OAX-MEX-MIA-LGA. Ron left San Felipe at 5:00am, no problems with any of the flights and arrived at La Guardia to be met by Luz at about 9:30pm.
An easy day, final packing. Left about 4:30pm for airport. No problems on road. Checked in and caught flight AA210 from New York (JFK) to Manchester, England (MAN). Good seats with a bit of extra leg room and an empty third seat, plane not full, meals resonable. Very little sleep.
We arrived at Manchester about 7:30am., quick through immigration but we had a long wait for bags. No problems at customs, straight through the green light. Then discovered that car rental had moved off the airport and we had to get the curtesy bus to 'car rental village'. At the check in at car rental, we were recognised from last year. We upgraded car to an Audi A4, and found the motorway (M56) easily. Chaned to the M60 for a short time but left the M60 at Bredbury. Unforunately we missed the exit for Ashton and went back on motorway for a short time, then off at Ashton-under-Lyne for Stalbridge. The back road to Uppermill we discovered was closed and we had to go back through Stalybridge and on the other road towards Uppermill. from here on we were continually lost but finally reached Delph and on to Denshaw, Bacup, Burnley and finally Clitheroe (for Booths and some food supplies). Finally arrived at Harrop Fold just after 2pm.
Went to church in Whalley at 10:30, then drove through Read to Nelson and then round by Red Lane to get a quick look at the outside of Maycroft (appointment tomorrow). After going down Red Lane, over the Leeds and Liverpool canal we went up through Blackoto join the main road to Gisburn, past the farmhouse we looked at last year. We stopped for lunch at the Moorcock Inn a short distance past. The meal was very good, but we were not sure Luz was old enough to be allowed inthis restaurant. Customers all old farmers and business men and wives with large rocks (average age probably well into the 70's). After lunch, we drove on over Coldweather hill and down to Gisburn. We left Gisburn on the settle road as far as old toll house at Paythorne, then down the lane cross the Ribble (where Ron used to watch the salmon running upstream), and through lanes to Bolton by Bowland, Grindleton, and finally reached Harrop Fold about 3:30 pm. We were tired and had a three hour sleep before dinner.
We drove through Read and Barrowford to Colne to get a first look at Colne and its market (not market day) where we bought some food and had coffee before going on to our appointment at the house in Red Lane.(Maycroft, 11:00am). After seeing the house we drove back over Coldweather hill again to Gisburn and on to Back Lane Grindleton (2:00pm) near Clitheroe. The Back Lane area looked great, but inside the house was a disappointment. Back to Clitheroe for coffee at the Cafe Nero in Castle Street, then on to Goosebutts Lane (at 4:30pm) for our next house visit, Goosebutts Barn. We were very impressed with the house, an old barn conversion now existing in the middle of a new estate. Finally we went to Dawsons in King Street to buy some good down pillows, then back to Harrop
We were off early to arrange our joint bank account at HSBC, then next door to see John Tayler at Steele solicitors about our wills (ready next week). Then across street to get a new watch strap for Ron (and a look at diamonds for Luz). followed by another look at Dawsons, but found nothing. Across the street we decide to try the Apricot Meringue for lunch - very nice. Then we drove to Whalley to buy some shoes for Luz, but they were already closed at 5:30pm. So we had a quick look at Whalley Abbey, and then back through the lanes to Clitheroe and Harrop.
