Ride debrief...complete with typos
It's fair to say that since the arrival of my kids in 2012 I've struggled to ride anything over 400km with any determination. Indeed I failed at the first sign of hardship to finish Mark Rigby's Scottish 1200 last summer. So it was with some trepidation that I entered this ride. That was back in October last year and it gave me the kick to start training by first losing 10kg to help with my climbing speed.
Forward the clock to last week and there was nothing more I could do to help me get around. All I needed was a GPX track and a train ticket to Blackpool from Brum. The later only cost £15 (I know, bargain) and @Deano came though on the first, complete with gravel sections and eating instructions. Once I had sight of the route I put together a plan. It was simple. Use the same approach I used on the 2010 Mille Cymru. 1) Be on the bike to enjoy sunrise. 2) Ride as much of the ride in daylight as most of the roads were new to me and 3) Rest as much as possible, ideally 6 hrs off the bike each night. On articulating this plan at the start, I was greated from more than a few people with teeth sucking doubts about my timings. So of we go.
Thankfully there was a group of fast powerful riders on areo enhanced bikes forgetting it was the start of a hilly 1000km ride and off we went like a club run train. Lancaster. The traffic came and went and due to knowing the road layout I was quickly on my own out front. And it stayed that way until Seascale where I joined up with Mel from Sheffield, who was planning on having 'an easy ride'. Before long that wall of a road appeared ahead. It was my first time up Hardknott. It really does deserve its reputation. I'll not be going out of my way to ride up it again anytime soon! Coming down was fun. I'd like to try that in the dry on my mountain bike with 2.3" road tires....
The afternoonticked on, showers came and went and the lakes fell behind us as the Dales could be seen approaching. Mel and I rolled in to Sedburgh at 8.30pm That would mean a good rest. So far so good. After some food, and a not unreasonable amount of faff, I was first to put my head down at about 9.30pm. I then spent the next few hours listening to everyone else putting their heads down. If I ever discover who was shacking out that foil Bivi bag.....
Alarm set, breakfast eaten and I was on the road to Kielder by 3am. Sunrise was so nice. Rabbits were a bit suicidal, but that aside Id rather not have been anywhere else. First time up buttercups for me. Great climb that, then over to Tan Hill and the first of my two gravel sections to break up the tarmac. I do recommend mixing up the surfaces from time to time and I think there will be more rides doing that over the next few years.
So onwards towards Stanhope, which due to the not overly strong but defiantly persistent headwind took forever. Pizza, coffee and on towards Kielder. This section will go down as the deepest I've ever had to dig on a bike. I had a schedule to keep and come hell or high water I was going to stick to it! I arrived at the castle smashed! I pushed my food around the plate for 45 mins as I was struggling to eat or drink anything. This was my longest control stop of the weekend. Back on the bike I was looking forward to a flat, tailwind powered fast blast down the A7 and on to Sedburgh. But as we all know, that northerly was also a North Westerly, a Westerly and a South Westerly. How does the wind do that? And I'd completely failed to nice the hill over to Langholm. But, it was the new surface between Carlisle and Penrith and that wind that proved to be more problematic. Still having not eaten or drunk anything of note since Kielder I forced down half a salmon sandwich in Penrith and realised that the end of today was within reach. I managed to grit my teeth and push on. On the way past Tebay my appatite was returning and I knew what I needed. A good hoppy IPA and broccoli to go with Andy's packet pasta. So at 7.30pm I rolled in to the school and feasted! Yes, I was first back but don't think for one second I had an easy day out there. I was digging deep, really deep and somehow nothing broke, either my resolve, legs or energy. I've never had a day like it on the bike. On reflection, possibly my best ever performance. I was in bed fast asleep by 9.30pm.
I was not looking forward to day three. Andy had failed to mention that the previous days had any hills, but did say there were some on this loop. I took this as a little concerning. I woke at 2.15am and could feel day two in my lower back, remember the road surface I mentioned. Very happy with my ride of stage two, I'd happily have thrown in the towel and gone home content. But Dean, Steve and Andy incouraged me out the door. Andy told me it would take 20 hrs, because of some hills. Well, that was like a red rag to a bull. I'll be dammed if it was going to take me 20 hrs to ride a little over 300km. Not after yesterday's ride. So of I went to play with the suicidal rabbits again.
So eger was I to lay down a good time on the flat sections at the start that I went into to autopilot just watching the landscape slip past, occasionally glancing at my GPS track. It was only when I passed Masham that I suspected I was following the wrong track. Closer investigation confirmed that I was riding the return leg. In my haste to leave I'd loaded the wrong track. No way was I going to add another 50-60km and a couple of hours to today's ride to back track so I decided to ride stage three backwards. Hell, it would be nice to see the riders coming the other way at some point. The North Yorkshire Moors felt like a long time coming, but after a stop to spray on sun block the climbing stared and onwards towards the chimney I peddled. Bit step that downhill! Glad it wasn't wet. I'd love to sit halfway up that hill on a weekend with a beer and watch cyclists winch their way up it.
Somtime later I became aware of the coast and had a vague idea of where Robins Hood Bay was. I was going well, and given my distance thought I'd be there by 11am. Then I hit 'those hills' Andy had mentioned. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful part of the county, I intend to head back there with the my famaily to go exploring, but the bike will stay firmly at home. But why can't the road follow the river just like in most other parts of the country? I mean, really? I finally got to the Robins Hood Bay, but with a slightly injured left knee.
On my out of the bay Ray, followed by a few others past me the other way. They probably never knew they were so close to one another the whole section. Once off the main road out of Whitby I headed out on Deano's second 'gravel alternative'. This one proved to be a little longer and of a somwhat more 'chuncky' nature. I was a little apprehensive. I was the best part of 500 miles in to a ride, with and dodgy left knee on the wrong side of the country, and I didn't want to damage my tires. On the upside, it was a welcome alternative to the tarmac roller coaster and the view was awesome!
After a quick comfort break in the cutest public toilet (commondale) I was soon taking on a head wind with 100km to beer. Would I make it before sunset? Normally yes. But the wind didn't ease, my knee got worse and I was getting quickly bored with another terrible surface flat A road. Suddenly I found myself in Richmond and soon climbing a hill I'd not expected to be there to get back into Wensleydale. Getting back before sunset was looking out of the question. Then, as I headed through Askrigg I bumped into two friends at the end of their own ride. (Tauny and Debbie) who were down to ride this event but had not started. They were making the tea and toast at the start. After a quick chat, I was off with renewed sprit and the race against myself was on. Hawes quickly came and went, as did Garsdale Head. I've no idea how I managed to push so hard down Garsdale but it was fun, and I made it to the Spar to get olives, cheeses, bread and most importantly cold IPA.
Dinner was a good one that night shared in great company with much beer drunk. I went to bed having achieved all my goals for the ride. All that remained after a good long sleep was a spin down the Lune the next morning.
I'm still on cloud nine. It was a hard ride that I rode hard. I suffered a lot at times but in start contrast the control atmosphere was just awesome and the two balanced wonderfully. The whole weekend was perfect so thanks to everyone that played a part in making it happen. Special thanks thanks to Andy for organising, to Dean for the GPX track and gravel alternatives and Steve for being a great bloke. But could someone have words with those Rabbits.