First time in a while I’ve done a wee bike touring trip solo. Not going to lie, will miss the Lamb. Am already. That said if we were both on this ferry we might live it large a bit too much!!

Is a very humble start to a trip. Indeed is a very Humber start to a trip. My plan…

Take the train from Sheffield to Hull ✅

Take the ferry to Rotterdam. On it now.

Take a train to Brussels and then the new European sleeper to Berlin

Cycle back.

Is something to do. And actually, if I think about it, after the shittest of 12 months. Doing something, thinking a lot, and meditating through the pedalling miles – is probably just what I need.

Thoughts on day 1 – before the third IPA disappears (boat hasn’t left port yet)

1. As a launchpad to Europe (if you live in the grim North), this ferry is perfect.

2. Hull is massively geared up for riding – the entire ride through and out the city was on entirely segregated bike paths all the way to the port.

3. The 2 carriage death train (most of them are up here) has alerted me to the fact Hull folk would rather get crushed or worse on that train and shop in Meadowhall (Sheffield) than in Hull. Can Meadowhall be killing half of the North as well as Sheffield? Madness.