Well, I suppose it is time for me to report! As you can see - I did actually survive the ride, but I felt a bit tired on Saturday evening and was busy yesterday and this afternoon, hence the delay ...
The weather was fine and sunny. I put sun block on for one of the rare times this year, but I didn't go quite high enough on one arm and it nearly burned. It was very red when I got home, but I just got away with it. Still, too much sun is a good problem to have!
Bill drove me over to Spring Wood so I didn't have to add the extra miles up and down the A646/A671. Carrie and Kevin were waiting when we got there. We dithered about a bit and finally set off at about 10:10.
We had an easy warm-up on the drag up to Cow Ark where we turned right and headed along a nice lane to the B6478 above Slaidburn. I remembered there being nice views from that road, and some steep downhills. I had forgotten that there is some climbing on it too, and Sea of Vapours was right - the surface is gravelly and broken up in several places. I like the road but would advise anybody venturing down there to exercise caution!
We managed to get to Slaidburn at about the time that we'd said we would, and met up with SoV and Pale Rider as planned. I seem to be slower than everyone else on the climbs and the Cross of Greet is a long one so I watched as my companions slowed pulled away from me. It is a bit frustrating that my fitness is not improving faster than it is, but there is no point in busting a gut trying to stay with fitter riders early in a long ride and then struggling later. I just pace myself well and can keep going all day. If I rushed in the first half of the ride, something would give later on!
I had told everyone that we would be going up a lovely lane that I had found from Ivah near Lowgill to Wray. When I did it last year with
@Littgull the climb up from the river Hindburn was on a horribly broken up road surface but the descent to Wray after that was on immaculate tarmac. Good news ... the resurfacing has been continued nearly down to the river. It is now a real gem of a road! The views are superb - the Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales over to the E/NE and the Cumbrian hills to the N/NW. I think we will all head out that way again.
I finally caught up with everyone at the cafe in Wray. I quite liked it, but it is on the pricey side. I missed out on the situation with Pale Rider. He and SoV were sheltering from the sun near the cafe entrance, but I was sitting with Kevin and Carrie in a sunny spot across the yard.
After the cafe we headed east towards Keasden on undulating but gradually ascending roads. We came to a crossroads there, and turned right onto the foot of the climb to Bowland Knotts. I had been fooled by that ascent the first time that I tackled it. You think that you can see the summit ahead of you after a long drag upwards, but when you crest that summit, it soon becomes obvious that you are only about halfway up. The road eases off for a short distance and then kicks up again. It did my head in that first time, but I was ready for it on Saturday.
Kevin and I brought up the rear as the others went on ahead. When we got up to the true summit we found SoV and PR waiting. Carrie had gone just over the summit and was sunbathing in a wind-free spot on the other side. Bill had decided that it was too cold up there and had continued part of the way down the descent. He is skinny and feels the cold!
I set off after Bill and the others followed me down. Bill crashed on that descent when I first did it with him about 15 years ago! He had got distracted by the views, and had ridden off the road into a ditch and catapulted over the bars onto a dry stone wall. He had hurt his head, but fortunately not seriously - it is a remote spot and help would not have arrived quickly! In fact, it is the kind of location where you might not get a phone signal and it could be a long way to the nearest available landline. Anyway, no accidents on Saturday!
We rode down through Gisburn Forest to Stocks Reservoir and then climbed back up to the crossroads on the B6478.
SoV had originally planned to head home from there via Wigglesworth, but I think the sun must have gone to his head because he u-turned and rode back up Bowland Knotts in the opposite direction to his first ascent. So, he did both of the big climbs of the day in both directions - mad, but impressive!
PR turned right and headed back to his starting point in Slaidburn.
Bill, Carrie, Kevin and I headed back together. The road climbs another km from the crossroads and then there is a superb 7.5 km descent through Holden to Sawley. I had been very pleasantly surprised the first time that I rode down there - it just seems to go on forever, which is odd considering that it 'only' drops about 200 metres vertically.
After Sawley there is an undulating but straightforward ride back to Spring Wood via Grindleton, West Bradford, Waddington, Bashall Town, Mitton and Whalley.
Bill and I said farewell to Carrie and Kevin and drove back to my place where I was dropped off. I had a quick shower and then made myself a snack and a pint mug of coffee and settled down to watch my recording of the women's Olympic Road Race. I was enjoying that whennnnnnnnnnn ...
SUDDENLY I ATTEMPTED TO BURN MY GENITALS OFF WITH HOT COFFEE!!!! 
I had only dozed off with half a pint of coffee still in the mug in my hand! I ran into the kitchen and chucked a load of cold water over myself to reduce the risk of burns. I was lucky in that the coffee must have cooled significantly before I spilled it. My flesh was singed but not scalded! The ride must have taken more out of me than I'd thought. Mind you, only having 3.5 hours sleep beforehand probably didn't help ...
Another great day out on the bikes - thanks for the company everyone!
I'll probably be doing that ride again next summer, so keep your eyes open if you fancy joining us in 2017 -
@potsy - get in training now!
