Club run report February 1st to Glossop.
01/02/2009 by Steve McCall.
By heck it was cold! 10 brave riders exposed themselves to the elements on a cold and frosty morning. The riders were Jack, Mike (teacher mike not referee Mike(who sent his apologies as his bike was in hospital)), Les, Paul, Martyn, Craig, Andy, Brad, Rich and myself.
We set off to Standadge where Martyn and Brad set a quite stinging pace up to the bottom of the climb and peeled off looking for a mug or two to drag them up over Standedge climb. There was the one man big enough to step into the role as tow-truck (Paul) and one idiot who didn’t realise he had been done up like akipper(me 
) .
Half way up, Alasta…. oops sorry, Richard got bored and set off like Marco Pantani on a really fueled day!!!!! By heck it hurt just looking at him flying up. Apart from that we went up at great pace at around 13-15 MPH. Well done Thorpers. The usual furious descent into Uppermill followed and glory boy and redlight jumper McCall sneaked in for a win that didn’t even satisfy me (and as you know I have the morals of a sewer rat which hasn’t eaten in 2 days!).
Along to Glossop, I think I saw Craig, YES that’s right, Craig on the front for 14.34167 seconds, then we almost had an incident running through some moisture on the road that was about 2 degrees above freezing and was not ice, thanks to all you weather men and physicists that pointed out that water is water and NOT ice.
The Cafe stop was much welcomed where we mostly had beans on toast, with toast so well done that it would put hairs on your chest. (By God, Brad looked like the b4stard love child of captain caveman and Tom Jones after that!!!!). The remaining ride home was foretold so obviously that even Mystic Meg could have guessed what would happen when Craig ordered a FULL ENGLISH.
The temp was begining to drop a touch further now and spirits were sagging, especially when we hit a section of >10% hill on the outskirts of Glossop. A worm (me) was dangled on the end of the line when decideding to attack from 2nd wheel and saw Richard “baracuda” Creaser take the bait like a good un and shot off whilst I ever so gently sat up laughing my head off!!! Hook line and sinker.
Holme Moss was our final challenger where Rich disappeared again in search of his Pot Belg ampule, and the rest of us mere mortals rode well into a V strong head wind over the Moss into Holme. Mike was very strong and breached the summit in 3rd place with the other relatively newbie, Jack not so far behind him. Two great additions to the club I’d say!
Another great ride and brilliant turn out, well done all! Especially to mike after only 3 months on a bike, Lord, it’s frightening what he will be like in the coming months and years!
Stats were 59.01 miles @ 15.14 MPH avergae.
Over and out from the temporary deputy to the deputy (but only when nobody else wants to do it, so give it to the ginger lad with the big gob) club Captain.
