Logic

Glorious! And perhaps moreso because of the grungy weather we've had recently.  I made the most of it after dropping off the car for a service this morning with Rich.

Unusually, the wind forecast had lowered and heading up the valley was much easier than I'd expected.  I actually only stopped here but having a steady trundle had me looking in all directions most of the time. I had a rare day of feeling light on my bike and really enjoyed heading uphill past Skyreholme and turning across to Grassington, perfectly dressed for the cold.  

On the return leg, I realised my bike was also fairly clean but having avoided the grimy back road on the way out, I knew that was going to change... 

unless I took in another hill.  

I laughed at my logic of doing another climb to avoid washing my bike. But the thought got the better of my legs and by the time I was back at Beamsley, I discovered myself turning off past the tree I thought was half dead.  I realised the other week it's actually two pine trees.  A larch and maybe a Scot's pine. The skirt still had its golden needles then and it was quite a joy to discover it wasn't dying, just moulting.

So, Langbar. Onwards.  Slowly.  But lovely clean roads!  

And then I had another thought.  Why not take in the Cow and Calf too?  Where do these thoughts come from?  Some part of my brain convinced me that I'd had a message to avoid the main road - I think it's the Hill Devil.  But it won.  And there I was, nearly legless on the hill but with the end in sight.  It was actually a sad little moment, approaching the end of my ride.

But, oh, I've enjoyed myself.