CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Today I left the bike at home

(30 posts)
  • Started 10 years ago by Charterhall
  • Latest reply from Two Tired

  1. Charterhall
    Member

    It's great to hear what the good folk of this forum have been up to on the bike but what about the days when we leave our bikes at home, how else do we spend our time ?

    For me, today's non cycling excursion was to the Royal Highland Show, an excellent day out. It's impossible to take it all in in a single day, highlights for me were the gundogs display (no grouse harmed), the magnificent beef cattle and heavy horses and I enjoyed the brief bit of the show jumping we saw, I'll try and catch more of this next year.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. amir
    Member

    Today I went to see the national road races. Highly recommended

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Head to the Highland Show most years - we went on Friday - and it's a great day out. We tend to take a lot of time seeing the sheep (primarily due to vague plans to move to the country and own some).

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. HankChief
    Member

    We went to the Royal Highland Show yesterday but by bike - does that still count?

    We managed to baffle a number of police, stewards and help desk staff by asking where the secure bike parking was. (we went through the pedestrian entrance and there was nothing suitable outside to lock to). Eventually, the Operations Director offered us a secure spot - didn't get the impression they had been asked before...

    Thought the show was good although not a cheap day out. The kids liked the heavy horses, the cows and sitting in tractors. We enjoyed the food hall and letting the kids loose in the double decker play bus. Quite a lot for the kids to do - don't think we saw even half of the site.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. LaidBack
    Member

    RHS by bike should in theory be easier as i don't think it's a nice drive as full of other peoples cars. I think that merits free entry, HC.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. SRD
    Moderator

    @hankchief - I was just thinking 'why not bike there'! Glad you did. Maybe we'll give it a go next year.

    @charterhall last time we left the bikes at home we regretted it - both kids were sick on the bus :( I think that was November.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. steveo
    Member

    ... and at times I wish I hadn't. Walked about 40km through the lairig ghru and only about 15 of them wouldn't have been rideable about 20 of it would be rideable on a hybrid. The bits that weren't were really no place for a bike though.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. Greenroofer
    Member

    ...and went to the Hermiston Gait Retail Park.

    This was a salutary reminder of what life is like when car is king: places like that can't and wouldn't exist without the motor car. No amount of natural stone, planting and decoration could hide how grim it was.

    Apart from the large plant pot, nearly everything else we bought could have been collected on foot from Morningside or on-line delivery, I'm ashamed to say.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. allebong
    Member

    Yesterday I went for a walk in the rain. Exciting stuff.

    @Greenroofer: Oddly enough I find Hermiston Gait to be pretty handy for the bike given I live exactly 2 miles away in Stenhouse. Broomhouse path is (generally) pleasant to ride and the Edinburgh Park end is finally in a decent shape. Say what you want about Halfords but at least they have excellent cycle parking outside, ie covered Sheffield stands right at the entrance. Now getting to the B&Q is admittedly more of a pain.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. Charterhall
    Member

    I too find Hermiston Gait very handy, it's about 10 mins walk away from work.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. Tulyar
    Member

    15 years ago we did lobby for cycle parking and information on cycling to RHS. It never really got taken on board.

    However with Cycling Scotland having a presence at the show there would have been a good point to ask the question "If you are aiming to increase the use of cycling for short journeys, what id your position on the lack of any signed or secure parking for this event withing easy cycling distance of Edinburgh"

    Of course Cycling Scotland could have delivered a great promotional coup by actually providing valet cycle parking and gathering details from those who used it.

    Thinking this through further CS might actually have a handy promotional tool if they offer good quality temporary cycle parking for major events, and have it branded with the promotional message. (or even Spokes for Edinburgh events)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. Dave
    Member

    I spent an unpleasant day curled up in an origami ball in the eaves, running rigid duct from the bathroom ceiling to the outside world... it turns out making a significant hole in your house under said conditions is quite the challenge!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  13. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    "Thinking this through further CS might actually have a handy promotional tool if they offer good quality temporary cycle parking for major events, and have it branded with the promotional message. (or even Spokes for Edinburgh events)"

    That is SUCH a good idea. One of those so0simple-why-has-noone-thought-of-it-before things that needs to be picked up and used ASAP.

    East Fortune airshow has (again) no information at all for those arriving by bike - I queried this a few years ago when I roae out for the show and never got a satisfactory response to what I could do with the bike (you'll be able to chain to the fence outside, was what I was told). In the end I rode straight through, no-one asking for my ticket, and parked up at the usual bike parking beside the reception.

