Autumn Rains

Nothing for ages and then two at once. See the report below from Nigel too.

A handful of Condors made the start of the Autumn Mists among the 55 riders in total who set off in a light downpour from this side of the Pennines, and which just got heavier and wetter as we crossed the border.

Robin unscrewed his bottom bracket at the "wrong" end of Long Causeway and had an early waddle towards home. He was lucky. I fought to stay with the group but, after a hard climb to Heptonstall and getting back on twice with some daredevil descending by the New Delight and flat out time triallng through Kebs to the windmills, decided that the pace was just too high to bother any further. I turned for home from Burnley and went back over the Herders.

"The Condor" himself managed a fine ride and was first back from the longer version - our man is quoted as saying "Everyone seemed to be messing about and it was a day for getting on with it". Meanwhile, the 'other Hartley' had a gentle ride round the shorter route, but still managed to beat his brother to the fine tea laid out by Chris Crossland and his team.

As you know, Condors are built for soaring through the high mountains in bright sunshine. We're not some sort of water bird like a penguin, say, though the colours are similar. Still, it looks like this penguin can walk on water, which would have been useful given the puddles in some places.