If you are
reading this and thinking of joining the latest climbing craze of “Everesting”
be warned… you might just catch the “Everesting Bug” This, I guess, is what
happened to me in June this year, after completing my first Everesting on GreatDun Fell. The 140 mile ride took 15 hours and totalled over 31,000ft of ascent.
Three weeks later I was battling with the iconic Hardknott Pass, 30x up the
savage climb was enough to claim Everest number two.
August was
here and it already felt as if summer was fading, the days were shortening and
the temperature cooler, not badly but it was a sign of things to come. I had an
idea for a third Everesting, but knew it wouldn’t be too long before the
changing seasons would bring a halt to any such plans.
Originally
from a mountain biking background, I entered my first race aged nine, my older
brother Jack raced and bikes were always in the family. This meant spending
many a weekend up and down the country at whatever race was on at the time. It
was a great experience and went on for a good few years, after which things
drifted. I found myself dipping in and out of cycling up until the age of 27, I
then started training and entered a few mountain bike enduro events. I did a
bit of traveling and raced a few times in Australia, before finally returning
home and buying a road bike in August 2012. I really enjoyed the switch to road
cycling but would still miss the dirt now and again; with this in mind it
seemed simple… The third Everest would be Off-Road.