I'd no intention of going with the main Condor gang after a couple of weeks away from the bike. A very steady pace up Cock Hill saw me passing and then being caught again by various small groups of riders while watching the blue and white bunch stretch ever further ahead. Drawing on the years of being taught how to suffer round a ride, I settled in to my own pace.
Vicar caught me up in Oxenhope and we had a steady ride over to Earby in the pleasant company of a CTC chap and a couple of riders from Pendle Forest CC. Oakworth Steve joined us at the refreshments ready for the next leg to Gargrave. The little road through Thorpe is one of my favourites and was enjoyed with plenty of time to admire the view. A cafe stop at Burnsall had been planned and was duly executed, picking up Nigel there just finishing his sausage butty. Damien had taken sustenance too but declared felling unwell and was off straight home.
So the four Condors (Steve, Nigel, Richard, Ian) carried on and sprang from the dales back toward home. Personally I like the Draughton climb but the younger Hartley started to feel weary here and unclipped to stretch his legs. Steve looked like he was having a very easy time but was always happy to maintain just the right pace. We got back just in time for the second (maybe third?) round of rice pudding to be brought forward from the kitchens (the first lot having long since gone). Now I know that there is more rice pudding out the back in reserve, I'll never again race to be first back!
No comments:
Post a Comment