18th March

Group training ride today but as it was Mother's Day everyone wanted to be home quicker so we were doing a shorter ride today.

Trouble was I was a bit late for picking up Richard and I had a soft tyre so we made a quick call to Mike to say we would meet them en route and we set off from Guiseley rather than Otley. My tyre only needed some wind so no problems there.

We rolled down into Burley in Wharfedale, along the bottom road towards Ilkley but then took the turn off across the river and waited for the others. No more than five minutes later Mike, Graham, Peter and a surprise, Phil came along. Phil had done the last Hamm ride but isn't doing this one.

So off we went past the Lido, cricket club and the golf course and then we hit the undulations. We have done this ride a lot of times so I knew what it was like. We soon got to Bolton Abbey where we usually stop for a drink and a bite to eat.

On this occasion though we stopped for a photo shoot and then back on our bikes and headed back again. Same route but when we were on the narrowest part of the country lanes an idiotic driver was speeding along and wouldn't give way even though there was nowhere for us to. He missed Richard by inches apparently. (I could tell by the swearing!)

We left the rest of the group at the bridge again and headed back towards Burley and then the long climb up to Menston and back to Guiseley. Fast ride and 26 miles done.

Bolton Abbey Again

Mike's turn to lead us out on a ride yesterday. Only five of us out and two of them I hadn't met before. One guy is doing the ride and the other came with him for support.

We set off later than anticipated but I can already tell the difference in my fitness and the borrowed bike. Last time we did this route was two weeks ago and by the time we got to Menston (about two miles, if that) I could already feel my leg muscles aching and going through Burley-in-Wharfedale I was wondering what I was doing there. This time I didn't have that feeling of dread.

We crossed the river at Ilkley and carried on until we started up a shortish sharp hill. I was slow but not so far behind everyone else although that could have something to do with them being slower than the group who were out two weeks ago as well. We saw a mole crossing the little country road!

We arrived at The Cavendish Pavilion and I was feeling pretty good. I had a good cup of coffee and a nice piece of flapjack kindly paid for by one of the other riders, Peter.

On the return journey I could hear a slight grating noise coming from my bike wheel. Peter said my wheel was slightly out of line and cycled forwrd to report to Mike. We all stopped and Mike examined it and found that one of the spokes had pinged. He wound it round the interior of the other spokes and thinking I might have bother with it asked me to ride his bike. Now Mike is only a small chap, built like a jockey I would say, but is a very strong rider. I climbed on his bike and could barely touch the floor. A few hundred yards up the road we had a sharp right onto the bridge to cross the river but I nearly didn't stop so quickly swapped back to my bike.

The last bit of the ride is a long drag up a steady hill probably about two miles. However for a significant amount of it I was right behind Mike although stopping at the roundabout slowed me down considerably.

We got back and I didn't feel like I was about to collapse in a heap.

I took the bike straight up to the bike shop to get the spoke sorted out. Left it there until Tuesday. Incidentally the chap who owns the bike shop is going on the ride to Hamm this year as well.

Training Ride with Group

Today was the first training ride I could get to with the group I will be going to Hamm with. There were nine of us altogether but that included one support rider and a guy from the Sports group who is a speedy rider but came along as support too. Our other support rider, Richard, was recovering from flu so came along in his car to support us.

Mike, our beloved leader, said not to worry about speed but to remember about signalling and pointing out things like potholes for whoever was behind you.

We set off from Guiseley station and before we had got a mile I couldn't see Mike and John, so much for not worrying about speed. The rest of the group were behind me still at this point. We flew down a long hill and into Burley in Wharfedale where there were a few undulations and then out onto the main road into Ilkley. At this point I was till third or fourth in the group. Mike stopped to see how everyone was doing and gave us a little pep talk. Then it was off again. Fairly flat along this road but then a flipping hill stuck it's neck out and caught me. The group sailed past and I assumed I was last apart from Adrian, the borrowed support rider. I laboured up the hill to find them all waiting for me there and I stopped to get a drink but then Adrian and Dean caught up with us. This surprised me as I didn't realise Dean was behind me.

We set off again and hit a couple of more hills along the way which I trawled up sounding like Darth Vader. I'm still coughing like mad too. We eventually arrived at Bolton Abbey and went down to the Cavendish Pavilion where I promptly bought a coffee and some flapjack (as fuel for the return journey you understand).

We sat and chatted a while and got to know a little more about my fellow cyclists. Then all too soon we were setting off back. Today was very cold but absolutely gorgeous. A very bright, sunny Winter's day with blue skies.

Not long after setting off back Dean had to bail out as he had severe cramp in his legs probably due to the fact that he had only had an apple for breakfast, silly boy. Richard put him in the car and he had a nice warm journey back.

Coming back we had the undulations of the outward journey and virtually everyone disappeared over the horizon. One of the group, Peter, took it on himself to stay with me. Not sure if this was for my sake or just so that he wouldn't look so bad going up the long hill. Sorry that sounds ungrateful, it wasn't meant like that. Anyway after we had passed Burley in Wharfedale there is a long unforgiving but not too steep hill, a roundabout, then more hill. I managed it all the way up without having to get off. Peter cycled behind me which I found a bit odd as normally if you are helping someone you cycle in front so that the other person can slipstream you. Anyway after the roundabout the flapjack must have hit my legs as I then managed to start pedalling quite fast up the hill. Caught up with the rest of the group at the top and then I led the way back to the station. I only did that so that I can say I was out in front at least part of the way.

Amazingly I didn't feel too bad at all.

Mike has been saying for a while that he has a Claude Butler road bike that would suit me so I arranged to follow him home to pick it up. Flipping heck that feels light. I haven't ridden it yet but I have put it on the bike bars at the back of the car and I was amazed how little it weighed. If all goes well with it I might buy it off him as he is wanting to sell it.