Three interpid sub-mariners met at the Library and waited and waited for any other foolish Thorpers to turn up (to no avail). Alastair, Martin and myself (vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice,vice, vice club cap’n McCall) made the decision to head to the usual Rossi’s in case anybody else were going to meet there. We abandoned the notion of Cracoe before we set off as Skipton had 10.8 mm of snow forecast!

Due to this I devised a very zig zaggy route to Keighley that took in some great quiet country roads and some savage climbs!! The route took us on what seemed like a scene from a Carry On film. We went up Wood Bottom, down on Cock Hill and imagine our suprise when we went along Nipple Avenue, oh how we laughed

 The charge into Keighley was fantastic but made even more incredible by the adrenilin coursing through our veins when a car literally brushed Alastair. We pursued like Wiggo and Thomas and caught the fool just before Rossi’s, where the administration of some sound sage advice put across so eloquently by the two of us red faced panting fools!!

Tea and t-cakes were ordered and a good chat was had before the decision to head back and “retrace” our steps. At the mini roundabout Martin left us. Al and myself went down into Haworth and through to Stanbury reservoir before the fast decent into Oxenhope and climb up over Pecket Well moor.

The rain in Hebden Bridge really clattered down and kept with us all the way home, dashing our plans to do the Cragg and Barkisland climbs. Yeah, yeah, pussies I know

The ride stats were wet wet and wet with a lot of cold cold cold covering 54 miles @14.2 MPH.

P.S. when I got in I immediately got in the bath to dry out