June 6, 1975
Whitehaven

Another change of plan has brought me to the coast sooner than I thought.

Today has been a beautiful day weather-wise but a horrible day bike-wise. It strted with the chain coming off & sticking on the cog. That was quite easily fixed while I stopped for a last look at Derwentwater. Then as I was climbing the hill to Buttermere, sproing! another spoke broke & the back wheel went wonky again. After a quick adjustment, I managed to make it to Buttermere for lunch. Then, after a lovely look at the lake, I set off back along towards Crummock Water. At the same hill as before, sproing! another spoke spoke (pun). A phone directory at a nearby booth directed me to the nearest bike shop here at Whitehaven so instead of Ennerdale I came to the coast. I realized that all along I must have had too much weight on the back wheel, so tomorrow I'm going to send my Adidas bag with sleeping bag & other unnecessary stuff by train to Russell & continue on my paniers and with my coat & cape clipped on the back. I haven't really needed the sleeping bag so far 'cause in the hostels they require sheet sleeping bags & I've been stuffing mine inside one of theirs. I also am sending him some of my extra clothes I don't need and haven't worn.