I had dragged my Dad up to Scunthorpe (where our family were originally from) the previous day and we'd had a really good day meeting up with old family members and friends. We were kind of remembering my Grandma - she was a really lovely lady who used to keep in contact with all our friends and family for us and we didn't really appreciate her until it was too late.
As I type this, I can look over my shoulder and there is a photo of her on our bookshelves and I know that if such a thing exists, she would have been with us all day and particularly enjoyed the good old chin wag at Eric and Frieda's.
Leaving Scunthorpe, we then "overnighted" at a Travelodge in Lincoln (or just outside) - top tip, for a £20 supplement, your dog can stay in the room with you - and the staff there were brilliant. What was slightly less brilliant was trying to find an open pub at 10.30 within walking distance of the A46 Travelodge. We failed.
So the next morning, we passed the test of remembering the clocks went forward an hour and Em and I left Mila with my Dad, grabbed Hobbs and headed into the centre of Lincoln to find Michaelgate. The one problem was the traffic was HORRENDOUS. Completely stationary, gridlock everywhere.
We abandoned the car and Em walked, whilst I freewheeled to the start of Michaelgate. Here, horror of horrors, there was a big sign at the bottom saying "Road Closed". Now, I want to make it clear, I am a very law abiding cyclist. I stop at red lights - all red lights. I have so many lights on my bike I look like a Christmas tree, but there was no way that I was coming back to Lincoln before the 31st March to do Michaelgate another time.
So I hopped on the bike, rode past the barriers and squeezed past further barriers up the road. As I cycled up (cobbled road, actually not that steep), I noticed more and more people on the street. Eventually they were all in front of me and conscious of the fact that I wasn't supposed to be on the road, instead of politely asking them to move, I just crept up behind them.
It transpired that we had picked the morning of the Lincoln 10k to do Michaelgate and the start was just at the top of the road that I needed to cycle up!
Anyway - I got there, it wasn't the most impressive time (due to pedestrians on the road), but I did it.
Phew!
BTW - Lincoln (old city centre) is gorgeous - totally picturesque. Em wanted to stay and take photos, but we also wanted to get back and save Mila from her Grandad (before he had her reading the Telegraph, in a Man U kit...)
Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/100hillsforgeorge/sets/72157629337531992/
Garmin here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/161587671
Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q--TMOFjv0Y&list=UU_-Huk3Gbwz9QNbiVD1X_jw&index=2&feature=plcp
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