C2C Silver Ride 2013

So with all this preparation under there belts the morning of the 8th dawns. Alarms that were set for 4am turn out to have been superfluous as most of the participants either couldn’t sleep or woke early anyway. Martin Price, Peter Gillot, Martin Watson, Lee Fisher, Dominic Skerratt and Jeremy Sykes
all meet up at 6:00 just north of Wakefield and it’s off to Sunderland which given the gentle easterlyish breeze was the preferred start point. Cycles are rolling just after 8:00. Madam Garmin leads the way heading for Stanley, Consett and then finally climbing out onto open moorland of the Pennines. The weather started off fine but as the miles roll by it just gets better and better. Only the gentlest of tail winds and the sun shines brightly. It’s about this point that the one and only mechanical hitch (punctures apart) occurs. A broken spoke causes a back wheel to buckle so badly that no amount of tweeking with a spoke spanner can get the thing to spin without scuffing the bike frame. To quote Homer Simpson, it’s a cris-a-tunity and the support team, Michael and Jonny come up trumps. The back wheel is swapped out of Michaels bike and we’re on our way again in less than half an hour. Maybe even more impressive is that the wheel was repaired and returned to the rider a couple of hours later. As good as new.

Dominic Skerratt & Martin Price climbing Alston Moor

And so the day progressed. The sun shone, wheels turned and miles passed. Hills were climbed and curlew and lapwings whistled mournfully over the moors. The first cafe stop is just before the steep drop to Stanhope then it’s climb and drop to Allenheads. Climb and drop to Nenthead. Very steep climb and drop to Garrigill. Long gentle climb to Hartside, the next cafe. From here, the tone of the ride changes. The route drops down to the Penrith Plain and there’s about 30 miles of gently rolling countryside before joining the A66. Once on the A66 it’s throttle open all the way, mad dash for Keswick and the bottom of Winlatter Pass just beyond. Now for the last big climb. It’s already been a long day and Winlatter is a hill to be reckoned with. Even so, as you climb the tree lined pass it’s difficult not to be impressed by the occasional glimpses of Bassenthwaite Lake and the hills beyond.

After Winlatter, the last twenty miles or so are certainly on the top side of what could be described as lumpy but the scenery is pure Beatrix Potter. Green clad hills and sparkling lakes. Low sun resting on a skyline of steep rounded peaks all set against a clear blue sky. More winding leafy lanes and then all at once it’s back to civilisation. Boarded up pubs in what looks like a tired old pit village pass by and at last, there’s the sea and Whitehaven. It’s about 9 o’clock and the sun is low above the horizon. At the marina it’s a couple of pictures by the stainless steel C2C sculpture and that’s that. Every one arrived safely in just under thirteen hours. A great day out in good company and an all round feeling of a job well done.

Bikes are packed on to cars for the start of the long drive home.

Thanks are due in no small part to Michael and Jonny for doing the driving and support and just generally making thing happen. Thanks to Martin Price for having a great idea and then spending so much time organising training runs and getting things sorted. That the day was a complete success with no accidents. Well done the Calder Clarion.

Foot note: Not for the faint hearted. Have just seen MCPs garmin data. Max speed during ride = 52.2 mph!

Peter Gillot

The Gold Ride is arranged for the Saturday 6th July. Martin is yet to announce whether the start will be Roker or Whitehave. He’s keeping a close eye on the wind direction.

Ready to start at Roker