http://www.youtube.com/v/ZxsjKYQFi24&hl=en_GB&feature=player_embedded&version=3
It appears that May is the month for riding in the lakes, with Derek and Gareth completing the Fred Whitton earlier in the month, and Kevan, Elenor and me, (Matt) riding Keswick Mountain Festival events this last weekend. All the road riders did well, completing the rides in respectable times in wild weather, but this is the Bog Blog afterall so you’ll probably want to hear more about the Lakes Epic moutain bike ride. The weekend started with a very pleasant stay in the Derwent Water YHA, just a couple of miles from the start in Crow Park, Keswick. I had a 22 berth room all to myself with views over the lake, very nice. That evening was also the night for the day one route and safety briefing, at which the fear of god was put into us with the description of the Sticks Pass traverse, at least an hour of portage to get to the top!
Too late to worry about that by 9.00 am next morning, and after catching up with the Underhills at the start it was ready for the tear up through the town center to the first climb of the day up to Lonscale Fell, and the realisation that yes, there were some proper racers here who were clearly wanting to win. 10 miles in, we reached that Sticks Pass slog and already they were out of sight. In the end it only took the second group of five, which I was in 45 mins to reach the cairn marking the summit and we all started to decend together until I was tipped over the bars on some rocks and bent my derailleur hanger on landing. Damn, 15 minute delay while I sorted it out, and that group was also out of site. With the next pair about 10 minutes still behind it was a pretty lonely slog the rest of the day around the shores of Ullswater, and up and over Boredale and Martindale, (more hike-a-bike) to the campsite near Pooley Bridge. Total distance, 38 miles in 5hrs 8 mins. Then to another of the exciting feature of the event, camping overnight in badly pitched large hike tents and gale force winds. It has to be said, my tent survived pretty well, at least five of the other tents were largely destroyed by the weather.
Next day, and the news from the route was that localised flooding meant that the route was to be shortened, and would miss out the back of Skiddaw loop. The weather was still pretty shonky, and we were headed back into the headwind today so this news wasn’t greeted with too much complaint from the racers. The flag dropped, and yesterdays fast lads disappeared into the distance again, allowing me and a pair from yesterday’s early group to get the first road miles done in as short a time as possible. My time was in the end a little shorter than theirs, and I’d lost them before the real off-roading started, descending, (but still having pedal into the wind and by now hailstones) the Old Coach Road. The curtailed route then largely followed the early part of day 1 route back round Lonscale fell before arriving into Keswick via the Sustrans railway path. Distance of 27 miles and 3 hours dead. This meant I was the leading solo rider, flying the flag for the WVCC and won……. one of the collapsible tents from the previous night! All in all a great event, and well worth the trip next year.
— Matthew Hornby