I'm alive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blimey that was mad, snow falling from the heavens from as soon as I hit Windermere. Had to get my bottom bracket aruldited back into the frame after it stripped its threads on the way to Edinburgh station. Friendly Windermere bike mechanic sorted it for a fiver and a packet of aruldite.
Pleasant wee cruise across the lake on the car ferry for nothing as the attendant couldn't be bothered stepping out in the blizzard for £1 ! Then uphill into increasingly worse weather. At the highest point of the road it was white out, I was the only road user. The descent was sketchy, nearly lost the front wheel several times but eventually made it to the YHA for food, beer and a good sleep.
Day 2, rather white out there and bloody cold with a strong breeze. Wheezed up the eastern side of the hill on black tarmac, the snow ploughs had been busy. At the top it started to get worse with drifting snow and big embankments left by the ploughs. Western downward slope to Coniston not nice, lots of slush and windblown snow and a bus charging up the centre of the road taking no prisoners which forced me into the ditch. Unclassified roads branching off this road were axle deep in the white stuff. Entries to Grizedale forest were no go, the odd abandoned car from overnight aswell.
Rolled into Coniston, walkers only predominated all dressed like eskimos. Reached Bluebird Cafe, took a few pictures which I'll download later, had a very nice hot chocolate then met Fluffy Chicken, his good lady and his rather nice Finnish mtb by a brand I've never heard of.
Returned to Hawkshead via a minor road just to see if it could be ridden, it couldn't and collapsed back at the hostel to eat drink and sleep.
Returned home today over a frozen bitter cold landscape.
All in all an epic adventure but would have prefered better weather and a retrobike meet.
Oh well always next year
