What a turn out for Halifax Imps Reliability ride on Sunday morning.
A crowd of lycra clad weirdos and freaks all paying a £1 for one of JK's infamous reliability rides. Meaning every hill in Yorkshire will be climbed possibly twice!
Choice of punishment - 60 miles in 6 hours or 75 miles in 6 hours. Racing snakes have the 5 hour option for these distances.
At the stroke of 9am we were off and a steady pace by 1 of the Hartley twins and Steve T? was set up Bradford Rd towards Bailiff Bridge, however as we reached the Martins Nest the pace suddenly upped by 50%. I was 2nd row chatting to Paul Brierley until then! next was up through lights at Bailiff towards Hell Fire lights - I was out the back quicker then a hot knife thru butter - I thought I had been shot!
Maz and his mate Dean were out too, along with Steve T and various other gaggles of riders suffering at the injection of pace as the road began to rise.
By Odsal Top, myself and Dean had about 50 metres on Maz, but 3 riders were approaching fast, as we head down past Odsal Stadium, Birdy puts has hand on my shoulders says " how many up the road" - about 25, "how far?" about 5 mins.
"OK sit on the back and we will tow you along!"
Happy Days - well until Applely Bridge climb to Yeadon anyway!
ON the way we collected 2 Ritz Rebels (Andy and DAz) also Daniel Shaw from the Imps. As we lost touch with Birdy & Co on the climb we plodded up and over the top and our own little group.
Making the pace with Daniel we made reasonable progress and soon was decending Pool Bank, where at the Petrol Station was a group of about 10-12 riders. Watching puncture repair practice sessions - I think Pete Horne was amongst them.
Anyway we carry on after a quick consultation of the route and were soon joined by Pinky and James Dyson, a nice group of 6. Good do for sharing the work out I hoped?
A little climb caught me out and also Daniel, but the 4 eased off and we got back together and remained so for the rest of the day. (unfortunately Daniel felt ill by Bolten Abbey and made a left to get home).
The back roads though Otley, Ilkley, Beamsley etc were really good, all chatting away with just enough pace to climb without dying! At Bolton Abbey up to the strid was tough, but on the descent I was given the front for the pace setting up Burnsell Fell, mainly alone until joined by James, we set a good tempo and climbed it together. Rapid decent to Burnsell & re-fuel of water, bananas and chocs for some. After 15 mins we were on our way. The drag out of Burnsell was horrible, I was on the front with Pinky and those little rises were tough, crawls into the cool headwind. However as we turned off to Linton along the valley, the pace was up and all felt well. In no time we had reached Cracoe, however we had to make a pit stop as my rear mudguard split in too. Pinky with Zip tie, me with knife, man makes mended mud guard!
Pinky and James take the pace now and with the gentle breaze on our backs we are zipping along nicely, off towards Hetton. Then bugger JK throws in the Winterburn/Airton turn to the right. At first this is no problem, but soon those little rises are really hurting
Thankfully we drop into Airton and left towards Gargrave and again the wind giving a much required push.
Piss stop at Gragrave - (check out tails in toilets and stand in Hillards carrier bags for a awhile
)Next is the little climb over to broughton and then we are headed for Craven and then ouch Connoley, then ouch ouch ouch Crosshills - my 39 -23 gearing was barely moving over up that little bastard
Again we catch our breath down the other side and head on up past the Airedale Hospital, myself and James setting a reasonable pace. Andy is suffering badly now - so of course James upps the tempo a fraction more after the lights and as the road drops then rises again past the rugby ground I gently slip in behind (nice!)- as we line out for the blast into Keighley.
Poor Andy - that really hurt him!
We re-group as a mile is knocked off in Keighley and all begin the ascent of the ingrow together.
Pinky & James soon have gapped me on the first steeper section, Daz and Andy a few yards off me. Round the corner and on the long straight i fail to pull any ground back on the lead 2, but extent slightly my lead over the over 2. At the tip, no sign of Pinky and James, looking over my shoulder at the top of the tip, Daz has pulled back and is within 100 metres, Andy another 150 back.
Bollocks to that - BIG RING TIME.
Smashing my guts out now as I head for the new lights, luckily they change and lose no speed. Up past the old motor bike play ground and heading for Denholme. No one in sight over the shoulder. Keeping the big chain ring rolling all the way through Denholme and round to salt mine. I spot 2 riders about 3/4 of way up the climb - must be Pinky and James. I keep going well up to the church and along to drop down to the bottom of Kellam Lights. I hate this climb
Again my luck is in 2 riders have just gone thru, they change once, then as a I roll closer they change again - excellent - no stopping. 2 riders in front are half way up to farm shop, this is killing me now.
Pushing all out I roll over the top and back on to big chain ring for the final fluury to the finish.
At the Raggalds I can see 2 riders just at the Mountain Sign _ I am only 300 metres away.
Keeping it going I pull into the Pineberry car park and Pinky and James have just dismounted and say
"bloodly hell mate you did well, we only just got here! - have you got a lock because we need a pint?!
A lock - I have and into the pub we go - rapturous applause or something like that and a time of 5 hours 37 mins for 75 miles (77 according to gps!).
Happy days - great route, good company.
See you soon.
Here is the GPS for you saddos to check out my heart rate!!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25762798
