Saturday 11th May 2019

Eleven Riders assembled at the start for this challenging route.
As we approached the first junction Steve H remembered he had left his phone and wallet in the car and turned back to retrieve them while the rest of the group waited for him to return. We then headed for Meathop and onto Grange -over-sands and the first climb of the day, we then got our first and only puncture of the day Pete’ R front tyre deflated as we rode along a rough Wart Barrow Lane. Nine of us waited and for the puncture to be repaired while two riders decided to go for the first café stop of the day in Cartmel. Yes, you guess correctly it was Ian and Sarah Jane.
Leaving Cartmel we tackled the second climb of the day passing through Beckside and then a fast descent to Low Wood and onto Rusland and to our third climb of the day Dale park and another fast descent to Hawkshead and the café stop. All Fed and watered a couple outside had arrived on Fat E-Bikes while the ladies partner went in the shop to buy some gloves for her Bill took full advantage by sitting on the pannier rack to have his photo taken with the young lady although he may have got a slap if he had not quickly adjusted the position of his hands as he said I need to put my arms around you for the photo hopefully Sarah Jane will publish later.
After dragging everyone away from the E-Bikes we set off again for our next climb all with café legs I might add Hawkshead Hill. Ian may have already told Paula that we could have avoided that one so I may be in trouble.
The next Port of call was the ferry as we made our way along Loanthwaite Ln Sarah Jane was a few meters ahead of us fortunately as she passed an open gate two horses bolted out behind her and followed her down the road. The rest of us had stopped in the hope that we could get the horses back in the field they were long gone and had made their way to a farm. Martin O said he would go down to the farm and see if anyone was about and would meet us at the next junction. As we approached the next junction I saw a telephone number and called it no answer. We took it that the horses had headed down there and where of the main road we found this out while waiting at the ferry to cross Windermere from a very annoyed Martin as we had all forgotten about him and made our way to the ferry I cannot blame him for been annoyed hopefully we have all been forgiven now.
After crossing Windermere we headed to Winster and the last climb of the day. As we headed to Bowland Bridge we were confronted by a cow in the road as I stopped I noticed a calf stuff in the hedge to my left. While we got the attention the Farmer a few of the riders had rescued the calf from the hedge as the farmer approached at this point Martin was considering leaving us to get on with it revenge for us abandoning him earlier. Fortunately, he decided against this and opened the gate to a field for the reunited cow and calf to enter.
Another four miles to go and we arrived back at the cars.
Apart from a couple of wrong turns quickly rectified we all made it back in one piece and added bonus we managed to miss all the showers and hail that other parts of the UK got.
Another great day made better by the company see you all next week.