CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
We did just over 15 miles - Polwarth to Russell Rd to Leith (fab lunch at vdeep) to Porty (no ice cream ???) and back via the Innocent.
Much reminiscing about previous trips with kids on seats and tandems. This time we were all on our own bikes. 5yo pretty tired and grumpy at the end, but a good ride had by all.
Chapeau to the SRD family. I shall tell micro-Greenroofer of the gauntlet that has been thrown down for him...
Had a rare opportunity to get out and do a modest ride in the borders near Hawick - 42 reasonably hilly miles - very beautiful scenery and lovely roads. Map is here:
Loads of sheep around on the gated roads. It may look like I'm tormenting sheep in the video, but I found the best tactic to minimise their stress was to try and overtake them. Could do with weather like this more often.
There are still a few roads to try on my singlespeed but I got round to going up Kaimes Road on it today, which felt nice and achievementy.
Kaimes Road is always a good challenge, even with gears.
I coaxed madame IWRATS onto National Route 1 yesterday. The sun grinned as we ambled from the Honest Toun to the viaduct over the North Esk for a picnic.
En route a man demanded that in addition to ringing my bell I should say 'hullo' to his horse, but that couldn't harsh the vibe, no way man.
Spotted many pleasing things - a nest of great tits in a hollow tree, a tree sparrow (thanks @Min), eighties executive homes where the cars no longer fit in the garages and a wonderful bit of outsider art;
We did - and judging by the number of folk we passed/who passed us, so did most of Edinburgh.
Out to Yellowcraigs for a class picnic and then back by train from North Berwick.
First time we've tried this on 4 bikes. 5yo made it about a third of the way before climbing into the broom wagon.
Had forgotten how stunning East Lothian is in the sun.
To get away from EuroRef...
Deployed the M5 on coast road to North Berwick. Ate chips, drank Irn Bru and cycled home and got quite wet later.
Run time 1.03. Distance 22miles. Ave speed 21 something.
Tried to level this shot up but the flickrbots are on strike.
Near Gullane by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr
I celebrate my ever advancing age by riding it in miles every year - this year's was a welcome distraction from the doom and gloom (despite ScotRail strikes and the resumption of normal weather service for Dumfries and Galloway)
I've been extending the commute lately to build up the miles (always seemed a chore when I worked in the city centre, but now I'm travelling right across town the variety opens itself up), and today did this:
Commute by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
The wee squiggle on the left was a lunchtime meander (which excitingly included a fenced and gated level crossing). I wasn't quite at the extremes of the bypass/A1 envelope, but the round bit was a little over 26 miles. The headwind along the coast may have been brutal, but it made for a cracking tailwind on the high ground to the south for the homeward (including a fantastic slightly downhill 40mph keeping up with the traffic - in a 40 zone).
Great day on the bike. And so much more to explore.
Physio released me for cycling after a couple of weeks walking & on the bus (after shoulder got worse instead of better). So ALL rides are lovely at the moment!
(And I'm allowed to swim again, hurrah!)
Training run to get me for for some event or other. May do Tour o The Borders again.
Headed out Lang Whang to Apple Pie cafe in Carnwath. From Marchmont Crescent to there is 25.75 miles - run time 1hr 44min - av speed 14.8mph. Headwind and uphills.
Coming back - run time 1hr 19 min - av speed 19.4mph
So quite happy. Missed Gembo unless he was in one of the big groups going other way. Cafe is great stop as usual.
One worrying thing did happen. A silver Astra overtook me with plenty of space on a downhill. He then stopped and got out his car. I wondered if it was someone I knew and slowed up but didn't stop. He said something about teh bike and I just assumed it was enquiry. Two minutes later he comes up alongside me to 'chat' via the passenger window. With the wind and road noise I couldn't hear much. I did think he was saying I should get a flag or something. He had to quickly pull out the way as oncoming car was heading towards him. Not saying it was aggressive but it made me think about my safety (not really getting a flag though as I was on M5 bike which is quite high really).
Maybe he was saying something else...
Carnwath Run July 16 by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr
Still down south laidback. Sorry to hear about the person with the opinion.
Went over the granites to Innerleithen this afternoon. Missed a turning on the way back, and realised that my planned 80km ride was going to end up closer to 90km. So I took another couple of detours and broke 100km for the first time :)
Could've done without the rain, the omnidirectional headwinds and the wee Boston Terrier trying to get us both killed, but oh well :)
I was back up north this weekend, and had a couple of nice nostalgia-laden rides. Saturday out to old cycling destinations (Tolquhon Castle and Haddo House) where many hours were spent as an 11-17 year old, from the start of that being allowed to cycle out with my friends, or siblings, without adult/parental supervision.
Roads had more cars, but not excessively so, and seems everyone in Aberdeenshire had taken a chill pill. One close pass, but more patience and waiting for safe places to pass, followed by wide berths, in one 20 mile spin than a week of commuting. Stopped in by my dad's place for a cuppa and had a look over a bike he was sprucing up to start using to go to the shops (sitting on the edge of that weird moment when parents ask you for your opinion in recognition that it's a subject you know more about that them). Took in the newly built secondary school, using the new cycle infrastructure, which is excellent around the school, but disappears half a mile in all directions.
