The #JennRide is organised by Rich Munro in memory of our late Deputy Editor, Jenn Hill to raise funds for St Gemma’s Hospice. It’s quickly obtained a reputation for being a fun event with a challenging route. Race around s fast as you like, or take it easy(ish) and enjoy a big weekend out in the Lake District – the choice is yours.
James Vincent found himself unable to take part this year, so instead popped down to absorb the atmosphere and grab a few shots of the riders. Maybe their tales will inspire you to sign up next year?
Andy Waud
- Instagram: Waudlar
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
I kind of packed as light as possible so tried to bring exactly what i needed. Think I would bring spare gloves next time.
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Well a few of my friends were coming up to camp in Langdale at Baysbrown Farm so I had given them my tent and sleeping back before we went so I kind of had to make it there or it would have been a very very cold night. So next time I will be carrying everything with me
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Not doing enough training with lots of elevation in before hand then thinking I was on a full suspension bike down some of the descents that got a bit on the sketchy side at a few points.
Standout moment of the ride:
Don’t think I can pick out just one because the whole experience was incredible and with the best bunch of lads I could have done it with. I can’t wait to do it all over again next year
Thing that hurts most now:
Everything but I wouldn’t change it for anything and I would do it all over again in a heart beat.
Andrew Leviston
- Instagram: you what?
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
Spare tube, pads, tool – didn’t need to use them but did need to take them.
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Forgot to take paper map , thankfully GPS behaved and I knew a lot of the route but still should have had one with me.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Lost my seatpack somewhere on the descent to Dunnerdale but managed not to realise for about 10 miles, showing how attuned to the bike I am. Eventually we were reunited thanks to MartinHutch (STW username) and a trawl of various pubs!
Standout moment of the ride:
I have not done as much riding on the West side of the Lakes and there were some great bits into Dunnerdale and over to Eskdale I hadn’t done before.
It was also great to see so many friendly people out on their bikes. Thank you to Rich for organizing.
Thing that hurts most now:
Pride for not fully completing the 100 miles.
James Stapleton
- Instagram: Jamesstapleton1
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
A keg of beer, lights, down jacket, bag of tikka masala, spare dry socks, aeropress
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Chamois butter.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Forgetting I was on a rigid cargo fat bike and hitting the first descent too fast resulting in my keg losing its integrity. Everyone around however seemed to enjoy the tasty blonde
Standout moment of the ride:
Falling asleep looking over the scafell range as the sun went down.
Thing that hurts most now:
My gooch.
Emma Osenton
Instagram: emma_osenton
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
My kit is pretty dialled after many years of back packing and bike packing. There’s things I didn’t use but nothing I didn’t need.
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Nothing, my packing is a fine art.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
There weren’t any, it’s a social ride with a friendly feel, not a race, not the place for taking unnecessary risks. Simply riding round a challenging route, catching up with old friends and making new ones.
Standout moment of the ride:
The early dawn light rising across Blea Tarn where I’d camped. Listening to the birds whilst I had a breakfast of coffee and porridge before the crowds of Lakeland visitors began to stir.
Thing that hurts most now:
I’m a little tired, it’s been one of a few trips back to back.
Neale Brodie
- Instagram: Brorotor1
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
I could have trusted the weather more and not packed spare clothes (jersey, socks, insulated jacket). Knee pads I could have left at home. I took them off for day two but lost them on the descent to Loughrigg Terrace. I couldn’t face a push back up to look for them. I had a large hip flask of whiskey but was so knackered when I stopped at Blea Tarn to camp I never took a sip!
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Smidge. The midges were brutal and my legs have been battered by them.
A reservation in a pub for food would have been good. COVID meant most pubs were full and there was little space for walk-ins. I had an inedible dehydrated pack of something I couldn’t stomach so some real food would have been very welcome.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Some of the descents were so good I missed a couple of turns. My Garmin was beeping like crazy but I couldn’t take my eyes off the trail to see what I’d missed. Driving 7 hours back to Brighton an hour after finishing. Should have made the most of the Lakes for another day.
Standout moment of the ride:
Starting felt great. This was my first bike packing trip (in at the deep end!) It had been a long wait since last year was canceled and I was genuinely excited for the two days ahead. Adventure time, bring it on!
Reaching the top of Walna Scar and Harter Fell, both brutal push ups with a loaded bike.
Camping at Blea Tarn, the Lakes at its most picturesque.
Thing that hurts most now:
Midge bites, hundreds of them!
Mick Knight (Hoff)
- Instagram: Hoffster
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
My waterproofs 🙂 and thankfully had no mechanicals so didn’t need the toolkit, tubes or assortment of spares.
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Insect repellent, got eaten alive when I stopped for some sleep. Also regretted not taking a warmer sleeping bag, my 1 season bag wasn’t quite up to it.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Not eating a proper meal when I had the chance and then not being able to get served in any of the other pubs, definitely had pizza envy.
Standout moment of the ride:
Having had a hip replacement in Sept 2020 and having not ridden more than 30 miles and 1000 feet of climbing since meant actually completing the 100 miles was an achievement, I seriously expected to have to bail out.
The whole atmosphere was great too, from the event riders & general public who were out on the hills that stopped for a chat.
Thing that hurts most now:
My bank balance after popping into Alpkit for a few bits.
