Pint’s Peak – stage three
Swaledale. Distance: three miles
Thanks to a tow on stage two’s uphill section from Ben’s Yamaha (just recompense for waiting for him on stage one), some suicidal stupidity on the downhill section and regular mechanical issues with both the Yamaha and Guzzi Nibbio I arrive at the bench overlooking Swaledale, the start of stage three, in very decent shape indeed. The heart-stopping ascent of Buttertubs is almost forgotten and I’m feeling good about life. Sitting on the bench admiring the view and waiting for Ben and Nigel to turn up, I’m already contemplating a return visit on a bike that doesn’t require sweating assistance to make it up the hills. These roads are lovely. We’ve all agreed that stage three will drop us into Swaledale, then along the B6270 past Thwaite and Angram with a finishing line for this section at the bridge over the river at Keld, before the final stage four ‘sprint’ up to the Tan Hill pub.
Ben arrives complaining of a misfire. The spark is arcing from the soaking wet plug cap direct to the cylinder, by-passing the plug. The youngster is learning that mudguards have a function. I selflessly assist our rookie with running repairs and, while I have got him distracted, Mike sets about filling the Yamaha’s top box with a well chosen selection of rocks.
Unfortunately Ben discovers our ruse and, having emptied the excess load, sprints off early down the one-in-four descent, while we pursue. At the hairpin it is Yamaha first, from Honda, Mobylette and Moto Guzzi.
The Mobylette might not like going up hills, but it’s brilliant at descents. Mike overtakes Ben’s Yamaha at the exit to the hairpin, and I follow. Fortunately there’s no speedo on the Moby, but a guesstimate 40mph on a bumpy dales road is more terrifying than an autobahn 160 on a Kawasaki H2.
With the throttle on the stop and gravitational assistance the noise from the over-revving mechanical sympathy engine is more can tolerate. than my Convinced of imminent explosion, and confident that Ben is well beaten, I back off a bit. Mike doesn’t appear to be getting away from me and later tells me that he had seen 50 on the C50’s speedo. I take this under revue.
Unfortunately, the best bit is over for the Moby. Faced with a climb up from Thwaite and Angram to Keld, the Yamaha soon catches up, and while putting the pedals to use I watch white top boxes disappear into the distance. Nigel is still behind me. But even this will change…
Actually stopping at the end of the stage seems to me like an unnecessary complication, and I take the shouts from my colleagues waiting by the road side as sportsmanlike encouragement rather than any kind of reprimand. I need the momentum to carry me up the next hill. Stage three finishes Honda, Yamaha, Mobylette, Moto Guzzi.
‘Stopping at the end of the stage seems unnecessary and I take the shouts from my colleagues as encouragement…’