Grimpy’s Beer Ride?

Haute Route Alps 2013 Geneva to Nice August 18^th to 24th

                                           Smiling for the camera as I’m climbing the Col De Rosemont 

In between trading and getting ready for my first cross I thought I would relax and bore your socks off with my recollections of the haute route event. Cross- reminds me of criteriums after the first lap you are wishing for the end?  Whoops I made it 13^th in O50’s a reasonable start and it says I was 1^st O60 – need to go faster- back to HR.

They say it’s the toughest longest, hardest, even a race for the first 100 or so. It has over 800km timed sections plus added kilometers to the start of each timed sector. 20 major cols a few over 2500m (Col de I’seran, I.Izoard, Bonette (highest paved road in Europe) etc. For all the info just check out http://www.hauteroute.org 

The sort of event Mel, Chris and Pete would relish. Although unlike Simons London/ Edinburgh ride its split in 7 days so plenty time for beer & sleep. You just have to take your time and breath in the scenery and keep ahead of the lantern rouge. Easy?

Pre- Start Stress

Major problem the organizer’s needed a 10 page questionnaire completing with a doctor’s certificate stating I was fit to ride over 2000m? The local shelf health Centre (requesting pound notes) insisted I had an examination with blood tests etc. Resulted in the doc. signing the form whilst adding the comment ‘subject to riding sensibly and not overexerting himself, I should survive---‘ .?  Surprise surprise I was accepted.  I booked the event through sports international.

The Sports international Team

All told we have 14 in the group, which included, a South African, American, and Canadian (farmer spends winter in Mexico and summer racing in Italy) all with female support an Australian (John Irvine) another farmer, quite a decent guy for an Aussie, we had lots of banter on the trip having similar styles and ability.

He been away from Oz for around 6 weeks mainly with is son who his a top young rider hoping to join a European team next year.

Rest of the crew were English and yes I can confirm the sport is the new golf, two helicopter pilots, a freelance photographer and a teacher come specialist record collector.  

We are split into two teams. I’m in team 2.

On arrival in Nice its build the bike up, get it through examination and collect your kit, which included bags, haute route team clothing and lights?

Just complete in time before our get together at a local auditorium for a lecture on the event, explaining route, procedure, Mavic support etc.

The Event.

Have to be at the start line at 6.30, one end of lake Geneva (adjacent to that big hose pipe). It’s a beautiful sunrise with I’m told 600 riders ready for the first stage to MEGEVE. We are off at 7.00 in groups of around 100 riders at only 1min intervals, each with motorbike escorts. I remember riding in the same direction with Brian years ago to Evian, the first 25 km or so are neutralized, it’s then through the timing mat and up the first col then down to Morzine to climb the col de Joux Plane (often used in le tour). We arrive in Mevege via the old cambloux road well inside the time limit although I had to stop twice for cramp in my right calf, reliving it with stretches. Unfortunately that Aussie Irvine passed me whilst I’m stopped. It’s noted. Me think’s I need to change my climbing technique to lower gears and staying in the saddle. I did and amazingly didn’t get cramp again?

Stage 2  Megeve to Val d’lsere (8.00 start)

Breakfast at 6.00. I got down for 6.30----

Highlights?  Col des Saisies, Col Du Roselend, Bourg St. Maurice to Val d’ Isere.

No flat at all today you are either going up for 20km or down. The first section is fine climbing through pines to the ski station on top of Saises. On arrival we get an amazing view of Mount Blanc. Dodgy descent a major crash I get the impression some go down thinking the roads are closed? Me I’m slow, I take my time always mindful of the big drops and for some reason the height seems to effect my balance, maybe its because I’m an old? Any excuse, shit Irvine passes me like I’m stopped.       

Eventually arrive at the foot to find an immediate sign directing us up Rosemont.

It’s a nice gradual climb after a feed station at midway we climb to a plateau and around a turquoise lake, then upwards to the summit.

