I was supposed to go on a New Years Day ride with Adam but he got in trouble with Cheryl on News Years Eve and wasn’t allowed out to play. Instead we went the on the 2nd. I originally I wanted to do a hilly loop round Ribblehead, Whernside and Dentdale; partly because I hadn’t linked those tracks up before and partly because I hoped the forecast rain would be snow at that height. Alec wanted to come along and I thought that ride would be too much to we changed it to a local loop involving Stockdale lane. In the end it was lucky we did because I struggled the whole way round.
Adam and I set off in the rain to meet Alec in Hellifield. I think we were both hoping the other would have bailed out, a fact confirmed when Adam said Alec had called early asking about the weather. Alec had somehow persuaded two friends to join us, despite the poor forecast. It was freezing and raining, hopefully it would be snowy higher up. This time I’d remembered to wear my overshoes and I was confident I’d return with all my toes.
Alec showed us a sneaky back route to Long Preston where we proceeded to climb up towards Settle top. I was finding it surprisingly difficult. At the bottom of Stockdale Lane we could see snow, quite a bit of it. What with the snow and my useless legs I had no chance of doing it without dabbing today and so it proved. Adam nearly managed it aboard his new swanky carbon fibre 5inch full suspension bike. He was the only one without mudguards and with fashionable clothes that were too short to tuck into his cycling shorts. I sure there was a bit of a Yorkshire grit induced rash by the end of the day!
At the top of Stockdale we were over taken by a nasty hail storm which soon banished all thoughts of extending the ride. Whilst I’d struggled up every hill I somehow managed to get down them rather quickly considering the muddy conditions. I even managed to impress Adam!
We stopped for a pint at the Buck Inn and I foolishly chose my favourite, Theakstons’s Old Peculier at 5.6%. Not a good choice considering my empty stomach and famous lack of drinking stamina. We then went to the Vic for another pint. Adam wanted a third so I had an Irish coffee and by now I was decidedly wobbly. Somehow I cycled home in a straight line without getting knocked off and then proceeded to embarrass myself in front of Sue, her sister and brother in law.