Stu's Century

I rolled over in bed and cautiously peered around through a half-opened eye. The curtains hadn't quite been closed properly from the previous night and an uninterrupted slither of blue pierced the darkness. It was going to be a beautiful day.

After a hasty preparation I set out in my summer cycling kit at somewhere past 09:00 to a temperature reported by my over-enthusiastic bike computer in the high teens. At any rate, it certainly wasn't cold. I made my way over to Denholme to meet my cousin, Paul, with whom I sometimes go out riding with. Just for the record, he's a sports and fitness machine, though I believe the correct terminology is athlete. I always enjoy myself on rides with him and he has a better knowledge of routes up in the Yorkshire Dales; our destination for the day.

Stunning views on quiet, country roads

After a glorious morning pedalling away under wall to wall of sunshine on quiet, country roads with fantastic views, we made our way to Burnsall for a spot of lunch at the Wharfe Valley Tea Room. Delicious, is how I'd describe it, and I'll certainly be visiting again in the near future. A ham omelette with salad followed by scrumptious slice of home-made carrot cake, all accompanied by several cups of Kenyan coffee. Yum.

Sitting out by the river Wharfe in Burnsall after a rather delicious lunch

The original intention was not to cycle 100 miles, but after calling in to see our grandparents who have just returned from a 5-month tour of the continent, there were only 23 miles left to clock. Challenge accepted! I made my way back in to Bradford before heading back out towards Thornton. Apart from the last 5 miles which were torture (absolutely no energy left), the final leg of the journey made for pretty pleasant riding.

The elevation profile