For our glorious leader, a 'ride out with pictures'. Sorry about the weather.
Please note that one of the bikes, although black and shiny, is not a Honda. (pic1)
We set off north and west through Barnard Castle, with the sun shining, on a glorious if breezy sunny, spring day. (pic2)
Up through Teesdale on the back road, parallel to the A66, loosing the sun, leaving spring behind and heading into cloud and the snow covered tops!
The many migrant birds on the high moors were aware of spring, even if the weather was a little behind.
At the cafe at Alston, (pic3) what should have been panoramic views down to Penrith needed a little imagination and the wind was somewhat 'bracing'. The cafe is also 'under new management'. I don't expect them to survive. Over priced, poor quality (even the tea), bad service, unclean....even with their monopoly, people can bring picnics. Seems so difficult for the English to do, catering.
Down into Penrith and the sun returned and we followed a pair of very attractive, young lady cyclists, whom I expected to follow to the parking spot for a decent cup of tea but my leader was on a mission and down the road to Ullswater (pic4) we went. If you look closely you can see the snow still on the tops of our teeny tiny mountains.
After a recce of the campsite for his Easter visit, with wife and camper van, we set off again down the old A6 heading south and then east to chase black storm clouds and wet roads down the dale to Ripon and through Boroughbridge to home.
417 kms in 9 hrs hard riding and I pronounce the Michelins (PR3 trail) run in and fit for purpose. The front brake chatter turned out to be a loose head race, which I mentioned in another post. All is now as it should be.
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