Sunday was a potter round my former home town, taking in old homes, schools, places I played as a kid, old workplace, paper round routes...
Hugely relaxing.
Had a really nice cycle back from Livingston on Tuesday this week. Although it is well signposted as a cycle route, I never though to follow the River Almond from Livingston back toward Edinburgh (joining the canal, and then picking up Water of Leith in Slateford). Almond Park was really nice - a little rough and overgrown in patches - but still a good tonic to my usual road routes. Over the whole journey I think I did maximum 2 miles on actual road.
Only slight negative was that I did come across two lads on dirtbikes on the trail but they were unexpectedly decent - slowed down and gave me a wave and plenty of space.
@ivangrozni, almondell is an oasis. You can get in from Broxburn on a Tarmac road that is very quiet. Always peaceful, sometimes a bit gloomy on a dull day and can smell a little dependent on the water treatment plant. But on the whole worth going in.
I had a lovely walk today (18 miles). Balerno to carlops and back via ninemileburn. Think I was on the road where kaputnik's grand pater delivered the mail in snowstorm.
Found a mink trap.
Also the fairy / font stone had 20p in it (Covenanters or little people dependent on your choice of explanation).
On second thoughts my walking buddy's view that the trap was for mink was disputed by me at the time as on downslope away from The. BOrestane pass a mile from the burn. I am more now of the opinion predator meant raptor. The construction was wire mesh funnel such that a bird might fly in and not get out? Dilapidated and we only found it as we took the wrong route down from the borestane pass. Though apart from being a little overgrown the path was better as less rocky than the right way down.
Lovely bit of 'Daddy Daycare by Bike' TM today.
I had no real plan when we set off and having spent 45mins at a nearby (but not walkable) playpark I did wonder whether we'd get very far.
The beach was the call from the cheiflets, so to make it interesting we headed for the one past Dalmeny House near Hound point. Timing wasn't on our side and they were getting hungry for lunch so at the last minute we headed down to the beach on the opposite bank of the Almond to Cramond & had it to ourselves whilst we ate lunch and played with some washed up logs.
Heading West, we offered directions to a couple of female cyclist who fortified by a good scone in Cramond had decided to push on to Queensferry. Not long after we were all sheltering under the same tree as the rain poured down. They had little choice but to listen as my 2 talked at them for 10 minutes without pausing for breath. They didn't seem to mind as they had similar aged grandkids.
Onwards to Queensferry and a unexpected quick chat with IWRATS & Madame IWRATS by the forth (rail) bridge. We stopped by the steps down to beach in the centre of Queensferry, which unbeknownst to us was about to have 2 different wedding parties using it for photos, which included a smart UtrechtCyclist - we felt quite scruffy...
A stiff climb up to the Forth Road Bridge followed which disapointingly was only using the East footway, so we stopped at the official bridge viewing point to see the new bridge.
Heading home we were distracted by a playpark so we ran out of time for a pitstop at Craigies and instead we took the back road by the airport and watched the planes coming & going.
All in all a good day out. What I liked is that the bike gave us the flexibility to alter our plans easily, take us off the beaten track and allow us to interact with others around us.
Sounds like a good day. If you want to cruise the western footway of the Forth Road Bridge you need to arrive at the weekend. Although the views may be better on the west the links are better from the east, hence it's the one they keep open all week.
Thanks @ac - useful knowledge. We were climbing up from underneath and despite the signs saying to use the East path, we pushed on until blocked by the barrier.
Cycled to work today for the first time in...a long time. Actually looked forward to it. Only five miles, but it was lovely. Down the innocent railway, down along cowgate, up towards Lothian road, down to Gorgie road. Apologies to everyone I said good morning to, I may have been a tad annoying but hell, I was excited.
I think I started a conversation with every one I met in a cyclist box. If I bump into you in the next couple of weeks, please do humour me. I'll be on an old Ridgeback Genesis Hybrid with bar ends and a frame that's a tad too wee for me...
Well done
"that's a tad too wee for me..."
Well you know about N+1.
What sort of time were you at the Innocent? I saw someone at the top of the tunnel this morning that just about fits the description.
On your route, is there a need to go to the Cowgate? If you're going to Lothian Road/Gorgie Road from the Innocent, I'd probably hit the Meadows and through that way. Though granted, one of the joys of cycling is exploring during the commute and working out different routes you like, and certain roads I like others won't touch and vice versa!
Ended up leaving George Square festivities yesterday afternoon and following the path down the Innocent Railway all the way to Rosslyn Chapel. A surprise to find I could do most of it off-road and the remainder through quiet suburban streets.
The chapel was closed by the time I arrived so I relaxed with a Joker IPA and expensive crisps nearby before rolling home.
There's a Way for that -
@JHopeRDW
Hybrid with bar ends
What better kind of bicycle is there?
I cycled in today for the first time too - on the recumbent - from Shawfair park and ride to client site at Chesser. Probably confused a lot of people on the canal with my random stopping and starting as I didn't know where to turn off. If you saw me and I looked a bit confused, I was!
Was shocked looking at the speedo coming down towards the ERI on Old Dalkeith Road to discover I was doing 38 mph. Man, the recumbent really flies on the downhills. Uphill is of course an entirely different affair.
"I was doing 38 mph"
Might have been metric ...
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