Day 8 - Ambleside to Bolton – Riding with the real stars
No, I didn’t have my music playing, today I had the pleasure of cycling with some friends.
I would have preferred to stay in a B&B at Ambleside but when I tried to book everywhere required a minimum 2 nights stay, I was therefore left with little option but to book-in at the YHA.
When I arrived at the YHA, and after I had showered & unpacked, I went outside to sit in the glorious late afternoon sun overlooking Lake Windermere to write my blog. However a young lady and her father kept me occupied with 2 hours of conversation, during which time we also ate. Making my excuses in order to write my blog I departed for the centre of Ambleside where I headed for a pub, once inside and having purchased obligatory pint of Black Sheep, I sat down to commence blogging.
A couple then soon engaged me in conversation and it was another 2 hours before I could finally start writing.
Ambleside YHA has lots of positive’s, the lakeside aspect being one of its main attributes, but sleeping in a dormitory with up to 5 other strangers, accommodated on 3 bunk-beds, is not ideal, especially when 2 of them snore & 3 of them cannot last more than 4 hours without needing to go to the toilet, to say nothing of the ‘odours’. Added to which the bedrooms overlook the lake, which is very nice, but with the sun shining on this aspect of the building for approx. 8 hours the bedrooms (dormitories) become extremely hot and to compound this, the sash windows could not be opened more than 3 inches. I wasn’t sure if this was to keep illegitimate guests out or legitimate inmates in. Suffice to say the room was too hot to sleep & for me 7.30 am could not come soon enough.
Today I was joined by some colleagues from work, the first to join me was Carl Wareing, Carl had caught the train from Preston to Windermere then cycled up to the YHA at Ambleside. We set off from the YHA before 9.00 am on the narrow roads that join Ambleside to Windermere & beyond. It was pleasant to have some riding company &, as stated elsewhere, it does make cycling easier (especially when you are riding behind someone). I was comfortably keeping pace with Carl until the steep hills arrived, when the weight of my panniers hampered my speed.
We continued on, with Carl slowing for me at the top of each hill until I caught him up, and when we reached Levens Hall we stopped so that I could ring Ron Jackson to find out where on the road he & his wife Sue where. Whilst we were stopped a lady came up to me and gave me some cash for the charity. Shortly after passing through Milnthorpe we met up with Ron & Sue who had cycled from their home near Broughton. I had never met Sue before but learnt she used to be a triathlete & was once the 9th ranked female triathlete in the world!
All 4 of us rode together on the A6, passing through Carnforth, Bolton le Sands and Lancaster until we reached our planned lunch time destination of Garstang where we had a refreshing drink & something to eat. Whilst placing our order at the bar a man who was stood next to me gave me some cash for the charity.
It was great to ride in a group especially along the busy A6, the pace was exhilarating, thanks to you all for your company and for reducing your pace to allow me to keep up.
We were joined in Garstang by Mick Sowerby and Chris Walmsley, Mick was going to join us on his bicycle but an unforeseen event prevented that, Chris came on his newly acquired sparkling Harley Davidson.
Thank you all for taking the time to meet up with me, I really appreciate you spending some of your weekend with me.
After a very pleasant lunch sat outside The Royal Oak in Garstang, Carl departed whilst Ron, Sue & I continued along the A6, leaving Mick & Chris at The Royal Oak. Ron & Sue departed at the Broughton junction & as I continued on I looked at the data on my satnav. We had travelled 51 miles from Ambleside in 3 hours 8 minutes cycling at an average speed of over 16 mph which is the fastest average I’d achieved for the whole trip. I’m afraid the overall average dropped without the help of my friends although the last few miles included the highest hills of the day.
It was then on through Preston, the largest city or town I have passed through since I started and also, inevitably, the busiest. From there it was via Abbey village and Belmont where I met up with my mates Richard and Frank CBE for a couple of refreshing drinks at our favourite watering hole, the Black Dog, then off again for the last 6 miles to home.
On Saturday evening some of my family; Sue, Jemma, Craig, Betty & John and my mate Richard went for an evening out where we met up with my niece Siobhan and friends; Frank CBE, Bill, John and Norman.
At the Black Dog in Belmont the landlord & landlady Sean & Nicola had laid on an unexpected buffet, thanks Sean/Nicola, a very enjoyable night was enjoyed by all.
Half time is now over and it’s ‘bike’ on the road again on Monday, from Bolton to Frodsham then on small country lanes to Criggion, west of Shrewsbury.
Statistics
Distance cycled: 74 miles Total distance cycled since start: 573 miles (corrected)
Average speed: 15 mph
Maximum speed: 36 mph
Average heart rate: 135 bpm
Maximum heart rate: 160 bpm
Motorist watch (Quantity)
Considerate motorists (The good): 100’s
Inconsiderate motorists (The bad): 2
Lunatic motorists (The ugly): 0
Scores (out of 100)
Scenery: 70
Road surfaces: 75
Weather: 95
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