Jelly Babe Circuit of Pendle AKA the 100k reliability.

100k 2013 , Should I or Shouldn’t I?

The first reliability of the year has arrived but I am in a bit of a quandary, my chest infection has eased off considerably but will I manage to get round the short but quite arduous circuit of the mighty Pendle Hill.

I made up my mind to do it and posted my intention on Facebook whereupon David Bisset, also a chest infection sufferer decided if I could do it, so could he.

On reaching the town hall square early  for the 8.30 am start I found two other early birds, Dave Bisset and Steve Garthwright, like me Steve was a little unsure about riding but as he is undertaking a short tour in June he is looking for an increase in fitness..

Eventually more and more arrive meaning a healthy number up for a certificate, it was also quite obvious there would be at least two distinct groups making the circuit of Pendle, the fast lads and three others.

The three others comprised of myself, Dave Bisset and Steve Garthwright, two chest infections and an unfit wannabe fit.

The selection of the two groups were made as we reached the bottom of the first long drag of the day, Bradshaw to the old pub at the top. The fast group disappeared up the road while we, the ‘liability’ group got together at the bottom with Dave the volunteer pace maker. By the time we got to the top I felt I need a pace maker of a different sort, the one that’s inserted in the chest. The downhill bit to Ramsbottom was more that welcome allowing recovery before the climb up to Greenfield where a little break was taken, and, the first appearance of the ‘Jelly Babies’.

Off again on the Rawtenstall to Burnley leg with nice downhill stretches, particularly the old Bull and Butcher one into Burnley, wow, what speed down here, it would be hair raising if I had any.

Through Burnley and the fast drop down past Barden Mill is suddenly brought almost to a standstill at the sudden rise over the motorway bridge. This hill has nearly brought me to my knees time after time, the annoying thing is it looks so innocuous. Steve battles up a little off the pace but as Dave says we’ll rest ‘til he catches up, the lad’s back with us.

We climb out of Fence up the short climb that demands a sudden effort to get round the bend near the top then it is nice and rolling along the lane before the dramatic drop down to Roughlee. A female jogger with a dog on an extendable lead is coming up as I career downward at speed, the dog sees me as a threat and lunges at the bike, boy, we both had a lucky escape. I think these mobile trip wires should be banned.

A bit more gasping and wheezing and Barley visitor centre is thankfully reached, break time. My huge saddlebag is packed with enough stuff to feed a platoon, apart from the two water bottles on the bike I have packed 3 oven bottoms, with jam, a banana, six chocolate wafer biscuits, two apples, a bar of chocolate, a can of coke, a can of recovery drink, all stowed in with spare gloves waterproof spare folding tyre, and that’s not counting the bulging side pockets of my Carradice long flap camper bag. No wonder I am puffing up the hills.

While at Barley my tight chest remind me I have foolishly left at home my drugs, namely my asthma reliever, gosh and I am about to climb alongside of the mighty Pendle Hill next, the very thought has me out of breath.

After a decent break I hand out the jelly babes again anf off we go, Dave for some reason or other is clock watching, having decided to score the longest time ever doing our 100k perhaps he is having second thoughts.

Leaving Barley we are immediately on the long climb out and just as quickly I engage ‘Granny Ring’, ok fastlads when you get to seventy five you too will be looking for Granny.

Dave is away up ahead while I, despite being at the side of Lancashire’s most beautiful sight see nothing but tarmac, glancing occasionally up the road at more tarmac wondering when the end will be in sight. Steve is behind me content to also engage a manageable low gear. At the top we are together again with another dramatic drop in front of us, the scenery in front of us is equally dramatic, the Ribble Valley and the hills of the Yorkshire Dales unfold before us.

All too soon the view is gone, descending at speed in the direction of Rimmington, another of Lancashire’s famous beauty spots, before we get there however another pig of a climb must be overcome, short but sweet as they say.

Now if you do not pass the white chapel with the sundial on the wall, you have not completed the 100k route, think about it you guys, did you?

After Rimmington comes Downham, truly god’s own village, a sight to be savoured and photographed too. The day may be overcast but the beauty of the village is in no way demeaned and we drink it all in as we take another short break and more jelly babes. As we pose on the ancient village bridge a guy who is a keen runner around here takes a photo of the three of us on the bridge with the attractive church high on the hill in the background.

Next on our Pendle circuit is another Lancashire gem that has hit the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons, without wanting to ‘speak’ about why, Pendleton village is such an attractive place.

The country lanes take us next to Whiswell, pronounced locally as ‘Wizzell’ and from here it is another nice easy downhill stretch to Whalley.

As usual I bomb down the hill with nary a backward glance, save for a quick look behind as we reach the busy main road we have to cross to continue the downward swoop, I am lucky, a break in the traffic allows me to cross safely.

On reaching Whalley I pause at a spot we use to regroup, out of my saddlebag comes the can of coke, very welcome it is too, and I drink while looking back up the road for Dave and Steve, no, they’re missing.

After a while I realise a problem must have arose and continue to wait, while gazing up the road a group of cyclists are heading toward me, are they among this lot. The jerseys begin to look familiar, Bolton clarion tops dominate and I realise that they are the ‘fast lads’, our lot, I am gobsmacked.

With shouts of recognition and cheery arm waving they carry on and I am left to finish my can of coke.

Eventually it is make your mind up time, finish the cokedeposit the can in the dustbin and begin to retrace back through Whalley to search for the lost boys. I have no sooner set off when two cyclists appear heading toward me, we pause again and the tale of the puncture begins, punctuated by the appearance once more of the jelly babes. Dave declares once more ‘it is the law to eat the heads off first’ before devouring the the body in double quick time.

Now we have the long laborious trundle up to Wilpshire after which another easy stretch into Blackburn, beyond then is the dreaded Bull Hill, what purgatory awaits today?

I have been riding all day with my pulse monitor on, the idea being not to over stretch myself on the climbs of the day, that went out of the window early, as early as Tonge Moor actually, never mind we’ll see what happens up the monster.

We are more or less together up to half way, at the cemetery the road kicks up a little more and I change down a gear, I think Dave was waiting for the moment, as my speed dropped he shot past with a whoop, the swear word ‘bastard’ never really left my lips but it was in my head.

I plugged on, ‘wait ‘til my chest infection is over Bisset and I have a few puffs of  salbutomol, I’ll get my own back’. Back to the trudge I check my pulse rate from time to time, jeeze I’m working harder than I do on a time trial and hardly moving, 182, 183, 185, and still rising, bugger it, just keep going. Steve has dropped off again but Dave has waited at the top so we once more celebrate the ascent with another jelly babe, head first of course. Dave pleads with me not to die yet as a bout of coughing besets me, wait until we get into town.

Now for the real excitement, the downhill rush virtually all the way into Bolton, a mere pimple at Dunscar bottom to overcome, as Steve said, in our younger days we would use our momentum and sprint to the top, but then that was a while ago. However it is nice to get over the last bump, the feeling of ‘I’ve done it’ is there even before entering the town hall square. We arrived back at 3.30 pm bang on, six hours after setting off, not bad when you consider all three of us had set out to ‘attempt’ the ride not knowing the outcome due to our own problems, chest infections and general unfitness. Taking stock as well of our leisurely breaks on route, we have done well on our ’Jelly Babe Circuit’

Dave treated us to a Costa Coffee as we recovered on the marble slabs while discussing our problems prior to the ride, we had all arose that morning with a ‘suck it and see’ philosophy, we had all succeeded.