Today the lovely Mrs Tuesday and myself rode the "Grimshaw Grueller" route of the Bollington Bikefest on the tandem.
An early start in misty conditions and the first hill of the day, within a mile, is the steep cobbled ascent of Beeston Brow. My piloting skills prove, just about, up to the task.
(At this point, I'll refrain from mentioning every hill, as this would become more a novella than a CC post)
The descent of Wildboarclough is always one of my favourites, long and very gentle, and the tandem flies along such roads.
Eventually we wind our way to Meerbrook, and the climb of the "Devil's Elbow" towards Roach End. It's vicious, featuring a ridiculously steep hairpin, but we make it, the 24/36 bottom gear an absolute necessity.
First feeding station at Rudyard, then up to the top of Biddulph Moor where only picture of the ride was taken, photography alas impeded by poor visibility all day.
The ascent of Wincle Minn is a highlight of the ride. The surface is in places non- existent, gravel pinging left and right from the high pressure tyres, and the road gated to boot. But the road at the top has unparalleled views of the Western Peak, and lunch makes all well again.
We go through Flash and Buxton, then up the lovely road through the Goyt Valley to the Cat & Fiddle. By now speed has, somewhat remarkably, decreased yet further, everything hurts, and fatigue suffuses throughout our weary bodies.
The end is close, with just 15 miles or so to go, but one major hurdle remains. It's amongst the very toughest climbs in the Peak, and certainly harder than anything we've ever attempted on the tandem. Pym Chair.
Somehow, we haul ourselves up. At the top we collapse, legs close to failure and lungs not far behind. But how we stormed it - averaging fully 3.3mph according to Strava
Now we know we can do it. There are more hills yet, but nothing we can't cope with.
And so it proves.
[Couple of bonus pics from Mrs T: mist over the Cat
and the road to Wincle Minn:
