Pendle 2017

[zacklaws]

A big well done to all that finished, I knew the ride was out of my league as I'm too heavy and past it to climb hills to that extent and knew I would crack eventually and stupid to have entered......but the wind was the big decider which made me crack before the hills did.

By Robin Hoods Bay, I had had enough of the hills and could have called it a day there, but carried onto Stokesley into the head wind, then decided to carry onto Barnard Castle, once again head wind, decided to carry onto Hexham as it should be a steady side wind, maybe get some rest from it to recover for Hartside and onto Carlisle, both into a headwind. That's where it went wrong, could not believe how strong the wind had got as we rode into the North Pennines, plus it was not only side wind but head wind too, no relief from it downhill either, checking my stats, it took 5 hrs 45 mins, Barnard castle to Hexham, 37 miles I think, not good. Overall average speed had gone from 24 kph down to 16 kph since Whitby. Loose another 0.8kph and that would be enough to put me over the time limit, Having done East side of Hartside in the past into a head wind, that would loose me that 0.8 kph on its own and could not see anywhere enroute afterwards where I could gain time, a nice 30 miles of flat road or downhill  back wind would have been ideal.

How strong was the wind to put things into perspective? I stopped at the top of a hill for a breather and dismounted to have a good look behind, as I held my bike by the bars and saddle, the wind whipped my bike clean of the ground as if I was holding a blanket. I struggled to get the wheels back on the ground, turned the bikes profile so the rear was into the wind and then found myself running alongside my bike hanging on trying to reach a brake to stop it being blown over the edge of the road. Even the snow poles were bending.

Started hallucinating through lack of sleep, part way up a hill in the dark, right in front of me was a snake crossing the road with its head raised ready to strike, my fear of snakes kicked in, it was it or me, I ensured it was going to be it, just as my wheel was about to go over it, I screamed "Snake" to the rider behind as a warning, as my wheel hit it, the "snake" turned into a long thin twig laid on the road. What a dick I felt.

Made Amigo's at Hexham with 10 mins to spare before he closed where seven of us had gathered and decided not to put ourselves through anymore of it and call it a day. Fell in love with a girl with a tiny leather skirt on and the longest legs I have ever seen in Amigo's. Don't know if any other rider noticed though, but she kept hitching here dress up and having a "scrat". Think she had some exotic disease, as I had some latex gloves in my bag which would help to avoid cross infection, I felt like offering to give her a dollop of chamois cream in the infected parts to ease her itching.

Slept on the platform of Hexham station, coffee in Starbucks when it opened, train to Carlisle, change to get to Lancaster, and then change to get to Heliwell and ride back to West Bradford.

On the train in Hexham we met a couple of cyclists who lived in the area taking there bikes out to Haltwhistle to ride back again. I stood with them on the train and had a good chat with them. They could not believe we had been in those hills that night riding in them conditions. When they stopped laughing, they then told me that that area had been hit by 50 mph winds coming in from the Irish Sea during the night.

Two lessons learnt apart for avoid hilly rides, always extensively test anything new. My new helmet, in the weeks leading up to it was brilliant when I tested it, it kept my head colder than my old one with the improved airflow, on the day my head was cooking. Then twigged why, all my test rides had been into the hills heading into a head wind and returning home it was fast downhill, both circumstance had a good airflow through the helmet. On the Pendle 600, from the start to Robin Hoods Bay it was backwind and noticed, I had to be doing over 30 kmh to get any airflow through the helmet and there was not many places I could do that resulting in my head overheating.

For the day, I fitted a 32 sprocket at the back to give me a low gear of 30 x 32 instead of my usual 30 x 28, in testing, it was great to be able to spin up hills easier and an energy saver, on the day suddenly found, spinning up hills does not suit me, my right leg would start cramping and I could only use that gear combination on the very steep hills where I was struggling with a low cadence.

