South Shields 15July09 Part IV

On Tuesday, June 30th, I cycled from Whitby to Hartlepool. I just finished reading Barrie's comment to my last post. He wished me no more hills!!! Unfortunately this was not the case. In order to get on the highway towards Hartlepool I had to negotiate quite a steep climb up ChubbHill Road and I had only cycled 5 kms or so before I reached the first of several major hills. On the 2nd or 3rd climb as I was pushing my bike up the hill a girl passed me on her road bike. She had all the right cycling gear on and offered me encouragment. Jokingly, I asked her to throw me a tow rope. As she was cresting the hill she called back that she would carry one of my bags.... I suppose I would have had to catch up to her for that to happen. Anyways it's the thought that counts...so they say.
After crossing the Tees River I came to a large roundabout and took the wrong exit for Hartlepool. I had only gone a couple hundred yards when I came upon a barrier. It was the entrance to some sort of factory. I turned around and went back to the roundabout, stopped and decided to reset my GPS. A couple of teenagers on bikes stopped beside me and the lad asked me if I was going for a beer??? At least that's what I thought he said. I looked at him like he was from some other planet and of course I was thinking 'What kind of scam is this?' He pointed to his girlfriend's rear tyre (it was a British bike) and said did I have a patch. At this point I had cycled over 2500 kms and had yet to have a puncture (British for flat). I of course did have several patches and offered him one. The puncture was quickly repaired and once again I set off for Hartlepool. When I mentioned to my brother-in-law that I planned to stop in Hartlepool he told me that the countryside in this area was mostly industrial and therefore quite drab. He was right about that. Until I got to Seaton Carew, a lovely seaside resort. I must have passed about a 100 B&Bs but since it was only going on 2:00 PM I decided to push on for Hartlepool which was only another 10 or so kms up the coast. Another hill, push, push, push, hairpin turn, push, push, push. Finally made it up the hill. What a climb and what a spectacular view of the beach down below.
I arrived in Hartlepool at 3:00 (it was a really tough hill) but after that it was mostly flat. I rode around for 1/2 an hour looking for the T.I.C. There were several signs pointing to it but I'll be damned if I could find it. Finally I gave up and went back to a hotel/pub I had passed on the way into town. At least I thought it was a hotel and might have a room for the night. I went in and asked the barmaid if she had any rooms for the night. She informed me that they didn't do rooms. I asked if she knew where I might get a room for the night. She of course didn't and asked a couple of drunks sitting across the room if they knew of any hotels. They appeared to be in their 70's. One of them was wearing a skirt and was so pleased to help me find a place to stay for the night. I couldn't wait to get out of there. The barmaid suddenly remembered there was a hotel up the street and pointed me in that direction. I cycled to where she had directed me but again I'd be damned if I could find a hotel. I checked my GPS for hotels/motels and came up with the Grand Hotel not to far away. It was a Best Western. After locking up my bike, I went in to ask for a room. I noticed a sign on the reception desk stating rooms started at £75/night. That was a bit more than I wanted to pay but then I thought, after all it was my last night in a hotel. Unfortunately, or perhaps luckily, they were fully booked. The receptionist suggested I try the Hill Carter Hotel which was a three star hotel. I looked it up on my GPS and selected it. I ended up right back where the barmaid had sent me but again I'd be damned if I could find the entrance to the hotel. I went around front to the main street where there was an entrance to a pub. Locked my bike up (Hartlepool did not inspire a sense of security) and went up to the barmaid to ask about a room. She said I would have to go through several doors, etc and enquire at the hotel reception. What a carry on but in the end I did manage to get a room for the night with breakfast at £60. It turned out that there was a side door entrance to the hotel but there were no signs to indicate this. I have a feeling they must be missing out on a lot of customers seeing as how difficult it was to spot the entrance to their hotel. I was able to lock my bike up in a garage behind the hotel and carried my bags up to my room. Went back down to the pub for a couple of beers and updated my journal before going out to a Chinese restaurant across the street for dinner. By this time, 7:00 PM, the streets were virtually deserted. The OPEN sign outside the restaurant was lit up so I went in. Two ladies were sitting at a table which still had signs of a recent meal having been eaten there. I was quickly informed that they were closed. But I said your OPEN sign outside is lit up indicating that you are in fact OPEN. They assured me this was a mistake and that they were in fact closed and one lady kindly offered to give me direction to Timbuktoo where I might find another Chinese restaurant that might possibly be OPEN. I noticed there was a Thai restaurant a few doors away and said I would try it. It was OPEN and I had a wonderful meal including a dessert of deep fried bananas with ice cream. Walked back across the street to the "hotel" for a night cap. Not a soul in sight.
The next morning went up to the 4th floor for breakfast. Looked out the window at the church clock tower in the center of town and on the very top was a flag pole with the "i" symbol of the T.I.C!!!! Whitby to Hartlepool 79.31 kms Time 5:16:44