Circuit of the Howgill by road bike

River Lune at Rigmaden

Jobs done this morning, it was 12 noon by the time I set off from home on the road bike to ride round the Howgills. The ride took me via Hutton Roof, to Kirkby Lonsdale, then minor roads via Underley and Rigmaden as I cycled up the Lune valley. Crossing the Lune and after a short while changing my allegiance from Lune to Rawthey I arrived at Sedbergh. The "Duo Cafe" was my target, food and drink consumed, I decided to continue  even though the mist and drizzle were hanging about. The A683 was the way forward, this pretty much climbs, albeit gradually for about 7 miles. The limestone escarpment of Stennerskeugh Clouds was......Cloudy! so no real view of Baugh Fell or Wild Boar Fell, and to the west the Howgills were also swathed in cloud. Cutting off to the west to Ravenstonedale, I met the strong westerly wind, which had proper rain in it. Oh good I thought, not really, I only had a windproof jacket with me. It faired up after a few miles, but the wind still blew. Even slight gradients seemed hard work, then I had a look at the back tyre, it was almost flat, I remembered a pothole I'd hit a mile or so back. At this point I wasn't to bothered p########s are a fact of life if you ride a bike, so wheel out, tube out, found the puncture, then realised that my pump had come apart inside, and wouldn't supply any pressure! So about 20 miles away from home, kind of concentrates the mind, I managed to dismantle the parts of the pump which hadn't already fallen apart, and bodged it back together. Back on the road, after about another mile I had a re-occurrence, my fingers by now were cold and I managed to snap the end off the valve, I always carry a spare tube thankfully, this seemed to do the trick. Time however was running out, partially due to my late start and partly due to the dramas. My quiet cycle down the " Fairmile Road", had to be cancelled with a more direct and busier route shadowing the M6, just getting back while there was proper daylight. (I had lights to be seen with, but not to SEE with!)

Food stop at the "Duo Cafe