Anyway, thanks to Andy for the day, its made me realise that I am over the hill now and 18 no longer, and once again well done to all who attempted it, especially those who finished and also especially those I abandonded with who truely showed what a true cycling spirit Audax cyclists have to each other. Apart for finishing a ride, its attempting it that counts, I could have "Did not start" and just sat at home. As John Wayne said" Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway" which is what all those whether successful or not did, we all knew what was involved, but "Saddled up, and rode out"


As a post note, discoverd and disapointed how angry I am at not finishing, went into supermarket today and could not get to the bread counter due to a large group of women discussing and arguing over the best bread loaf to buy blocking the way of normal people with real lives. My anger over boiled when I thought, is that all you have to worry about in your little narrow sheltered molly coddled shallow lives, a sodding bread loaf. They should try riding the hills through the day and night, no sleep, battered by strong winds, demoralised, trying to decide what you can eat and drink in a checkpoint that will stay down and whether to carry on or abandon, middle of nowhere and how to get home, those are big descisions, but a sodding poxy bread loaf. Before I could tell them to get out of my way, they moved,,,,thankfully

[Jonah]

Thank you very much Andy for annother edition of the Pendle 600.  The lonely man's beans on toast at the sleep stop jettisoned me into the rest of the ride.  The gpx was also quality and many thanks to whoever produced it. 
The night section was tough. As the wind on the high ground developed my buffer atrophied, leaving me nothing but anxiety. The second day turned out as glorious as the first but with no wind. 
I had a great weekend with ACH and the AUKs that we met on route.  A special thanks to Ant and Mrs Ant for their hospitality and local brewed ale.

Top ride
Top organisation
Top event

Bring on the next one... 2018?
J

[Feanor]

Thank you very much Andy for annother edition of the Pendle 600.  The lonely man's beans on toast at the sleep stop jettisoned me into the rest of the ride.  The gpx was also quality and many thanks to whoever produced it. 
The night section was tough. As the wind on the high ground developed my buffer atrophied, leaving me nothing but anxiety. The second day turned out as glorious as the first but with no wind. 
I had a great weekend with ACH and the AUKs that we met on route.  A special thanks to Ant and Mrs Ant for their hospitality and local brewed ale.

Top ride
Top organisation
Top event

Bring on the next one... 2018?
J

It was good to put a face to the name.
Kudos for getting round.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Lets look on the positives.

It started with a magnificent morning ride over the Pennines from West Bradford, near Clitheroe to Ripon.  I started off, adjusted the front wheel after a few hundred metres, as the tyre was just rubbing against the mudguard, caught up the lead group and rode with them until the first steep hill out of Grassington.  Then I let younger legs and lighter bodies ride away from me without concern, as I climbed towards the promise of sunshine on roads that had defeated me as a teenager.  Now they were hills but nothing special, taken mostly in the saddle, rising out of it more for a break in position than the need to grind up a gradient.  By the top of Greenhow Hill it was sunny, with a gentle westerly breeze.  These were magnificent roads and great times that stopped the unease about forgetting my lights and having to stop in Ripon.

On the descent I caught up the younger legs but they were unaware of my presence as I headed to the bike shop.  The 75km had gone by in under 3 hours despite the hills and so they weren’t yet open.  I pottered about town and found a friendly café opposite the second bike shop, which also wasn’t open, so I ordered a bacon and egg butty, chatted to the friendly Scottish lady who ran the café.  The bike shop owner didn’t turn up, so I rolled back to the first bike shop, where someone was getting a replacement front mech.  It took no time at all to fit a front light and I set off full of beans (metaphorically).  I almost caught a group of three up at the traffic lights over the A1 and then followed them behind a tractor before making contact.  This passed the time across the Vale of York across to Coxwold and memories of LEL in 2009.  Wass Bank parted us.  I’d been going well since the Brimstone and I passed seven or eight riders up this steep climb, advantaged by my triple chain ring. 

A swift descent into Helmsley followed.  This was so much different from my last time along this road, in the 2000 Coast to Coast ride in baking heat, after a couple of punctures and suffering.

Hutton le Hole was full of tourist but the moors beckoned and they were empty.  I stopped to take a photograph of my bike in front of the warning sign at the top of Rosedale Chimney and then ignored its advice and rode down its 33% bends carefully.  The climb out the other side was almost as fierce and the riders ahead and behind me both walked a section.  I found a slow rhythm, learnt on Bwlch-y-Goes and polished last year on Wrynose and Hard Knott and climbed it.  At the top I felt tired, but there was time to eat and recover as I rolled down towards Eskdale.

Then came the spectacular last 20km, with 4 20% gradient climbs.  The section around (Littlebeck) was intense, especially as they had put extra-grip surface on the two steepest sections, that were now eroded and there were big stones washed out from recent heavy rain.  All this I took in my stride.  I knew it would be tough and I was ready for it.  I sat inside the chip shop at Robin Hoods bay and demolished my haddock and chips.
 
