My C2C in a day effort (almost!) The Idea The Ride The route out of Workington is easy to follow (just beware of the VERY narrow footbridge at the harbour) and before long I was speeding through a very deserted Cockermouth (Wythop Woods was still shut due to FMD so I went via Embleton before rejoining the route at Bassenthwaite Lake) hitting Keswick and my first food stop at 6.45 am. The weather had kept dry for me up to now and so it remained as I cycled along lovely quiet roads to our house at Penrith where Lou was waiting with a bacon butty and a much needed coffee! It was now 8.50 am and I felt really good, I was making good time and ahead of schedule. A quick phone call to Andy who was going to cycle with me up to Hartside and I was off again.
An excellent, fast ride down to Leadgate and onto Garrigill followed before going over the very steep road route to Nenthead (Priorsdale and the off road section through the mines was closed, again due to the dreaded FMD problem). Lou met me again just out of Garrigill and very strategically placed half way up the hill (thanks Lou, how did you know I needed to stop then?) at which point Christine took a very scenic (she said!) photo of me toiling my way up and then the heavens opened and the rain came. Respite was taken in the car before realising it wasn't going to stop and I had better be making tracks to keep on schedule. I have never been as wet on a bike before, it was absolutely teeming down and the run down into Nenthead was like riding down a river, the water was streaming down the road making my brakes virtually ineffective and I only just managed to take the sharp right hand bend at the foot of the hill into Nenthead. The ride out of Nenthead and up to Black Hill is horrible anyway but, with the rain pelting down it was the stuff of nightmares. I arrived at Black Hill soaked to the skin, tired and very, very cold. Lou and Christine were waiting there for me so I jumped in the car to get a change of clothing, another coffee (thank you for bringing that flask Christine) and waited a while till it eased off while listening to Lou tell me about arriving at Black Hill to see 2 bikes dumped by the side of the road and 2 very wet crouching figures having a toilet break! The pouring rain started to subside to a mere drizzle so it was back on the bike again at about 2.30 pm and down into Allenheads, but, a mile or so after leaving Black Hill the rain came back and my previously rediscovered good spirits went again! It bucketed down all the way into Allenheads where I overtook the two previously mentioned toilet stopping cyclists (only the second group I had met all day). I decided to carry on without stopping so gave Lou and Christine a false smile and a regal wave as I passed them and started up the pull out of Allenheads. I admit that I had to get off and walk the first section as by this time I was getting tired, demoralised and wet again! Lou drove past me halfway up and later remarked that I didn't look like a very happy bunny which must be the understatement of the year! I cycled the rest of the hill before descending into Rookhope, normally I love this long, downhill section but the rain was pouring, the road was like a river and without using profanities I honestly couldn't explain to you exactly how demoralised I felt at the time, this was meant, after all, to be fun! I was soaked to the skin, I was tired, I was miserable and I knew I still had the Rookhope Incline to come. A mixture of pushing and riding the incline got me to the top by which time it had stopped raining so I sat down, had a ciggy and felt sorry for myself. My knees were hurting with the rain and the cold and I still had over 40 miles to go. My next stop was at Parkhead Station where I was due to meet Lou as well as Lorraine Turnbull who is the proprietor and to whom I have spoken lots but never met. An excellent section followed, it was wet, it was muddy and because I had decided on using slicks (WHY?) it was very, very slippery! I got to the start of the Waskerly Way to find a very concerned Lou and Christine who were on the verge of sending out a search party for me. A very wet and muddy cyclist then descended on the refreshments caravan and made a mess of the floor (sorry Lorraine), another coffee was consumed and a very nice looking sandwich wasn't! Food was the last thing on my mind, my apologies to Lorraine and Terry if I wasn't very good company, next time I am through that way I can guarantee I will smile through un-gritted teeth.
It was now on to the Waskerly Way and a fast ride (with no rain!) to Consett and the Terris Novalis statue where Lou forced me to eat a very cold but very, very nice bacon sandwich. Suitably refreshed I set off through Consett and then onto the Consett and Sunderland railway path. The weather had decided to pick up now (no rain but still bloody cold - I thought this was summer!) but the puddles still remained, I had given up caring so just blasted through them which I enjoyed immensely. Then, about a mile before Stanley, I suffered a puncture. No problem, I whipped the wheel off and fitted a new inner tube in record time and off I went again. It must be pointed out at this time that I had been cycling on what seemed like a carpet of broken glass for the past couple of miles so if you are planning on the C2C beware! Unfortunately, after another mile or so and only 18 miles from the finish I suffered another puncture, after a torrent of expletives aimed at the cretins who decide it's fun to smash bottles on cycle tracks, I took the wheel off, removed inner tube, found the puncture repair kit and spent the next 25 minutes trying to mend a puncture with cold hands, numb fingers and a shivering body. I couldn't locate the hole and knew that I didn't have another inner tube in the car. It was at this point a weaker man would have broke down and cried, I didn't, I just gave in! It was time to ring the cavalry. I got the mobile out to find it had got damp and wouldn't work, another 15-20 minutes were spent drying it out with a wet shirt and a cigarette lighter! Finally I got in touch with Lou and arranged to be picked up. I made my way to a garage and got ready for a long wait as Lou was almost at Sunderland. Thankfully I only had to stand shivering for 15 minutes thanks to an unknown taxi driver who gave Lou impeccable instructions on how to get to Stanley. The bike was loaded on the car, I got into dry clothes (absolute heaven!) and it was off for something to eat and then home. An uncompleted one day attempt which, as I write this the day after, I seem to (miraculously!) have enjoyed and although when I got in the car after the punctures said never again I have now set another date (albeit provisionally) of 26th August 2001. Some people are just plain MAD. Thanks My Tips After Effects FOOTNOTE
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