Show me the way to Armathwaite....
Dent to Armathwaite (near Penrith). Official distance 55 miles. My distance 59 miles...
Another really wet morning with everyone lingering over their breakfast. Finally plucked the courage up to go outdoors and drenched within 2 minutes by torrential rain. It was looking like a really tough start to the morning, with a very steep climb just a couple of miles down the road. I was a little concerned that I wouldn't have had sufficient chance to warm up properly before the climb, which is why my psyche obviously decided it was going to help me by taking me on a 4 mile detour.... arrived back at my starting place 20 minutes later, totally soaked (but warm).
The climb was by far the hardest of the route so far and apparently was the last big one we are doing. It started with a one mile stiff climb up what I think was varying between a 1 in 4 and a 1 in 6, then a less stiff 3 mile slog to the top. Very quickly we were up into the clouds and it was what one might call downright miserable. Passed the two Johns on top of the steep section changing a puncture in a stiff wind and torrential rain, neither of them looked terribly amused with the conditions. John G would like me to let his friends who are reading this blog know how rough it was out there today - up onto the moor in particular one could say it was not exactly fun struggling up the hill. Mind you John G, it must have been a little easier walking up, surely?...
Once up and over the moor the route flattened out a bit and generally followed the Carlyle to Settle railway for much of the day, crossing into Cumbria early on. Thankfully the rain lifted by lunchtime and we dried out a little as the afternoon wore on. Arrived in Armathwaite pretty weary and had a lovely hot bath, feeling much happier now. Well, happier for the moment anyway until John G comes and slaps me for broadcasting that he walked up the hill...
Stats for the day:
Time spent cycling: 4hr 53 mins
Average: 12.1 mph
Max: 41 mph
Bucketloads of water fallen on head today: 12,389
Love to all.
Another really wet morning with everyone lingering over their breakfast. Finally plucked the courage up to go outdoors and drenched within 2 minutes by torrential rain. It was looking like a really tough start to the morning, with a very steep climb just a couple of miles down the road. I was a little concerned that I wouldn't have had sufficient chance to warm up properly before the climb, which is why my psyche obviously decided it was going to help me by taking me on a 4 mile detour.... arrived back at my starting place 20 minutes later, totally soaked (but warm).
The climb was by far the hardest of the route so far and apparently was the last big one we are doing. It started with a one mile stiff climb up what I think was varying between a 1 in 4 and a 1 in 6, then a less stiff 3 mile slog to the top. Very quickly we were up into the clouds and it was what one might call downright miserable. Passed the two Johns on top of the steep section changing a puncture in a stiff wind and torrential rain, neither of them looked terribly amused with the conditions. John G would like me to let his friends who are reading this blog know how rough it was out there today - up onto the moor in particular one could say it was not exactly fun struggling up the hill. Mind you John G, it must have been a little easier walking up, surely?...
Once up and over the moor the route flattened out a bit and generally followed the Carlyle to Settle railway for much of the day, crossing into Cumbria early on. Thankfully the rain lifted by lunchtime and we dried out a little as the afternoon wore on. Arrived in Armathwaite pretty weary and had a lovely hot bath, feeling much happier now. Well, happier for the moment anyway until John G comes and slaps me for broadcasting that he walked up the hill...
Stats for the day:
Time spent cycling: 4hr 53 mins
Average: 12.1 mph
Max: 41 mph
Bucketloads of water fallen on head today: 12,389
Love to all.
posted by Chris Pugh at 4:38 pm
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