Sunday 6th Ripon

A good turn out for the first Sunday of the month ride, 14 riders all up, 11 of whom are part of this years sports group. JD turned up in the keighley team bus with Zip, Charlie JP (this could get confusing) and one other (sorry I didn’t get his name) and all and sundry were milling around waiting for our leader (I bet Herbie is never late), then who’s this we spy with the black moustache surely not one of us? Ah ah it’s Woody in disguise. So leader present off we sped to a new destination for the hamsters, Ripon, if our leader could remember the route, (Milnsey said he’d help) as it had been a while, down the Chevin over the new speed bumps (spoilsports) through Otley, along the river and on to Knareborough and the GENTLE climb up to the castle traffic lights (thank god for the granny ring), back down the other side (why can’t they build a tunnel for cyclists?) and on to Ripon. Oops our leader missed a left turn but realised after 100 yards or so, total confusion while we turned round (just as well we’re used to riding in a group!!!) once on the right track, Milnsey said he knew we had gone wrong and that was the only turn he could remember. Ripon at last where our leader decided to do a lap of the town centre to commemorate our new ride (no he wasn’t lost he was just looking for a reasonably priced café, pity he didn’t find one). Bikes parked against a wall in we went where we were promptly sent upstairs, no room at the inn downstairs for a group as large as ours (you’d have thought our leader would have had tables reserved for us, I bet Herbie would) Adam volunteers to mind the machinery while we partake however repast over we go outside to find Adam has had fish and chips, mushy peas, teacake and a pickled egg, crikey he must have burnt some calories on the way there. So back on the bikes to retrace our route, after all of ten yards Mark decided to show us how he used to dodge wild giraffe in south Africa and bounced off the pavement with his ribs, (either that or he caught the edge of the kerb) oh dear this could be serious, Chris checked him over and pronounced him fit to ride home, so once again off we went as a tight knit group heading home. Zip lost his chain halfway to Knaresborough and JP and myself waited for him, the others not realising we were off the back carried on, leaving the three of us to put the hammer down to get back on. Back through Knaresborough and on towards Weeton where our group? riding really went to pot, we eventually reassembled in Otley and climbed up the Chevin as a group sort of, then back to Guiseley station where they’d laid on a band and food at the station pub to welcome us back (OK so it was the Guiseley music festival). Not a bad ride and good to have so many of the sports group out so we could get to know one another before we have to do it for real

About these ads