Me and my mate Glenn had planned this gravel type ride for the 24th. I think I mentioned to Ton and one of the John's but they must've been busy. Glenn came up from London yesterday to have a chilled day of cycling today. My aim was to take him up to Wessenden Head and let him witness the beauty of this very gorgeous part of the Peak District.
After breakfast at mine, spirits were rather high. He had 45mm on a gravel bike and me on 33mm CX type tyres on a standard road bike. Main mission was to get to Wessenden Head, have ice cream and to just chill.
It was all going well and we rode round the back of Castle Hill. Up my Everesting Climb (I obviously walked) and also tried to ride up the short and sharp cobbled section near Netherton, of which I slipped out the first time in many years.
Got water at COOP and edged closer and closer to Wessenden. Then it happened, a dreaded tubeless puncture. His, not mine and though I was hopeful at first and tried to get him to keep moving, it was actually the rim tape that had failed.
So he rightly decided to remove the valve and install a tube. But, he'd brought a Tufo type latex tube. Hmm, I did the right thing and offered up mine and made no comment of the nasty orange thing he'd bought. Good lad that he is.
Then quickly the valve on my tube broke as he pumped it up (we had to get an extension on, which I'd brought but had somehow misplaced my valve tool). So the Tufo it was, which is when he teller me it was actually an AliExpress version. Naturally as it blew (was pumped up rather) up inside the lovely gravel tyres he had installed specifically for Wessenden, the stupid thing deformed.
Some remained as thin as a snooker cue and other bits blew up the tyre to full proportions. I thought it best we remove and fully inflate the stupid crap, but to no avail. It was one nasty pile of cheap poo.
So we came to terms that we'd not be seeing Wessenden afterall, and started walking. It was 1.7 miles to the station at Slaithwaite (pronounced Slawit, as I took the opportunity to teach him). Got the train into Huddersfield and salvaged the ride by walking across to Halfords.
He put a slime tube in (and told me how weird it felt as it seemed clumped up at one end or another) and we headed back in time for his train. Obviously having the Dixons ice cream enroute.
One of my favourite views from near mine. It's when you come out of the Everesting climb and look on over at Castle Hill.
Us reaching Slawit station and him putting on his best 'I'm exhausted' face. Though we never got to see Wessy, it did remind me how much off road and scenic fun could be had with the CX tyres. So later in the week I may head on over to Wessy myself. Secretly off course and hopefully my tubeless holds out.
Then lots more up and down to Blandford Forum before about 20km of easy flat riding before the climb up to Shaftesbury culminating in Gold Hill AKA the Hovis Hill which I managed to clean 
before finding a bivy spot for the night.
