September 1 - 3, 2006

The English Sea to Sea Ride

Footnotes 3

Runners and Riders

Footnote 2: Highs and Lows (cont.)

 

Phil’s Lows:

 

Day 1:  About 5 miles to go to Penrith, sun had come out and it seemed the day was almost complete. Not too difficult and pleased with myself. Then my legs thought I'd finished and just gave up. Every slight uphill slope of that last five miles seemed like climbing a mountain. It was at this point I started worrying whether day 2 was achievable.

 

Day 2:  Garrigil to Allenheads.  Having broken Hartside earlier, I thought the worst was over. Hartside was hard work and involved walking for periods, but the café could be seen at the top of the hill and was a spur.  After a couple of pints and a warm fire in Garrigil, we set off on the next leg. The hill out of Garrigil was incredibly steep and I soon got left behind as I started walking uphill. I'd pushed up the last section and ended up cycling down to Nenthead on my own (Mike S and Neil B still on the upslope). In Nenthead seeing the 4 riders in front just leaving to go up the next hill, I followed. Soon again to be left behind as this hill was just as steep as Garrigil, and now was even wetter and windier. The trudge up to Black Hill was horrible, my feet were soaked. And Black Hill wasn't the end. A quick downhill section followed by more uphill walking as my legs basically told me to stop even trying to cycle uphill.  A severe low point, followed by a high point upon reaching Allenheads. (see above).

 

Day 2:  False hopes dashed….  Stood on the top of a hill - a very steep hill with others following, and me telling them this was the last hill. "It was all downhill from here and coming this route we had missed the steep climb out of Stanhope".  Then as we descended the other side of the hill and saw the sign saying "Stanhope.. 2 miles" I knew I was wrong, and we still had the last incredibly steep climb out of Stanhope to tackle.

 

List of riders

 

Nestlé Posse:

· Michael Brown

· Dave Ellis

· Mike Shawcross

· Andy Trotter

· Neil Bellwood

· Jim Marshall

· Ken James

· Colin Starr

· Phil Saville

 

Freedom guys:

· Chris Luff

· Marcos Reid

· Neil Hutchinson

 

From Alcatel:

· Stewart Gregory

 

Blagger:

· Andrew Britton

 

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