Rtn Francis Whitbread: Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales

A number of our members attended the District Forum on Monday, 22 November, at which the Club was awarded the Stan Keller Trophy for the best Club website and internet marketing in District 1240. At the start of today’s meeting Area Governor and Past President Anne Moriaty passed the Trophy on to our Primary Webmaster, Keith Otter.

Anne then reminded us that Rotarians who make donations to the Rotary Foundation every year are recognised by the Foundation as “Sustaining Members”. The Foundation stopped giving special lapel pins to sustaining members several years ago but they have now reintroduced them with a revised design. She had new sustaining members’ badges for five Club members. One badge was for herself, two were for Keith Otter and Mo Sadiq and the remaining two were for Jenny Black and Eddie Cassels, neither of whom were able to be at today’s meeting.

Past President Francis Whitbread gave us another of his fascinating talks about cycling in the Yorkshire Dales, his favourite hobby in his favourite place. He illustrated his talk using a slideshow of some of the photographs he had taken. The one on the left shows his trusty bike.

Francis is very modest about his cycling ability. He mentioned an occasion when another man on a bike caught up with him and they cycled along together. His new companion, who was older than Francis, turned out to be on a 100-mile ride he had started that morning. After a while the other man said farewell and started pulling away to continue his expedition.

The Dales, of course, are quite hilly. He recalled riding up one hill which was to be cycled the following day by competitors in the Tour de Yorkshire. In his own case he had to get off and walk long before he reached the top. He did reckon, though, that he could have made it all the way had he only selected a lower gear at the bottom.

One advantage of getting to the top is being able to admire the magnificent views. Francis showed us some, including one where Pendle Hill can be seen in the distance.

Another advantage is being able to cycle downhill afterwards. Once when he was doing so he passed another cyclist struggling up, who asked him “How long does this ******** hill go on!”