end to enders with a support vehicle somewhere. They said a quick hello as they went past the junction and we followed behind, trying hard to sit the same distance behind them along the road I heard a female say 'on the right' and then a few seconds later she was coming past, she said hi and that there was a long chain coming along behind. We were passed by a solid chain gang of around 25 or so riders, they all said hello and were waving at Caleb in the trailer. I wondered what was going on as there had been a few people on the road before we left as well. Turns out it was the annual mass end to end ride where you sign up, ride for what ever charity you want and pay the organisers a set fee and they arrange all the logistics and carry all the gear. I think this is about the fourth or fifth year and there was 600 riders on the road today heading for Groats. Most must have been through before us today and we were only on the road they use for a few miles too. Good stuff.
we got to the market where after cake and a coffee, as well as Caleb helping Heather pack up, we headed down to the coast road. We stopped off at harrow Harbour and then wandered around the shore near an old mill before we decided that the black clouds were darkening rapidly. I road steadily (hard to race when you have a trailer with about 15 kilo in it) along the back roads making a bee line for home. We didn't get far before I had to stop and unroll the clear plastic rain cover as his lordship said he was feeling a couple of drops of rain It was only light rain and we had it for about 2 miles so no big problem, it was just that it felt like it was about to really open up, thankfully it didn't.
I was going to go back down to Harrow and put the kayak in this evening but when we were there the tide was so far out that there was no water in the harbour at all and the couple of little fishing boats were just sitting out in the mud, never seen it like that. Due to rain, dinner, and tides the kayak never happened.
Another strange thing was after dinner tonight we took the dog for a walk and we were along a little lane/road along from the house and I could see someone wandering back and forth over near our house, no car just someone wandering about. We were across a field and its a very quite area a long way from anywhere on foot. The person was just wandering away down the road as we were heading back and I said to Heather 'I wonder what/who they are looking for' thinking someone may have lost a dog or cat etc. Heather said that seen as how she was walking back and forward and to the edge of the road while looking at her phone she surmised she was looking for a Pokémon! Apparently there is a Pokemon just next to our house as Heather was informed by someone else looking for one.
Anyway, hope everyone had a great weekend, whether riding or not or even if you were looking for Pokémon.

Jamie