Ravenstonedale, Cumbria

Heavy rain early morning, then drizzle when I left hotel for bike shop to check tire pressure and get new brake pads--rear ones were very worn. Raining when I leave, heading out on A road avoiding extreme climb the route takes. Traffic not bad, but rain fills gutter/road shoulder so despite rain cape I get wet from splashing or being splashed. Traffic not bad at 10am, but gets worse when another major A road merges at a village with a narrow street. Eventually widens and the non-stop traffic spreads out. Rain continues, after 30 miles stop for lunch and pot of tea, soaked. Tea warms me, and go back into drizzle and west wind and steep climb up to moor. Lots of wet sheep; watch border collies and  their owners on ATVs herding. Wind helps blow me northeast, sky finally clears a bit late afternoon.

First hint of blue:

Then into sun, but turn west into wind up long valley, clouds again, stop to take Londoners Lawrence and Gisela's picture for them at waterfall.

 Leave Yorkshire Dales national park and enter Cumbria, descending. At the turn to climb steeply up to road to my lodgings, the Fat Lamb Inn, I stop at 12th century Pendragon Castle ruins, where I chat with cyclist Sarah, who's sitting on wall reading while drying out her tent. She's been riding Pennine bridle paths on her fat tires, just out for a few days. She spent 12 years teaching elementary school in Texas but no hint of it in her Brit accent.

Nice sunset from lodging, though clouding up again. When I step outside for a quick view of the moors at dark, before my 3rd best bitter, see a flairing meteor against the still lit sky to northwest. Good day at end.