5 Colts 1 Dallam rider
It was cold and dark I didn't have time to put the front lights on the bike, but i did have my helmet on more about that later, as I gingerly rode up Sands Lane. No sign of the Colts so I slowly made my way to Silverdale thinking that would be a good idea to keep warm and a chance to get my legs into action ready for them. I looked back as I crossed the railway line catching a glance of the groups headlights approaching, they rolled up and I slipped into the centre of the pack. We rode at a steady pace passing through Sliverdale, Arnside, Storth, Milnthorpe , Levens and then onto Brigsteer at this point our leader and club captain turned right. I was asked if I wanted a shorter ride to go back with the Captain or turn left with the others for a slightly longer ride. Someone did shout out Kirkstone Pass but I thought there no way, we were miles away from there. Well that's just were we went up the long drag and down The Struggle. We rode though the Lythe valley and into Bowness, the roads are covered with pot holes and just before we were to start our ride up the drag I punctured, which was a good time to have a little break while the service crew swap my tube, they were great all I really had to do was blow up the new tyre.
Puncture repaired, I washed my oily hands in a beck and wiped them on a moss covered rock, big mistake as I had a great deal of trouble inserting my hand back in my glove and only a few miles down the road I couldn't feel my little fingers. I had been concerned about the climb up Kirkstone for a few miles before, I was soon dropped off the back of the group but I didn't want to be too far behind them, so a great deal of dig in and push on was done for the next 5 miles. I was pleased I wasn't as far behind as I thought as we approached the summit. The descent was hairey with a few ice patches and the lower slopes trashed by the recent cold snap.
We were now homeward bound as we passed the mini roundabout at the foot of Kirkstone Pass two riders came into view. It was their misfortune that saved us from the ice covered road. Up ahead one of them went down and the other went straight over the top of him hitting the tarmac pretty hard, ouch, we stopped to pick them and their bikes up from the middle of the road, one lad was covered in blood, he didn't have his helmet which may well have saved his face the other lad was pacing up and down as he did, he removed his helmet only to find it was in two but I think it saved him any damage. We stayed with them for a while before heading off all of us at a slower pace.
I was starting to fade and was dropping off the back a little bit on each hill with no food or drinks left it was going to be a hard 15miles home. Steve S was taking the low roads at Heversham, I almost went with him but I thought the route down the A6 would get me home quicker. I just about kept up with the pace but I was starting to go backwards, so I told the 3 other riders to press on and thanks for mornings ride they left me at Hale so it was an easy 5 miles home for me.
I was glad I went and glad they pushed me along, it was the longest ride I've done since September 2009 and the coldest
Totals: 64m 4:45mins 3385ft Ascent 14mph ave speed
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