On Sunday the local section of the Cyclists' Touring Club held a very successful 100 miles tourist trial for cyclists over fifty years of age — the first event of this nature ever to be held in the locality.
Eleven cyclists arrived at the starting point, and after receiving the good wishes of the bystanders, they rode away under the leadership of the organiser, Mr. George Hudson. Despite a delay of twenty minutes, due to three of the riders dismounting more hurriedly than gracefully, due to a greasy patch of road, good going was made with the result that the twenty minutes was made up and all arrived on scheduled time at the first stop at Barton, five miles past Preston.
After the compulsory stop of forty minutes had elapsed, the party entered on the second stage of the journey, passing through Lancaster and Hornby to Melling for another stay of forty minutes.
On the third stage, the party began to spread out, the sprightly youngsters of fifty and fifty-two leaving the older riders to maintain a more sedate pace (with the exception of seventy-years-old Dan Jackson, who twiddled his small gear to such a tune that he left many younger riders far behind and was never very far behind the first bunch). Proceeding over Greta Bridge and on the Kirkby Lonsdale Road until the Ingleton road was reached, the riders turned sharp right in the homeward direction, through Ingleton, Clapham and to Settle for the last compulsory stop.
Here the first rider had gained over one hour on schedule time, though some complained of slight attacks of cramp. It was at this stage that word came through that the last rider had cried "Enough," and was making direct for home. He happened to be one of the three who had had the mishap early on in the ride, and no doubt this had its effect. From Settle the remaining ten proceeded to put the miles behind, passing through Hellifield and Skipton to the finishing point at Earby, the first man m with an hour to spare, and the last with fifteen minutes in hand.
The organiser had rather a hectic time on the last two stages in attempting to see the last man off and overtaking the first before they arrived at the next stop and he was well content to tuck in behind when he had caught them.
One rider of fifty-eight started out to do the ride without a dismount except at stops, and the last enquiry at Ingleton proved him successful up to that point. The combined ages of the eleven riders was 635 years which averages out at 57 years.
The successfull competitors were - D.Jackson (70), J.Greenwood (64), J. Atkinson (62), E. Whitehead (60), W. Lord
(58), A. Holden (53), F. Atkinson (52), A. Garstang (52), T. Hargreaves (52), and H. Nutter (50).
GEORGUD