I was sat watching Evie swim and in an attempt to stay awake in the rather warm swimming pool (it's not easy sitting on the side just watching), I was going through my mental check list to see if I had not forgotten anything and then suddenly........... Pants! I realised I had left the most important item I could possibly forget, my helmet!
Thankfully this didn't turn out to be too much of a disaster as it gave us chance to go home and put the towels on to wash etc.
This did mean that my route would be about 6 miles shorter than I had planned, but not too bad in the great scheme of things.
My actual route can be seen below.
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As you can imagine it was a bloody hard slog just getting to Buxton.
I actually found the hardest part was just a few miles in going from Charlsworth to Churnal lane over Monks Road. It was about a 25% hill that just seemed to go on forever! That really hurt my legs and I was even considering turning back and going a different route. However that little voice in the back of my head screamed at me to keep going and assured me that the pain will go once I die, or get to the top. Either of which could have happened easily.
The long hill out of Whaley Bridge also just seemed to go on forever. But as the wife informed me that Buxton is actually quite high up that would explain the long slog.
I did triumphantly arrive at the Cat and Fiddle pub but didn't stop for anything more than a gob full of drink and to raise a water bottle to the Moggy. It does however feel really good to have been over that hill and I certainly felt/will remember every second of the journey.
In all I can safely say that it was hard, testing, but a damd good ride and I am glad I did it.
Anyway, now the Cat has been "bagged" I wonder what I will do next?
So many hills and so little time!
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