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Day 09: riding the dinosaurs back
Day 09: riding the dinosaurs back
Wednesday June 13, 2012, 64 miles (103 km) - Total so far: 542 miles (872 km)
Wednesday June 13, 2012, 64 miles (103 km) - Total so far: 542 miles (872 km)
Today didn't start well.. I had a bad stomach (probably ate too much last night, in case Ian was wondering!), and with all the hills we were doing, that wasn't good news... Luckily that cleared up during the morning, but the hills were making themselves known to us in a big way...!.. We had been keeping our minds on shap hill at the end of the day, but suddenly we were standing at 1400 feet on top of a hill just 20 miles into the journey today, and it's 12.30 already..!
Panic set in a little bit.. So we pushed on and the miles soon crept up to 30, then 40..and then the bottom of shap hill arrived... Here we go... This is a monster of a climb, well known to cyclists on the LEJOG trip due to its length and difficulty.. First you go up the side of a river valley, then down to the river level to cross the Valley... Then up the side of a mountain (seriously!) to follow the M6 through the high Valley... Then the road dips down under the motorway, and heads back up the other side of the Valley to start to cross the high moors... And this hill was the most unrelenting climb.. At times it was up and down like Cornwall, and then just up and up over the top... And from there just a few miles down to the hotel.. At last.. With all of the climbing today, we were feeling exhausted by the time we got to the hotel... Todays climbing total of 5386 feet is huge, and I think we felt every one of them...!
I took some photos on the way up the climb in the photo above, and from the top also...
This is the profile of the ride today, from Andrews garmin.. It looks like a dinosaurs back, don't you think..?
If you are ever near shap, you should stay at the greyhound hotel... Brilliant and helpful place, and the best evening meal we've had so far..!
On an unrelated note, my handlebars are still looking good, even with the duck tape holding the bar tape in place, and Daniel and Toby's car, and sams darth vader are still there...!
Tomorrow is a bit easier... It's a bit bumpy at first, but then flatter going round Carlisle towards dumfries...
Calories used : 5191
Flies eaten by Andrew : 3
Feet climbed : 5386
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