#JennRide2019 (with a difference)
7/7 - 39th in a row
While the other hundred or so riders pushed themselves to the limit Dave The North Wind (from these here parts) had an amazing chilled out ride and paddle.
We rode the JennRide route to the ferry, used the pack rafts to cross and head north up the East shore of Windermere (until the strong head wind made progress too slow, We picked up the route until we headed over to the north shore of Coniston.
Using the slight wind we headed south halfway down, we crossed Coniston and as the wind had dropped we paddled north to the village of Coniston for our evening meal. Heading north on the JennRide route we got to Tarn Hows with a couple of hours worth of sun left, this was the most tranquil and amazing part of the whole adventure for me.
We headed to the island on Tarn How's looking for a place to bivi for the night, but the midges came out and with 3 hours before darkness to get eaten alive we reluctantly paddled away (noting it for a midge free time of the year), looking for higher ground or at least some place away from water and in a breeze.
It was great to camp right next to the route watching riders pass closely by throughout the night.
In the morning we followed the route to the edge of Windermere and paddled the 2 miles north to Ambleside to get breakfast when Stiles Cafe opened up.
A nip in to Alkpit for a jelly baby pocket fill up and off we went to complete the rest of the route.
Stats = 50 or so miles, 7 or 8 of these on water, 10% on made up sections and the rest on the official JennRide route.
It's made me realise that at my age (the wrong side of 50) chilled out riding, with occasional blasts and fun bits as well as mixed up adventures are so much better (for me) than chasing a GPX route on a little screen