Descend to Bourg St Maurice and on to Val d’Isere via a twisty side road upwards through pines, after a brief section on the main road we turn right eventually climbing up to the Val d’Isere reservoir, I can see that scot/aussie (Irvine) ahead and just pip him to the finish timing mat.  We are around 2 hours inside the cut off and head to our ski hotel lodge for the night. Nice pad.

At around 18.00 each evening you are invited to the days briefing one in French other English. We are lucky as our rep Dave goes and gets the low down on problems and tomorrows start time etc. Advised 7.00 am start, temperature around 4C – dam cold and early. Breakfast at 5.00. Starts about 500m away.

I arrive at 5.45 and scoff my breakfast down but unlike rest this old bugger is ready, the youngsters come down in casuals so have to go back an get changed, (like on autumn tour= ala J.K.). After eats it’s bring bags down for loading into the velocipede and ride down to the start village. We are dressed in almost winter gear including full gloves and you need it.

Today’s stage 3 takes us from Val D’Isere to Serre Chevalier, via Col De I’Iseran, Mount Cenis and Col De I’Echelle. around 164Km  

When we start its still dark but as we climb the sunrises and the views on the I’seran down to Val D’Isere 

are out of this world.

                               Near the top of I’Iseran with gloves, over shoes its cold (roads almost as bad as UK?)

I suspect the summit temperature was around 0C. The descent is initially dodgy, it’s so cold I pass riders freezing and stopped, rubbing body parts, me thinks they need P.G’s recipe (massage with fish & chip paper). Into the vaniose national park through beautiful scenery. Up Mont Cenis pass a lake and on the longest descent of the event (around 35km) into Italy we arrive at Suzy. What a temp change around 30C.

So its strip off and shuff everything in pockets and up my jersey. Guess I look like those images of domestiques carry many bidons?

 We now have a 35km gradual climb back into France to start the last serious ascent of the col De I’Echelle.  It’s a narrow road, no traffic, steep +10% in places. I climb the steep sections in bottom gear 27 x 34. A long gradually descent follows through the world heritage town of Briancon and onto Serre Chevalier.

Bugger me Irvine’s already arrived, pleased to say he’s been back at least 15mins before me. Still I do give him 20years but we will not dwell on that, wait for the time trial?

The digs are well I wont rush to go back although the foods OK. And we have plenty time to down a few beers.

The next day’s stage is from Serre Chevalier to Pra loup.

Highlights were the Co de I’Izoard, Col de Vars and the finish up to Pra Loup ski resort.  The I.Izoard lunar landscape was different otherwise another day with 3 major climbs. We have two nights in Barcelonette at the bottom of the Pra Loup climb. After a few beers it’s in bed at around 10.00 ready for the time trial up la Bonette.

Stage 5 Time Trial up La Bonette

The format is start individually at 20 sec intervals in reverse position order (I’m in the 350 to 400 position pool) on a time trial ramp through the timing mat.

                                                             Near 14% summit had to get out of saddle?

The climbs approx. 24km long around 7% average gradient.

I set myself a target of 2 hours, J. Irvine’s around 20 places behind me saying he’s not going to kill himself?

I start slowly 20 sec’s in front his a German youngster he eventually finishes 1 min ahead of me. Checking my Garmin I show around 1hr 49mins. Irvine say’s he’s under this time? In the evening I check the times on the Internet and as I recall I finish in 288 position, ok, better still I’m 1 min ahead of Irvine. Time for some banter and beer.

Dave (sports int. rep.) informs us police have requested neutralized sections on two descents tomorrow due to terrain and road conditions.

Stage 6 Pra Loop to Auron, highlights are: Col de La Cayolle, Col De Valberg, Col de La Couillole and the climb to Auron.

The Cayolle climb is the first and days longest up a very narrow road through unspoilt moorland countryside. After the Valverg we descend through very deep gorges, around hairpins with sheer drops with limited safety barriers plus the road surface is abysmal. No wonder it’s neutralized although most descents were to me anyway. Before the final climb into Auron we have a long very gradual ascent, a group passes me and I get sucked along, with around 20Km to go I have a front wheel puncture.  I can’t find the cause, no flint/cut in tyre? Eventually I insert new tube and I’m away again. I arrive in Auron and head for the end of stage meal which todays in a sports hall. Scoff it down sort myself in another ski type chalet hotel for the shower, evening meal and beer.

