Touchdown at Manchester International Airport around mid-day in torrential rain. No big surprise there. But the forecast for the next week or so was unseasonably awesome (find wood, knock twice). Both bikes arrived unscathed with us this time so we proceeded to unpack and build them up right at the airport. The distance to Huddersfield was 80 km, too far and too late in the day to attempt so we opted for the train. We rolled out of the train station into a busy, wet, Friday afternoon in downtown Huddersfield navigating through left-hand-side traffic. I’ll admit I found it a bit nerve-racking at first but I steeled myself and followed Leighs’ wheel as she guided us by memory right to the door of Auntie Jac's in Holmefirth. Over the course of several hours most of the relatives living nearby dropped in to visit, and it turned into a proper house party. Everyone was very interested in our trip and the usual question eventually surfaced "So how far have you ridden?" to which I replied somewhat reluctantly "On these bikes about 6 kilometres". Not overly impressive but we are merely two weeks in to a year long journey and the mileage has just begun.
Our first week in England was more about spending time with family than spinning wheels. We passed the week visiting and getting to know the area, usually with a family member as tour guide. Leigh’s dad took us around his old stomping grounds. It's fascinating to walk through an old English village, the experience enriched if you have a guide, but extra special to share the personal history of someone who knows the area intimately. During our nine days in Yorkshire we watched Stage 2 of Le Tour de France whiz by on Holme Moss, took a historic walk through Holmefirth, rode up to experience the panorama from Castle Hill, walked the bridge of stones at Bolton Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales, had a pint at the Black Horse Inn in Skipton, visited the National Mining Museum, browsed the Yorkshire Agricultural Show, and attended the Hampton Court Flower Show – a vacation unto itself. And we have only just begun.