Monday 2 July 2007

Day 7 Milnthorpe to Langholm


June 25 2007. Real dining out weather today. Not the kind for eating alfresco mind you, but the horrendous wet and windy sort that you dine out on for years retelling how appalling it was. I had opted for the more picturesque route through the Lake District, riding over Kirkstone pass, which reaches about 1500ft. After a testing warm up on poor road surfaces the climb rose out of Windermere for 7 miles, but was nowhere near as difficult as a big Alpine climb. Dad was having a bit of a navigational nightmare, thrown off-track by roadworks in Windermere. When he finally caught up with me I was only 1.5 miles from the summit and we agreed to meet at the top. Until then, except for a short 16 per cent section, the climb had been fine. But nearing the top the full force of the northerly gale and the rain hit me. Within 300 yards of the summit the wind stopped the bike completely dead, forcing me to unclip one foot to prevent myself toppling over. Luckily, I reached the top at 11am, just as the pub was opening. The pub's owners, declaring it was just like mid-winter outside, had a roaring coal fire going. It was impossible to walk properly into the wind, so we estimated it was in excess of 50mph and I thought I might have to walk the bike down the first part of the descent. In the end I decided to chance it. Pedalling downhill I managed a massive 7.8mph at the start of the descent and the gradient reached 20 per cent before I achieved 20mph.

The worst part was that there were still 60 miles to go into a fierce headwind. Psychologically, riding the very straight, undulating A6 into Carlisle into that wind was one of the lowest points of the trip. On the slightly downhill sections, which on a calmer day I would have negotiated at over 20 mph, I was reduced to 10-12 mph. I stopped to meet Dad every 10 miles just to have a few minutes break from pushing into the gale.

The day finished well, however, with great hospitality from the Huttons at Wauchope Cottage B&B in Langholm. A comfortable, pretty spot run by fellow cyclists and with a bath too, to soak aching limbs.

81.2 miles, 12.6 mph

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