I'm going to class any bike activity towards my training, no matter what the circumstances..... so, this weekend I had a long standing camping weekend with my 11 year old daughter who I had somehow convinced to do a 21 mile bike ride as part of the weekend (on the alledged basis that the route was predominently downhill and you got the train back).
Camp set up successfully Friday night - we went to eat one of the largest pub meals ever at the Tan Hill Inn - the UK's highest pub (around 4 miles from where we were staying), which involved driving up a 25% switchback incline with the risk of passing sheep!
That set us up nicely for the bike ride in the morning, staring at Dent (the highest mainline railway station in England- spot the theme here) and cycling to Settle via the "iconic" Ribblehead Viaduct, as recently made (re)famous through the Harry Potter movies. We encountered lots of walkers, lots of rain and some spectacular views along the way - to quote a mototcyclist who asked if we'd take his picture (!) - "once you get to the top of this rise, you feel like you are on top of the world" it wa really like that, quite awe inspiring.
Got to Settle in around 2 hours and took the train back up to Dent - in my haste in disembarking managed to leave my back pack on the train with car keys, mobile, wallet etc. Thanks once again the the Network Rail staff (particularly the signalman who "chased" the train up the line for us) and managed to sent it back just over an hour later. For those who don't know, Dent station is probably one of the most remote places in England to be stuck with nothing but a bike and a camera, so "hats off" again to the honesty and effiency which re-united me & bag: it could have been so much worse!
Celebrated back at camp with beers (Gina had pop) and big BBQ !
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