It’s always a struggle to leave your home on this gig. You‘ve spent days pedalling to get there, and no sooner have you arrived, you’re off again. Hard to leave family behind. Onwards though. And the first extraordinary sight on this stage.
Army veteran in training for Jogle - John O’ Groats to Land’s End - on a buggy and using sticks to move him along. I will never complain about a day in the saddle again. What a man. And so much harder than what we are doing - which is basically a cycling holiday. Detour to Deepdale for this picture…
Lancashire legend. Absolutely one of the greatest. The statue in the background features another Lancashire lad. Tom Finney. If you haven’t heard of him, look it up. This statue was inspired by an award winning photograph taken on a waterlogged pitch at Stamford Lane in the 50’s. ‘The Splash.’ He was the Preston Plumber. Did a Saturday shift then got on a bus with his boots to Deepdale and scored goals for North End. Are you listening Pogba? I’ve spent many happy hours here watching PNE with my Dad and my girls. Some bloody miserable ones too. The Jolly Boys set off at different times today. Family routines etc. So we were virtually solo all day on the longest ride of the trip to Penrith.
The Tickle Monster caught the Tank Commander just before the climb to Shap…
WrestlIng with a blow out which meant another detour to Halfords. They’ve had some money out of us those boys.
The climb from Kendal to Shap is a brute. But the scenery in South Lakeland is stunning.
This memorial at the summit celebrates the lives of those who have lost their lives here in dreadful weather. The nearby M6 is the highest motorway in England.
Absolutely stunning day for it. And a tail wind! Our first on the trip. And the Cumbrians are so welcoming. Appalling what they do to their pets though!
The descent into Shap is a 40mph blast. Down all the way to journey’s end. Penrith - where time stands still…
