Etape du Dales - a bit of a wake-up call!

 Me on the run down to Halton Gill, after the climbing is over...

EDD today, which I must admit I'd been dreading.  I've done relatively little hilly cycling in the early part of the year because of marathon build-up, and 110 miles over virtually every big hill in the Dales was always going to be tough.

The Herb going over the top of Buttertubs

Set off with the Herb as the Harrowgays have sacked us, and managed to pick up a fairly brisk tow all the way to the start of Fleet Moss.  This wasn't too bad, but I could already feel my legs going "Hello! What's going on here?  We not running today then?".  Buttertubs was also ok, and we were passing people up the hills then getting passed on the descent as we tried to conserve a bit of energy.  Down Swaledale was quick, but the climb over to Arkengarthdale was steep and gnarly.

Swaledale

As we turned up towards Tan Hill we realised that the wind was in pretty much the worst direction - a stiff north-westerly.  There's two climbs in succession heading straight into it, and they're both long - about 6 miles each.  On a short steep climb like Park Rash the wind doesn't have much effect, but on these two climbs you really need a still day of some help - we got neither.  At one point we had about a dozen riders strung out behind us and got no help at all.

After Nateby I started to feel awful, and was glad to sit on the back of a bunch to the Moorcock.  A few sandwiches and a pork pie gave me the necessary fortitude to head for the Coal Road.  I was really worried about a complete shed collapse, so took this very steady indeed - although I must have passed a dozen people walking.  Once we descended into Dentdale it became clear that The Herb was having his bad patch, and for once he didn't get away on the climb.

Ribblehead - one more climb to go

The ride down to Stainforth was hard, but by now the "miles to go" on my Garmin was heading down towards 20, and, barring accidents, we were going to get round, which had been my only real objective.

Dropping into Littondale - no more up!

We got a real second wind down Littondale and did the last 16 miles at an average speed of over 20mph.  We finished in 8:12, which includes about 30mins of stops - remarkably close (considering the wind and how slowly we did some bits) to a silver standard, which is 8hrs.

Suppose it means we'll have to do it next year...