Off to the dales today for a night at the Red Lion in Burnsall. Down to Grindleton, then by lanes to Long Preston by Bolton by Bowland and Gisburn (we were overtaken by the steam hailed Settle-Carlisle excursion on the way). A short stop in Settle, with a walk around the Shambles, then a visit to an antique shop. Not impressed. From Settle we drove to Stainforth to see the young River Ribble as it flows over the falls by the narrow old packhorse bridge. We did not take the car down this time as we did with the blue car in 1987. Too narrow, we parked at the top and had a word with a man (steam enthusiast) waiting for the Settle-Carlisle train to pass. We walked down and explored the falls and the places we knew from before, then walked up the lane towards Old Stainforth past a new, very big caravan site. On the way we found the stile we remembered from before (to produce the 'Now and Then' photograph). At the top of the lane we turned around and went back over the packhorse bridge and up to the car. Next we drove through Stainforth, past the stepping stones, and onto the narrow road heading up the moorside towards Halton Gill, but turned right near the top and down on a very narrow road towards Malham and Arncliffe. We missed the right turn to Malham Tarn and drove past the nature research centre and over the top of the moors before dropping down to Arncliffe to start looking for some lunch. Finally we stopped for an outside luch at Kilnsey (Tennants Arms)...Luz chose the outsize fish and chips After lunch we drove on to Grassington where there was coffee for Ron and a look round shops for Luz. We finished with a quick look at an art exhibition by local painters. Then we went on to look at Linton Falls on the way to the Red Lion at Burnsall for the night. We had some trouble finding the falls, but it was well worth it. Found our room at the Red lion and had dinner by river bank (Portobellow mushrooms and wine and fried sardines). Desert lemon tart and lemon sorbet. Short walk over the bridge before bed.
Breakfast at the Red Lion, then a walk around Burnsall before driving on up Wharfedale past Grassington and Kilnsey to Kettlewell, Starbotton and Buckden. (we made a short, unsuccessful diversion to Hubberholme and back). Then up over Cray and down to West Burton (where we took the wrong road and had to go back to West Burton) then we followed the route the Tour will take next year to Aysgarth and coffee at pub. Here we learnt that all accommodation had been booked for the Tour visit next year. 'Booked solid within two days of the announcement' the pub owner said, 'if there is any accommodation left, there is something wrong with it'. So we must try to book at Temple Farm for next year when we get back to Harrop. Back down road again to turn-off down to Aysgarth Falls. We parked at top and went down past the church and the mill race, over bridge and on to upper falls. Obviously a very popular picnic spot, there were many people, some in the river. Back to the Lower falls car park, decide to cut out the lower falls and returned to the car past mill race and the church. We took the back lane to Askrigg, then turned up the moor to Oxnop Scar to look for fossils of Pre-cambrian sea creatures: no fossils to be found on the limestone cliff. Back off Oxnop and down into Swaledale (road re-surfing, getting ready for the Tour next year). We stopped for sandwiches (toasted for Luz and Yorkshire rarebit for Ron) at Muker. We finally found the fossils on sale in Muker. Then back over Buttertubs Pass to Hawes. We decided it was getting too late to get back to Harrop that night, so we finally found a place to stay at the White Hart in Hawes. After a short walk around Hawes, we went back for dinner in the pub: mushroom starters and lemon tart and raspberry sorbet for Luz, ice cream for Ron. Bed
Breakfast in the pub. Leaving Hawes we drove up Widdale to Widdale Head and the start of the River Ribble, the turned right down Dentdale. we stopped in Dent for crumpets and hot chocolate followed by a walk round the village and inspected the memorial to Adam Sedgewick the man who first showed that the Genesis account of the creation was wrong (out by a few billion years) and created the academic discipline of geology. The clouds looked black on the fells so we dropped the crossing over to Barbondale and Ingleton. Instead from Dent we went on to Sedbergh and then back to Settle, Gisburn, and Clitheroe (for Booths, yet again). Leaving Booth's we bought our tickets for the trip to York for the next day. Then home to Harrop. After dinner we tried to book a trip on the Settle-Carlisle Steam train for Wednesday next week, but found it was fully booked all this year - message 'book now for next year'! However, we were able to book in at Temple Farm for 3-6th July, 2014, all set for when we come back to see the Tour de France.
Off by train to York. We left the car in the long-stay car park (free) and took the 7:40am Clitheroe to Blackburn, changed, then Blackburn to Preston, changed, then the Transpennine first class to Manchester Oxford Road. Getting off at Oxford Road we found our train to York had been cancelled. So, on from Oxford Road by the next train to Manchester Piccadilly just in time to miss the connection to York. The next train was a half hour later, and after a last minute change of platform, we finally cauht a Transpennine first class to York. At York we decided to walk over the river bridge towards our night's accommodation. On the bridge, which was packed with cars, we heard loud ambulance sirens and a double decker bus pulled right onto the sidewalk in front of us to let them pass - one going each way. Once over the bridge we stopped at a Pizza Express for a good lunch outside, where we watched the traffic and the boats on the river Ouse. Then we walked through the narrow streets of York to Monkbar Hotel (a Best Western) where we checked in and left our luggage before walking back to look at York and the Minster. We took a guided tour of Minster. After the tour, which was excellent, we attended Evensong at the Minster with a choir from Illinois - very good. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant and then back to our hotel and twin beds.
