Bowness and Alston 150km Audax

The day started cold, roughly 2 degrees, the coldest its been for a while so we wrapped up warm before loading the car. The start was in Brampton so only a 20 minute car ride which was a good first trial for our new bike rack, a Saris Bones. We got there after stopping only 3 times to check, double check, and triple check the straps were tight and the bikes were not going to fall off (they did not).

There wasn’t much hanging around at the start, it was best to get started soon to avoid getting too cold. We we’re not quite as ready as we could have been so by the time we’d got our GPS’s setup and started recording the main group was already out of sight.

The first section from Brampton to Rockcliffe was a plesant ride, gently undulating, with a clear blue sky it was enough to stay warm and a very calm wind meant we made good progress. We breifly stopped at the level crossing on the west coast main line to let a train through, something I always find odd and novel.

We reached the first control still fresh, with a quick snack we headed straight on to the next at Bowness on Solway. About halfway my bottle cage came loose, almost throwing my bottle into my chainring. I’d recently glued the loose frame attachments in place and had been too timid in tightening the cage bolts back up, but a quick fix and we were on our way again.

The streatch along the south of the solway is quite exposed and this was the only section of the ride where we encountered a head wind, but the views across to Scotland on the right, and to the Lake District on the left more than compensated for it. We got our Brevet cards stamped at the Solway Lounge and Bistro, and had a tea and cake, something we had initially decided against because we were cautious about time, but our good progress, and the other cyclists enjoying a break had given us confidence.

On the Bowness to Culgaith stretch we had a nice tail wind, we stopped in Dalston for a bite to eat, by my reconning we had about 2.5 hours to play with. Then the route followed my commute to work, so I was well practiced at this section, a straight, resonably flat road, accompanied by the drone of the M6 to the left but with good views over to the Pennine hills. We enjoyed trying to spot which hill had Hartside pass on it, where we would be heading later.

From Culgaith we turned north, through Melmerby and onto Hartside pass. Our lunch, and second lunch stops had taken their toll on our ETA which was down to only 1.5 hours before the cut off. Hartside doesn’t have any huge gradients in it, I don’t think it ever gets into double figures, but its a steady long average of 5%. Switching between spinning in the saddle in a low gear, and grinding out of the saddle in a higher gear seemed to keep my legs fresh. About an hour later we were 5 miles on at the top.

We had a quick stop for a snack some celebratory photos, and to put on some warm clothes before starting the descent into Alston. 15 minutes and 5 miles later we were in Alston. The distance must have been taking its toll on me because I was looking around worriedly for a control forgetting that we needed to get a receipt.

Hartside had brought our ETA very close to the cut off time and we really needed to get going, there was only 15 minutes in it. The way to the end was generally down hill, but undulating, and on tired legs overy upward section was felt. As the sun was setting we rolled into the finish, 30 minutes before the cut off.

There was some delicious apple struddle with custard provided at the end, with a cup of tea. We may have been the last to return, but thats OK with me, Audax’s are not a race, their a challenge. And the next challenge will be 200km’s soon.