Trains, Brakes And Races

Heading up Tan Hill from the Kirkby Stephen train, I started noticing tiny black butterflies with little white or blue rims fluttering low across the road.  I've since discovered they're, I think, chimney sweeper moths - a new one on me.  

It's been a while since I've taken this road and I didn't have an exact plan of which way home I was taking apart from I was turning right at the pub to head into Swaledale.  Once I was through West Stonesdale, I paused to ponder.  

It took me a fair few minutes to decide which way out.  Part of me was admiring the view, part of me was wanting to go back to the gated road and part of me was exceedingly hungry.  What with that and realising I could ask if the bike guru could take a look at my squealing brake, I plumped for the fastest way to Hawes, over Buttertubs.  I stopped for this photo on the linking road before heading uphill into sunshine and a bit of welcome warmth.


While I was eating lunch, my brakes were inspected and at first, they couldn't find anything wrong.  Thankfully, while putting them back together, they spotted the calliper was slightly loose, tightened it up and I enjoyed a quiet descent down the other side of Fleet Moss.  It's been on my mind for a while so I'm pleased I've got that resolved.

A quick pitstop at Kilnsey had me heading for home - not in the tailwind I'd have liked but not a howling gale either - just in time for a shower, dinner and an about turn to watch the last few events of the Otley Cycle Race.  We caught up with a few people while we were there (two that we haven't seen for a few years) and sauntered round chatting and soaking up the atmosphere of quite a large number of people at an event.  What a  novelty that is!  What a cracking day out all round.