Dave advises us we start the final stage at 7.00 again so its breakfast at 5.00. Seemingly we have to make Nice for around 12.00 to avoid a storm and the Col De St Martin climb will be eliminated to ensure we get back to Nice early.

Final Stage: The first 50 km are under police and marshall’s motorbike escort. With a gradual decent most of the way we are moving well. Eventually we hit the timing mat to start riding proper which leads into the Col De Vence climb. The gradient isn’t severe but it goes on for about 20km when to my surprise we hit the summit we have finished the final timed section of the event.

We descend down to a small town whose main square is taken over by the haute route organization. We collect our medals and parifanalure.

Eventually we are on the main coast road to nice were we go through another finish area at the end of the Promenade des Anglais in bright sunshine no sign of the promised storm.

How did the old bugger do?

My overall time for the 7 stages: 34 hours 50mins 47secs, position I think was 344 about 12 hrs. behind the ex pro winner. The organization stated that a French man was the oldest finisher (70 years old) maybe I was?

I think i finished 8^th in the O60’s section. But I managed to get round without getting into the red at what might best be described at a reasonable club run pace. His it the toughest multi -stage sportive?  I doubt it but I enjoyed the experience, ride, digs and the beer at each stage arrive.

Now if my ramblings have created a desire but you want something tougher then enter one of next years cent col challengers (they do 50,000m climbing and 200km per day, is it over 10days), check them out on the rapha web site, you might need financial support?  – this should keep Peter happy.

Cheers old buggy JG

Another world

In other news ... the upper valley slow section have been pottering about. Slowly. This week a gentle meander on mountain bikes which took in the post-industrial delights not only of the canal bank along the valley to Luddendenfoot, but also the disused railway line from Rippondon to Sowerby Bridge. Now that's the kind of technical riding I can cope with, and the kind of hills I like. Oh, there had been some other bits and pieces of upping and downing beforehand, but I won't bore you with those.

This picture gives you a flavour of the scenery along the railway (still open to bikes, horses and walkers, but closed to rail passengers from 1929 and to freight from 1958, apparently, according to the nice people at:
http://lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/Sowerby%20Bridge%20Rishworth.htm)

Now next week, how about we decide a pub, and a convening time, and then plan some route(s) accordingly? Ian

Sunday 24th Novenber Ride Report

Only the stalwarts out today.  I met Damien, Richard and Pete Smith at Denholmgate at 9am and Mel and Oakworth Steve at Keighley. I'm not sure why but there was a bit of grumbling about my suggestion that we go to Slaidburn but, as that is what had been blogged, thats where we went. Pete Smith, who was out for a non-stop blast turned off to Crosshills. The Paul Milnes group came with us as far as Vietnam Bridge where we turned left to seek out lanes more demanding than the A629.
Although overcast the temperature was mild, the breeze was light and the roads were dry so there were none of the problems caused by low sun reflecting off wet roads that we have had to endure most of the week. We made good progress over to Gargrave, Bank Newton and Halton West. We then went to Tosside via the little used back lane through Grunsagill. Richard has been in semi retirement recently and so far I had been impressed by his riding but Grunsagill was a hill too far and he adopted the rarely successful tactic of riding 50 metres off the back of the bunch. We regrouped before Tosside but I had forgotten just how undulating the road is from there to Slaidburn and he again slipped off the back, a jumping chain adding to his woes.
At Slaidburn we enjoyed excellent bacon butties in the upstairs restaurant (table cloths and waitress service) -the bacon being as good as any I've ever tasted.
Our return journey took us to Bolton by Bowland via Threap Green and then to Gisburn. There had been much discussion about which route to take from Gisburn and we eventually settled on on the road over Greystone to Blacko, not everyones choice though as Richard had the presence of mind to do a U-turn half a mile up the 1st climb, return to Gisburn and stick to the main roads for his return.
Mel set a cracking pace on the long climb up to Greystone with myself, Damien and Steve just about hanging on - boy, was I glad when the summit was reached !    At Blacko,we turned left managing to avoid the easy riding through Barrowford and Colne and made our way to Laneshaw Bridge up the longer and steeper lane up to Colne Edge.
I was relieved when Steve lost contact up the Herders as this gave me an excuse to take it easier as Mel romped away in lone splendor, Damien, who had initially chased after him, eventually adopting a similar tactic to me.
We had decided that The Lamb Inn at Leeming would be our day's watering hole. Damien set off up Penistone Hill from the reservoir at Stanbury determined to set a Strava record before Nairo Quintana gets there next July, unfortunately his saddlebag held him back and once again Mel danced away to take the honors.
The Lamb Inn proved to be a good choice for re-hydration driving Steve to resort to his credit card to keep the beer flowing (at least he hasn't resorted to Wonga)  

