Well, that was a grand adventure. No photos - I didn't take a camera because I had no room in my bag. Nor did I take any cake, or a lock, or my house keys, or any spare layers, or indeed a pump! I finally (only the best part of a year later than originally promised, and on the third attempt) managed to hand a cake into AdrianC's mitts. He was presented with it an the station in Manchester because, as I said, I had nowhere to carry it. The quick nip across Manchester in traffic was, naturally, fairly alarming for a country bumpkin. Taxis and tram tracks, what a combination. Lovely to see, at the station and then at City Hall, familiar faces from Cleethorpes and elsewhere, and to meet some new forumites. And Emily, the youngest FNRttCer to essay the full journey to date (and undoubtably the most adorable one ever) was full of beans and ready for the off before anyone else. The steady haul up and out of Manchester felt a bit like hard work, particularly since I seemed to be joining Kim in the dodgy knee club with, by the time we rallied up outside Tesco, both knees and my flaky hip objecting to starting out the ride with the wrong sort of hill. Fortunately both eased off after that, leaving me to just enjoy the ride. And wasn't it thoroughly delicious? I have no idea where we were most of the time. This is not unusual for me, as per usual the plan was to turn up, pedal and follow - hopefully not too slowly. Any bad bits? Well, the obvious one is the injury. Hope it is not serious, and that all is well as soon as. The road surface, as we had been warned, was frequently absolutely shocking. And, by CrinklyStandards, it was a little on the warm side.... Good bits? Too many to number.
Benevolent weather the whole way. The drunks and the revellers cheering us on, and just not understanding that 'what we were doing it for' was fun. Just fun. Those never-ending descents (must get some better lights, they make the right sort of hill so much more enjoyable at night). Not having to walk up any of the hills (although I will admit to having to stop to find the lung that I appeared to have misplaced partway up one of them - oxygen is such useful stuff, I find). After the 'safety talk', outside someone's house although I've no idea where, turning the corner and seeing the velvety darkness punctuated by a constellation of lights ahead, lighting up the trees and disappearing down and round the corner, thinking 'that's the moment I was waiting for'. A couple of stretches where Kim and I were tootling along with the bunch ahead out of sight round a couple of corners, and the others invisible behind us, realising it had been a while since we'd seen anyone and that I sort of hoped we hadn't missed a waymarker along the way - although I didn't actually care that much if it was the wrong road because it was so really remarkably pleasant. Not having to walk up any of the hills. Along the top, before the endless endless descent to ASDA, in blissful solitude and marvelous moonlight, catching up with jogler and Emily who was still game and still cheerful then passing that very pretty little church and finding everyone waiting at the top and them greeting her with a round of applause. The complete confusion on the face of the lady doing her early-hours shopping at ASDA when confronted with the milling lycra-clad crowd. That halfway cafe - efficent, friendly and cheerful, delicious food and very welcome coffee and so very, very civilised. Lurking outside to try and cool down a bit and enjoying the complete and utter peace of the moment with dark skies and a few bright stars and the only sounds the burble of running water from the garden and, if you listened very, very carefully the sound of laughter and gossip from inside. And what a toilet! Not having to walk up the 'last' hill either. The mist and the lambs and the beautiful sunrise. The welcome return to the flatlands, my natural habitat, and my bike computer (which objects to my lights and so doesn't work at night) suddenly springing back into life as the batteries started to fade and realising we were gossiping along at a steady 25 to 30 kph. A year ago I'd have struggled to maintain half of that. The dawn meaning I could finally remove the front light that had been driving me bonkers with the rattly lens the whole way. Spotting the tower, although apparently several miles too late to be in with a chance of a prize. The utter insanity of slaloming round barriers and work vehicles, across the trams tracks on the prom. Breakfast - I didn't realise I was hungry until it was in front of me - and the fact that the waiter was so completely entertained by us all, at least to start off with. Emily having ridden her first night ride, and further than she's ever ridden before - by the time they tandemmed off to the uncle that are staying with she will have clocked up a metric century. Her previous best, which I also got to go along on, was an imperial half century. I told her that I expect her to be towing me round audaxes on her solo by the end of the year. Gossip and beer (although not for me, because I'm rubbish at drinking) then off the station for a straightforward journey home with spontaneously helpful staff at Picadilly offering to open the accessible loo so I could take my bike in with me (no lock with me - it would only have weighed me down) and a random lady offering to watch my bike at York while I went to the ticket office, where the staff had told me off for bringing the bike in but then made up for it by being apologetic and efficient and extrardinarliy helpful in sorting tickets and bike bookings for the EldestCub and I when we go off audaxing in a couple of weeks time. Finding it easier than the Cleethorpes run last year. Oh and, did I mention, not having to walk on any of the hills? Emily's grin at the end. That would have been worth riding twice the distance and doing twice the climbing, all on its own. Thanks everyone for a splendid night out, especially Andrew (nice to meet you!) fountain-of-local-knowledge and (obviously) Our Glorious Leader.
). I think the speed out of Manchester catching up the others did put me off the super speedy FNRttC though. If it wasn't for the traffic lights slowing you down on the road to Prestwich I'd have had no chance of keeping up.
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