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Doing it in one day is tough - i'm shattered & have literally nowt left in me.
I now know it is vitally important to choose your riding partners with care. All 3 are great lads but the difference in capability between us was startling. Two of us were riding/climbing fairly well but the other two were struggling on the climbs - especially the chap on the slicked-up MTB.
We made too many stops for food/rest and ate into the daylight without thinking about it.
I hit the top of Hartside first and it was over 40 minutes later before the last chap made it up & then we had to have lunch in the cafe, was gone 3:30pm before we set off again.
By the time we'd hit the high point of the route behind Nenthead we (two lead riders) knew we weren't going to make it at the current pace.
Let the two slower riders arrive & sat down & had a chat. Decided to split into two teams (each with a support driver) and we set off.
Arrived at Roker Pier at 10:30 in the evening & were well over 1hr & 20 minutes ahead of the second pair.
10.45hrs rolling time but took a total of 15.5hrs when waiting times & food/rest stops were factored in.
Climbs.
Personally i thought Hartside was reasonably easy, certainly passed a few on the way up. However, what came AFTER became ever-more harder.
The constant up/down started to sap my strength & will to finish & by the time we hit the final (horribly steep) road climb out of Stanhope i really thought i wasn't going to make it.
Once past Parkhead though it was fairly easy going - albeit on an old moorland railway/cinder track which was 'interesting' on skinny road tyres!
The final 30 miles on quiet gravel/tarmac traffic-free tracks were a bit dull & it's hard to know exactly where you are.
Got lost once in Sunderland, mainly due to it being dark & the route unlit which made spotting the route markers difficult.
Decided to get onto the roads & pedalled through Sunderland City Centre on a Saturday night - it's true, the girls wear nowt!!!! 😆
Anyway, a good day out & a very different to how i usually spend my birthday 🙂
Plus raised some money for Breast Cancer Care.