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Coast to Coast to Coast

C2C2C 309 MILES IN 3 DAYS (seemed like 3 weeks)

Day 1

What an easy start – Southport is flat – unfortunately the Pennines aren’t. Pity we couldn’t go up and down the Prom tiddlie de de for 8 hours – easy peasy.

It was easy going through Preston – a bit of a hill in but interesting to see a couple of guys coming out of a Weatherspooons and almost staggering in front of us – I was just jealous.

We stopped at a roadside café just before Skipton for lunch called Dick Turpin’s – the twat robbed us!

Skipton to Harrogate was one way – up hill and a couple of big downhills – unfortunately on the steep downhills I’m braking all the way down which is just as tiring.

The A59 is one of the busiest roads in the UK and to be fair the lorries do give you a wide berth and slow down until they can pass – the cars however! And then in queing traffic the ladies like to be in touching distance of the kerb – a wee word and they shifted.

From Harrogate it’s fairly flat but 20 miles after the hills is still tough and then to the guest house which was 2 miles away from the Scarborough road where we will be going in the morning.

Day 2

A great breakfast which set us up for the run to Scarborough or Scbro as it says on the roads. We left at 8.15 and were on the outskirts in 3 hours – there was 2 big climbs but mainly flattish – we then we down to the sea, under the viaduct and there it was the South Beach. It was surprisingly busy and the tide was out, when the tide comes in the so does the wind! Having done the pics and stuff I was lucky enough to find a toilet that was hospitable (clean) and took full use. Note if you ever nead to go in a public loo follow Davie’s Law – always go to the furthest cubicle as it’s always the cleanest – the first being the one that desperate people dive into and can leave a bit of a mess amongst other things.

And so back to York – a stop for lunch after 7 miles would break up the journey – what it did was allow a respite from the head on wind and allow the wind to get even stronger. Not to worry Rick was in contact with a weather guru who said the wind would drop at 3. Unfortunately they didn’t say which 3 – it certainly wasn’t 3 in the afternoon that day.

The other thing that kept us going was the knowledge that when we turned on to the Ring Road at York it would be wind behind – no it wasn’t! I’ve never cycled in wind like it as when I’m at home if it was raining or windy or sunny or a ‘y’ in the day the bike would stay in the garage.

It took us 5 hours and a bit to get back and I went straight to the Blacksmith’s Arms for shelter.

Day 3

The wind has dropped………to about 15mph unfortunately the direction is straight from Southport so it’s a battle from when we turn onto the Ring Road and worse when we turn towards Harrogate.

It’s hard to describe doing something you don’t like when the thing you don’t like is made more difficult by the wind. We did have a concession of a lift up Blabbermouse Hill – it was too dangerous to cycle up and even more to walk up as I would have had to do. That was the good news , the bad was at the top the wind was whipping over the top of the Pennines and even going downhill you couldn’t go faster due to the buffeting of the wind.

As I was first up Blabbergob Hill I was also first at the lunch stop – a wee café called the Cafe – if you are ever passing that way – do just that pass on by! Mr Cafe was less impressed that I used one of his seats without buying anything – I had no money!

I was then first to leave as there was still 48 miles to go and from memory I thought it all downhill – it wasn’t and even the big long hill before Preston wasn’t that big or that long.

From Preston to Southport is 17 miles mainly flat but the last and flattest last 7 miles was absolute agony taking almost an hour and then when I got to Southport I had to ask 4 times for directions. It’s like at roundabouts you read the signs but by the time you get to the junction you forget which exit you need – almost went to Burnley!

As I said at the end of our Wembley to Blackpool ride – never again!

Until the next time!!

Itinerary

Day 1 – Friday 5th June 2015 Leave Southport Pier at 08:30 Ride 106 miles to York (Stay in Guest House Skelton, York)

Day 2 – Saturday 6th June 2015 Leave Guest House 08.00 - arr Scarborough 12.00 -Leave 13.00 - arr Skelton 17.30   97 miles

Day 3 – Sunday 7th June 2015 Leave Guest house 08.00 - arr Southport Pier 17.30 - 18.00 106 miles.

I am doing the trip with Pete and Rick who hauled me from Wembley to Blackpool 2 years ago however I'm only being allowed to join them if I get rid of the "tractor" (Their description of my 'hybrid')

Well I have done (actually it's still in the garage) and have got a new, well it's new to me, superlight road bike. Unfortunately superlight doesn't = super quick! I'm sure once I get the gears sorted, the tyres straightened and the saddle pointing in the right direction it will be the dogs dangly bits!

At a function on New Year's day someone commented to me about the rides I had done and how "you must love cycling" The truth is, it's okay at best and I hate it at worst! Having said that if the challenge was easy or totally enjoyable why should anyone give up any of their 'hard earned' for me to have a jolly? 

I'm looking to get to at least £1000 or £3.75 per mile so as after each mile I'll tick off almost a fiver!

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