Small world..

[Amy]

... of cycling

My room-mate in Penrith was John Leitch's sister! I'm sure some of you will know who he is.

[Amy]

Forgot to say she lives in or near Huddersfield.

[Andrew G]

Nice man, hope his daughter is too if you were sharing. How was the touring holiday?

[Amy]

You got me worried there for a moment, , I had to go and check my post. No, I'd definitely written sister!

She was very nice indeed, no problems sharing a room with her.

The tours, both of them, were very pleasant though sometimes a bit slow for me but I don't go on them for speed and/or distance. It's nice to be able to stop and take photos or visit places and know that at a steady pace I'll either catch them up or get in not far behind them. I think the two weeks has done what I'd hoped - given me some muscles back! Best run for the bus today than I've done in a long time Also got decent cycle tan - ankle sock line, short line and a bit of a short sleeve line - especially as the first week was wall-to-wall sunshine. Nice riding round Penrith as it's mostly rolling countryside with some higher hills a bit further out as you head either into the Lake District or into the Penines. The ride up the main road to Hartside (highest café) was lovely especially as it hardly changed gradient and I just stayed in the same gear all the way up (and not bottom gear!). The Coast to Coast route goes through Penrith - it's like a motorway on the weekends All sorts riding it from a CTC tour taking several days, several charity rides and just those riding it because, like the guys from the club that runs the Fred Whitton who I rode with for a few miles one day I was off on my own.

Transfer day was fun, riding from Penrith to Dumfries (unloaded) - I stopped to visit somewhere just off the route, having agreed to meet them for tea at Caerlaverock. I get to Caerlaverock just behind Tom but there's no sign of the other two who have ridden up. Even more puzzling, Tom says didn't I see them... Ron had spotted someone he knew and turned round to catch up with them and had taken Malcolm with him while Tom had decided to plod on (he's getting back to fitness following a hip replacement). Still no sign of them by the time Tom and I'd had tea so, as Ron is the deputy tour leader, we think he should know where he's going and we head off to find our own way through Dumfries as I had a good idea where the hotel is for the night and a map. By the time the other two turn up, they're over an hour later than us and with 15 more miles on the clock!

Dumfries and Galloway is a very picturesque part of Scotland, bit like Penrith with mostly rolling countryside and higher hills further inland to the east. Weather not so good but still mostly dry and not too cold though the rain on the 2nd half day of rain on entire holiday was freezing and I just wanted to get in to the hotel and get into some water of the hot kind. Fortunately everyone felt that it wasn't really the day for seeing the Glenkiln sculptures (Henry Moore among others) though the morning had been amazing with a tailwind blowing us up the hills Bumped into a group (all men) from the Carlisle Border City Wheelers doing a similar tour twice but with hostels not hotels.

For next year's tours, I'm thinking of going to somewhere like Porta Pollensa in Mallorca (or Italy, or Spain, or somewhere warm and abroad) in spring and then maybe Isle of Man later in the year. Either organise it myself or join a 'training' camp - anyone interested/got ideas?

[Andrew G]

Oops, sorry misread .

Sounds like a great trip, and glad to hear you had a good time. Covered some good miles.

I've always fancied a trip to the Isle of Mann, I love watching the TT and it's a shame they don't have a pedal powered bike week there any more. used to have some great racing, bunch and TT around the island lap. Whilst the TT is a fantastic sight I don't think you'd want to be pedal cycling on the island at the same time, may be worth doing some googling around about cycling on the island and see what you can turn up on other forums (CTC, YACF) first as outside of the towns there's no speed limit. Probably still just a fairly quiet island but there may be worth certain times to avoid in case the boy/girl racers favour a time of year.

[Amy]

A quick look online gives this... [url=http://www.holidays-isleofman.com/isle-of-man/tourist-information/getting-around/cycling/]Cycling around the Isle of Man[/url].

And for a cyclist-friendly hotel, guest-house, pub or B&B on the island - there's only one I've found so far [url=http://www.friendly-places.com/categories/cyclist-friendly/cyclist-friendly.asp?Location=Isle+of+Man]Mereside Hotel[/url] At least it's in Douglas.

Getting there and back will be the fun bit - I'd prefer to go by train and boat just for the adventure of it. There's one route where the train goes right into the ferry port so there's no transfers across town anywhere.

Could just about see the Isle of Man from the Mull of Galloway - bit too misty to see much.

[Lesley]

Ive booked in for http://www.manxe2e.org/ this event in September, Looks tough but fun! so can check the place out for you.
I had also looked at this for next year Amy http://www.sasevents.im/event/lighthouses-challenge/