It's that time of year again when we have to have an Annual General Meeting. PG is working hard on the accounts and the decision has been made, 8.30pm Monday the 18th of January at The Travellers, Hipperholme.
Please let me know if you have a topic you wish to discuss and I will add it to the agenda. The racing secretary (I'm not too sure if that's JD or Grimpy) needs claims for trophy's - if you've been road racing, time trialling, MTB/Cyclo Xing or riding Audax's/Sportive's you qualify for the trophy's.
We also need to decide about this years presentation. Please pass the word round and make every effort to attend.
Its been a mild but wet start to 2016 but the New Years Day ride over the Isle of Skye was ridden in better conditions than the previous few years. Steve, Chris and I were joined in Brighouse by Hoppy
from the Imps and numerous 3RT's. At Holmfirth the Condors & Imp decided to get over to Greenfield ahead of the formidable looking 3RT and thereby avoid celebrating the new year in serious oxygen debt (apologies to Garry and Ian who, unknown to us, were waiting for us to join them in Sids Café). There was a good turn out at The Works in Sowerby Bridge where Mr Gower was waiting to pounce, successfully extracting 2016 subs from anyone showing any weakness.
On Sunday we had the traditional ride up Wharfedale to turn around the Buckden Triangle and head south again having lunch at The Old Schoolhouse at Hebden. I met Ian, Pete Whiteley and Sean and Niall Smith at Denholmgate from where we made our way to Keighley and picked up Chris and were caught up by Martin Gargett who'd got to Denholmegate a few minutes late.
A helping breeze assisted us to maintain a respectable pace as we travelled north through Skipton and Threshfield and past Kilnsey Cragg. Unfortunately for Niall, 3 years away at Uni. and a year or so sunbathing in the antipodes caught up with him by Kettlewell and his father volunteered to take him to Zarina's in an effort to revive him (Zarina's was closed so he had a gel instead and they rejoined us on our return journey).
From Kettlewell we took the back road down to Grassington and on to the café at Hebden where we commandeered several tables, in vain reserving 2 extra seats for Sean and Niall, who I think we lost round the Grass Woods area - hope you got home okay.
After spending too long drinking tea and chatting we set off on the home leg into driving rain with a bad case of café-legs. Down to Appletreewick and Cav. Pav. we were reasonably sheltered and Cringles was passing underwheel without too much pain until Ian slipped on a tempary traffic light cable, both he and Martin hitting the deck.
The rain was getting harder and the head wind stronger. Both Ian and Martin appeared to have recovered from their trauma as we battled on towards Keighley but all of a sudden Martin blew. I was sat on his wheel at the time and witnessed the dramatic loss of power together with a plea to be left to suffer alone.
We respected his request and I tucked in at the back as we hit Ingrow. Chris was at the front and obviously holding himself back, I was hanging on by the skin of my teeth as I suspect was Ian, but Pete was looking far too comfortable for one claiming to be in the first stages 'trying to get fit again'.
The plan is to meet 9am Denholmegate/9.30 Keighley this coming Sunday, the 10th, and unless someone has a better idea heading out in the direction of Waddington.