Whilst we were enjoying the Pennines poor old Paul Daly had to risk permanent damage to his skin on Tauranga Beach in New Zealand. He only arrived on Friday but he's already getting the miles in. He's there till March and will be returning in time for the Todmorden Loops Audax (23/3/14) when I'm intending to give him a hammering after too much easy living has softened him up.

Club Run - Sunday 24th November

Meet 9am Denholmgate or 9.30 Keighley - perhaps a trip over to Slaidburn

An appeal from Mike Beecham

Bad news, had all my bikes (3) nicked from my shed on Friday evening. They broke into the shed and used bolt cutters to get to them. Some cctv footage that the police have but no doubt a long shot to retrieve them

All large bikes for 6'plus rider, please keep eyes peeled for the bikes and be aware that bikes are being targeted by thieves, more so now than ever before.

Denholm was a wasteland this morning, as of course it is on most mornings. I guess some Audax had drawn the regular's into new fields with the promise of rich pastures of rolling kilometres upon which to graze, like silent, patient ruminants ... So I took advantage of not being told that we were off to Feizor cafe to set my own route, and ended up at puddle stones set amid the grouse above lkley. Poems instead of butties, edification rather than edibility ... you can go miles simply repeating stanzas in your head, like an incantatory cud, to extend the metaphor for far too long

petehorne adds........
Sorry to see that Robin was out there alone today, but happy to see that it gave him time to dream (ps we haven't been to Feizor for weeks but we have been to the south and to the east of Calderdale, so you would have been completely lost - as I mentioned a few weeks ago it was a long day yesterday with Simon, Chris and myself attending the Audax UK AGM at York.

Our trip was not in vain as we assisted in the election of Chris Crossland to the post of national Chair of AUK, we now look forward to a brighter future where all Audax's  will have home made rice pudding and more and more hills - congratulations Chris; and well done to former Condor (now, I understand, defected to Tod Harriers) Daniel Webb who gave an inspiring speech in his proposal of Chris for the post.

Official - Padiham Chris is Meritorious
After the AGM it was the Annual AUK Dinner and Prize Presentation and our own Chris Smith was honored by Audax UK Committee by being awarded the Paul Castle Cup, awarded annually to the male whose cycling performance is considered to be the most meritorious of the year, a wonderful achievement by Chris, congratulations from your clubmates at the Condor.

However, whilst Simon and myself rode out to the AGM and then rode back I'm sorry to have to report that Chris went on the train, has success gone to his head? - its true that there's only one way to go once you get to the top. It was a good day to ride out to York, a lovely Autumn day with a tail wind blowing us along the lanes to York and a bright moonlit evening for the ride home marred only by Simon suffering multiple punctures to his singlespeed - I'm glad it was mild and dry.

