Rather wishing I still lived in the north isles for tomorrow - a wee bit of wave-watching on a wild winter afternoon is very soothing!
Considering getting the bus here in Edinburgh...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
"Severe weather warning"
(7355 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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Looking forward to my wind-assisted
blowpedal home tonight, as a reward for slogging into the strong, gusty wind all the way to work this morning :-)Posted 8 years ago # -
Anyone been out recently? I'm leaving in the next hour and it looks pretty grim from the window :(
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yep, recently reached South Ed.
"
Storm Abigail: Schools to be closed and ferries cancelled
"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-34794583
Posted 8 years ago # -
Well the storm has really hit Dundee in the past hour. Worried about train home now... :-(
Posted 8 years ago # -
Posted 8 years ago #
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Bit buffetish on the way home, with a couple of bits where I only had to release the brakes and retract my feet to set going when lights went green.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Certainly a wee bit fresh out there! Train is cosy though.
Posted 8 years ago # -
One of the regulars on my route came past at gillespies X-road. By which point it was morecambe and wise singing in the rain, stagehands chucking buckets of water at us. We just laughed
Posted 8 years ago # -
I had a pleasant wind-assisted ride into town this evening, then met all the weather when I turned to ride south. At Morningside the wind filled my ears with rain, so there was nothing for it but to deploy the ear flaps on my waterproof cap.
Once home I wrung several cubic centimetres of water out of my gloves.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Towpath was reasonably sheltered from the wind and very little effort was required to head into town.
I had more trouble with leaves at corners, and with potholes pretending to be puddles.
Waterproof jacket confirmed to be no longer waterproof.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Not sure whether to put this here or in rubbish cycling... My decision to ride across the Slateford Aqueduct in the rain/wind seemed OK until I was about 3/4 of the way across when the wind got under my hat and loosened it considerably. This added a certain frisson to the rest of the trip across, which was notably windier, and I was trying to strike a balance between keeping my hat on and not ending up in the water.
Apologies to the gent behind me for stopping so suddenly just before the end of the aqueduct. I just had to get my feet down so I could get a hand on my hat to prevent it (or me) going into the water. He responded graciously to my apology as he came past when I was back on terra firma and putting my hat back on.
Posted 8 years ago # -
ooh yes the hat / steering dilemma - I was having similar issues pedalling up the Royal Mile after the Cycling Scotland conference what with the cobbles and the tour buses (there must be a less aggressively vertical route between Dynamic Earth and Waverley but I tend to stick to the roads I know which in Edinburgh means the POP route...)
Posted 8 years ago # -
@sallyhinch
Take the POP route but before you hit cobbles take e right turn and go down Jeffrey street takes you out at Waverley avoiding further uphill
Posted 8 years ago # -
Or take calton road from Holyrood and use the back entrance? pretty much totally flat?
Posted 8 years ago # -
"the ear flaps on my waterproof cap."
Bad weather & fashion: a study in cause and effect?
Posted 8 years ago # -
Between Dynamic Earth and Waverley I'd probably use Calton Road, though diverting via New St and Market St might avoid a few cobbles but increases encounters with taxis.
Between Dynamic Earth and (say) the City Chambers, I'd just stick to the Royal Mile all the way, and put up with the cobbles.
I have however stopped cycling up Market Street when I want to get from Waverley to the general direction of the Meadows. I leave the station by the exit on Market Street (easy enough to wheech a Brompton up the escalator by plaftorm 11). I take Jeffrey St to the Royal Mile, then bump my way up the Royal Mile's cobbobobbbobobles (the one time when cycling in the gutter genuinely seems like the best thing to do).
Posted 8 years ago # -
I have however stopped cycling up Market Street when I want to get from Waverley to the general direction of the Meadows Given that there is a new-ish cycle lane on the uphill side of Market Street, that statement is a really good illustration of how we seem to get cycle infrastructure (or paint as it's sometimes known) that just doesn't really work.
Could have removed the parking, moved the two traffic lanes over and put in a segregated uphill cycle lane. /wanders off dreaming of joined-up, useful infrastructure.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Spokes will tell you that they had to fight just to get the painted lane.
I agree, this seems like it ought to have been a total no-brainer, especially since road was being redone.
I guess his illustrates limitations of our current approach - most cycle infra coming via ATAP, rather than a plan of always considering cycle infra when refurbing e siting streets.
In most cases I think the ATAP makes it easier for us as campaigners. A lot of things being implemented right now are happening because of ATAP. Which was adopted years ago, so there is a presumption in favour of them.
Posted 8 years ago # -
It wasn't raining when I left the office yesterday. Nor when I started cycling. Then it started to rain, but I was running a little late, and the rain cape isn't the best thing in the wind, so I kept going. Then the heavens opened... I could feel the water slopping around in my shoes. Just kept going, once you are wet you are wet, and it wasn't really cold.
The pink dye seems to have been washed out of my hat and into the collar of my shirt. I think both hat and shirt will be irrecoverable. (Both were getting old, anyway.) I had an old pair of shoes on the pile of stuff to go to the clothes recycling bank. I'm wearing them this morning, while my current office shoes dry out...
Posted 8 years ago # -
there's funny white stuff mixed in with the rain...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yay! Frozen precipitation every month this year so far still being maintained...
Posted 8 years ago # -
It was chilly this morning; I even had to put my woolly gloves on. I decided to use the little bike today in case the 40mph wind really arrives later on.
I should've said why I don't use Market Street anymore. It's nothing to do with the cycle lane, which I think is greatly welcome, but the gradient. I can cycle up it with a loaded touring bike if I want, but I just can't be bothered dealing with the traffic lights at the top when Jeffrey St/Royal Mile is easier. If there was ever a case for that cyclists' escalator one-footed thing, it's Market St (and Dublin St).
Posted 8 years ago # -
proper snow there for a few minutes.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The snow has settled on the Pentlands for those taking more contorted commutes
Posted 8 years ago # -
Meteorologist on Scotland 2015 (live from Stornoway) opining that "winter has never really left this year" and that "winter" was still in evidence in May, June, July! Also that "winter has arrived early" meaning now!
This may be a cycle of a few years of colder, unsettled weather apparently. Or it may not. "We don't really know".
Posted 8 years ago # -
Earlier, but still some left.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Wet, but relatively calm this morning made for an enjoyable ride in.
Not sure I am looking forward to tonight's commute though...
Posted 8 years ago #
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