Archive for June 2010
Thanks
20/06/2010 by Al and Sarah.
Hi everyone this is Sarah, I am writing this on behalf of Al as he has asked me to do so. He wishes to thank everyone so much for all your kind words and support following his accident several weeks ago and apologises for not being out this weekend. Sadly his mum passed away today and the stresses of the past few months are taking their toll. He is very much looking forward to being out again soon, and to the banter which will no doubt cheer him up no end. Thanks everyone.
Four go mad in Cracoe (and so did the waitress, which I guess makes five)
20/06/2010 by Sir Q Ittus-Root.
At the usual rendezvous (the closest most Thorpers get to a library) John, John, and Johnson were met by an exuberant Phil who had planned the route for the day. Cracoe…. via Wycoller? I don’t know who’s dafter, Phil or us for trusting him. Not that’s what I call a circuitous route. I only hope Phil’s wife reads this blog, ‘cos you’d need an R1 to get back comfortably by 2.30pm… like wot he’d promised her.
Anyway, out through Wyke and over Queensbury set the scene for the day. Short, sharp descents preceded by ENDLESS climbing. Johnson had a puncture outside of The Sandal Restaurant. Assisted by the other Johnson and the other Johns we managed to get the tyre back on without puncturing the inner tube… which made a change. Johnson normally needs three attempts for this particular operation.
On the hills… the endless hills…. John proved his fitness whilst John wasn’t doing too bad either. The Johnson twins did their usual combination of dithering and moaning. Johnson kept announcing “one last hill” and “it’s all downhill from here”. John, John and Johnson learned a new lesson today. Don’t ever trust Johnson’s judgement again.
There was no morning break today, Johnson was working us all hard. After Gargrave we eventually met some signs for Cracoe. Ravenous we arrived at the cafe. John & John had a ‘medium breakfast’ whilst Johnson & Johnson had EPO. Eggs, Poached On (top of beans on toast). Johnson, meanwhile, caused a riot when it looked like he might be helping to a caramel slice (another banned substance). And whilst we’re at it can I suggest at the next committee meeting (as an amendment to club rules) that members REFRAIN from putting pepper on their eggs? It’s anti-social. In fact it’s worse than smoking and should be banned, immediately.
Johnson suggested we take it easy after such a meal. This was promptly ignored by Johnson and John, as Johnson and John yo-yo’ed a bit with the pace. Johnson, meanwhile, complaining about the road surface being uneven, discovered yet another tyre problem. This time at the back. The tyre had ‘bobelled’ and had a reet big lump on it. John selflessly volunteered to stay with Johnson, leaving Johnson and John to go back at their own pace from Keighley. Bit ironic, because Johnson and John saw Johnson at the top of Manchester Road. John and Johnson were quietly relieved that John and Johnson had gone back at their own pace.
Back by 4pm, an excellent day’s cycling. 80m approx, pace of 15 mph.
THE REF IS BACK.
20/06/2010 by phil rounding.
Mike (The Ref) is back in the saddle. He rode out to the Windmills Cafe complete with leg cast and steel scaffolding in place. Well done Mike great to see such determination. With luck the steelwork should be removed by September. You never know you could squeeze an event in before the end of the season. All the best.
Club Clothing Bulk Order
19/06/2010 by AndyCal.
Does anyone require any club kit?
I will put together an order if the minimum of 15 items are requested.
Please reply on here, text, e-mail, or phone me with items AND sizes please.
07982728633
agys06865@blueyonder.co.uk
I will call down to the clubroom one Thursday night to canvas any other members. This wont be for a few weeks because I will be cycling in the Alps next Thursday (yipee) and on nights the following Thursday (boo).
If an order is placed by mid July it should arrive by the beginning of September but don’t qoute me on that one!
There are still one or two items in stock but all are in XL.
Andy.
NEW MEMBERS
18/06/2010 by phil rounding.
Its welcome to 2 new members who recently joined us. Nigel Haigh has joined as a second claim member to enable him to compete in association events Nigel currently rides for Planet X as a first claim member. Also welcome to John Thewlis, some of you have probably met John already as he is becoming a regular on both Saturday cafe run and the sunday Club run. If you fancy testing yourself against the clock John, Steve will give you all the gen.
York rally this Sunday
15/06/2010 by Martyn.
Is anyone going the the York Cycle Show ( York Rally) this Sunday.
We often have some Thorpers camping over and traditionally others on a run out on Sunday
see you there if you are
Sunday 20.06.2010
15/06/2010 by Doug.
Myself and one other (Carlos Sastre) are setting off early on Sunday (6.30am) with a view to getting a few more miles in. This is subject to the weather forecast not being foul, of course; and I propose to confirm the arrangement on Saturday evening by further comment on this blog entry. If anybody else is interested in this early start you are most welcome to join us. The destination will be confirmed on the morning - it will either be Helmsley and Sutton Bank or How Stean Gorge depending on the wind direction. The ride distance will be 100 - 110 miles (ish). Please confirm your interest by comment on this entry (and remember to read the blog again at 9pm on Saturday evening to double check the arrangements). Cheers.
