Taken on the Hard Knots Pass: The Lakes: Cumbria: UK

Song of the summer

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Bicycles and Beer
Crazy idea’s always get born over a pint or six. And this idea was no different. Let’s forget about relaxing on a beach for ten days, but instead how about riding 400+ miles on bicycles through three European countries – The Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France. And why not meet up with Jono for the Ghent Jazz Festival featuring The Cinematic Orchestra and Kruder and Dorfmeister?

Key highlights

• Meeting up with Linda and The Shortman.

• Watching the World Cup final in Amsterdam.

• Shortman’s Colin Murray impression.
• Cycling through the beautiful countryside of Holland.
• Cycling 20+ miles into a strong head wind made men out of us.
• Sleeping on a house boat in Ghent. A very cool hostel.
• Drinking over one hundred shots of Gin between the three of us.
• Kruder and Dorfmeister blowing the roof off the Ghent Jazz Festival with their jazzy beats and mind blowing visuals. Highlight was definitely dropping in Dj Rolando | Knights Of The Jaguar.
• Belgium Beer and the downfall that comes with consuming way too much. ie: Falling off a stage, grabbing on to a girl to break my fall, nearly ripping it off in the commotion and busting up my foot.





• Getting funny looks from old French people after thinking that Stu and I were a gay couple staying in their hotel. The hotel can only be described as a cross between the Shining and a hospice.
• Having to ride an extra 30 miles down to Calais to catch the ferry after we find out the one at Dunkirk has broken down.

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Critical Mass and Bike Upgrades.
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah…. Bike porn, I know you love it. I’ve been pimping my single speed out all summer. Do I fix it or not? That is the question for the winter months.

From this

To this

The Critical Mass during the summer months is one wild ride through the streets of London, 400 to 800 bicycles cruising my fair capital.
Oh London, you would be even more awesome if the cars and the dangerous white van drivers disappeared off the roads for good and replaced with beautiful cycling machines.

Critical Mass – London June 2010 from Sam Smith on Vimeo.

Secret London – Random Sam’s tip for 2010.
This summer was all about Ice Cream. Really, really divine Ice Cream – Paul A Young may have the best chocolate not only in London but in the whole country. During the summer months he rolls out his delicious handmade Ice Cream for us to gorge on, and holy moly it’s incredible. I can’t put into words how joyful every mouthful of velvety ice cream feels as it’s dances upon your taste buds. Seriously, this shop is the Mecca for chocolate lovers. And let’s face it, who doesn’t like Chocolate?

Thea tucking into the most fabulous ice cream on this planet.

How about drinking banana beer and stuffing our fat faces with gallons upon gallons of Ice Cream on Clapham Common? Ok, sure we will. That will be the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream festival then.

Lake District.
“Surely there is no other place in this whole wonderful world quite like Lakeland…no other so exquisitely lovely, no other so charming, no other than calls so insistently across a gulf of distance. All who truly love Lakeland are exiles when away from it.” – Alfred Wainwright.

Sam & Jane’s road trip took them to view the wonders of the Lake District.
Key highlights.

• Having the whole of the Ennerdale Valley to ourselves.



• A wonderful overnight stay in the Black Sail Hostel. But I didn’t enjoy the red wine hangover the next day though.
  
• Peanut butter and Jam Jelly sandwiches made the America way.
• Hiking Striding Edge and up to the mighty Helvellyn.



• At last, I get to try the Millionaire Shortbread from the Patterdale general stores.
  
• Driving the breathtaking Honiston & Hard Knotts passes.
  
• At last, getting to show Jane the Chav culture of the UK.
  

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iPhone game of the Summer: Super Mega Worm. So wrong and yet strangely addictive.

Notting Hill Car(nage)nival.
My return to the Notting Hill Carnival after a three year absent, and it didn’t disappoint. This is why living in London rocks.

Jane shows the UK how to do the shocker hand gesture. So tell me Jane, How does the rhyme go again? “Two in the….

And what for the Winter months ahead? Well, It’s my last chance to get some hiking in before the weather turns really crappy, so I’m off to Scotland with my dear friend Jane.
Then I’m heading to China for a month to leap the gorges with the tigers and visit the controversial dwarf theme park, I kid you not…. See you soon.

So here it goes, this set was from last September’s road trip around the north of England with my friend James. It’s taken me so long to finish these as I been busy with the Far From Home Project.