Back to Pannal but this time returning via Beckwithshaw, Leathley - down the 16% hill used in the Tour de Yorkshire - Askwith: 35 miles and 2000 feet. I went on the ADVenture bike because North Yorkshire HIghways assume everyone drives a tractor or a Land Rover and maintains the roads accordingly.
As I cycled through Askwith I glanced right at the T -junction to the road that leads up to Blubberhouses. It is a serious climb.
One of my son's cycling chums who is a Consultant at Leeds General "everested" up and down the hill recently to raise funds for a new incubator. He started at 1am and rode up and down and up and down and...for 175.7 miles (283km) to climb 30,696ft (9356m) in a time of 14 hours 43 minutes, which was 64 reps. I know the climb well and that is mind numbing.
He has raised over £8000 so far. Doctors eh?
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 26-11-2020 at 10:04 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Carrying a few running-related niggles, so this morning i got on the bike and attempted my first relatively fast bike effort for a couple of decades (save for a few 50 milers whilst on holiday in the Canaries a few years back).
When i was 16/17 i had a little time-trial i used to do, about 22 miles, perhaps 1200-1500ft altogether but certainly nothing major and the biggest climb no more than 5mins out of the saddle.
I have vague memories of not being able to break 1hr30 when i was in my teens, so that was my target today... without going completely hell-for-leather, but maintaining a good effort, managed 1hr24 today in cold and damp conditions.
I don't supposed i've moved much with the times in the 21 years since i last did it... technical clothing today consisted of a pair of Ron Hill tracksters, and i even had the same bike i used in the 90's.
My racing spirit got awakened in the middle section when i caught and passed a very serious looking guy on a mainly uphill section of a few miles... he more than redressed the balance on a long downhill couple of miles on his racing bike, flying past me without even pedalling, whilst i was ragging the hell out of mine just to try and top 30mph.
Might have another go at xmas.
Friend (Dr Bike) put the new bottom bracket in today, I shall put back peddles and chain tomorrow and hopefully back for ride. He fettled a few other things whilst at it, think he wondered how I rode it!
With leg injured again I do need my wheels.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
Thirty miles (2000 feet) along muddy country lanes that I have often passed and thought "I wonder what is down there..." and so on a claggy day I saw more tractors than cars, more horses than cyclists and few people out in the chilly miserable weather. But I passed a trout hatchery (on the River Washburn), a young man who had driven his car into a ditch and hedge and seemed pre-occupied on his mobile phone when I passed, Almscliffe Crag and the wonderful Briscoerigg National Grid Gas Offtake Station - which gladdens the heart of any engineer who can see the poetry in vast Cameron ball valves.
All this...and back before dark.![]()
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".