    Anyway, all OT given the OP. Will remember to update when we go hillwalking. I also have at least one day int he weekend where I'm up early and wandering round the local park sans velo.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  14. DaveC
    Member

    Commute to work not by bike??? Does ... not.... compute.... :D Actually I used to take the bus when then trains got overly expensive!

    I have seen plenty of vehicles queueing over the FRB on their way home from the RHS of an evening last week as we cruised by on our bikes.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  15. Min
    Member

    We whizzed straight in by bus and straight back out again, also by bus. No queuing for us. Bikes appeared to be attached to whatever was available.

    Don't think I'd go again though, just way too big and way too much time spent tramping round and round and round trying to find things or just trying to get from one place to another. And very expensive. There are way better agricultural shows IMO.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  16. amir
    Member

    "There are way better agricultural shows IMO. "

    Dalkeith Show is on at 13 July. A nice wee show.

    I always liked my local show, Oswestry Show, which was far bigger than Dalkeith's, with lots of animals but not humongous like the RHS.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  17. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I used to go when my dad worked for an agricultural engineering company. They had a stand with a tiny fork-lift sitting atop the rotating platform of their largest fork-lift. I think the Potato Marketing Board's animated potato world was a highlight for us. And the ice-cream.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  18. amir
    Member

    I used to like getting in the combine harvesters - massive to a young'un. Also the bouncy dome thing (castles hadn't been invented then).

    Posted 10 years ago #

  19. Charterhall
    Member

    "We whizzed straight in by bus and straight back out again, also by bus. No queuing for us."

    Yes we went by bus too, the journey in was aboard what felt like a restored LRT museum exhibit, all red vynyl, pale grey formica and chrome. And skylights too. Lots of younger trendy folk exclaiming things like 'wow this is cool !' as they climbed the stairs. The return journey was on a modern one, very dull by comparison.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  20. gembo
    Member

    @greenroofer - canal to hermiston gait pretty handy for bike. Come off at Cultins road cycle half way down and there is a ginnel that takes you to decathlon. What's not to like?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  21. Greenroofer
    Member

    @gembo. I know it well: I cycle past the Cultins Road cut-through every day. The 'what's not to like' bit is all the horrible cars :-)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  22. gembo
    Member

    Ah yes I see, having to go to the out of town mall by car, findingyourself buying krustykremes, going to halfords, mother dare and B and Q. Not so good when you put it like that. I prefer my route and indeed have a five pound voucher to spend so will be there this week

    Posted 10 years ago #

  23. fimm
    Member

    Left the bike at home over the weekend because I was crewing for my boyfriend in the West Highland Way race... left the bike at home this morning because the **** thing has a puncture and I needed to take the hire car back and get to work... :-(

    Posted 10 years ago #

  24. kaputnik
    Moderator

    red vynyl, pale grey formica and chrome

    Still remember my first experience on one of the "new" Lothian buses as a tweenager, lowering my derriere heavily down and expecting the cushioned leatherette to gently cushion my descent - only to come crashing painfully down onto a hard, moulded plastic bucket seat.

    I used to rest my chin on the chromed handrail on the seat back as the bus buzzed along. Couldn't do that now as you would have bitten your tongue off and smashed all your teeth before you had gone 2 stops.

    Other bus memories include signing for 32p of plastic tokens once a week to get the bus over to Tollcross for Junior Orchestra and the rubber strip along the roof that was meant to ring the bell (but never did).

    I'm sure the brown and orange moquette and custardy-mustarty bakelite interior of the Eastern Scottish buses inspired Anth's Kaffenback.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  25. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    It's SAND!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  26. Coxy
    Member

    Beige!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  27. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Cruisin' for a bruisin'...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  28. Smudge
    Member

    Ugh, old LRT buses, the main reasons I learned to ride a motorcycle, to avoid the queasy ride home in a rocking rolling, misted up smelly bus full of cigarette smoke. Bleurgh.
    They've got a lot to answer for!
    (Not least some of my mum's grey hair! :-o )

    Posted 10 years ago #

  29. Charterhall
    Member

    A trip to Jupiter Artland today, never been before, it was most enjoyable. The cafe was rather good too. Will certainly visit again, hopefully by bike next time.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  30. Two Tired
    Member

    A beginner's lesson in wake boarding out Dunbar way for me. Awesome fun but now pretty much unable to move due to all my muscles seizing up. Feel like I've been picked up and thrown against a wall a dozen times or so. Doubt I'll be on my bike tomorrow. So not only a Monday to look forward to, but a Lothian Buses rush hour trip Monday.

    I would highly recommend it though!

    Posted 10 years ago #

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