Coast to Coast ride 2010 - Day 2 - "The not so perfect storm"

Thursday 11^th – Day 2

The day was rainy and the wind was forecast for gale force later in the day. We cycled out 20k to the train station basically just down the coast from where we had started the previous day and caught the train to avoid the ice lake district passes.

This is where Steve and I split up, making a critical decision which would affect the rest of the trip.

I decided to take the train south and around to Windermere were I would ride about 20 miles/32k to get to the camping barn following mostly the original route that Steve had planned.

Steve went north and would take the train to Kikby Stephen which was just outside the lake district and had about a 5 mile ride riding back to meet me at the camping barn.

We set off and I was hopefully as the sun broke through the clouds that the weather might improve.

I got to my new start point at Staveley rail station and headed off east. I tried to detour through a bridle way but ended up getting quite lost as I ended up not being where I thought I was. In the end I ended up riding through a farmers field after loosing the poorly marked bridleway and found a promising road. After getting back on course I joined the sketchy A6 and followed this until the turnoff down into the valley on a track road.

By this stage it was getting quite grey and the wind had picked up quite considerably which was also driving the rain through my waterproofs.

Fortunately the wind was behind me so it buffered me through the valley dodging the huge puddles and I ended up crossing the M6 in the failing light.

I was back on the A road and the wind was now howling all around me driving the rain. I was literally blown along the back roads as twigs and branches were snapping all around me in the dark.

It was quite a scary moment and my concern for Steve was growing as he would have to be battling into the galeforce winds.

Thank the Lord the camping barn was well marked and I ended up following the signs and getting there wet cold tired but relieved to be out of the storm.

Steve was not at the camping barn much to my dismay. I had expected him to be there an hour before me. The farmer said he saw him on the road walking. I was about to go out and look for him when my phone managed to get some signal and a text came through from Steve saying the wind was too strong and he was on his way back home on the train.

I had no food for the evening but fortunately there were two climbers staying at the barn also and they took me down to the pub which was about 2 miles away. I was relieved to have some company and decided to see what the weather said tomorrow before I determined whether I would carry on the ride.

Daily Stats

Distance : 44km until speedo broke

Elevation gain : 615m

Elevation loss : 490m

Max Elevation : 400m

Min Elevation : 195m

Start Time : 9:10 AM

End Time : 5:30 PM

Total Time : 08:20

Riding Time : 03:45

Notes : 3 hours spent on train getting to Windermere.