After failing to get my second bike to work in on Friday, the stage was set for a decent Saturday ride. Despite horrid forecast Herb and I decided that something must be done, so we set off in dismal looking, but dry, conditions over Halton Heights.
We'd decided to do a longer version of last Sunday's ride, so it was up to App'trick then the climb up to the Greenhow road. It seems ages since we've been out in the proper wet, and my new brake shoes on the back were less than confidence inspiring, so I descended gingerly into Pateley, but not so gingerly I could actually turn off at the right place.
The climb up towards Dacre is new to us, but the number of chevrons on the road suggested it was going to be hard work. In the end it was steep bits interspersed with easier sections, but by this time we were pretty cold and wet so it became pretty tough as we climbed past Darley towards Menwith Hill.
We crossed the A59, and then turned left, away from home, which felt illogical with the weather so crap. We skirted Harrogate, then dropped down past Almscliff and turned for home at last. The return journey was easier than the first half, but a climb over Langbar the "easy" way kept us interested.
A last pull up through Halton East saw us home wet, cold and a bit knackered, with 55 hilly miles on the clock and 4 hours of non-stop cycling under our belts. Sure it'll do us good later in the summer, but it certainly felt like hard work at times.
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