Now it got properly tough.  The west wind had got going and for five miles out of Whitby the road rose incessantly into the wind.  It was our enemy all across the North York Moors, the sun bringing out the bright colours of the first flowering flush of the heather, the fields glistening green below, everything laid out to perfection.  And I was ready for it and got to Stokesley tired but confident.  It was high pressure weather so the wind would ease as the sun lowered and I was ready for the big hills during the night.

We formed a group of three and then four to Barnard Castle, me doing big turns on the front as is my wont.  About 10km outside Barnard Castle the wind increased, so that my feeding was misjudged.  I bonked (low blood sugar) with a kilometre to go and had to stop.  I got to the control and took stock.  I was in good time, my head and legs were good, I just needed a bit longer to stop and recover.  I took that time and headed off, taking a ranitidine table to settle the stomach and avoid heartburn.  I felt sick about 3km out of the control and my legs were empty.  That’s a feeling I’ve had before; I just had to settle back and take it steady.  In the long climb that followed I rode up and caught the rider who had overtaken me as I stopped.  Evening sunlight painted the dales and made even this usually grim gritstone country look perfect.  I should have stopped and taken photographs but I wanted to keep my rhythm. 

As I descended into Stanhope the wind returned.  Nearing the top of the climb out of Weardale I stopped to eat, sensing that I did not have enough reserves to make the next control at Hexham.  It was all controlled and sensible.

Then, in the next half hour it all changed.

On top, the wind was so strong that I could only make 6 or 7mph on the flat.  The bike was almost wrested out of its path.  I laboured and groaned.  There would be 56km from Hexham to Langwathby into the wind.  I had to get my head in gear.  I descended and found shelter in Blanchland, where my knee had packed in on the Tan Hill the previous year.  There were lights on what looked like a pub or a hotel.  I thought about Hexham and started up the hill.  I found myself riding into the verge.  I was shattered.  I stopped, wondering what I should do. I did not want to give up but I did not want to ride into that wind.  I told myself I was a fool, and remembered the prayers at a similar moment on the Tan Hill (before the knee was no good) and set off up the hill.  I wavered into the verge.  My head was spinning.
This was no good.  I no longer had any will to continue.  I rolled back down to the hotel, who had no rooms. I lay on their sofa in their reception, praying that they would find me a place for the night.  Fortunately they did and, with a kindness that seems typical of this part of the world drove me 10 miles to the outskirts of Consett where I had a bed for the night.

This was my third abandon on long events in two years, twice when I had the wherewithal to continue. So what had happened?  Work is hard.  Life is hard.  I live at a pace where I am constantly pushing myself to do something when I am tired but needs must.  It’s why I’m valued at work, because I care about the result.  I think its part of why my wife puts up with me, that commitment.  But every bit of that commitment takes something out of the reserves and eventually you go to the well and find it empty.  That’s what happened in Blanchland.  I looked for something and there was nothing left.  I’d not had a proper rest all year and it showed.  If I’d done the ride after my holidays, with the tension and stress gone and perhaps a little less short on sleep I’d have done the sensible thing, stopped, eaten, waited for another group, some human contact and found the will to continue.  But then, at that moment, with my head spinning, I was a danger if I continued.  I stopped.  I will regret stopping, but I will add it to that rich ledger of life’s experience.  My record on Andy Corless’s rides is DNS, DNF, DNF.  I will come back and change that.

[kartaphilos]

Great to read other riders experiences!

My own was a FAIL!  If there was a t-shirt that that said "I rode the Pendle 600 and failed!" I would wear it with pride 

Shortly after the start I realised I dressed wrong for the conditions.  Coming from Oz, I'm used to hot conditions but can't really handle the cold so dressed for the colder evening.  My limited cycling wardrobe mean't a fleece jersey and t-shirt and tights.   I basically cooked myself before I got to the Moors and combined with the vicious steepness of the hills I was dehydrated and slightly heat-stroked at Robin Hood's bay.   Re-hydrating took a while to stop feeling foggy and dizzy but I wasn't able to handle eating food.  The trip to Stokesley was dead slow as I had no fuel but my head did clear up. 

I got to Stokesley with about 45mins to spare but not much in the tank.  Luckily a mate has a farm near Stokesley so I diverted there for some food and charging my gear as my battery backup had failed.  Re-assessing my time and the fact I wasn't going to speed up during the night I decided pizza, a real bed, and good company beat cycling through the night.

