I had to go and look at a venue for a client’s event. The venue in question was Rudding Park, which is between Harrogate and Wetherby so a bit of a trek. I decided to drive as it wasn't going to be any quicker by train and the train meant changing 4 times and eventually getting a taxi for the last bit.
So I drove up the A1 in absolutely appalling weather. Luckily my windscreen wipers behaved themselves - I must have been driving up and down this route for at least 16 years and I used to hitchhike it before that so I know the road like the back of my hand.
Or I knew it...Every time I head up north now the road has changed – all part of the motorwayification of the A1M. In some ways I can see the sense in it as I’m often stuck behind two lorries both limited to 56mph trying to overtake each other but on the other hand the road is losing it’s character by being replaced by 3 lane motorway (Oh God I’m become nostalgic over a road). Anyway I’d passed Wakefield (Hi Phil) before I even had to look at a map.
A spiffing lunch was had in The Kestrel nr Spofforth - why are there so many un-pronounceable place names in Yorkshire? And even if you could work out how to pronounce it - the locals would call it something different!
Oh and my car broke it’s own record for fuel consumption today getting 702 miles from a tank of fuel which is just as well the price of it at the moment. I saw diesel for 99.9p a litre today. I’m old enough to remember when petrol topped £1 a gallon and all of the mechanical pumps couldn’t cope – they had to set it to 50p a gallon and double the total!! At least the electronic pumps should be able to cope even if the manufacturers of forecourt signs didn’t have the same foresight.
Soundtrack of the journey
There
Jerry Garcia Band
Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde
Spirit - The Collection
Back
Led Zeppelin - Fillmore West 27th April 1969
Steve Hillage Live Herald
Moby Grape – Best of
CSNY – Four way street
I say that as one to another, lol. 
25/10/05 @ 23:07