Shock and amazement!!! Dean turned up, as planned, at my house. It wasn't his mum's birthday (inside joke) and he had his bike and all necessary items for the day (with the exception of glasses but I leant him a pair). We went and picked up Richard from his house and off we went.
Arriving in Otley, people slowly started turning up and unfolding their cycling life from their cars. What a turn out - 13 of us today. Only two missing, one because she has just had a pot removed from her broken ankle.
Someone decided we were doing the same ride as last week and this didn't displease me. So we set off on the by-pass towards Ilkley. We were avidly practising our shouts to each other and there was a plan in place to make Adrian and myself be just behind Mike, our beloved leader. A bit of psychology there so that we don't get left behind. Having said that we have both come on in leaps and bounds but the Leisure group are a strong set of riders this year.
After crossing the river (via a bridge that is just in case you thought we were intrepid enough to wade across with our bikes held aloft) we carried on along the country lanes that undulate enough to make me puff and pant at times. Then there was a shout 'puncture' Adey had had to stop and change his inner tube so the rest of the group who were further up the hill stopped and had a chat. With us today for the first time were Liz and Adam who are strong riders but hadn't been out training with us before. Liz was trying to remember names.
Anyway puncture repaired and off we went again. Next stop was the fountain feature near Bolton Abbey. Peter (our photographer) wanted us to all pose for a photo there. After various adjustments to clothing (ooo err) photos were taken to Peter's satisfaction.
So we then swooped down to Cavendish Pavilion, crossed the bridge and faced our fears (or mine at least). Having said that I wasn't fearful this week I felt more like it was a challenge. There were several of us who weren't there the week before and didn't have an inkling of the hill to come. Up the first hill, down the first drop and up the second hill or as much as I could manage. I wasn't the only one by any means. When I was nearing the top, pushing my bike, I heard Dean shout from a way back 'Is this the hill you were telling me about?' I confirmed it was and he said 'thank God'
So we eventually arrived in Burnsall and descend upon the kiosk that sells food. We took over a fair section of the seating area and awaited the food, bacon and egg butty for me and a cup of coffee. At this stage there is plenty of banter and joking going.
The time comes for us to set off back again. Peter waits on the bridge to get some shots of us but we decide to have a laugh and take the turning towards Grassington. We only went a little way up and then turn round and come back just as he is about to pack up and follow us. He gets some good shots of us all laughing.
There are some small, fairly steep hills through Appletreewick so the front riders await the rest of us in a layby. As I was just about with them Neil fell off his bike from a standstill! He has done this a few times as he can't get his feet out of the SPD fast enough. He seemed to hit the deck quite hard and was a bit winded. He got up and carried on.
On the way back we got a bit strung out. I was at the head of the main group but Mike and one or two others had disappeared from my view. 'Off the back' came through to me but I had no one to pass it on to. I carried on in the vain hope of finding Mike but Phil pedalled past me and said he would catch them up. Apparently Dean was struggling and getting further behind.
We all re-grouped further along. Then, joy of joys, I got up a hill that had defeated me the previous week. The journey back was pretty uneventful until we got to The Lido in Ilkley. We waited for Adey and Richard as there was no sign of them. As we were chatting I turned round to see Neil fall off his bike again, literally just missing a passing car by a second or so. That was scary! Rich phoned me and said Adey had a puncture again and not to wait any longer so off we went again.
On the by pass I spotted someone in a van with a caravan in the layby. It was only one of our 'Sports' group, Dave Holdsworth, so I waved. I then caught up with Mike who hadn't seen him. Chatting to Mike I kept up the good speed and landed back in Otley at the head of the group for a change. Dave followed us to the car park and we had a chat.
Then Neil told me he had fall number three!!! A crash with Deano. He looked a bit shell shocked by this time. Poor guy, he hadn't had a good day.
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