A few weeks ago there had been good intentions expressed by around 8 riders from work<\/a>.\u00a0 When the end of last week came, it was clear that 4 hardcore, reliable chaps would be making the trip.\u00a0 On Saturday, following a disappointing performance by his football team, one of those chaps drowned his sorrows and his chances of riding on Sunday along with them.\u00a0 So…. I picked up Chris on Sunday morning and we met Russ an hour later at the car park where the Gisburn Forest<\/a> rides start!<\/p>\n We three musketeers set off and by 2\/3 of the way up the first climb it was clear that I was the unfit one.\u00a0 Chugging a fruit bar immediately we’d set off to make sure I didn’t go hypo (curse you, Diabetes<\/em>) didn’t help, as my stomach closed around it and threatened to have me hurling whilst I waited for my heart rate to return to normal within a mile or so of setting off!\u00a0 However, things got\u00a0better and over the next 3-and-a-bit hours I had a bloody great time.\u00a0 Russ bailed halfway round because he needed to\u00a0travel to London that night, so Chris and I completed the Red Route loop with just each other for company.<\/p>\n\n\t\t