Excellent turn out, the regulars were joined by both Hartleys, Sean & Niall, Dom Turner, Grimpy & Andy Marshall. Brian arrived at Denholmgate with a flat back tyre so we were a little late getting started. Going through Keighley we picked up Keith Lambert and a couple of his mates and were rolling along nicely. Steve, Robin & Mel were waiting at Keighley roundabout which is where the problems started. We heard something shouted to the effect that Ian was just behind; we slowed and soft tapped towards Skipton. Mel & Steve caught up telling us that Robin had hung back to pace Ian onto the bunch.
As we entered Skipton Robin & Ian still hadn't caught up, we stopped and waited 10 minutes, Andy rode back looking for them but they failed to show so we set off. Nigel and I struggled a bit on the rise out of Skipton so we decided we would turn off at the Duck Pond and go straight to Airton Cafe via Hetton & Winterburn rather than round Arncliffe and Malham Tarn. I told Brian who thought it was a great idea and came with us. I asked Steve to let the peloton know what had happened to us, he said he would but then immediately turned off the designated route himself and came with us, as did Keith and Rock Racing.
As you can imagine we were sat in the nice warm cafe drinking tea and eating bacon butties exchanging banter with other cyclists we were feeling rather guilty about not doing the full specified route so its made me feel a lot better to hear that the main bunch also failed in their bid to conquer Darnbrook
Perhaps someone could blog a report as to just what happened to (a) Robin and Ian (Ian was sighted briefly later in he day pottering along a back lane with Paul Gower). (b) The bunch and their failure to get over Darnbrook.
