Topic Title

To add to the big variety of MTB stuff on this weekend there's a MTB Marathon on at Penrith.

It's part of the week long Cumbria Bike Fest and held at Lowther Deer Park.

There's camping available over the weekend and plenty to do including coaching, stunt displays, stalls, lots of food and beer, finished off with the series of MTB-Marathons on Sunday, ranging from 25k for all over 12, to a 100k event.

More details and entry forms at http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/events/cumbria.php

Hi Paul

Did the 75km route in 6 hours (5800ft of climbing), it was tough but it at least it didn't rain. It would of been quicker if the recent rain hadn't turned the top of High Street into a mud bath and people weren't walking up all the climbs.

How did your son fare on the 25km route?

Rob@Nestle

Rob. Good time, especially over High Street in the mud.

I remember, several years ago, spending a New Year break at Windermere with some friends, Gill and her brother.

We did a ride on road bikes, over Kirkstone Pass then down towards Ullswater. At a place (Hartsop or something like that) near Patterdale, we turned right and headed up on to High Street. My mate, Keith, was piloting a tandem and ended up dragging it several hundred feet up on to High Street where we all set off South back towards Troutbeck along the bridleway. It was knee deep in bog in places and calf-high in snow in others so progress was slow, especially on the tandem.

My mate, Graeme, was riding his prized, custom built Roberts and took off down this descent, forgetting he was on road tyres on wet grass. The resulting skid lasted 100 metres or so, only halted abruptly by a sudden hole/dip. The frame took the brunt and had a terminal 're-shaping' of the top and down tubes.

Meanwhile, Gill's brother (13 at the time) performed a similar trick but ended up in something much stickier near a farm gate. He spent the rest of the ride in some of Gill's clothes.

The clouds lowered and we started losing light but we finally made it back to Windermere before dusk.

So I know how wet High Street can be!

As for Seb and the 25k this weekend, a cock-up in child care put paid to our trip away.

How my life has changed....