Five Go Mad in Selby
13/06/2010 by Sir Q Ittus-Root.
On today’s little escapade were Phil “Lunn Poly” Rounding, John “The lollipop”, Phi; “Full English Breakfast” Johnson, his twin brother Craig and Dave Hirst. The objective was Selby, well known… for being called Selby. CJ’s diner, to be exact. Whilst we waited for the usual club stalwarts to appear Phil regaled us with last week’s horror story. Being “Thorper Billy no mates” the Sowerby crew had kindly accommodated our outcast. Arriving at the cafe in Holmfirth he found out their dreadful intent. He discovered they survived all day on a low-fat latte all day, zero lard intake. Mortified by their lack of respect for the fry up he was glad to be back with the usual crew. We consoled him with the usual sympathy accorded by cyclists, none. The relationship between their speed and our diet were soon dismissed as wild speculation.
Anyway, the forecast had said it was going to wang it down all day. This may have explained some gaps in the line. Attire ranged from the optimistic (no mud guards, short and short sleeves) to the pessimistic and prepared (mud guards and several layers). Today favoured the optimists. Two paragraphs in, and we haven’t even left Mirfield.
Our route was Dewsbury, Shaw Cross, Thorpe, Garforth, and Lotherton Hall. Dave Hirst and Phil Johnson were like a couple of giddy school girls as they raced towards the town/village signs. The pace went noticeably up as we pass the A1(M) junction (nightmare roundabout) and hit the smoother, flatter stuff. Arriving at Lotherton Hall Phil “More holidays than Lunn Poly” Rounding complained he must be getting soft living the RV life style, complete with central heating and air-conditioning.
Noting their usual British retail hospitality, soon as we arrived all the staff at Lotherton ran into the kitchen. Whilst the Garmin’s chirped at each other we enjoyed a well-earned cup of char. Lotherton is, in fact, not that far from Selby, though the giddy couple were disappointed there was no sign for Sherburn. Cycling in the country lanes was marvellous, the sun even showed itself on a few occasions. The quiet was only shattered by John’s wheels as he must have stuck a lollipop in his spokes, judging from the noise they made. We didn’t see a bird all day, curiously.
We got to CJ’s at about 11.30am. We decided Dave had ordered a salad as his baked potato had a cucumber on top. Phil “FEB” Johnson was not too put out at missed his lard intake – we knew this place had gone up market and offered the same as an FEB, but spread out in different permutations in the menu. That’s posh, that is. Phil satisfied himself with negotiating extra grated cheese on his beans on toast and tormenting the staff. We decided pepper on a fried egg was worse than smoking, and should be banned, immediately.
The ride back was equally entertaining. A mixture of strategy, tactics and cheating were used to sprint for the signs. One thing is for sure, Dave won’t need an eyesight test next time he goes for a medical. We hit a few showers coming back. We stopped a few times, cape up, cape off, cape up, cape off, cape up, cape off, oh sod the cape etc.
On the last hill our consumer of Winnebago culture did his last selfless, Captain Oates, sacrifice. “Don’t wait for me lads”. Of course we’re all used to Rounding and his reverse psychology, as he came up bounding the hill at East Ardsley ( is it?) just a few bike lengths behind. We waved au revoir to FEB at the Batley sign and John “The Lollipop” peeled off at Thornhill.
As a last rejoinder I just want you to know, Hirst, that although you may have got the last sign (Mirfield), the one that really matters is the one for Ravensthorpe J. Home by 2.30, Planet-X washed, kissed and tucked up into bed it was lashing it down by 4pm. The weathermen were right, but late in their forecast. An excellent day’s outing, and I have to confess to a rather long kip on the settee after.
BAR update
13/06/2010 by Steve McCall.
The BAR table has been updated with scores from the Club 10 Championship handicap results.
Click on the button on the top of this page or click this link.
http://blog.ravensthorpe-cycling-club.org.uk/thorper-bar-2010/
Club 10 championship results.
12/06/2010 by Steve McCall.
A lovely day at Brotherton welcomed the 7 Thorpers challenging for the annual 10. Thw wind was in our faces all the way out on an exposed and undulating course but obviously this made for quite an exciting ride back with speeds on the flat into the mid 30s.
A really fantastic ride by Andy won the overall in a scorching time of 24.16.
2nd was John in 24.32
3rd Steve in 24.35
4th Jack in 24.40
5th John L in 25.59
6th Les in 26.01 ( course PB, well done!)
7th Jim in 26.58
The handicap winner was Jack but was truly deserved and even our own rough informal guess at handicaps Jack would have won that, a truly well desrved win.
I’m going to raise a glass to all but first and formost to Andy and Jack. Well done again guys!
Allez Le Verts.
