I did a hilly 48 mile loop today to get a few more miles in my legs before my forum ride this coming Saturday.
My pal Bill joined me at the bottom of the Heptonstall Rd and we then set off up the climb. We were pretty much following the first part of local audax ride Season of Mists, though we chose to ride the easier route to Slack via Lee Wood Road rather than straight up the steeper climb through Heptonstall village, with its cobbled main street.
We had a tailwind most of the way out, except for where we turned across the wind at Fence in the Forest of Pendle. There is a lovely lane that goes along parallel to Pendle Hill and we rode along there in bright sunshine. The wind was a bit chilly, but it was otherwise a great day to be out on the bikes.
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We dropped down into Sabden and began what is normally a very stiff climb over the Nick o'Pendle, but today we had a fabulous tailwind to assist us. The SoM route descends all the way to cross the A59 on the way to Clitheroe, but we turned left and continued on another quiet lane through Pendleton to Wiswell, where we turned right and descended over the A59, then turned left and headed down into Whalley through which we will be passing on Saturday.
I spotted a new bike shop on the corner by the mini-roundabout where we turned left to climb up to Spring Wood. I didn't have time to take a close look, but I reckon it will be an up-market shop.
We climbed the Old Roman Road above
@totallyfixed's home village of Read. A quick descent into Padiham took us to the Greenway, which we ascended to Rose Grove.
We were minding our own business, waiting patiently for a gap in the traffic to emerge onto the A646 when a passenger in a taxi passing in front of us spotted our bikes and clearly thought that we needed a good tongue-lashing so he leaned out of the rear window and hurled abuse at us, to the amusement of the small boy sitting next to him. Watch and learn, son - watch and learn!
So after Mr Juan Kerr had finished his paternal duties for the day, we finally made our way up to the traffic lights. Normally we continue straight on up Rossendale Road, which gets steeper and steeper until it levels off just before Manchester Road. Today, however, I wanted to try out an alternative route through Burnley which has half the climbing for a mere 0.9 km increase in distance. I won't bother describing the new route because we both decided that the traffic was worse and we preferred our traditional route. Stick to that!
We had a really stiff headwind all the way down Cliviger Gorge to Todmorden where I stopped for a quick cuppa with Bill, then whizzed back to Hebden Bridge before the evening traffic got too heavy.
I can feel myself getting stronger ride-by-ride. If I can avoid injury or further illness, then I should be pretty fit by the end of the summer.
ed all the way there, it didn't stop 
)
