Tuesday, September 28, 2010

CONDOR CROSS SUNDAY 24th OCTOBER

Message from Grimpy to all you happy campers:

Yes it’s that time of year again and we need your kind help & assistance to ensure we have another successful event.

The handbook details are below, same venue ( Bradley Woods). All being well we will repeat last years shorter course, removing the bottom leg which seemed to be more favourable to competitors and less work for us.

I will be on site from 8.30 a.m. and as before we need 2 groups to mark out the course from 8.30 sharp to ensure we have it complete before the youths start at 11.00.

Group 1 marking out the top end starting at the finish, doing the top loop back to just beyond the steps,

Group 2 starts beyond the steps making its way around the camp road to go up to the highest point in the woods, decending down to a tight turn returning back along the camp road to eventually arrive at the finish.

If you arrive late the tape & sticks will be with either group.

Please bring along equipment to help. E.g. hammer, scissors, knife, gloves, biro etc.

Bear in mind the site only has a tuck shop and its best to bring sandwiches and a flask.

Look forward to seeing you

Cheers

John G

Bradley Woods Scout Camp, Brighouse, HD6 3TU.

Youth 11:00 £4.00 : U12 11:45 £1.00

V/W 12:45 £10.00 : S/J 13:45 £10.00

Monday, September 27, 2010

3 Oct - Season of Mists

I'm not much of a Keats fan. For all that romantic guff about "moss'd cottage-trees" it seems that he lived fast and died young - in Rome of TB aged just 25.

Still, it might put you in the mood for a ride this Sunday starting 9am prompt in Hebden Bridge. Follow the trail of middle-aged blokes in unsuitable shades of lycra to find the start on Salem Street and go to Chris Crossland's site for full details.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Steve is 'Barker-ed'

Pete suggested a report on the recent mtb rides so here goes. Hopefully Melv will add a photo or two shortly.
A couple of Sundays back (5 Sept) we gathered as agreed at the lights in Hebden. Nigel & I were at the main lights in the centre of town. Steve was at the pedestrian lights near the Co-op. Never mind. Its not a big place. We met up eventually.
Steve's plan was a start up Ragley Woods. It was fairly quiet and we even saw a couple of deer. Soon after that Nige then ran into a pair of walkers. It wasn't intentional, honest. Front wheel slipped out at the worst moment and the walking chap ended up unexpectedly cuddling our biking friend. If anything Ragley seems easier than the road alternatives, e.g. Mytholm Steeps, so these old tracks are quite handy.
Eventually we hauled our way onto the tops - only to take a steep descent, at Steve's insistence. "I know a good route", he said. Nige & I exchanged worried glances as we dropped very fast, on road and then again on a narrow track, pretty much all the way back down to Burnley Road, knowing that the height had to be regained and the cafe was now at least a half-hour further away.
This route of Steve's did involve some good riding though, so he was nearly forgiven - that is until Mr Hartley got himself in a jam. Dabbing a foot down Nige was surprised to find that he'd managed to step in a hole. A big hole. He toppled gracefully sideways into a hawthorn. While our chap was taking a sharp interest in this thorny problem, we of course clattered on in true Condor style. It was several minutes before he caught up, bloodied but unbowed.
Grinding back up to the windmills we crossed Long Causeway and headed out over 'Burnley Bumps' to Upper Gorple, then crossed Heptonstall Moor for some great singletrack.
Now, in recent years we've adopted a new verb, which had cause to be used again this day. To be 'Barkered' is to plan a ride where your ambition outdoes your ability, where you've spent the whole morning fighting a strong headwind and gone several miles further than is good for you, and then find the tank running a little empty while you are still a fair distance from home. Usually, this applies when Steve is feeling strong and has talked one or other of us into doing more than we really should have done. This time, however, Steve barkered himself. That extra loop must have overdone it, and the long climb up to Upper Gorple really took its toll. Climbing for ages on little more than willpower and wishful thinking, he was quite relieved to crest over the top and start crossing the moor, which is mostly downhill, and even more relived when we got to Towngate Tearooms for the obligatory butty (and a jam scone too I noted).
What was left? Well a rocket down Blue Pig, a toil up the toilet block to Pecket Well and home across Midgely Moor.

What's that? I missed a bit?

Well. I was waiting for Nige, who'd dropped back a bit on the uphill. Actually he'd been back on my wheel for some time without me noticing. Now that we'd regroup I declared "Right I'd better get on with it then", thinking I'd now fly down to Catherine House and make a decent job of the descent. Cue a trip over the bars two seconds later (onto soft heather). Oh well ...

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Racelight for sale

Due to a medical condition (insanity?) my mate Phil Trudgill (Trudders) is selling his almost unused Racelight training bike. Its the superlight Tk2 model in 2010 colours and graphics (metallic steel grey/white), full 105 compact groupset, 54cm frame, Open Pro rims (Sunter built), 57mm brakes with full m/guards, Conti 4 season tyres, Cateye wireless computer etc etc.
This cost about £1400 less than 12 months ago and has been ridden less than 500miles, looks as good as new and is offered at a must not be missed price of £700.

I have pointed out to him the error of his ways but his mind will not be changed, indeed he says that if and when he is able to ride again he will gladly buy another. He did send me a photo to put on the blog but it will not copy so have a look on Kinesis website.
Trudders number is 07881 92011, or ring me on 07549 821349

Amendment Trudders tel no should read 07881 920111

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Red lining at Oakworth

Hav'nt been getting in my usual long miles lately (see photo below for reason) so I thought I'd nip over to Keighley last Sunday and make my debut on a bike in the Vet 60 category. Expected to see a few more Condor's there but I was the only one (there were twice as many Condors taking part in the Blackshaw Head Gala Fell Race the previous day - Steve Cavell and me).
I was amazed to see that there were about 90 on the start line just for the Vets & Ladies race. After a frantic start with a lap around the football field I was relieved to find that there was a queue to get onto the single track through the woods and the chance for a bit of a rest. It was more a case of plugging away steadily than racing for me for the next 50 min or so although I was pleased to get past former Hebden Bridge-ite Mark Pimlott (known to quite a few Condor's) on the last lap. I won the V.60 category (but have to confess that I was in fact the only rider in that category).
So now that I've broken the ice I intend to ride some more of the Yorkshire Series X's as preparation for next January's club runs. Lets have a few more Condors at the next round which is Sunday the 12th in North Yorkshire, its enter on the line and you don't even need to be a BC member (just pay a £3 levy)
For you Mountain Bikers there's also the Mary Townley Loop Challenge next Sunday - whilst on the subject what about a report about last Sunday's Condor MTB ride.
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Saturday, September 04, 2010

Sunday 5 Sept - mtb

Mountain bikes this week (just for a change). 9am at the lights in Hebden Bridge is the plan so far.

I hear that the Dolan has a new home and may even be racing this Sunday at the start of the new cross season - good luck Vicar in your new pulpit.

Ian