Cheese Rolling, 665.5 Miles and Montana

The last Bank Holiday of May plays host to the Cheese Rolling Festival. It's an event held outside Gloucester. The organisers roll a Gloucester cheese wheel down a very steep hill. In some places it's a 1:1 gradient. Then, the 'chasers' go running (read tumbling) down after it. First person to lay hands on it wins. Yep, nuts. It's an event that's been held for some 200 years. Why it was started? No idea. It's quite a dangerous event, and the paramedics are always inundated with injuries ranging from minor scratches and bruises to more serious sprains and broken bones. Yes, I'm probably insane for wanting to do this. But it sounded like fun, too. Christy and I had been talking about going to it for months. So we made plans to meet up in Gloucester. The weather, however, conspired against us. I got stuck in some torrential downpours that meant we didn't meet up on time, and by the time we arrived at the hill, it had finished. Very sad. But next year I'm totally doing it!

So, I ended up in Gloucestershire, the far side of England from where I live, with Christy and 3 of her friends from the States who are over visiting.







We went over to Bath and had a very fun afternoon. We went through the Roman Baths, which I'd never done before, funnily enough! And I've been to Bath 3 prior times. But something has always prevented me from visiting. I'd seen the main pool, which is still standing, but I'd never been through the museum and seen the ruins of the temple, etc. And of course the water from the spring is supposed to have all sorts of healing remedies. Unfortunately, they have to treat it, which I'm sure renders it the same as all city water. Oh well. Still a fun fountain!

So, I had a car full of people staying in York. It worked out to be much cheaper for me to drive them back to York, and them pay the petrol. So, I ended up driving from Colchester to Gloucester (182 miles), to Bath (35.5 miles), to York (235 miles), and back to Colchester (213 miles) = 665.5 Miles Round Trip. Got home at 5.00 am today. Christy offered to let me stay the night at hers, but I just decided I had too much to get done today, and I'd sleep better if I was in my own house. And I wouldn't be worried about messing up their plans with mine.

My Dad got a new job! In Montana. He found out about this job at the end of April. He flew to Montana on Monday, last week. Had his interview with them on Tuesday. Got offered the Job on Wednesday. Saw houses on Thursday. Bought a house on Friday. Flew back to Mississippi yesterday. Starts his new job on 16th of June. Pretty nuts!