Support vehicle

Where you can see the shadow of a person lower down, imagine a flick of that fluorescent glove.  I knew what it meant. Know that I ignored it.  It was then that I knew the pressure was on. And on me!  

Despite me trying to hide behind a wall, he'd spotted me a mile off. I did say that I'd be at the top taking pictures but I confess to avoid saying that he'd be the subject on the final killer ascent of Fleet Moss.  

I'd offered to drive Rich up to Kirkby Stephen so I could have a backup plan if my photos in the rain were appalling from Wednesday.  He could cycle home on a wild north-westerly.  I could drop back in on John and Jim.  I didn't need to in the end but I took the opportunity of going anyway, saying hello, enjoying the scenery in glorious blue sky and saying thank you.  I had another lovely chat with John - there are some people in the world that give off the hugest amount of warmth, it's indescribable. He's one of them.  He told me a story of rescuing a young lad with a rope next to the farm who'd fallen in the beck in full spate in the dark having got lost and of the TA guys with huge backpacks that dropped over like dominoes when they hit 89mph winds on the ridge behind the farm.  He'd invited me on Wednesday for a quadbike tour of the fells - how I would have loved that!  But Little Dog was with me and I had a lunch date with Rich in Hawes.  So, after John introduced me to the wonderful smell of a fermenting hay bale, I set off to catch him up, just in time.

It was after this that Rich 'enjoyed' this hill.  It's definitely more stressful watching someone you know doing it than riding it yourself.  I knew full well that if he stopped here, it would be 100% my fault.  And there was a rain cloud arriving faster than he was.

I stood my ground.
I think that's why I have a headache. 
Did he make it?

Of course he did!

Little Dog chased after him in her coat with me on the end of the lead!