 

Wednesday's Ride

Another good turnout, 18 up at Shelf Roundabout at 10 o'clock, it was looking black up north and there was general agreement when Grimpy suggested going east to the cafe at Knaresborough for lunch. Unfortunately he took it upon himself to lead the ride and we ended up at Wetherby instead - never mind, the Asda cafe copes swiftly and efficiently when called upon to feed masses of hungry cyclists.
The downside was that our return route was on the same roads as the Condor Club-run only a few days earlier so when we got to Castley Lane, instead of turning left to follow the easy route to Pool in Wharfedale  we, or I should say, most of us, chose the more scenic route to Otley over Almscliffe Cragg and on the mucky single track road down to Leathley. Several Stangers, Everard, Pete G, Mike and Lumby chose to miss this little diversion and will forever be poorer.
We had a nice little 20 minute break on the way up to Farnley when Kev illustrated the massive power he carries in those big legs by breaking his chain (can't blame a worn-out chain as its only done about a hundred miles in the year since he bought it). I wasn't convinced it would work when our resident mechanic fitted a Campag link to the Shimano chain but it did and we were soon on the road again - and it was still daylight.

We split up at Shipley with a trio of Pauls (PD, PG & PP) and a triad of Johns (JG, JK & JH) together with Queensbury Martin, their appetites for steep hills still not satisfied, turned right towards Saltaire for the Northcliffe Golf Club climb and on to Egypt and the Walls of Jericho. My excuse for missing this pleasure was an appointment at home at 5 o'clock but I'm not sure if my companions on the softies route (KB, Phil Haigh and Neil King) had any excuse.

Peter'd Out in the Flatlands

See the map. 108 miles in November, even flat ones, not the norm (unless you are Chris Smith).
It was a stunning clear day although a bit dodgy with the early heavy frost as Peter was leading us from Odsal and down his favourite 'Greenway'. Grimpy, Simon, Oakworth Steve, Damian, Paul Daly & VS Dom. I was impressed that we could arrive in Ossett almost car-free. A short puncture delay for Damian at the Calder bridge allowed me to savour the splendid atmosphere of early morning Dewsbury.
Back on the road it was follow Peter across main roads, down no-entries and through industrial estates to get around Wakefield, through Castleford and out onto the pleasant lanes beyond Fairburn.
I could only remember that Wetherby was on the itinerary but as we carried on heading east breakfast seemed a long way off.  Nearing mid-day and Selby was now the chosen breakfast stop but as we rolled into town a local tabby cat used its nine lives (8 of us & its own) by crossing the road 3 times as we approached causing  heavy breaking, swerving & shouting but somehow we all stayed upright.    
We stumbled on what turned out to be a very good cafe. The 'Dockers Butty' of bacon & black pudding in 3 slices of bread for just £2.95 proved popular.
Time was moving on and Dom, who had promised to spend Christmas with his family, decided to head straight home. We headed for Riccall and more lovely cycle lanes, passed Naburn and around York to head towards Wetherby via Wighill. Even now Peter's knowledge was still leading us down cycle lanes to take us under the A1 and drop us into the back of Wetherby.
I was now in familiar country and as the roads got a bit lumpier through Sicklinghall & Castley some legs were getting sore. After the hill at Farnley we arrived in Otley a bit fragmented. I understood Simon was ringing home for support. The rest of us headed right passed my house where I turned off, grateful I didn't have to face Bradford and the traffic. But probably Peter had some clever route in mind for them ?

Melvin's promised to write a report of today's club run but says he's not entirely sure where we went so I thought I'd help by posting this download of the route this download of the route.

Sunday 10th Nov.

One for the rouleur's this Sunday. The last few weeks club runs have been in grimpeur terrain and its been suggested from several quarters that it would make a nice change to get in some big gear work (i.e. less hills) With this in mind its a 9am meet at Odsal Roundabout for a trip over to the Vale of York.
The route I have in mind has quite a bit of cycleway in the morning as it loops around to the south of Leeds to Fairburn and Selby and up to York. Then its west to Wetherby and Otley and home.

Vote for Chris!

Chris Crossland of CTC Calderdale, the maestro behind the most popular and successful cycling events in Calderdale (Spring into the Dales, Season of Mists, 3 Coasts 600, The Old 240 and many more) is standing for election for the post of Chair of the organisation, at the forthcoming Audax UK AGM.  He has the support of Padiham Chris, Simon and myself who will be having a ride out to the AGM at York on Saturday the 16th. AUK members are urged to to join us.

