RogueRunners '26, Days 0 & 1

 Why Days 0 & 1? just like last year I established "base camp" at my girlfriend's house so I didn't have so far to drive. This turned out to be something of an adventure in itself as there were a couple of bursts of hail, short sharp bursts, with the emphasis on the sharp. But almost instantly the sun came out, so my luggage in the passenger seat remained dry - ish.

The following day I woke up stupidly early, but after a couple of hours of lying very still, I got up & we loaded the cars before heading for the breakfast meet at the Stamford Garden Centre. We found Richard on the A1, but as I'd refuelled on arrival the day before, I went direct to the café & found everyone else standing around in the car park when I arrived. As usual the garden centre café did us proud - the first of many Full English Breakfasts.

Having paid our dues, we headed north through the almost Cotwolds-like areas of Lincolnshire. Finding quite a few quiet sweeping roads, we stopped for coffee & cake at "The Courtyard Tearooms", but unfortunately Richard didn’t see the turning & carried on. We were looking a little unkempt so we were ushered into “the barn” which was very nice. As we left, the staff took an interest in our journey & came out to see the cars & wave us off.

Immediately after that was the 50p toll bridge, I checked the price again this year - still 50p.

After that, more sweeping curves, but with more & less attractive villages, there was one speed camera van, but not a problem as I was 10mph below the limit behind a car. We then lost Linda & Mark at the same fuel stop we lost Linda at last year, but while we were there a message came through from Richard (now the one-man advanced scouting party) saying a road was closed, but follow the diversion signs until the SatNav tries to double back, then delete a waypoint. Wise words indeed. By the time I got to that point I’d taken a wrong turn on a dual-carriageway (or more correctly NOT taken a right turn) so I was on my own, only catching the others at the final fuel stop immediately before the hotel.

Richard had already dealt with the confusion caused by the hotel having us booked in on the wrong day, so we all checked in successfully & had a drink & a good meal at a very reasonable price, before retiring to bed.

There's a video here