CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.

Pedal for Scotland

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  1. gibbo
    Member

    Does anyone have an idea of roughly what time the PfS riders will start to reach Cramond Brig?

    (I'm not doing the event, but I may go along and offer encouragement.)

    Also, after Cramond Brig, is the route Barnton Ave, Blackhall path etc?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  2. HankChief
    Member

    First starters on the 47 mile route are 7.30, so late morning/lunchtime will start to see them arrive. Last starter is 11.15, and so there will be some (me included) needing support mid/late afternoon.

    The route is Blackhall path in from Cramond

    Posted 10 years ago #
  3. chdot
    Admin

  4. dg145
    Member

    I'd forgotten this was on today, so found myself salmoning upstream earlier through hundreds of riders heading east as I ploughed west on the stretch of road between Caldercruix and Limerigg.

    Nobody pointed out I was going the wrong way ;-)

    Posted 10 years ago #
  5. SRD
    Moderator

    MrSrd saw aftermath of a crash. Cyclist flat on the road. Car stopped nearby. Maybe around airdrie . Anyone know more? He'd been riding with the cyclist and his partner earlier on. Would like to hear if he's okay.

    He took the bus over with our neighbor who was planning on unicycling it. Anyone know how he did?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  6. SRD
    Moderator

    We did the family circular ride. Not sure what I thought about it.

    The sections of it that were on shared use paths were really tricky. Some big groups of pedestrians on the paths. We had real trouble getting past some on the balgreen tram path. They were just walking in a big group across the path and eventually let us by without much grace. Similar interactions with smaller groups on other sections where the path is narrower. I said thank you to everyone we passed, and got very little acknowledgement and few smiles. It was a ride with mostly wee kids - don't know how anyone could not smile at some of them.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  7. gembo
    Member

    Many tired looking MAMILS on the Lang Whang today

    Posted 10 years ago #
  8. Uberuce
    Member

    I know the unicyclist got ten miles in, because that's when my friend passed him. Other than that, I don't know.

    Saw magnatom of this and POP's parish, but other than that the closest I got to a CCE spot was someone else wearing a gembo-style Marmite jersey.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  9. SRD
    Moderator

    Unicyclist came in at 7hr20

    Posted 10 years ago #
  10. Rosie
    Member

    I was out yesterday taking the NCN1 to Cramond and it was funny to see notices warning of possible bicycle hold ups.

    Someone dropped a pair of new Muddyfox cycling shoes on the pavement outside my house in Roseburn Street, so if you hear of someone going shoeless, let me know.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  11. HankChief
    Member

    Random ramblings...

    A good day out on the tandem. We didn't get to Glasgow until 10 am and found that everyone else had left - no queues just dribs and drabs heading out.

    When we got to the country park they were clearing up a crash at the entrance between 2 cars (I couldn't see any evidence of a cyclist involved).

    Decending after Avonbridge there was a nasty crash between a women and a teenage boy. They were calling an ambulance as I came upon it. I left them my space blanket as they were both laid out on the ground and had lots of people around. Hope they are both okay.

    At Linlithgow we had a lovely picnic and I picked up my daughter to join our merry crew.

    The kids then decided to say 'hola' to everyone we passed - I think this confused some...

    I might have seen Uberuce departing the feed stop at Kirkliston as we arrived but he was passed before I could shout hello.

    Cramond Brig was well marshaled this year and the chap with the small black car at the bottom had parked elsewhere. A big improvement on previous years (which we discussed at the time).

    Interestingly the chicane at the Barton golf course was left open.

    Saw lots of kids on the challenge route - the youngest was 6 - some effort for a wee thing.

    I found the hardest bit was trying to pedal on the AstroTurf inside the stadium - it was like treacle.

    The weather certainly helped to make the day, as did the army of police officers getting us out of Glasgow/Airdrie

    Posted 10 years ago #
  12. Dougie
    Member

    Spoke to the unicyclist aftervLinlithgow and saw him again at Roseburn when we came out of the pub. Saw a cyclist down after Cramond Brig, well attended to but flat out. Only water left at At Drumpellier but a grand day out

    Posted 10 years ago #
  13. Uberuce
    Member

    There is evidently a man who closely resembles me in the Linlithgow area. He is, however, not me.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  14. recombodna
    Member

    I took my youngest on her first long ride today. The Isla bike is a bit big for her but we made it to porty and back. 17 miles the girl done good!! Funniest part was when we came back along the path towards roseburn people were cheering us on as if we'd come from glasgow....... We didn't let on... ;----)

    Posted 10 years ago #
  15. neddie
    Member

    @SRD

    Did you notice if the chicane gates at Balgreen Rd tram stop had been specifically opened for the family ride?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  16. kaputnik
    Moderator

    So the way to get chicanes taken away is to arrange a family fun ride?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  17. ARobComp
    Member

    There was someone who suffered a heart attack - wonder if that's what you saw Dougie? Friend of mine ended up doing CPR!

    Other than that no incidents as far as I'm aware.

    Although myself and the SO rode along to the shopping arcade thing along the roseburn path (massive sainsburys etc) and we were riding behind a group of 3 other riders not on PFS who were going against the PFS crowd flow. Most people in single file, but one whalloper who came barreling along completely out of control forcing an old dude in front of me off the path and causing a bit of an almost pileup amongst the rest of us. Watching him ride off down the path he did the exact same thing to people about 50m behind us...

