B RIDE - RIBCHESTER

SUNDAY 31 JULY 2011

Managed to wind our way through the Iron Man barriers to get to the Town Hall for the 9.00 AM start.

This was already controversial, as Maurice had turned up for an 8.30 AM start, Maurice decided to set off up Blackburn Rd on his own.

Three regular riders were joined by Mark Carter, he had been in contact by e-mail. Our immediate impression was that Mark had missed the Iron Man start, a tall well built young man, exactly half my age riding a top of the range carbon fibre machine.

We caught maurice at the top of Blackburn Rd, he had diverted back home to collect a runs list and the evidence for the 8.30 start. There is a learning point here somewhere!

At the top of Blackburn Rd we were joined by a rider on his way home to Darwen, by now it was obvious that Mark was out of our class.

Fast ride through darwen, comfort stop at Morrisons in Blackburn before turning left at Wilpshire then down the hill to Ribchester.

As the descent levelled out before the river bridge, disaster struck Maurice came off, fortunately he landed on the grass verge seemingly not suffering serious damage.

As I write I've not yet managed to get in touch with Maurice by landline or mobile.

We had an alfresco early lunch, awarded 8/10 for both bacon and sausage barms.

Home via Longridge and Preston, on the climb up to Longridge Mark shot off and was out of sight within minutes, Ah well I was young once.

Ride home was uneventful, encountered the Iron Man cyclists as they crossed the A6 at Rawlinson Lane.

A shade under 60 miles back at Walkden. Report by Peter Moore