Coast 2 Coast 2009

Day 1
We had an early start on Saturday with a long drive to pick Rico up. Packing the van was straight forward enough and we only had to chuck one seat out of the van as its seatbelt didn't work. The seat mechanism on this van is AMAZING. The travel time went quickly and the next thing we knew we were at Whitehaven.

When we had all got ourselves set we went to the start point. It's tradition to dip a wheel at the start and the end of the trip, having been caught out by the ramp before I warned everyone that it gets very slippery towards the bottom. Stunt man Ste showed his determination by skidding ankle deep into the sea!

Now underway the first day starts gently and ramps up, easing you in. We had a puncture from DNM's mean machine in the first 40 minutes and we struggled to get the Halfords air gun tightened wheel nuts off. A passerby had a large 15mm spanner which did the trick. So puncture repaired we left the steady climb out of Whitehaven and went into the lumpy hills heading toward Keswick.
It was apparent from this point that DNM was finding things tough. With the heavy bike with insufficient gearing and lower fitness he was suffering up the hills. However mental strength is one of his major advantages and he forced his way over every climb. The group trying to stay together on the flats and stopping at the hill tops. I have never seen someone suffer so much without a single moan.

We stopped at Loweswater (one of my favourite places on the trip) and took a few photos. After this point there was a long hard ascent but we had our first stop with the support van at the top. The climb was harder than I remembered and everyone suffered. Ste started a bit too hard at the bottom with the climb becoming fully visible after the first bend. He suffered for it the rest of the way up.

With a long rest at the support van for food and bike servicing it was time to push on. We were about to do the off road descent into Keswick. It was a fun section, not too technical but judgement was required with some nasty off camber sections. iT was first to bite the dust with a spectacular 30mph skid and flip. On surveying the crash site we found another helmet visor, I guess he wasn't the first. Fortunately no real damage done. Another comedy moment from iT in Keswick with a "SPD Moment" while waiting for DNM, he fell while stationary in front of a busy pub and several passers by. Much laughter :)

The final climb of the day was up to and over old coach road. It was 6pm (later than I'd wished) and DNM had a slow puncture. To push on we just pumped it up and went for it. I'd seen pictures of this climb and it looked easily passable. What we were met with was 2 miles of seriously tough loose ascent that was un-ride able. When we did eventually get to the top the view was amazing. The sun glowing over the hills we'd just ridden. Ste had hit a mental wall it was so tough, he was finding it hard going. DNM marched over the tops. I was starting to worry about the amount of light we would have at the end of this road. We finished in darkness. It was a depressing finish to a good day with great weather. Bikes thrown in the support van we sped to the B&B for food and beer. The food was good and Black Sheep was on the pumps. Everyone looked very tired, bloodshot eyes and fatigue. We had an early night.

Day 2
After a frankly poor breakfast (read cold) we headed to the finish point of the day before. Some fine tuning required on most of the bikes after the previous nights mad dash through boggy terrain. Today DNM's mean machine made it 300 yards (it had a brand new inner tube that morning) before puncturing on a thorn. Easily repaired we made our way to Penrith.

This was the hardest day we would have to endure and the sole target was to get as many miles out of the way as possible so we could finish early on Monday. It was lumpy from the off with some very fun single track descents and one very tough twisty ascent. We went past our B&B (which I won't be using again) after 5 miles and took our time towards Penrith. The second tough climb came on the way out of Penrith with a constant ~12% climb for ½ mile. That woke the legs up and me and Rico had a little sprint for the support van at the top.

Next stop, Hartside.

The Hartside climb is so long we agreed to go up at our own pace. Lasting roughly 5 miles it's tough. I paced myself to the quickest man, which in this case was Ste. After the hard time he had at the end of the day before he was a man possessed. Bear in mind he wasn't using SPD's he was able to keep a good steady pace and leave iT and Rico behind. iT arrived shortly after us and Ste was still lying on the floor, thoroughly knackered.

Rico was a further 2 minutes behind with DNM out of site (2 mile line of sight). We went to the van to wrap up warm as it was blowing a gale at the top. Looking over the terrain we'd just climbed a small red speck was just rounding the corner. DNM was winding his way up. I went down the descent to meet him with some Kendal mint cake and a few motivational words. He made it to the top.

