Brought to an abrupt halt!

Today was such a gorgeous sunny day I decided to go for a "longish" bike ride!

I made some sandwiches, prepared some snacks, packed my drinks, pumped up my tyres, checked my bike etc and I was soon ready for the off and the sun was still shining!

I decided that to head into the lakes in the Easter Holidays wasn't a good idea so I headed towards Arnside instead, which doesn't attract the tourists the same.

I just wanted to enjoy the ride and scenery so wasn't interested in my pace or cadence or any other numbers my Garmin cared to flash at me.

I was out in the sun on my bike and that's all that mattered.

I had cycled about 19 miles when I started to think I was maybe slightly lost!  

This was confirmed to me when the road I was on came to a dead end! 

I wasn't too perplexed and turned around and headed back up the hill I had just enjoyed coming down! 

However, my bike started making a funny scraping sound.  I thought perhaps the brakes had "stuck-on" after I had been frantically pulling on them during my descent so I stopped to give my bike the once over!  The brake pads were OK but then I casually squeezed my back tyre and was dismayed that it was as flat as a pancake.

Being a right girl I don't carry a spare inner tube or a puncture repair kit because basically I wouldn't have a clue what to do with them!  I've always felt fairly confident that I wouldn't get a puncture as my tyres have slime in them which is supposed to plug any holes that develop!  Evidentally NOT!  Unless it has so many holes that the slime has run out ... who knows!

Anyhow I did a recce of my immediate surroundings - if I had any hope of being rescued I would need to give my location and at this point I had absolutely no idea where I was!

Thankfully there was a sign by a gate with "Ridgway Park School" on.  At least I could give some indication of where I was even if I didn't know where that was!

The next thing was to get my mobile out and ring my husband!  I prayed that: 

a) I had a signal in such a remote place.

b) He answered the phone.

c) He was able to down tools and come and get me.

d) He knew where Ridgway Park School was!

I was relieved to have a signal, but then was slightly stressed when my husband didn't answer the phone!  Luckily, he was just on another line and rang me back. Things were looking good when he said he would come for me but he had no idea where the school was!

"Selfie"  having lunch in the sun!

The remote road where my puncture happened!

Thankfully Google and Tom Tom together guided him to where I was enjoying my lunch in the sun!

The beautiful spot I found to picnic whilst I waited to be rescued!

When my knight in shining armour arrived, (which was very impressively within 30 minutes) I decided just to throw the bike in the back of the car and give up on finishing the ride!  

My husband didn't really want to start changing a tyre dressed in a suit and tie!

Prior to this little disaster I had done 19.45 very enjoyable miles and I feel somewhat cheated that I couldn't continue!

Note to self - 

Learn to repair a puncture and change a tyre or at the very least carry spares so I can flag down a helpful looking cyclist who would be willing to help a damsel in distress!