Daz Hall
- Instagram: dazintod
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
A can of 8% IPA (was too dehydrated to drink it!).
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
A full suspension bike.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Nearly had a head-on collision with an offroad vehicle randomly driven by my mate Baz who was doing an offroading weekend (and should have been riding!).
Standout moment of the ride:
All of it really. I absolutely love everything about it, but more than everything else, the friendliness and camaraderie with the other riders stands out against any other bike event or ride.
Thing that hurts most now:
Knees are a bit achey. They’re not used to pushing a fully loaded bike up Walna Scar.
Kate O’Callaghan
- Instagram: Itskateoc
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
Nothing this time around, I learned my lesson on a recent bikepacking challenge through Scotland… I carried a lot of things 500km across Scotland so I packed super light for this one, actually dropped a whole seat pack!
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Beers!
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Arriving at Stickle Barn at 8.40pm when they stopped serving food at 8.30pm!! We were pretty lucky, everything went really well, no mechanicals, no real problems, Katie had a little tumble on day 2 but other than that it went really well.
Standout moment of the ride:
The finish line… No I joke, I think coming over Blea Tarn Pass into the Langdales, the sense of achievement knowing that we were almost at the campsite but also just those views as the sun was starting to set, just amazing!! Opening the tent up in the morning to such incredible views was fantastic… All in all it was just such a good event, the brutal climbs bought us incredible views, good company and plenty of encouragement along the way!
Thing that hurts most now:
My butt!!!!
Stu Taylor
- Instagram: allmtnbiker
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
My stokers!! All that extra weight on the tandem!
As we did the ride in one hit, carried minimal kit.
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
My son Zach – light weight with a high power to weight ratio, the perfect stoker!
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
The closest shave descending Walna Scar and losing both brakes was terrifying and hilarious all in one, I was ready to shout brace brace for the impact! Initially we only lost the rear brake which was slightly concerning, then the front at which point the fear glands where wide open! Approaching a tight left turn onto some singletrack with no brakes, was to say the least scary! We just held on and enjoyed the ride, until the trail pointed up hill where we breathed a huge sigh of relief! We also lost them down Wrynose Pass, we were more wise to it this time so dragged our feet too and tried not to point the tandem straight down hill! Lol!!
Standout moment of the ride:
There were a few! Firstly I lost my first stoker Si who basically cooked himself during the first 60km and with poor food management was not in a good way when we reached Coniston. Sat in a cafe preparing to finish the ride solo on a tandem laughing to myself at how ridiculous that would be. As I swiped (looked) left I got a match another victim would join me, Jay was riding the Jenn Ride solo and looking a bit out of sorts, so I jokingly said jump on with me. Having never ridden a tandem before this gave him a new sense of adventure and off we went.
There were some big iconic road climbs during the ride Wrynose Pass, Blea Tarn, Birker Fell we cleaned them all which isn’t as easy as people think on the tandem, with all that weight pulling you back down the hill.
Thing that hurts most now:
My first stoker, Si.
Tony Craig
- Instagram: thoss20
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
a waterproof. which for a event in the lakes is amazing.
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
a 20 year old pair of lungs. and some smidge repelent.
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
not having suspension forks.
Standout moment of the ride:
just the general banter from all the riders on the event, just a great atmosphere.
and riding down langdale at 10pm on saturday with a few nice beers in my belly.
Thing that hurts most now:
a tender left calf from pushing up a few big climbs.
Bob and Cath Wightman
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
Bob: Waterproof (yay!). Emergency stuff like tools, spares, First Aid Kit
Cath: Tin of tuna – took food in case we could not get into pubs/cafes in the end it wasn’t a problem
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
Bob: Midge repellent, eek!
Cath: Leg power no training & only entered at the last minute
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Bob: Rear brake fading on the descent from Walna Scar. Had to stop to let things cool down and begin working again.
Cath: Setting my tarp up near some rushes – feeding ground for midges in the morning
Standout moment of the ride:
Bob: The view of the sunrise on Sunday AM from my hammock.
Cath: Fabulous weather and meeting like minded folk – it’s been a long time
Thing that hurts most now:
Bob: Nothing.
Cath: Horsefly bites on my hip
Jimmy Blundell
- Instagram: Biggspuds
What did you take that you didn’t need?:
Monster bar of extra strength kendal mint cake
Maybe I could have streamlined my camping kit a bit more ( but this was my first real attempt at bikepacking
What did you need that you didn’t take?:
A proper gps navigation thing?
Used strava and komoot but really not got the hang of using them as a guidance app?
Biggest mistake of the ride (or closest shave!):
Going flat out on all the rocky/boulder stewn descents, I can’t help myself, the extra weight over the bars had me nose diving into stuff that should have spat me over a few times, somehow I saved it twice…. Didn’t learn my lesson and kept doing it then having to have a word with myself at the bottom.
Standout moment of the ride:
Watching my ( relatively new to MTB) brother in law absolutely love some pretty fast, techy, rough descents on his Fatty and seeing the grin in his face at the bottom
Or
Wrynose Pass – sun just setting – campsite at Langdale – 40+ mph down the tarmac on a fully loaded Fat bike
Thing that hurts most now:
Thighs, yeah, the thighs!
Thanks to Rich for organising such a great event.
fantastic cause, fantastic people, fantastic article. just fantastic. ;o)
Just a huge ‘like’ for this piece and all these wonderful people!