Two days to go
On Friday, I take the short 12 mile cycle to Central Station and catch the 15:13 train to Carlisle then onto a connection to Whitehaven to begin a tough weekend of training for the new cycle season.
Solo of course, I must like my own company after all these years.
It will be C2C No. 5 for me I think, I remember the very first, which was the longest ride I'd done at that time about 11 years ago, when I was just getting back into cycling. I still have a photo on the beach at Tynemouth (shown below) as I completed the 140 miles over three days with stops at Langwathby and Stanhope. I looked a bit younger and a lot lighter then.
The weather recently has been very severe with gale force winds and torrential rain, this after a beautiful sunny February so I'm hoping it stays dry and if there are winds that they blow from the west.
This year's intention is to complete in two days as work always infringes on having fun :-)
Day one on Saturday should start in Whitehaven by dipping the rear wheel in the Irish Sea, then taking the traditional route out towards Loweswater, over the Whinlatter Pass, onto Keswick, Greystoke, Penrith, Langwathby, over the sheer test that is Hartside (where sadly there is no longer a cafe at the top of the climb) then the best 4 miles downhill to Alston and a bed at the Youth Hostel there.
Day two will be either picking up the route again to Nenthead, Allenheads, over to Consett as we reach County Durham, then following the old railway line to Rowlands Gill, popping by the Metro Centre and down the River Tyne to a conclusion in Tynemouth by teatime (or) possibly taking a shorter route via Hexham and down the Tyne Valley on the North side to Newcastle, onwards to the Coast.
All the packing is done, trying to travel as light as possible with one change bag with all the necessary cremes and lotions for the sore bits. I'll be taking some tuna & tomato pasta, teabags and coffee with me for a Saturday night feast as there isn't very much in Alston, and I probably won't feel like being sociable after 75 miles mainly up hill.
I will try and update this blog as I go, 4G permitting. The weather is however the most important thing that can go wrong! I'm praying its not like this weather chart of two weeks ago.
Solo of course, I must like my own company after all these years.
It will be C2C No. 5 for me I think, I remember the very first, which was the longest ride I'd done at that time about 11 years ago, when I was just getting back into cycling. I still have a photo on the beach at Tynemouth (shown below) as I completed the 140 miles over three days with stops at Langwathby and Stanhope. I looked a bit younger and a lot lighter then.
The weather recently has been very severe with gale force winds and torrential rain, this after a beautiful sunny February so I'm hoping it stays dry and if there are winds that they blow from the west.
This year's intention is to complete in two days as work always infringes on having fun :-)
Day one on Saturday should start in Whitehaven by dipping the rear wheel in the Irish Sea, then taking the traditional route out towards Loweswater, over the Whinlatter Pass, onto Keswick, Greystoke, Penrith, Langwathby, over the sheer test that is Hartside (where sadly there is no longer a cafe at the top of the climb) then the best 4 miles downhill to Alston and a bed at the Youth Hostel there.
Day two will be either picking up the route again to Nenthead, Allenheads, over to Consett as we reach County Durham, then following the old railway line to Rowlands Gill, popping by the Metro Centre and down the River Tyne to a conclusion in Tynemouth by teatime (or) possibly taking a shorter route via Hexham and down the Tyne Valley on the North side to Newcastle, onwards to the Coast.
All the packing is done, trying to travel as light as possible with one change bag with all the necessary cremes and lotions for the sore bits. I'll be taking some tuna & tomato pasta, teabags and coffee with me for a Saturday night feast as there isn't very much in Alston, and I probably won't feel like being sociable after 75 miles mainly up hill.
I will try and update this blog as I go, 4G permitting. The weather is however the most important thing that can go wrong! I'm praying its not like this weather chart of two weeks ago.
Good luck!
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