South Shields 18July09 Part V

On Wednesday, July 1st, I put on my Canada jersey (after all it was Canada Day) and cycled from Hartlepool to South Shields via Sunderland. When I set off I tried to set my GPS for Sunderland but for some unexplicable reason it couldn't seem to find it. I tried South Shields with the same results. I decided to follow the road signs for Sunderland and ended up on the A179/A19. I had wanted to follow the coast road but wasn't sure how to get on to it. Eventually I came to a sign pointing to Blackhall Colliery which, after checking my map, I found was on the coast. I turned right and headed for it. Somehow I ended up going south instead of directly east and ended up crossing over the A19 again, going through Hutton Henry and Wingate. In Wingate I tried setting my GPS for Ryhope which is just a bit south of Sunderland. My GPS was able to compute the route and eventually I was able to get over to the coast road but not for long. For some weird reason my GPS just didn't want me to go along the coast road!!! I arrived on the outskirts of Sunderland at noon and decided I would stop in at Jean and Ron Shaw's (Margy's aunt and uncle)home on Dovedale Road. They were expecting me and had saved a bit of lunch for me. After lunch, Ronnie who is 72 years old, decided to cycle the remaining 3.5 miles to South Shields with me in case I got lost. It was a fine sunny day with a bit of a tail wind so it only took us about 25 minutes to get to Nana's house on Leafield Crescent. Ronnie couldn't be persuaded to come in for a cup of tea as he had to get home to help Jean with the grandchildren and their paper routes. I put my bicycle away in the garage and brought my bags in the house. About an hour later, around 3:00 PM, the heavens opened up with a terrific thunderstorm. Talk about timing. I was glad to be safe and sound in Nana's house.
Hartlepoole to South Shields (+ detour) 57:51 kms time 3:25:40
TOTAL DISTANCE CYCLED: 2,832 KMS (1771 MILES)
That's all for now folks.....