June 25th – After ‘Black Friday’, here comes the sun.
74.6 miles – total so far = 533.9
4,980 feet of climbing – total so far = 34,208
Max elevation 1,107 feet (first over 1,000 feet)
Worth just mentioning, the Just Giving page is still open at:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mike-bonsor3
​
La la la la, here comes the sun, and I say, I hope it’s going to be a better day than yesterday day, di dum di di dum di etc.
Well, it didn’t start brilliantly. Up, dressed, down for an early breakfast about 7 only to find the kitchen doesn’t open until 8! A little bit of sweet talking, aka known as pleading and the magnificent chef whom I never met had me a full English breakfast by 7:30. Yet again, the people we were bumping into were proving to be superstars and so willing to give help freely without expecting thanks or anything in return.
​
Check in with Gary at Uckfield, a video of me ‘Cheersing’ to be sent off to Sunday Brunch, and then it’s back down the hill I grumbled about at the end of yesterday’s ride.
The cycle paths were quiet, but I knew I was going to have a spot of bother as the path headed up a very steep, hill, turned to rough flagstones and a mountain biker in front of me got off and started pushing his bike. The ride wasn’t helped here by the crash barriers across the path every few yards, presumably to discourage people from riding down this bit, but it didn’t help those going up either.
After this, back onto proper roads again, and straight away the ride was getting better. Steady climbing for the first few miles. Grimsargh, Whittingham, Goosnargh, and then it was out into the country.
The weather was holding up, although the forecast had been for heavy showers today. As it was dry, started appreciating the ride more as you get plenty of time to look around on a bike. Kept crossing the M6 during this stage, but I was on the lovely quiet country lanes. It’s surprising how short the distance is that the noise from that road carries, could see the trucks, cars and coaches, but most of the time not hear them.
​
Before long, riding into Scorton, or as we had named it, Scrotum. Good café, nice tea and cake and time for some maintenance work. The cleats (special bits on the shoes that clip into the pedals) have been getting a bit worn, so it was time to put new ones on.
I had Alun keys but also added a fork and spoon to my tool kit to get the caked-on mud out from the fixings. It’s then a case of making sure I get the new ones on in exactly the same place as otherwise I will potentially invalidate the bike fit benefit. Slight problem in that the new cleats aren’t exactly the same size, so I have to think about where to place them to ensure the foot makes contact with the same point on the pedal. So, drawing lines on the shoes to show where the old cleats were helps a bit, but can’t be everything. Long story short, I think I got it about right as there was no noticeable drop off in riding and when checked later they were ok.
​
If I thought the road to Scrotum was nice, it only got a whole lot better afterwards, and still not wet. While it starts flat, after Galgate, there is four miles of steady climbing and the scenery continues to climb up the scale of wowness.
There is the balancing out descent down towards Caton and then a picturesque crossing of the River Lune. Nearly stop to take a picture, but lunch is calling and there is another hill looming so press on.
​
As I turn into Park Lane after crossing the river, I see a couple of cyclists ahead of me. This turns out to be a group of riders out from Bolton Sands for a days ride and I have caught up with them at the ideal time for me. Three miles of climbing, 400 odd feet so a bit steeper than the last one, but as I have got alongside the riders, who are quite spread out, I am able to chat with each of them for a while before moving up the line to the next one.
Not quite sure why I was looking so grumpy in my leaving picture, it was downhill to start!
​
This was the bit of the days ride that I had checked out last night, but it turned out to be more suited to mountain bikes! Glad this was the start of the day and it was dry.
​
This is almost like getting a slingshot up the hill as you don’t realise the hill is passing, or when you do realise it, it is as you are catching the next rider on the road. Being a confidence rider, it is so much better and easier for me to be going steadily past the group as we go up the hill, it gives me more strength doing that. At the same time, they are a very friendly group, as most social or club cyclists are and it was quite a good day out they had planned, but they were full of encouragement for what was still to come for me.
​
With their help, again, I don’t have their names, before I knew it I was at Arkholme, 42 miles done today now, in the dry and without drama.
As we sat outside the pub eating Bakewell tart, drinking tea and water, it suddenly registered, this was half way. In time, we were now six and a half days into thirteen days riding. Also, about half way in miles as well. The rest of the day now seemed significant for meaning that I was eating into the remainder and it was always going to be less than what had already been done. Confidence and psychology again.
​
Could have sat there longer had it not started raining, so on goes the waterproof and off to the next stop, which is in the middle of nowhere next to a lake on the Old Scotch Road.
​
Riding through Kirkby Lonsdale it is still raining, but by the time I am climbing up through Old Town on the afore mentioned Old Scotch Road, it has eased off and I can honestly delight in the beauty of this quiet old road and the surrounding countryside.
6 hours in and I am just past Killington Reservoir and the third stop of the day with a somewhat hysterical support team.
I can only say again, you have to check out what they are posting on Twitter and Facebook for updates showing how they are entertaining themselves waiting for me or driving along. This time though, different amusement, at least for one of them.
Apparently, Ruth arrived at this stop in need of peeing. It is in the middle of nowhere, so a bush is calling, at least it’s a quiet road. Then, with no warning, 75 million flies arrive putting her off the bush idea. Back in the car, bit further down the road, less flies and a bush is accepted. 30 seconds later, loads of traffic whizzes past causing hilarity at the close shave, and then the realisation that one of the flies is in the car and buzzing around.
Squeals, squeaks, strange facial expressions, jumping away from the fly and waving of hands at it is pretty much how I find Ruth as I arrive.
​
As it’s still a touch damp, short stop and then onwards.
Go through Sedburgh after a nice descent. While preparing for the ride, there had been a CRY fund raising event at the school here, so unzip the waterproof and show off the top in case anyone around was involved. Don’t think they were.
​
From here, it’s a steady climb for miles, about 8 of them with some little ups and downs until I get over 1,000 feet. I think it is the first of the ride, will have to check back on that though.
​
Last stop of the day is part way up this climb, where I find Ruth being videoed doing handstands as it is National Handstand Day. Of course, it would be wouldn’t it!
​
This is only 8 miles for the end for the day, but we have the psychology worked out better now and a quick pitstop at the end helps me. Still eating Helen and Steve’s Ripples, and a quick burst of sugar from that and another piece of Geoff’s Bakewell Tart (it was nearly never ending), and I am off again. Cracking straight on to the finish, get there quite quickly.
Think this one was The Black Bull. Nice hot bath to relax in after parking the bike in the beer cellar tonight. Then it was glad rags on, and downstairs to meet up with a couple of old friends who live in Leicester who were visiting their estate in Newcastle earlier.
Good food, a beer, good chat and feeling all in all that this was a better thing to be doing after all. Also, through the course of the day, plenty of people had been getting in touch one way or the other to offer encouragement after the ‘Black Day’ yesterday. That had helped a lot to know how many people are now following us, its growing and growing. The Facebook reach is well up into the thousands now whereas it had peaked at about 500 before the ride, well done support team and everyone sharing this around.
After the evening, warm glow from the food, beer, chat, not sure what the order is in terms of influence, and now looking forward to tomorrow, as that will see us enter Scotland.
Over half way there in days.
​
Over half way there in distance.
​
Got to be doable now.