Well I'm back home now after a fantastic ride and an eventful day. Sory you were to ill Colin, but I think you're right, discretion is the better part of valour after all.
The day started alright, dragging myself out of bed at the ungidly hour of 7.00am to get ready to leave in good time after taking the dog round the block. Set off in time, but as iwas cycling over the rise on the Halifax road, just out of Rochdale after the roundabout, saw there'd just been an accident at the smaller roundabout with Wardle Road. Already two cyclists had stopped. Seemed a car and a motorbike had collided, or nearly collided and the rider was in the road, the bike on it's side, and he was in quite loud pain. The people already there had the situation in hand and seemed to be doing it as well as I would (i've had some 1st aid training), so I waited until the ambulance and police arrived, in case the casualty or bike needed moving, then carried on towards Hebden Bridge.
Despite the delay, I was looking like I'd get there just before 9am if I pushed on, until just opposite the Heptonstall Road turn around, I felt the ominous clatter of rimon road, and had a rear p_____re. Turned out to be a small pinch puncture, so could have been a while ago and the rip just went through, as I'd not been through any potholes that'd concerned me on the way. Just as I was pumping up the tyre, I noticed a car that'd been in the turn around, and looked up, and the driver said 'I've got a track pump in the car, do you want to borrow it?' I nearly bit his hand off of course. Got the tyre pumped and got to Salem Mill at 9.15 or so.
Set off on the ride proper, trying to balance catching up with not totally overdoing it. I must have passed people, but didn't notice for which I can only apologise. I was looking for Colins camelbak in a group, which it turns out was a mistake.
Hills were getting painful already by Silver Hill, but things got better when I got to Laneshaw bridge and saw Zacklaws just finishing fixing a p______e. We reintroduced ourselves and carried on. I was getting ahead on the hills, and Zacklaws was cathing me back up on the flats. We entertained ourselves
gossiping about other CCers comparing our Garmins. 705 and 800 respectively.
The middle section through the Dales was beautiful, with the nice shallow descent to Gargrave where you can pretend you can do 30mph on the 'flat' one of my favourite bits.
I was just goping back to the bike after the stop at Earby and noticed my knob had dropped off
! (see photo at end
We pushed on through Gargrave and after the information checks reached the hills before Silsden, where I went on ahead to Silsden then Keighley. Zacklaws got there just as I was about to leave, so I waited for him to get his stamp and some cake, before cycling to the bottom of Cock Hill, where I cycled on ahead. Managed a reasonable pace but it was properly painful until the gel I'd had at the bottom kicked in, then it only hurt a lot.
Descent into Hebden was a relief, although as often happens on a Sunday, bloody over cautious drivers held me up and stopped me from doing it properly after Pecket Well. Played it safe though this time and stayed behind the queue.
The food was most welcome as usual, and only having to climb to the first floor a relief. Saw PaulB and son at at the buffet, and Zacklaws again. Then set off home much refreshed.
Just after Heptonstall Road turnaround I thought I saw a frog in the road, until I got there and saw it was a duckling struggling on its back. I stopped and picked it up, then thought 'right, what now?' I realise it's probably had it in the long run, but wanted to at least give it a fighting chance, I looked over the side at the river below, which was quite turbulent, and was just looking to see where to drop the duckling down to the water, when it jumped out of my hands and into the water. Unfortunaltely it got caught in an eddy full of foam and was struggling to escape. I decided to leave it to it as I'd get too upset if I saw it fail, and there was no way I could get to it again, the river is in a 15' deep vertical sided cutting there. Hey ho, I did my best.
On a more cheerful note I did a short flat detour and got just over 100 miles for the day, Hooray! first century this year, and got some good work in on my tan-lines!
, getting my stuff together and setting off in the next hour or so. 
