September 25th, 2005
Three Peaks 2005
I couldn’t ride this year, so I went along to snap some photos.
I didn’t want shots from the bottom of each peak - anyone can get them. So I planned to ride from the start straight to Whernside then up. Except that under Rule 15 no cyclists except competitors are allowed, and my back is still sore from Tuesdays car crash.
So instead the plan was to drive from the start to Ribblehead then walk straight up Whernside (the old route), in time to catch the leaders.
Boy am I glad the route got changed and the climb up Whernside is now, ahem, easier. The original route makes the current route up Whernside look flat. Kirsty came with me, and we couldn’t leave the dogs home alone for the length of time we were going to be out. So they came too.
At first they leaped along, pulling us up.
Then it got steep. I ended up dragging them.
I made it to the top just in time to see the leaders coming out of the mist.
Whernside Mist
After running into an old friend in the middle of a cloud itself in the middle of nowhere we started down, following the riders route.
Most of them appreciated a “well done”, but some were definitely a bit grim. Still, they’d done the worst two by now.
Whernside Hardcore
As we came out of cloud we could see Ingleborough over the shoulder of Whernside, still swathed in the cloud that must have greeted the riders.
Descending Whernside
A lot of the riders give away their true vocation descending Whernside. That is, fell running.
Chipps descending Whernside
Of course there are some mountain bikers in the mix who will ride where they can. Then there are those who cheat and use flat bars. Hang your head in shame Keith Bontrager.
This year seems to have been run faster than last year with less wind on the tops. Full results are here.
It’s ridiculous to think that it took me as long to drive straight to the base of Whernside and then walk up it as it did the leaders to ride to the base of Ingleborough, up it, down it, to the base of Whernside, and up it.
Next year I hope I’ve got the doctors all clear and can make my third attempt.
I want under 5 hours.
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