As usual we got there, the ride HQ, with plenty of time to faff around.
Unloaded the car, collect our Brevet cards, had a coffee and caught up
with some randoneering friends.
The starting pace was not as high as usual, maybe I am faster maybe I
just didn't care and didn't bother to make sure I kept in touch.
Its getting late in the year and my enthusiasm is waning. It is a hilly
course, Damon was talking it up, highlighting the possibility of
turning back early and doing 150km instead of 200. I am good enough in
hills this year, this was never seriously considered.
The Trough of Bowland was as beautiful as I remember, not as tough as
it used to be over 10 years ago, I overtook many riders on the first
real climbs but had to wait for my riding buddy at the top as she is
not as fast as me on the hills. I had a good work out though and plenty
of rest. The first control was a nice café with seats outside and
plenty of other riders, we were not too far behind, as often happens
there were ready to leave before us so we remained behind. Heading
north we passed through Bentham and onto the road to Dent and new road
for me, not as hard as I had feared. On one of the few flat parts of
the route my buddy punctured and we were delayed again while we mended
it. The control café in Dent was heaving , I wish the organisers
would provide alternative controls sometimes, one is obliged to
patronise the café controls and rightly so but not everyone wants to
hang around for so long to get served especially one is falling behind
and the café is busy. We got our cards stamped and pushed on without
lunch.
Stuffing bars, that's muesli, not handle, in my mouth we rolled up to
Cowgill, past Dentdale YH and the climb through Denthead Viaduct to the
Ingleton-Hawes road. We had done this part two weeks prior and I knew
it was not too difficult, we joined the road towards the top of the
climb leaving a rolling stretch then a downhill to Hawes. Right then
right in Hawes, past the Creamery and into Gayle. We missed the info
control in our eagerness to get on the climb of Fleet Moss, never mind,
I'll just ask someone ."what was forbidden in he school grounds".
Fleet Moss was a [censored] as expected at least I managed to ride all the
way up this time, my only previous attempt was in driving rain and I
had to walk the 25% sections. The descent was careful after witnessing
a crash two weeks prior , followed by a splendid blast down the very
pretty Langstrothdale. Down Wharfedale in sunshine to Kettlewell and
onto Threshfield. Across to Gargrave through Cracoe, another new road
for me. It was about time I actually stopped in the famous Dalesman
Café, I must go there more often, it really is nice and always popular
with cyclists.
Only 60 km to go, I wish it was all flat. Not too bad actually, the
route profile showed only one sizable climb but nothing compared to
what we'd already done, it became apparent that we'd not be back
before dark, we had lights so no real worries but checking the route
sheet may be tricky with no head torch. We switched the lights on with
about 10miles to go, it was dark under the trees on the unlit roads and
we rolled back into the HQ at about 19:30. All in all a long 200, 212km
according to the route sheet, much hillier than the AAA points would
suggest. Fantastic scenery in the Trough of Bowland and Yorkshire
Dales. A good day out and a good work out.