LEJOG – June 2015, Days 6, 7 and 8

Life on the road is so busy, that we have missed doing the blog for the last two nights, so apologies to our millions of readers, but this is an edition for the three days …..

Day 6 – Was from Congelton to Skipton skirting the Peak District to avoid Manchester with some sharp climbs and descents then via Hollingworth Lake to Todmorton to enter God’s own county – Yorkshire (whoo hoo) at Todmorden. At Hebden Bridge we began a long steady climb over to Haworth and on to Keighley and Skipton. 79 miles with over 6000’ of climbs. We ended the day in Skipton, with Martyn crashing out while trying to answer his mobile phone while riding …….

Day 7 – Skipton to Birdoswald was our longest day of the tour. 95 miles up to Birdoswald, a Roman fort set on Hadrians wall. Everyone excelled the ride through the Yorkshire Dales was spoilt only by the rain.

Day 8 – Birdoswald to Peebles. A brilliant day through the Scottish borders. The riders are now seeing 75 miles as a short day !!! A few good climbs, some  great descents. Weather a little dodgy but now everyone is in the groove, most people were back in Peebles shortly after 4pm

Except, Stephen and Pat, who decided to go off piste via Selkirk and Hawick….we believe to avoid the hills, but probably garmin ‘not working properly’ was a factor (LOL) (Stephen’s navigation apparently was based on the angle of the sun, which was not apparent at the time !!)

Mike up graded to drop handle bars when his gears decided not to work. He was excellent, even if struggling to get into all parts of his gears.

Phillip  joined us for unfinished business, after a patch of  mud caused his early finish in 2014.

Riders Quotes over the last three days ……

We were on Hadrians Wall, and Pat said  – so who made this then ?

Brilliant climb out of Wharfedale (Martyn)….. we should have gone the other way (Iain)……

Birdoswald / Roman fort was unique …. Excellent meal prepared by Rachel and Ray, plus team.

Julie – After 98miles, 75 is no problem …..

Jon rekons the Hebden Bridge climb should be iconic (He’s currently negotiating it with Martyn)

Neil was delighted to show Del boy where hard northern men come from ……

Steve and Iain at least told us what we were looking at, even though we couldn’t see a thing …..

It wasn’t funny Jon falling off his bike at 0mph (from all of us)……

Jon – DON’T TOUCH MY TOAST …..

Skipton to Birdoswald – Absolute, stonking, best 94 miles you could ever do.

I got wet, I fell over, I conquered ……..

You’ve heard of Eddie the Eagle, well we’ve got Eddie the Kestrel….

Garmin control   – Some said left, some said right, Steve’s said do a u turn.

Riders postulate as they ride on Martyn’s climb definitions …. hilly, undulating, significant, iconic. Apparently most of the UK is only undulating, with no significant hills ……….