A message from Chris :-

Please excuse this blatant electioneering.

The AUDAX UK Annual General Meeting will take place on 16th November 2013 starting at 2:00pm at The Holiday Inn Hotel, Tadcaster Road, York YO24 1QF. There are further details, including the agenda, at
http://www.aukweb.net/official/agm/

This is something of a watershed moment for Audax UK and I would appreciate local cyclists who are members of AUK taking the time to attend this meeting.

I am standing for Chair in a bid to make AUK more focussed, improve governance, and widen participation in policy and decision making, for the benefit of all cyclists who take part in events run under its regulations. Several others with similar views are also standing for other posts or have been proposed for positions for which there are no other candidates.

We are basing our platform on the AUK Events Secretary’s proposed Events Strategy at
http://tinyurl.com/m6fwbpp
and the new AUK General Secretary’s proposed Governance Strategy at
http://tinyurl.com/m4jg4at
I believe that these strategies, taken together, form a basis on which AUK can build for the future. Other views are available of course, and if you hold them, I’m sure you will also want to attend.

Voting is in person, not by proxy. If you are an AUK member, please come to the meeting. I hope you will vote to elect me as Chair, Pete Lewis as Recorder, and Judith Swallow as International Correspondent.

Thank you,

Chris

Another good turn-out for the Wednesday ride, we did lose several of our numbers when it started to drizzle but there were still 14 by the time we got to our lunch spot at Burnsall.  I ended the day far much wealthier than when I started (deposits for Christmas Do).
A nice steady day with JK (helped by tactical riding through Keighley) winning the KOM award at the top of Ingrow.

Padiham Chris has Arrivee'd

Below is a page from the Autumn edition of Arrivee, the AudaxUK magazine, click on it to get a full page view.

zapper5 November 2013 23:35

Well written and a good read by top man Chris,

Damien

Wednesday Club Christmas Doooooo.....

The Stubbing Wharf has been booked for this years, not to be missed, Wednesday Club Christmas Lunch on the 18th of December. I need £5 deposit from all those wishing to attend and I'm starting to collect this coming Wednesday.

Missing in Action 3rd November

To answer Pete's question, I threw in the towel at Hinchliffe Mill just short on Holme Bridge. I could see what was to coming (whichever route was selected) and having been dropped out of Brighouse I knew better than to try and hang on. I also went up past the vineyard over the top to Hazelhead and then down the dip to Langsett where I turned right over the reservoir. I met John and Simon coming in the other direction but pressed on turning left before the Strines towards Penistone and home through Millhouse Green and Shepley..
I’m pleased that I was not the only one who found the pace too difficult but truth be told I was always going to struggle. A grand total of 29 miles during the last month, a fall in Winlatter Forest Park last week, where I suspect I cracked a rib, and a week of eating and drinking in the Lakes were always going to take their toll.


From Dom Turner.......Monday 4th..................

IN ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANY On Saturday evening I had the pleasure of attending the Out Of The Saddle charity dinner and auction hosted by the Downing brothers and in the company of the Ritz Rebels, I mingled with team sky riders Ben Swift and Ian Stannard plus lots of domestic pros and has-beens . This however was to wet my appetite for hanging out with sporting superstars ( some may call such a person a cling on) and all round hard men so I decided to join Sunday's Condor ride , and what a good decision it turned out to be. As per usual Peter once again took us on a great route showing off his fantastic knowledge of scenic traffic free country lanes and back roads ( mostly ascending ) and once more I was in illustrious company. In fact the Condor palmares read much better than Saturday nights ;- 2 world champions, 2 national champions one multiple times I believe , 3 super randonners and a champion of Mount Everest . Then there's the fell running section whom , whilst in the pub, told tales of catching the likes of Joss Naylor and Ron Hill back in the day. And finally to top of a great day we where all serenaded by super randonner come folk singer & song writer Chris "Padiham" Smith . Happy days indeed Peter , Chapeau the Condors. Note, no has-beens on the Sunday .