After a leisurely start the next day I had a nice but slow ride (headwind all the way) back to the start via the Yorkshire Dales... wearing just the t-shirt with the fleece strapped onto the rack pack.

Mental notes for next time...
- Get the right cycling kit and don't dress like a knob for the conditions. (What's that you say about layers??)
- Practice on the steep hills.  Cruising up long 8% gradients is nothing like the nasty and vicious 20%+ climbs... don't even want to think what the Lakes passes would have been like!
- More than 1 weekends rest was definitely needed.  It takes time to condition the body and doing my first 300, first 400, and first 600 events in 4 weeks was a bit optimistic!  (But worth having a crack at...)
- Lighten the body and the bike for the hills.  I need 10kg less on me and I reckon I can drop a few kg of stuff off the bike

Congrats to all the riders, especially those that finished.  That is some acheivement! 

Thanks to Andy for running the event.  I'm glad this event is on the calendar!  Life needs things that allow people to have a go at absolutely stupid challenges to see if they can do it.   I'm glad I tried it, disappointed I didn't finish, comfortable with my decision to pull out, thinking about what I need to do to beat the Pendle next time.
 
Cheers,
Matt

[alexberry]

Its great to hear everyone’s stories, so here’s mine:
The night before i met up with some family friends in clithero for big feed and 4 beers.
I was in bed for 11pm, and drove to the start in the morning.
Having done a couple of 200's, a 300, and a 400 (all pan flat) this year, i was feeling comfortable but a little concerned about the hilliness. I have been training in the peaks where i live so i was relatively happy.
We set off at a good pace and got to Rippon in good  time courtsey of the tailwind, i was riding with my friend and another rider. We cracked onto Robin Hood Bay, but the hills meant that our group split, and i got in second, and demolished fish and chips.
We set off as a group again, but after 5 mins, the long drag out of the bay, and the headwind split us up again, and that was it. I didn’t see anyone again until the control at Langwathby.
It was a long old ride from Robins Hood to Langwathby by myself, but was prepared by bringing my music along, so in order to kill the time i just bopped my head to the music and cracked on.
I managed to get to Hexham in light (10pm ish) and demolished a pizza and chatted crap to the pissed locals. It was quite funny actually.
Setting off with loads of food in my bag i thought id nail that heartside. The wind was bad again, but id been psycing myself up for it, and i knew that i could do it no matter waht. Just needed to keep singing, not think of the fact that if i had an accident i could die up there and crack on.
I had a couple of near missed on the descents, i came with in a couple of foot from owls feeding on the scraps of dead rabbits (or perhaps cyclists) on steep fast  descents, and I was plagued by rabbits running out and playing chicken with the stubbon northern sheep. On one occasion I was doing at least 45mph and went into a 30ft long skid, which left a couple of skid marks! I started to slow down on the descents after that. If something went wrong in the dark in the hills, youd be stuffed.
It was a relief to get to the control at Langwathby at about 130am. I had some food and a bit of a lie down (couldn’t sleep) and set off later than planned at 415am. It was a long drag aver to Seascale, and the wind really didnd let up for me. I was hoping to get there for 730, but arrived at 830. I had a lie down and waited for the café to open at 9am as I was desperate for bacon sausage egg! It was all I could think about.
The lady in the café lent me her phone charger as all that bouncy pop music had run my phone battery down!
I set off dreading what lay ahead….but It was getting better, the sun was out and finally I wasn’t riding into the wind.
The miles through the lakes and Bowland just flew by, and when I got to Bowland  met a random guy from St Helens who I got chatting to. He was really nice, and rode with me all the way back to West Bradford, inspired by what we were mad enough to do. I really picked up the pace here, it was like I was riding a club run, not a 600k audax!
I got back, and saw Andy chilling on a bench in the sun. No one else had arrived back, and I don’t think they did for another couple of hours. I had a celebratory sandwich and cup of tea.
I went home, had a couple of pints and passed out.
The next day I discovered I had a bruised and swollen ankle, and I have decreased sensitivity in my fingers and toes, not bad given the last 600k I did (Offas Dyke) I had to have Physio and was off the bike for 6 weeks.
Lessons Learned / Top Tips
1.)   Ride at your own pace – You will feel better for it, be that slow or faster. Do what feels comfortable
2.)   Carry more food than you need. When I got hope I was carrying 1kg of excess food. But it meant that I had variety and didn’t get bored and could eat my way though  the ride.
3.)   Take music for the hours of loneliness
4.)   Speak to the wife / family and get some encouragement
5.)   Be brave
6.)   Enjoy it, keep smiling and stay positive, don’t let the demons enter your mind
7.)   Drink lots and lots, even if you need to piss every 45min
8.)   Don’t suffer, if something is not right, stop take time and adjust.
9.)   Ride tubeless – 50psi in 30c tyres are comfy and no puncture for 10k miles (yet)
Finally – thanks to everyone I met along the way, and big thanks to Andy for the organisation and positive encouragement.
Ride done in 33h 55min (back at 15:55)
https://www.strava.com/activities/1064457935

