Lakes Part 1 - Tour of Britian Stage 2 & a ride from Hartside on the Norco Search

The school holidays are not over yet so a last minute booking for an over nigh'ter in Penrith was a well earned break for us. We wanted to go and see / do the Lego exhibition at Reghed (see Part 2) and have a walk around Keswick etc but found out the Tour of Britain was passing through Penrith by accident yesterday as there was nothing advertised anywhere and the locals did not even know where the route was! A quick google and the Tour of Britian website said between 11.30 - 11.50, that went and passed then a group of 15 riders come through followed by the main pack at 12.10pm. It was over in approx 5-10 seconds. Just as well we did not come over just for the Tour as I would have been bitterly disappointed.
After that we had a good shop at Cranstons food hall before heading home 'over the tops'. We stopped at Hartside café where I jumped out along with my Norco Search for a ride home. Within a mile on the descent towards Alston I hit a massive pothole and the bike went out with a bang but both tyres seemed to be ok (back tyre is flat as a fart this am!). The descent was a killer into a massive headwind so I had to nearly pedal all the way down. By the time I got to Alston the sun was out and it was 20+ degrees and red hot but still the headwind. Once I dropped down into Nenthead then the never ending climb back out again which I hate with a passion I crossed the County Durham border and down past Killhope Museum. The climbs are more undulating from there and the headwind seemed to die down a little in places. I stopped at Stanhope for a quick drink before heading off again but my legs were tiring now! Once at Frosterley I had enough and drove home from there with acing legs, sore back and general tiredness.

Part 2 to follow asap, enjoy the sun and heat :-}