Lockdown 2.0: Day 08

Reggie’s travels are over at least so far as the Coast to Coast is concerned and we have been hugely entertained by his antics. We all love Reggie!

But he cannot be allowed to detract from the stupendous performance of the three highly competitive teams who crossed the line today and arrived to cool their feet on the beach at Robin Hood Bay. If there need be a winner I think that has to go to Good Morning Vicar (Charlie and Caroline Barratt) who had only to complete 18 miles today and therefore must notionally have been first across the line given there were no ‘night riders’ as on the last Challenge.

But for sheer obduracy and determination to get there on the same day an award has to go to the Lethal Lethams (Penny and Susie) walking 43 miles today and the Recce Troop (Tom and the LOs) 32 miles. Penny even had time to read and share with us (and Reggie) TS Eliot’s Little Gidding, which rather alarmingly for most of us refers to ‘the end of our exploring will be to arrive where we started’ and where she says she has left her car! While Ed Lloyd Owen was engaged in the battle with Covid 9 (as a frontline worker rather than a sufferer) his dad Chrissy stood in for him supporting Tom who got lost in Shouldham Warren and by the time he found his way out he had done 22 miles!

As for the rest of us the Anglo Australian team the Nuns and Escargatoire are battling it out with 31 and 33 miles to go respectively. Tum and Jaw are nearing the A19 which on past experience is a frightening road to cross with a pack on your back.

Grouped together a little further back are GinGin (aka ‘Mine’s a double’) who have appeared from nowhere at the back of the pack in to a competitive position; the Dorset Dashers who are constantly complaining about the comparative topography and their beautiful daughters Sister Act 2 who are running pretty much neck and neck. The Leprachaustrians seemed to have lost the Irish element and if the Dorset Dashers have reason to comment on inclines then let them sort that out with Erika! The Wombles are a little erratic and quite capable of stealing what is left of the show if Willoughby can persuade his Dad to take him in to the office.

Still with a little way to go but approaching the half-way mark and presumably enjoying the scenery as well as some of them having to do day jobs are the others. Banbury Cross reported being squashed by a theological tome he was extracting from the top library shelf while standing on the third rung of his ladder, looking for a text he had obviously not used for some time. The Wandsworth Wanderers are surveying every park inside the M25. The Cuckoos remain in character and therefore incognito. The Dilke Dynamos are walking in the dark. Hex and Baz who asked me to lay this on originally are just taking their time and striving to make sure the reporter remains active for a long time to come. OveryAction maintain a low but steady profile and the Animated Amblers need Reggie to come and rescue them!

Happy Walking everyone and well done to the Vicars, the Lethal Lethams and the Recce Troop. We will miss them!