Tell us about your weekend ride

Hardknott was as hard as ever! It's the fifth time I've done the Fred, I think - could be the sixth. The first few climbs seemed to come and go reasonably quickly, the only problem being that the water bottle on my downtube kept on ejecting itself. It happened twice, but I managed to retrieve it both times, albeit at the cost of some time. I was even feeling perky enough climbing up Honister to pull a small wheely for the photographer.

On the way down Honister my water bottle made its third bid for freedom, and it was successful on that occasion - I went back to find it, but couldn't. That meant I was in some difficulties between feed stations, as given the temperature I just didn't have enough water on me. And then my Garmin started bleating about a low battery, before dying altogether - I'd forgotten to switch the backlight from being on all the time to staying on for only 15 seconds. Schoolboy error.

Made it up Hardknott and Wrynose without walking, albeit with plenty of grimacing:

If you look carefully at that photo, you can just about make up a bloke wearing a full-face motorbike crash helmet on the corner. He'd parked his bike on that corner, and decided to set off just as I was approaching. He stalled it, let the clutch in, rolled backwards, and dropped the bike inches away from me. Which was exciting.

I got a bit sweary at one bloke who'd walked up Hardknott, but decided to start riding again on the flat bit just before the top. Nothing wrong with that, but he made a total horlicks of clipping in, and swerved in front of me, meaning I had to trackstand while he sorted himself out. Not really what you want after you've just ridden up Hardknott.

I made it back in 7h50m, beating last year's time by about three-and-a-half minutes. @Cycliste went round nearly 3/4 of an hour faster than she's ever done it before (it was her 7th time, I think).

Gran Fondo Felice Gimondi in Bergamo next weekend.