Sunday 3rd Nov. Ride Report

Great turnout at Brighouse this morning, 11 of us; John Ginley, Brian Sunter, Damien Hill, Paul Daly, Chris Smith, Garry Traviss, Dom Turner, Steve Thewlis, Richard Burnham, Phil Purdy and myself set off up Huddersfield Road and were joined by Simon Fortune as we descended down towards Fartown.

At the start I went to the front hoping to set a comfortable pace over to Huddersfield, unfortunately I was joined at the front by Chris who had had the benefit of a 30 odd mile warm up to get to Brighouse, he almost immediately began to pull away from me. I decided not to struggle to stay with him and let him go thinking that once he realised he was up the road alone he'd slacken the pace, come back and ride at a pace us pensioners could cope with. Sadly I hadn't accounted for the presence of Paul in my cunning plan, once he saw the farrier pulling away he bridged the gap leaving us with the worst possible scenario - Chris and Paul at the front together - and all this before we got as far as the Co-op Undertakers.
Once over Fixby the pace became a little more comfortable although the weather didn't follow suit with gusting winds and rain showers adding to the excitement and anticipation of the terrain to come.
When todays ride had originally been discussed we were going to follow the Tour route over Holme Moss but the thought of Woodhead Pass to The Flouch, a cycling unfriendly busy racetrack, put us off the idea. It was Grimpy who came up with the idea of turning left at Holmebridge and going up past Holmfirth Vinyard to Harden Clough and down past Winscar to Dunford Bridge. The Vinyard road is just as steep as it always was but we were lucky in that the gusting winds were behind us. We stopped to re-group at the summit but were to discover that Richard, who has been absent in recent weeks, had been lost in action -  Richard, what happened? where did you go?
The 'tete de la course' were taking no prisoners and, having foolishly stopped to take off the shades which were obscuring my vision due to the driving rain, I was struggling to re-gain contact and was relieved when Simon, Brian and Steve showed unusual common sense and stopped to don rain jackets.
At Crow Edge Brian mumbled something about being able to go out tomorrow and turned for home - and then there were 10 - we re-joined the Tour route at The Flouch and followed course past Langsett to turn right to Midhopestones. What a treat the Tour riders have in store next July, this little climb which probably doesn't even register as a climb in the Tour route book had a devastating effect on our numbers with Grimpy and Simon both throwing in the towel and taking the home-bound road, having conquered the Haute Route Alpes and the London-Edinburgh-London between them this year it was a Condor club run which broke them;  mmm, I'm not entirely convinced that this is how social season club runs should work but no one ever listens to me (or they wouldn't turn up with no mudguard flaps).
The remaining 8 continued over the Strines Road turning left on the beautifully (Tour ready) resurfaced lane to High Bradfield where (don't blame me, blame Christian Prudhomme), we turned left and up yet another challenging climb, I'm sure I heard even the normally reserved Oakworth Steve quietly swearing. At the top we abandoned 'Le Tour in Yorkshire' and dropped down a steep singletrack road to Damflask Reservoir, crossing the dam wall and going to the (Richard Burnham recommended) cafe at Low Bradfield. Not everyone was happy with the cafe but I'm not going to dwell on that now (I'd like to invite Paul Daly to submit a review of the establishment).
Once refreshed we made our way on some little used back lanes back to the Strines road and to Langsett via Upper Midhope and then over towards Penistone and to Thurstonland and Farnley Tyas via the Windmills road.  The weather was improving now and by the time we got to Castle Hill and Almondbury the roads were dry and spirits were high - they must have been too high because on Halifax Old Road out of Fartown, just so we could ride through that ford at the back of Huddersfield Golf Club we took a right up the steep single track lane to Cowcliffe Hill Road. However it proved to be a good choice as it led us to The Roundhill where we enjoyed Timothy Taylors finest ales and a cheese buffet. Happy days indeed!