When it come to ascending the mountain on a bicycle, I’m not sure how to described it, all I can says it’s probably one of those age old male trait of getting it done, needing to complete it, an ego booster, or simply climbing for the sake of climbing, in fact I really don’t know why I liked doing it, perhaps it’s the pain cave? the achievement or lack thereof? or the challenge? 

Then I remember George Mallory’s comment when asked why he climbed Everest, and his respond is simply;

“Because it’s there”

I reckon that summed it up perfectly, simply because it’s there was enough reason for me to ride the passes, humanity has always been trying to reach out, to leap before you look, to take risk, having says that, it’s not exactly a risk climbing Hardknott, it was as 48 hours prior to arriving in Cumbria, Hardknott was impassible covered in snow and black ices, I knew this but pressed on out of sheer stupidly (or braveness they’re in all honestly the same, you can’t have just the one).