After breakfast at hotel we went back to the Minster for the Sung Eucharist service at 10:30. We had lunch at the Cafe Rouge, a good French style meal, pate, cheese, bread, wine, then on to the Museum Gardens to see the grounds and the ruins of the Priory of St. Mary (or was it an Abbey?), before leaving York on the Transpennine to Manchester Piccadilly, change and on to Preston. Then Preston to Blackburn and Blackburn to Clitheroe. We were getting to know the train service well by now. Retrieved the car (no charge for long-stay) and drove back to Harrop.
Both tired after the Dales and York trips so we had a rest day. Booths again. Ron sick (can't remember what it was).
Back in action we drove to Skipton where we found the Clark's shop and bought shoes. We had lunch outside at a little cafe on the main street across from the church, then we had a look around the castle with the final word 'desormais' overthe gateway. The attendant told Luz it meant 'henceforth'. The royalists in the castle resisted Oliver Cromwells army for three years before they finally allowed to leave the castle honourably From Skipton we drove on to Bolton Abbey where Ron fell in the river trying to cross the stepping stones. (photos of the Abbey taken by Ron can be found in the River Wharfe.) Back very wet and sore to Harrop.
Stayed in all day.
Went in to Clitheroe to sign our wills with David Tayor at Steele and Son, then off to the Medical Centre where we were first told we would have to go to Accrington for an X-ray. Instead we went for Lunch at the Apricot Meringue and thought about it. We decided to go back to the Medical Centre and try agin to get an appointment to see a doctor. No problem this time, but the doctors were all out on visits, so we settled for a 5:30pm appointment. Back to Harrop for a few hours, then back to Clitheroe again to see Dr Saunders. All went well, without asking it was done on the NHS, not private, and no charge for consultation or medication. At the clinic we discovered that a major development and extension of the Clitheroe hospital was due to open on 2014. Back to Harrop yet again.
Back to Clitheroe again, lunch at the the Apricot Meringue (we are becoming recognised as regulars) sharing the house special, the apricot meringue. This was followed by coffee and Internet at Cafe Nero. Luz took off on a shopping exploration (more purchases at dawson's) while Ron waited in Cafe Nero. Next we bought some pork and cracked black pepper sausages at Cowmans, before attempting to have another look at Goosebutts Barn again. We waited from 3:00-3:30, but no agent appeared. Back to Castle Street to Honeywell's to investigate and try again. We had trouble finding Goosebutts Lane this time but finally met up with an agent and had another look at the house. We both like it. Back to Harrop to a dinner of Sausage, Onion and Garlic. Luz did the packing in the evening.
Up early for breakfast and to complete the packing. Drove to Grindleton, Chatburn and Read to pick up the main road to Manchester, M62, M60, and M56 to airport. First try at finding the Hilton failed, so back to the M56 to try again. Got it this time and checked in about 1:00 pm. Returned car at the car rental village and took the curtesy bus back to terminal 3, where we had to call Hilton to pick us up. Lunch at Hilton, fish and chips for Ron and a smoked bacon salad for Luz, wine: Pinoir Noir. Then up to room where Luz slept four hours, waking about 5:45. Down again to try to check in for flights. No luck, two out of four computers out of action. Drinks and chips (french fries) before bed.
Up early to get to airport for flight to London (BA1387). 35 minute flight, then 35 minutes waiting for permission to land. Heathrow is busy. Finally BA0177 to New York, arriving about 3:30pm. Crazy taxi driver back to Jackson Heights.
Very quiet day, early dinner at the Peruvian restaurant. Ron decided to leave the big suitcase and travel light back to Mexico the next day.
Up very early for flight from La Guardia to Dallas-Fort Worth, then next flight to Mexico City and dinner in the HSBC lounge. Final flight from Mexico to Oaxaca, arriving about 6:30pm. Then taxi to home and the dogs.