Now, I know I suggested rain of biblical proportions yesterday, well, the old boy looking for his animal pairs was out again today..
We started with the climb of Shap Fell. It is hardest right at the top of its nine mile duration, and keeps turning corners to surprise you, the climb was done in light rain, which kept temperatures manageable but the descent was done in high winds and driving rain. Down through Penrith towards Carlisle for lunch ( the support crew of Dave and Andy are gems, they've got the routine for each stop, whether it be a 12.5 interim or 25 "bottle stop" ..invaluable today , especially with warm jackets and towels) .. On the run in we were passed by the two Ride for Vince guys ( local to us back home, doing a 10 day ride) for the last time as our paths diverge taking different routes through Scotland , and us finishing a goodly way north of them tonight. Lovely team ( including their support car, which has, along with ours , another group and a chap on a moto supporting a solo rider , formed a great camaraderie with toots and waves as each passes the other)
The ride from Carlisle to Gretna was physically and mentally tough, though flat, we had really high winds coming straight off the Atlantic trying to throw us, especially P , somewhere near Newcastle !!! . Over the border (HOME!!) and picked up the b7076 all the way up alongside the M74.. And the rain hit again.. Our stop after ecclefechan was a bit fraught, I'd not turned on my garmin so the mileage wasn't clocking up, though I didn't notice, so felt we weren't getting anywhere and running with rain jackets was slowing us and sapping all energy.
Having finally got my act together, we set off on the final push, over Beatock summit and down (eventually, it felt as though it never would) to Abington and our hotel..
Starting and finishing over big hills made it an interesting day, made tougher by the weather. Tomorrow is looking better for both profile and weather... So...off to Pitlochry .. Night all x
No comments:
Post a Comment