[Anthony]

Ride done in 33h 55min (back at 15:55)

I was very impressed to see someone back at the hall when I went to recover my drop bag at 4pm Sunday after packing on Saturday evening — looks like you and Andy were both happily nodding off in the sun. Well done!

[mattc]

I can only smile at a ride-report of that length that still omits Hardknott Pass 

"The miles through the lakes ... just flew by... "

I shall try to remember that on Friday afternoon!!!

[alexberry]

I can only smile at a ride-report of that length that still omits Hardknott Pass 

"The miles through the lakes ... just flew by... "

I shall try to remember that on Friday afternoon!!!

Regarding hard knot, was surprised to see I got a PB beating my Fred Whitton time bonus


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bikey-mikey]

Thanks all for comments on my earlier post..  of course I'm not against rides like this, but I guess I'd like AUK to consider finding a way to extend time limits in such cases, though it would not perhaps then comply with BR or BRM rules. Then more folks could enjoy the ride, albeit at a slower, but still audacious pace. Andy and I go way back, and I have done many of his rides. Indeed I even have a copy of his book !!

Congratulations to everyone who rode, whether they finished or not. 

It was great to read all the reports and see how folks stepped up to the challenge. 

My last v hilly ride was the aforementioned BRIMSTONE, which I finished with about 20 minutes to spare, and many others came in around the same time...... I doubt I would have finished this one though, being so tiny I have the resistance of a feather to wind...

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Thanks all for comments on my earlier post..  of course I'm not against rides like this, but I guess I'd like AUK to consider finding a way to extend time limits in such cases, though it would not perhaps then comply with BR or BRM rules. Then more folks could enjoy the ride, albeit at a slower, but still audacious pace. Andy and I go way back, and I have done many of his rides. Indeed I even have a copy of his book !!

Congratulations to everyone who rode, whether they finished or not. 

It was great to read all the reports and see how folks stepped up to the challenge. 

My last v hilly ride was the aforementioned BRIMSTONE, which I finished with about 20 minutes to spare, and many others came in around the same time...... I doubt I would have finished this one though, being so tiny I have the resistance of a feather to wind...

I think we should keep the likes of the Pendle as is, as a challenge for the harder riders.  However, for those who would like to face the same challenging terrain but with a more feasible time limit, we should look to (shameless plug  ) consider establishing Super Randonnees under ACP rules - where a 600km event with 10,000m of ascent has a 60 hour time limit, as I'm aiming to do with the Cambrian 6C.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

SR600s must be unsupported perms. Not exactly the same thing as a calendar brevet.

[zacklaws]

I agree with Mike about changing times for such extreme Audax's to make them easier to accomplish, but I also disagree as well because then there's those riders who find it a challenge now, suddenly find it is no longer a challenge. In reality, I think, just leave things be.

[Bernster]

We formed a group of three and then four to Barnard Castle, me doing big turns on the front as is my wont.  About 10km outside Barnard Castle the wind increased, so that my feeding was misjudged.  I bonked (low blood sugar) with a kilometre to go and had to stop.  I got to the control and took stock.  I was in good time, my head and legs were good, I just needed a bit longer to stop and recover.  I took that time and headed off, taking a ranitidine table to settle the stomach and avoid heartburn.  I felt sick about 3km out of the control and my legs were empty.  That’s a feeling I’ve had before; I just had to settle back and take it steady.  In the long climb that followed I rode up and caught the rider who had overtaken me as I stopped.  Evening sunlight painted the dales and made even this usually grim gritstone country look perfect.  I should have stopped and taken photographs but I wanted to keep my rhythm.

