Well, you'll all be pleased to know that I'm back, and whilst I haven't had time to fully digest my epic adventure, I've copied a ride report that I wrote to go elsewhere below. I will be back in the coming weeks to add to this in my more normal format, once my minds had a chance to digest all those miles and I've got the time to actually put all those thoughts to words. But for the time being; Sunday / Monday 7/8 Aug After an easy morning sat around in the sun and cheering off the early starters, my turn to depart slowly came around and I departed with the 13:15 group, not ideal for an habitual early riser, but not the end of the world either. As expected the group set off at a blistering pace, far too fast for me to sustain for the mileage ahead and I quickly let them go, drifting happily off the back of the fast group to settle into my own pace, only to gradually pass most of those that had set off too fast over the next few miles and were now paying the price. A steady first section saw me at St Ives for 17:00 and after a brief pause to refill my water bottles and grab a quick snack at the busy control, I pushed on for Boston. The flat roads through the Fens allowed for some fast miles and with the sun slowly going down the temperatures became far more bearable, leading to a magical sunset as the sun slowly sunk across the open countryside, setting the scene for what would hopefully be a brilliant week's riding. Boston came and went, as did Louth, with just brief stops at each and I pushed on to Hessle, crossing the bridge in the dark and arriving at the control at 03:00. My arrival at Hessle signalled my first dilemma and the decision on whether to grab a couple of hours sleep or push on. I'd always seen this as a bit of an issue due to my late start time. With 300Km done it made sense to sleep, although the control was still busy with the earlier arrivals and it would be light in an hour, so likewise it made sense to push on and aim for 600KM before sleeping, possibly getting me ahead of the main field? Decision made and after a quick brew and bite to eat I pushed on, heading into the hillier ground as the night started to give way to day. By 05:00 my eyelids were drooping and I stopped in a field gate, leaning my bike against the gate and myself against my bike and had a 10 minute snooze which did the trick and saw me though to Malton in time for breakfast. Again the control at Malton was busy and for the first (and last) time in the ride I had to queue for breakfast. As others have already noted the next leg to Barnard Castle had some brutal climbs and on more than a few occasions I made the decision to dismount and walk up the steepest bits. I'm not proud and would rather save my knees and energy for the bits where I can make a difference (what's the point in struggling up hill at 4MPH when I can walk up the same hill with half the effort at 3MPH?) Barnard Castle eventually arrived around 15:00, and a late lunch / early tea kept the hunger pangs at bay as I pushed on. I'll happily confess that the diversion on the next leg nearly broke me. Tiredness and the heat of the day were taking their toll and those climbs nearly finished me off, but I pushed on, enjoying the last few miles into Brampton. Brampton arrived for 21:00, along with the 570Km marker, and with most of those I'd arrived with pushing on to Moffatt, I took the opportunity to eat, grab a shower and bag a place in the empty dormitory for a couple of hours sleep, my first since setting off 32 hours previously. Tuesday 9th Aug I'd originally planned on 3 hours sleep, but was awake after 2, so got up and was back on the road again, heading for Moffatt by 01:00. Fully layered up, including my lightweight down jacket, the miles up to Moffatt were chilly, but with a steady stream of flashing red bike lights in front of me to follow / chase, it was an enjoyable leg. Steadily pushing along the smooth gradients, following the motorway and train line, before the final few miles through mist filled dawn valleys, to arrive at Moffatt in time for a breakfast feast. The climb up the Devils Beef tub from Moffatt, proved as magical in the early morning light as I remembered from previous adventures, providing some stunning views across the valley to revive tired legs and distract my mind from the task in hand. Followed by some easier miles on the cobbles that seem to pass for a road surface in this part of the world, for the run into Dunfermline. Sneak previews of the bridges off in the distance gave me a glimpse of the joys to come and something to aim for and by lunchtime I was across the Forth and heading up the busy slog of a climb to the control. I'll happily admit that I didn't enjoy the leg through Edinburgh at all. The heat didn't help but the endless cycle lanes, heavy traffic, terrible road surfaces and steep climbs weren't to my liking. Helpfully though I linked up with another rider for a few of those miles and between us we battled our way through the traffic, before a return to more normal service as we were spat out the other side, where we once again went our own separate ways, his pace being far to fast for my legs. A few more miles of steady climbing and then all that slog was instantly repaid as the long fast descent into Innerleithen hove into view and the speed under my wheels picked up. Descending through the beautiful valley roads into Innerleithen is another memory that will stay with me for years to come, as will the next stint through yet more outstanding scenery to Eskdalemuir. More fabulous food and an outstanding welcome (as they all were) from the volunteers at Eskdalemuir saw me ready for a final leg for the day, just as the sun started setting. And if the views from the miles before had been views to remember, the scenery as the sun set on the hills around me and the moon slowly rose at the start of the next leg were to die for. No matter how tired I was or how much my legs complained at the hills ahead, I was as happy as the proverbial pig, this is what cycling is all about in my opinion, and it was with a lightened heart