Grimpy's Cross News ?

Just done only my 3rd & 4th cross's of the season
Third Event 
December 29th LVRC Nat Champs

Sorry about the quality of pic, gave my iPhone to another non technical winner? I'm flanked by the Jewson duo Mick Ives and Graham Clements struggling to get my jersey on. If i recall correctly i was 25th in the overall the winner was Darren Atkins who is presently leading the BC nat trophy series. For you old sods like me you will remember his Father the great John Atkins. Superb course at Moreton Morbury, fantastic decent but due to my condition lots of heavy breathing.

Fourth Event 
World Masters UCI champs 4th Jan 2014- Venue Gossau in Switzerland (about 20km from Zurich) 
An eventful trip.
I made the decision to go a few days before the event dreaming i had the condition? 
Took the north sea ferry and drove down to Mulhouse in France close to the
swiss border for my overnight stay leaving me with about 100mile trip to the venue. 
Arrived via sat nav.(how did we mange without it), in reasonable shape considering the long drive on Saturday morning about 3 hours before the event start time at 13.00. Signed on to the 65 + championship event with no over 70's cat. The last time i road in the over 65's i was 5th but that was 3 years ago? Still because i was an ex world champ i was on the front row of the grid. So with ego built up the gun fired and we were away. Off road into the glue and down the first decent, Vic Barnet (2013 over 65's world Champ) falls but i stay on and go through the pits in 5th place. But already my bike is clogging up due to the conditions (5C in the swiss alps in January) we need some snow. Reality jumps in I've no support just a spare bike which i dropped in the pits, i did ask Mick Ives if Jewson team support could assist. ' Best you take yourself so you remember where it is'? Still you can float when you are in the grove and have the condition?
Gradually i am past by a few riders and am going backwards quick. So its into the pits and onto my spare bike. Fatigue easer's and i start to move with less pain. The welcome bell sounds but the spare bike weighs more than PG's machine and its getting clogged up. I pass the pits and my girl friday (lovely young girl whom I've never met) shouts I've jet cleaned your bike i smile saying dreams do come true?
Away on the light machine and up goes the speed and my moral, i catch one guy with a stars and strips jersey and see another ahead who i thought i caught on the line. But computer result shows same time and behind him still i was only sprinting for 8th. So sorry guys best i could do was 9th? still they were all younger than me? Well it makes me feel better. Also if you are going to win you have to race and train in your specific event. So next year i'm resolving to get in better shape? Its the long drive back -still i found a new friend but don't tell maureen.
Finally i see i will be able to get an hammering on the road soon on the sunday (training) runs, but before that it's the BC national champs in Derby this Saturday.
Cheers Grimpy   



     



     

KETTLEWELL 5th Jan 2014

There was a time when the first Sunday run of the new year, billed as a "training run", heralded the start of longer and harder rides to build fitness after a social season.Unfortunately for some of us,in this era of all year round Audaxi and sportives, a high level of fitness has been maintained by many members for whom a jaunt to upper Wharfedale presents no challenge whatsoever.

                                                                                                   
Half a dozen Condors, mainly from the above group, left Keighley accompanied by a similar number of Paul Milnes Cycles chaps at a fair gallop with Damian and Padiham Chris pulling on the front, my computer reading numbers starting with a 2 most of the time! A more sedate pace ensued after Skipton when Pete Horne took a turn, although from my position hiding near the back we could see that some condors were eager to push on, overlapping and bunching up behind Pete and impeding passing traffic. It didn't go unnoticed by others in the group who were shouting for a more disciplined peleton. Perhaps some of us need lessons in "club"riding?                                                                                                                  
The cafe being shut in Kettlewell we thundered through and took the back road to Conistone at just about maximum safe speed for a winding, greasy, twig and branch strewn country lane, to arrive at the Old school house in Hebden, and still only 10 past 11!

                                                                                             
              Breakfast allowed a chance for some stragglers to catch up including our own Richard (the vicar) who had lost contact coming out of Skipton. Peter decided that porcine based products were the best fuel for the return journey and promptly ordered a sausage and bacon butty, not helped by the power cut shortly after our arrival, this monster of a sarny eventually arrived as some people were paying and donning helmets!
Poor Pete didn't even have time (or room) for flapjack or some other delaying frivolity.                                                
           Appletreewick and the back road to the cavendish were cracked off in ever decreasing numbers of riders after breakfast and Addingham Moorside selected as the route back to the Aire valley. I knew at some point my legs would start complaining and they duly obliged on the start of this climb, Melv, Damian and others jousting for the summit as me, Pete and Oakworth Steve brought up the rear.On cresting the hill I was suprised to see that they had waited for us and we descended to Silsden where we picked up Richard who had gone over cringles.

            Damian, who had been having his own forays off the front all day in the style of a scout sent ahead to see if the way is clear, finally disappeared into the distance before Keighley and we were left in the company of the Pennine cycles group for a sensible climb of Ingrow. I really could have done without that strengthening southerly wind and accompanying rain as I battled over Fly Flatts to home.