More of the same

Yesterday was the monthly stw ride, we met up in settle with the weather looking promising. The first climb was a biggy, 1in7 tarmac from the town square switching to gravelly then grassy and it went on for a while. One really tricky section which I messed up, mixture of traffic and gear choice, went back for another go with the same result, by now a few were trying again cos it did look do-able, cleared it on my third go - yay. More climbing with some swoopy double track and a few grassy decents to follow, as lowey advertised it was quite "pedally" (as opposed to long slog uphill then freewheel down). Not too hot which was good with all the climbing, a super fast zig-zaggy descent got us back onto tarmac with a quick spin upto the pub at litton and the sun came out properly. 29 of us threw our bikes down and rushed the bar then sat out in the sun - lovely. A nice climb followed steep but not too steep, get the legs going again after the pub stop. Riding along the tops looking over to Pen y ghent I had to stop and take it all in, the view, the weather, the riding, top day. The downhill that followed was a screamer, a loooong gravelly track straight-ish super fast 30mph+, don't remember braking at all on the second half must have been nearing 40. A nice leisurely ride over to giggleswick scar and it was all done bar the cakes. Cracking day out.