that I pushed on into the dark, heading back toward Brampton. Picking up a flagging fellow rider in the miles before Brampton, a bit of mutual assistance and chatting helped pass those final few miles and I arrived back at Brampton for midnight, 22 hours after setting off, with another 374 km completed. Wednesday 10th Aug A solid 4 hours sleep and an extra brew with breakfast, saw me departing Brampton feeling fully refreshed and ready for another hard day at 06:00. After my sense of humour failure on the endless hills on the way up, I'd not been looking forward to this stretch (a feeling that seemed to be shared by everyone I spoke too). But in the cooler morning air, it didn't seem anywhere near as bad as the images my mind had been playing back, and despite a bit more walking on the steeper bits I was back in Barnard Castle for lunchtime, having enjoyed yet more of the best scenery the UK has to offer. Now, I know I always struggle in the afternoons (it must be a circadian rhythm thing) but again I found the leg from Barnard Castle back to Malton a real struggle. The heat made for hard going and the climbing just seemed to never end. In fact there was more than one occasion when I rounded a corner to be faced with another vertical climb that I wondered what I was doing there and it was only grit and determination that drove me on through the heat of the afternoon. A water bottle refill, when they were both almost dry and I was starting to get desperate, from a lovely lady by the roadside as we passed through, bought more than a tear to my eye and a quick snooze in the shade a while later gave me the energy to push on. Finally arriving in Malton for Tea at 18:30. Refreshed and fed, I pushed on, heading for Hessle, enjoying yet another stunning sunset and moonrise and fully enjoying the feeling of the tarmac smoothly rolling beneath my wheels now that the worst of the climbing was over and the stifling heat of the day had subsided. Back at Hessle for 23:00 the control was eerily quiet. I guess that by this time I must somehow have leapfrogged many of the riders in front of me, and after another shower I settled down in the nearly empty dormitory for a few hours sleep. Although, whilst I say it was a nearly empty room, there was still someone snoring loudly enough to wake the dead, but by this time I was so tired that the building could have collapsed and I'd still have slept through it! Thursday 11th Aug
Back on the road again for 05:00 I enjoyed an early morning crossing of the Humber bridge, complete with low laying mist out to sea, and the sun slowly rising, to herald yet another scorching day. The leg between Hessle and Louth seemed significantly hillier than it had been on the way up, but I made steady progress, arriving at what seemed to be a still sleeping Louth in time for a second breakfast. Louth to Boston passed without fanfare or remark, with the easier terrain making for quicker progress and I rolled in at 10:55 ready for a spot of lunch, only to be disappointed to find that it was still breakfast on the menu. Oh well “beggars can't be choosers” and porridge, toast and a banana is far better than a poke in the eye, so I'm not complaining. Lunch, breakfast or a combination of them all, my brief stop at Louth and warm welcome from the ever smiling volunteer cadre set me up nicely for a hot run across the Fens in the early afternoon. A run made far better by an ice cream stop in Crowland(?). I can't actually believe that I'd got 1300 or so KM in before I'd had an ice cream, there's certainly something wrong there! Picking up the cycle way out of St Ives, I found myself in the unfortunate situation of drafting a young lady on a single speed shopping bike for a while. Having ever so slowly caught her up, my tired legs just didn't have the strength to push past, and I just sat there for a while feeling inadequate! I must say that she had a fair turn of pace on her, but drafting someone on their way to the shops complete with shopping basket, come on me get a grip, and I eventually managed to drag myself past! Like the earlier stint through Edinburgh, I found the miles through Cambridge tedious, tiring and too busy for my liking. Miles that were only improved by a brief chat with a rider touring his way home, having packed at Barnard Castle (?) but who proved good company for a few miles and provided a welcome distraction from the rush hour traffic. A final hilly slog and another ice cream (that made up for missing out on previous days) saw me in Great eastern ready for one final push to the end and I was on the road, heading for the finish line by 21:00. Those last few miles, from Great Eastern were great. Fast, winding roads, took me back to my childhood, riding bikes with my mates, feeling the exhilaration of moving at speed and the wind in my hair. As far as I was concerned I could have gone on forever, but before I knew it I was being waved to a stop as the rear entrance to the final control hove into view. Just one more climb, just one more decent? No that was it job done, fun over! And what fun it had been. I'll admit that there had been hard miles, and there had been times when I thought “what the hell am I doing here”. But, those pale into insignificance against the views, the scenery, the memories, and the welcome and support received from the many hundreds of volunteers that gave up their own time to make my ride possible. What a week, 105 hours and 45 minutes, 1541 Km (952 miles) after setting off I was back where I started from, tired, sore, sweaty and looking forward to a shower, but with that feeling of contentment that only comes from a hard job well done. I'm sure that as time goes by and everything that I've seen and done over those hours is analysed by my brain, I'll have more to say about my ride. But for now there's 2 words that seem to sum it all up quite well and that's: Beautifully, Brutal. Or maybe; Brutally, Beautiful?
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Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
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