I was one of that group of 3 (on the blue Condor), and wanted to say thanks for all the work you did at the front - I don't think I was offering a lot in the way of shelter when I was taking turns, and I guess that's why you kept coming back past. Really sorry to hear you didn't complete, we felt bad for leaving Barnard Castle without you, but I was conscious of the time, and how little sleep we were likely to get. Things were really tough all the way to Hexham (and very 'interesting' in Hexham as mentioned upthread), but the Hexham to Langwathby stage didn't seem quite as exposed or relentlessly windy.

Brilliant ride, a real adventure - there were plenty of points where I found myself doubting my sanity and ability to complete, but managed to keep going. Met some great people, who all made a huge contribution to me finishing, so thanks to them as well as to Andy who single handedly ensured that we were fed and looked after at the sleep control, start and finish. Highlight has to be descending through the Trough of Bowland in the evening sunshine with a massive tailwind, knowing we were in time and had all but finished the climbing - fantastic!

[JonB]

Andy and I go way back, and I have done many of his rides. Indeed I even have a copy of his book !!

Andy's got a book? Ah, just found it on Amazon ... looks good

Re - the discussion about changing the ride regs etc - leave the Pendle as is (I might have a crack at it next year)

[whosatthewheel]

Thanks all for comments on my earlier post..  of course I'm not against rides like this, but I guess I'd like AUK to consider finding a way to extend time limits in such cases, though it would not perhaps then comply with BR or BRM rules. Then more folks could enjoy the ride, albeit at a slower, but still audacious pace. Andy and I go way back, and I have done many of his rides. Indeed I even have a copy of his book !!

Congratulations to everyone who rode, whether they finished or not. 

It was great to read all the reports and see how folks stepped up to the challenge. 

My last v hilly ride was the aforementioned BRIMSTONE, which I finished with about 20 minutes to spare, and many others came in around the same time...... I doubt I would have finished this one though, being so tiny I have the resistance of a feather to wind...

It's not compulsory to finish within the 40 hours... especially since it is not a TLC event. Of course you won't get the brevet, but it's not a big deal if you are not after a SR or a PBP qualifier... if you are, then I would not choose the Pendle as a 600 anyway

[Aunt Maud]

If you wish you could do it as a * caution shocker alert and not for those suffering from nervous wets...

(click to show/hide)

casual bike ride.

[Feanor]

One thing that I noticed on this event that was significantly different from every other event I've ridden was the depart.

Normally, everyone talks bollocks about 'taking it steady' and similar rubbish at the start, but then it's an eyeballs-out 35-40 kph push for the first 50k or so, until the first control or the first big hill to spread the group out.  Only then does some sanity kick in.

On this ride, everyone *did* set of at a sensible pace, because they all knew what was coming up.

[Phil W]

I think the hard hilly rides absolutely should be there. I think these rides should be about testing yourself and it shouldn't just be a case of repeat some formula and you'll succeed.

If you want to do a route you find hard but with more relaxed time limits. Well just turn it into a tour of a length of your choosing.

[kartaphilos]

Really bad luck for Billy Grace on the ElliptiGO this year who had a major mechanical failure with a snapped stem bracket which made it impossible to safety continue that ride. Billy was doing really well too up to that point 2 hours ahead of the cut off.

You may have another convert to the ElliptiGO... my mate who had a look to see if he could fix Billy's bike at Robin Hoods Bay is also a runner and was really intriqued by the concept.

[Feanor]

Provisional results posted.

I wasn't expecting that, given that Andy has another big event to organise starting tomorrow!
I was expecting it to be at least another week away.

Thanks.

[Revellinho]

I had a rather strange follow up to this ride.  Several months after the ride I had a letter from a parking enforcement company.  Being one of the last riders to finish, it was pretty late before I set off home and I only had a very short doze at the 'night' stop.  Being tired, I pulled in on the M6 as I headed home to Cumbria.  I set my alarm and had a doze in the car, but drifted off again after the alarm went off and overstayed the car park by about 40 mins.  I appealed the charge on the grounds that the car park was empty, I had not left the car to see the signage about what to do, the stay was unintentional and the safety issue.  Quite to my surprise the appeal was upheld.  It's nice to see common sense being applied for a change.  It also goes to show that when returning from long events, it might be better to pull off the motorway completely if you are in need of more than a quick close of the eyes, as I could easily have been £60 worse off.

[Redlight]

Good outcome!  It must be Christmas.