woke up
to ten green bottles at 7.30am
nathan, aged 4, is playing his tape
have breakfast and say goodbyes
it's 9.10am
durham train station at 9.25am
today is durham big meeting day - miners gala
we have passed bands preparing to start
red hot day
about 50,000 people expected !
train on time
our reserved seats are taken
move lads on
arrive derby 1.00pm
disappointed to see no directions from station
1.25pm ask at garage for directions
2.30pm still lost
2.45 finally find route 68
4 miles out of derby
old railtrack 4 miles long
this is fantastic cycling
safe
weather brilliant
through 'best small village' longford
quiet roads to ashbourne
stop to buy water and bananas
then through railway tunnel
it's so cool
welcome relief from the heat
16 miles of railway track helps climb to buxton
the highest market town in england
or is it alston
through rocked railway cuttings
blasted by gunpowder
the rest dug by hand
vista great
last 2½ miles of track rough
not hard going though
off track at sparklow
grass in middle of road
great sight for cyclists
tiring now
37 miles and 8 miles to go
crap
10% climb
but then great descent
finally buxton
international festival on
rubbish everywhere
drunken people
going for few pints ourselves
pubs open late