Beggars bridge – Glaisdale North Yorkshire, earlier this year and in better weather.
Extremely slippy this morning, cars were struggling to negotiate the minor roads, the melting snow had frozen to a sheet of glass, but determined drivers spun on; this all reminded me of a youthful pastime.
Just beyond Beggars bridge is the steepest road in England – Limber hill’s gradient is 1-in-3 and back in the 60’s there was a polite notice at the bottom of the hill, “Stop your vehicle and engage first gear”. These were the days before synchromesh gears and foolhardy drivers would charge at the hill, expecting to reach the top. We would sit at the river side and watch the cars approaching, guessing; will he make it or won’t he? Such laughter as the embarrassed driver reversed back down the hill.
There was also much fun to be had beyond Ashley house and the tennis courts, for this is where we would take our bikes. We would push our rickety old two wheelers as far up the bank as we dared and free wheeled all the way to “The Travellers Rest inn” – all this and sliding down the Nab till our jeans were as green as the bracken.
Note to evening office: Main roads are usually clear but we will not reach home until we negotiate the slippery side roads.
1 comment:
I had a scare the other night driving in the middle of a slushy snowfall. My son and I were on our way to an afterhours doctor's clinic to have his croupy cough checked.
My tire treads must've filled with ice and slush because I lost complete traction and couldn't make it up a hill on the busy road by my home. Traffic began to back up behind me as I eventually came to a complete stop halfway up the hill! There was no place to turn around. Backing down wasn't an option.
Max turned the hazards on while we watched a slew of motorists manouever around us. I didn't know what I was going to do. So, I figured it was best to sit there and find my calm again. YOu can't figure anything out if your brain is fired up with anxiety right?
AFter a few minutes, I put it in low gear and touched the gas petal lightly. Inch by inch we began to move again.....perhaps the "rest" had allowed the tires to lose some of the ice.... I don't know. But between driving the slippery road differently, and the two of us talking to the van to "be good..." we managed to find our momentum again.
A good lesson........ will keep your note to office in mind.
Happy New Year David. May 2010 provide many secondary and slippery roads to learn from
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