Yesterday was the second time I have been out training with the group. Six of us turned up at the car park in Otley led by our captain for the week Richard T. It was cold and foggy as we left for our journey to Knaresborough.
We headed out of Otley towards the main road that leads to Harrogate but no sooner were we on that road than we turned off there and headed up the country lanes. Potholes, shale, mud and poo were quickly encountered and everytime I shouted a warning of some sort I had some amusing or amused response from John who was behind me. He wondered why I was doing 'jazz hands' which was to indicate that there was some sort of obstacle or hazard in the road that could tip him out of his seat.
Richard had put Dean at the front so that he could coach him in changing gears and so that it slowed the faster riders down and kept us to a decent pace for the day. Dean did absolutely fine despite riding an unfamiliar borrowed bike with gears that are on the frame rather than the handlebars.
We eventually rejoined a main road and headed up a long drag of a hill. This is where Richard, John and Graham raced off looking like they were barely going uphill and I passed Dean. We all re-grouped at the top of the hill where Dean eventually joined us looking a bit tired. Some steady level road soon gave way to a roundabout at Pannal and then another uphill section. Blimey I couldn't even see the first four and Dean would eventually lose sight of me. Again we had a breather at the top of the hill and then it was downhill most of the way into Knaresborough.
At the last hurdle we found they had closed the road. A large tree had fallen into the river and floated sideways down until it hit the bridge. Loads of debris had washed up behind it causing a dam effect. They had to get some heavy lifting and cutting equipoment in to clear it. We waited here a while as we had lost Dean and Peter. After a nice chat with one of the guys from the Environment Agency we decided to carry on to the cafe as we had remembered that Peter had said he knew where it was.
Dean and Peter did indeed make their way there and we had a pleasant stop for refreshments and some banter.
We set off back up a hill (where do they all come from?) and stopped and waited every so often for people to catch up.
We headed into Harrogate and then back out again on the roads that I am familiar with when I am driving. Things weren't too bad from here on. When we got to Weeton station Dean decided to get the train back home as he was quite disheartened by this time. We tried to tell him that we hadn't far to go but I think his heart had fallen into his socks by this time. I know the feeling from last time when I didn't believe in myself.
Having waved Dean off we set off again with me in the lead. I pedalled hard all the way back to Otley passing a dead rat along the way which prompted an amusing 'are we going to Hamm or Hamelyn?'from Peter who was right behind me.
We arrived back in Otley having done 32.5 miles and I really didn't feel too bad.
Tonight I have been swimming at Tong Pool again. I did 64 lengths of intervals in 45minutes. My other half, Peter also came with me tonight as he has a lot of aches and pains so hoped the swim and the water might sooth things. He said he was feeling better when we left.
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