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Dr. Hutch and Millikellies – by Val the Peach.

For those of you who take Cycling Weekly you may recall on 27 th April an
article on 'hard nuts' within the cycling world, where he outlined his creation
of an SI Unit of cycling hardness, introducing a theory linked to the shear
doggedness that Sean Kelly showed in many of his Grand Tour rides. Hutch
equated the 'effort' of 1000 millikellies was required by Sean Kelly for each
tour stage. Hutch went on to describe various ways us cyclists could
accumulate millikellies on their rides, suggesting that mud on the face could
equal 10-20 millikellies and a panda-eye effect = 100 millikellies and so on.

This description led to me recalling a ride that Tony and I undertook way back
in June 2001 – a coast to coast ride from St.Bees Head to Robin Hood Bay.
We decided to travel with a company C2C who organised all the
accommodation, transported an overnight bag and made regular checks
throughout the day just to make sure everyone was safe and on course. We
had the opportunity of a 3, 5 or 7 day ride, we chose the 3 day version as,
at the time, we were both reasonably fit.

The first night accommodation was at Penrith where we met our fellow
'buddies'. They all turned out to be fellas and I sensed a feeling at dinner
that I was looked upon 'to be reaching beyond my ability'. Undeterred after
a good night's sleep we rose early had breakfast and packed ourselves and
bikes into our transport to be taken to St. Bees. The plan was to ride back
to Penrith via Loweswater, Keswick, Troutbeck and Greystoke as the first
leg of our journey. Tony and I were the first back, ready to greet our 'buddies'
over tea and cakes in the 'garden room'. Our mileage for the day was 54
miles.
The next day saw us loading our overnight bags into the transport after
breakfast, leaving our cars at the hotel ready for our return in a couple of
days time. We headed out in an easterly direction this time to face the
climb of Hartside. I rather stupidly had watched a programme a TV
programme the weekend before where a couple of friends had undertaken a
journey in a 1930's car, this vehicle only just about made it to the top.
Clearly this image was uppermost in my mind and I was not disappointed.

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