So we started off well, if depleted, heading out of Leeds towards the open countryside a couple of miles up the road, but quite soon things didn’t go to plan… We lost Paul C (who we thought had second thoughts and turned round, but we later found out he managed to cycle past the group waiting at a junction), and then Ryan just as we were heading off-road and a Yorkshire downpour gave us a soaking…

So we were now 4, and heading towards Eccup. We managed a glimpse of a wet Emmerdale and headed for the bridleways of the Harewood House estate. We were doing well and decided to have a refreshment stop, which turned out longer than planned due to 2 punctures and tube changes – on the same wheel.

By this time it was raining, cold and with the dark grey sky it could have been November, not the middle of July – what happened to summer?

After a muddy detour through Adel Woods, a fight with a branch (which won and knocked Mark off) and one final uphill push, the drowned Lab Rats were back – 3 ½ hours after setting off. Bike ride anyone?