Ste was fixing a slow puncture and when finished we headed into the cafe for some well deserved cake. Normally the descent off Hartside is 40mph+. However today (and Monday) we had a headwind. This made our exciting descent in a somewhat boring 20mph roll. On the way down Rico had a puncture which he fixed at the bottom while me, iT and DNM headed on in front. The next climb came as a complete surprise to me. It was immense. I laughed as we rounded the corner with DNM as it was just huge. Me and iT had a steady ride up together with several stops to wait. Ste and Rico eventually caught us. This climb took us over an hour, the descent was worth it and the smell of burning disc brakes was incredible at the bottom. And now the ascent to the highest point on the trip. This climb wasn't as bad as the previous two and the whole group got up in reasonable time. I had become concerned with the time again (approaching 7pm) and wanted to have more of a relax in the B&B that evening, so had gone ahead to find Alana in the support vehicle (that was out of mobile reception) and get her to collect us. The others had done another climb when we got to them and we were on the 88 mile marker. 55 miles to do on the last day!

That night the food was great, the beer was flowing and we had a great time. It even turns out DNM had pushed himself so hard that sheep had asked him why he was pushing his bike to which he replied "I know I'm supposed to £$%&ing ride it". The landlady was a great hostess and the band was excellent. The female singer had a nice voice too (Sinead Livingston). iT and DNM weren't listening to her voice though; they had other things on their minds... The dirty old men! We witnessed a numb fingered DNM play the live bands guitar in a solo which was incredible. Good times and late night.

Day 3
Monday started well. I'd slept solid and woke up fresh, something to do with the beer. As soon as I went downstairs I was treated to a good cooked breakfast, but no black pudding! We loaded the bikes into the van and again went to the finish point of the night before. It was wet, very cold and the cloud cover was very low. To be honest it was miserable. We had to cover 55 miles and the group were at their weakest. However we had 2000ft to lose and only 2 big climbs. Fortunately the first climb came early after a fun twisty descent on wet roads, a nasty little climb out of Allenheads that was sheltered by pines. The cold really bit but the sun was trying to burn through. We got to the top and waited for DNM. Stuntman Ste was having "saddle" issues.

DNM was soon over the top and we had a great 6 mile descent at 25mph. After passing the B&B and grabbing some extra layers from the support van we headed towards Stanhope where the biggest climb of the day was. On the way we hit a very nasty climb that kicked the teeth out of everyone. It was 2 miles long and wasn't listed on the map. I'd forgotten about it and at the top we had to break the news to DNM who thought he'd done the 2 climbs of the day. Fortunately he took it well and now had to look forward to a single track descent falling through the fields at 35-40mph. At the bottom there was a T-junction and again the smell of brakes was incredible. I sprayed some water on my front disc and it hissed and evaporated before it hit the ground.

We were now in Stanhope with the last climb (I think) of the day. It averaged 15% and went on for 2 ½ miles. I would possibly say that this is the steepest hill I've every climbed. I made it to the top of the first section and waited. Everyone turned up apart from Ste who'd had a puncture. After waiting a further 5 minutes the others set off to the peak while I waited. After 10 minutes I went down to see what was happening. He was about to get on the spare bike, he'd no spare inner tubes and the last one was split at the valve. I setup my mountain bike for him and used the cyclo-cross bike from the support van. Unfortunately I had to get up the hill again and the cyclo-cross bike's gearing isn't as forgiving. Alana drove the van to the top and got the others sorted while we made our way to the top.

At this point it was midday and with 30 miles remaining on a gentle downhill old railway embankment I was confident we could get to Sunderland for 3pm. Things went smoothly for the rest of the day with the exception of DNM's left crank falling off with 2 miles to go. Hand tightened it made it to the finish. Stuntman Ste was eager to dip his wheel into the sea and went racing down the ramp to hit a 1ft deep patch of soft sand. Needless to say he fell at the start and the end... consistent!

Ste even dipped the wheel of his fallen friend.

I enjoyed myself and learnt a lot about organising an event like this. Alana was fantastic and without her we'd have been in trouble on more than one occasion. Keith, well words can't describe how well he did. iT and Rico had solid rides and I look forward to seeing Ste with SPD's.

I shall definitely be asking these boys if they want to make another trip in the future.

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