    Posted 10 years ago #
  18. SRD
    Moderator

    Chicane not open.

    @recombo. That's going to make someone I know jealous. Although she's done a few good long rides on her old bike.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  19. gibbo
    Member

    Did you notice if the chicane gates at Balgreen Rd tram stop had been specifically opened for the family ride?

    I don't know what time the family ride was, but the gates were in their normal position around 11am - I went through them.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  20. gibbo
    Member

    BTW, out of curiosity, what sort of times did people do on the Glasgow-Edinburgh ride.

    I saw some cyclists at Davidson's Mains around 10.30 - probably weegies because they'd missed the connection between Barton Ave and the path next to Tescos.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

  22. deckard112
    Member

    My second time on the sportive ride (I was one of those tired MAMILS gembo!), we were defintiely blessed with good weather although there was a bit of a stiff headwind at the turn back up to Edinburgh although that faded.

    Didn't think the organisation was as good this year and I thought it was a big mistake having the 'Finish Line' inside the stadium. Really lacked any atmosphere as everyone was outside! In 2012 at least you were given a warm welcome by the crowds!

    A minor point though as overall it's a fantastic event and really raises the profile of cycling in Scotland. A big well done to the organisers for putting on a good show!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  23. fimm
    Member

    From the EEN link above:
    "One of the youngest riders yesterday was seven year-old Azim Ghafoor. The Sciennes Primary pupil has so far raised £378 for the Disasters Emergency Committee Gaza Crisis Appeal, and insisted on cycling the full 47 miles alongside dad Afzal and uncle Habib Ghafoor."

    Posted 10 years ago #
  24. Uberuce
    Member

    An alarming anecdote I forgot to relay was from my friend I was there to cheer in. She was riding at roughly the same pace as a father and daughter pair, the father repeatedly upbraiding the daughter for not being quick enough. In a spectacular display of parenting and common sense, he then tried to speed her up a hill by holding her handlebars at one side to drag her up.

    Seconds later both were on the floor, she was bleeding and he was verbally abusing a concerned fellow rider who'd offered the use of his first aid kit.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  25. HankChief
    Member

    @Uberuce - you must have started a trend for resplendent beards.

    @Gibbo - took us 5.30hrs in total with about an hour at feed stops. Most people I saw were enjoying the day and not in a rush.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  26. Grantburgh
    Member

    Hello forum, first poster here

    I see above someone mention the gentleman who suffered the heart attack. Well I can say unfortunately he was cycling directly in front of me when he took it. He obviously lost control of the bike, swerved off the road and collided with a street sign.

    Two riders that were doctors appeared quickly and a paramedic, but it did not look good, none of them could find a pulse.

    I emailed pedal for scotland to ask on his condition but they refused to comment so I fear the worst. I cannot find any info anywhere but obviously as a witness I wonder if anyone here knows anything more?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  27. Dougie
    Member

    @Gibbo - we did about 4 and half hours in total including 1 hour stops to give just under 3 and a half hours cycling

    Posted 10 years ago #
  28. kenny
    Member

    @gibbo My wife and I took advantage of the non-train transport to get the tandem out. We completed the route in five hours, including a fifteen minute break at Avon Bridge and then forty five very pleasant minutes on the shore of the loch at Linlithgow for lunch.

    Only saw two other tandems - would have expected more to be honest, although a few people were overheard exclaiming "What a great idea! Must get one of those!". They do go downhill so fast, and it was great fun freewheeling past roadies as they pedalled away :-)

    The organisation was brilliant. Quite a different atmosphere from the St Andrews ride - more professional and much bigger. However, no amount of sponsored plastic food could compete with the tea and cake at Freuchy!

    I also noted with interest the chicane on NCN1 at Barnton was open.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  29. fimm
    Member

    Grantburgh this isn't much help I know, but deaths from heart attacks at sporting events (e.g. London marathon, Great North Run) do get reported - the fact that this doesn't appear to have been reported anywhere might be taken as a positive - but that has to be taken in the context of what the first aiders were saying, which does not sound good.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  30. Tulyar
    Member

    I checked out the returns by rail and road in the evening - difficult though, now there are 5 options for catching trains back from Edinburgh. Upstairs at GLQ I also noted riders who have come back with coaches catching trains out to Stirling and Lenzie. Plus a batch of 8-10 going down in lift for North Clyde stations.

    Reports from a group not on PfS who had come off a Westbound Low level was that trains were busy with bikes on Airdrie route. Biggest load came off 17.00 36 bikes on 6 coach train, about the limit 8 official spaces (can push to 12 bikes easily) and 12 door vestibules on opposite side to platforms between E and G up to 2 bikes apiece.

    Mass bike loading is a bit basic and slow to get bikes on/off from trucks. Last year driver briefing saw one coach getting lost near Dixons Blazes (ie the Gorbals) This year 80 Km/h trucks seemed to be keeping connected with 100Km/h coaches, with one or two bikes not connecting with owners temporarily due to wrong coach/truck combination.

    Surprised not using curtainsiders, but TNT doesn't have many of these. Would work better if bikes loaded on palletised bike racks, fast to load/unload trucks, so that both trucks and coaches can set down cyclists and go back for more and no need to bubble wrap.

    Posted 10 years ago #

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