Weds 2 June - Skipton and Back

Ride Report: It was a very pleasant sunny evening for the 40 odd riders that assembled at the start (sorry, I think that should have been "40-odd" ...; no, hang on, maybe I was right the first time). Anyway, this bunch included a small smattering of blue Condors among the yellow jerseys of the Imps, VS, CTC and other friends.

The steady start through Denholme and down into Keighley gradually wound up (and up, and up) until we were flying along the Skipton Road with Chris Thompson doing most of the work into the breeze while I and a dozen or so others hung on behind. The turn put the wind behind us and the pace went up again as the Smiths, Sean and Niall, took turns with Chris.

After the hospital I was amazed to still be in touch and feeling good, so it seemed a good idea at the time to help out. Well I tried ... and then I blew. Straight from my turn on the front to out the back just in a few metres. The lights in Keighley saved me ( a patented "make the lights stay at red for ages" zapper in my pocket saw to it that the front group would wait until I was back on) . The big guns then pulled away up Ingrow as expected while Daniel Shaw, Everard and myself took it in turns to drop each other until we saw sense and settled into our own chasing group by Tip Top. I was slightly surprised to see a waving flag at the finish, but it turned out to be an Imps rider pulling a kiddie-trailer. It was a struggle, but just about I got past him in the sprint for the line ...

Thanks to the Imps & CTC for organising this joint outing. We must do it again next year.

Ian

Jointly promoted by CTC Calderdale & Halifax Imperial Wheelers

The Start Point: - Whitaker & Co, Denholme Gate, ride via Crosshills (DO NOT GO THE LEVEL CROSSING WAY) to the Bay Horse Roundabout where re-trace the route again you go via Crosshills & not the level crossing back beyond Whitakers where you veer left to -

The Finish Point: - at the Keelham Bank Farm Shop.

£3.00 entry fee to include Pie & Pea Supper at The Pineberry, Queensbury. Supper will be served to you on presentation of your Numbered Ticket (given on entry).

Meet at 6.45pm for 7pm start

30 May - Spring Bank

Just so you don't think that there aren't any Condors riding bikes here is what 've heard recently:

1. The Etape du Dales was "hard".

2. Melv rode to Dalbeattie in Scotland last weekend. Just because he could.

3. Its been very quiet on Wednesday nights with just a couple of riders each time, though apparently last week the two of us went up Cragg just behind Damian & the VS Cycles brigade and just in front of Emma from Hebden Bridge, so maybe all that's needed is a bit more coordination.

4. This Saturday the hard men rode a long audax from Richmond. If you want your name on the trophy then you'd better start logging some serious miles. Mind you there has even been a suggestion that our audax cup should be for average mph rather than miles in total - or is Melv getting mixed up with the BAR?

5. There was no ride posted on the blog so I went out on mtb with Robin this Sunday. We explored the delights of Todmorden Moor (after Studeley Pike & the rock garden) crossing the road at Portsmouth and then doing Upper Gorple, Walshaw Dean, Crimsworth Dean, top of stairs & water channel to finish downhill to home for once. The first two hours went really well - if mostly uphill and into a stiff westerly. The three hours after that I began to flag just a little. Arrived home as an empty husk. Revived later by Timothy Taylor.