Friends

 A start before 9 today...and the first 70 miles took 2 hours.....with a couple of stops to check the route! Mostly on roads that I knew.... 48 years ago when I started to learn to drive in a Triumph Herald car!!

A morning of mountain passes, twisty roads and good scenery!...you could look at this on Street View!!

Up through Machynlleth...my first time on the new bridge over the river..raising the road above land often flooded...

Nearly to Dolgellau, but cut across by Brithdir to the road to Y Bala ( which means the place where water enters a lake) through the town then left to Fron Goch , and turn for Cerrig y Drudion. Then up and over by two reservoirs to Dinbych (Denbigh) where the high street was closed for the remembrance parade...

A quick trip to a convenient supermarket for provisions, then the road was clear....but having gone through the town, roadworks held me up for ten minutes!!

Finally on the road through Bodfari, turn left at Afonwen, up through Caerwys , over the Expressway, left at Lloc to Trelawnyd...where l headed for the home of friends that I have known since about 1990!!

Plus I had a bowl to deliver...and the nice surprise was that the recipient would be having lunch with them as well!

And this is the bowl...

And the thankyou for delivery..(specs for scale)

Some beautiful local work...

Now I'm settled in the travelodge just down the expressway a little...basic, comfortable, a good bath, a programme about Eric Ravilious on the TV..then other war artists... luxury!!

And Travelodge is 40 years old this year! 

I have stayed in the first one ever to open..a small one on the A38 North near Burton on Trent.. behind it the Trent and Mersey canal, I think...and at breakfast time you hear the gentle " dug dug dug" of a narrow boat engine going past. ...a good pub by a nearby lock, and the Barton Marina the other side.... What's not to like?!