CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread

(2695 posts)

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  1. Greenroofer
    Member

    0615 EDB-CAR with @Hankchief this morning. There were three passengers on the train.

    Given the weather forecast, we'd decided to head south to get a good tailwind home. From Carlisle to Moffat it was a bit side-on, but still gave us a helping hand. It was definitely behind us up the Beef Tub and along the A701. We turned west at Broughton, and struggled into a stiff headwind to Biggar and Carnwath, then got blown home along the Lang Whang. There was a spontaneous shout of glee from both of us as we crested the hill at Harperrig Reservoir and realised from the sensation on our backs that the wind was going to be right behind us the rest of the way home. Kudos to @Hankchief, who towed me much of the way (particularly into the headwind).

    101 miles for me, a different number for @HC, but he can explain why.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  2. amir
    Member

    Great idea! And well done doing such distances in the middle of winter.

    I had a fun ride myself today. Originally I was going to head for the Granites but feeling the wind I decided to stay in the foothills. It was a decidedly hilly ride, with nearly 800m ascent in about 30 miles but fantastic beautiful quiet lanes, passing through Castleton, over the little known lane to North Middleton then through the big dip to Crichton up to the Fala Moor Road and along to Fala (the infamous 5th teletubby) and then home via Humbie. The wind was strong though.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  3. LaidBack
    Member

    Some good rides there.
    I'm slothlily drinking whisky in the Strathardle Hotel waiting for 2017 to start. Last time I was out on bike was Wednesday. Did about 3 miles. :-(

    Live band doing Paolo Nutini covers. Happy NY when it comes!

    Posted 7 years ago #

  4. sallyhinch
    Member

    Normally we are pleased if we get half a dozen folk we know to join us for our Dumfries winter rides. Today the combination of perfect winter weather, New Year's resolutions, the alignment of the planets, social (and old-fashioned) media and who knows what else meant 27 people joined us for a 20 mile run to Caerlaverock Wetlands Centre, lunch in the cafe and back. And all lovely friendly people. What a nice start to 2017.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  5. HankChief
    Member

    A lovely ride with @greenroofer yesterday. A rare treat to have some company and chat through various topics from CCE.

    I have to admit that I've been bugging him for years to branch out from cycle commuting to longer leisure cycling so it was pleasing to see him enjoying it as much I hoped.

    Due to a user error in the dark of Carlisle, my Garmin didn't record the first 10 miles so I had to do a couple of loops round Balerno to get my century on the clock. I was still in time for my afternoon party where I mostly ate, so all was good.

    I then proceeded not to talk cycling with a fellow forumnite whilst drinking Hungarian liquor into the wee hours. Today was spent with a different forumnite where we wereally unable to help ourselves from discussing kids bikes. Maybe I should broaden my social circle...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  6. gembo
    Member

    @greenroofer

    once over the top it is possible to freewheel from harperig to balerno on a windy day. kaputnik did it once. the other day i nearly made it to kirknewwton turn.

    the cresting of harperig sensation you experienced is known as The Quickening

    Posted 7 years ago #

  7. Greenroofer
    Member

    @gembo yes that would be one word for it. Strava says my average speed along a segment of several miles after Harperrig was 28.7mph...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    @greenroofer, the quickening is part of my sean connery impersonation (the shenshation you are experieincing highlander is known as the`quickening)

    i was out there this morning. no vehicle passed me heading west until the west calder turn. i went down to harburn then wool fords all into a stiff westerly. however when i turned into tailwind at polkelly i was back in balerno in approx 45 mins

    some good new tarmac on the a70 east of harperig too.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  9. Greenroofer
    Member

    Yes that tarmac helps with the quickening too...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  10. Frenchy
    Member

    Blew the literal and metaphorical cobwebs away by cycling 20 miles round east Edinburgh, just exploring some cycle paths I'd not been down before. Fairly strong wind, but wasn't gusting. Think I spotted a red kite near Shawfair, but could have been some other kind of bird.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  11. amir
    Member

    It was a fun day for a cycle. I had a funny turn and accidentally cycling up the Granites. But I did see a potential black grouse. Though the light was not great so it might have been a red grouse. Or a stick.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  12. Greenroofer
    Member

    The weather forecast for today promised clear and not so cold, so I had the notion of riding to the St Abb's Head lighthouse, with the hope that the trip would be frost-free.

    Outbound was Innocent Railway, Musselburgh, coast road to North Berwick, down to Dunbar, NCN 76 to Coldingham via Pease Bay, St Abb's Head. Back via Cranshaws, Whiteadder Reservoir, Gifford, Tranent.

    There were a few downers: the sun was in my eyes all day; NCN76 by the Dunbar Cement Factory is barely passable on a road bike with slick tyres; the climb out of Pease Bay was steeper than I expected; the climb up to St Abb's lighthouse was steeper and muddier than I expected; you can't actually see the lighthouse from the end of the road to it...

    But, but, but...
    The ride was utterly, jaw-droppingly, beautiful. Clear skies, low sun, mist, frost and great visibility combined to give glorious vista after glorious vista. It was calm, so the sea and the reservoirs and rivers were glassy smooth (and riding was easier too!).

    Days like this are so rare, but it reminded me how lucky we are to live somewhere so beautiful and to have a hobby/past-time/addiction that gives us one of the best ways of experiencing it.

    113 glorious miles.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  13. amir
    Member

    Nice one, Greenroofer. The climb out of Peesé Bay us always a shocker

    Posted 7 years ago #

  14. LaidBack
    Member

    Climb at Whiteadder is significant too. Never underestimate the Lammermuirs (!)

    A grand tour you'll remember for a while I think.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  15. Frenchy
    Member

    Had a nice afternoon spent pootling around Dalkeith Country Park with my wife :)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  16. Frenchy
    Member

    Nice 30 miles through Midlothian (Edinburgh, Pathhead, Gorebridge, Penicuik, Edinburgh). Lots of up and down - great fun. Except for on the A702, drivers all gave me plenty of space, with quite a few giving me a wave as they passed as well.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  17. ARobComp
    Member

    Lovely ride out over the bathgate alps to Scotlands largest ever womens only CX event run by West Lothian Clarion. Wifes first CX race. Very exctiting.

    Short chat by Isla Roundtree of Isla Bikes who wanted us all to take the UCI to task about the fact there is not a junior womens world CX champs.

    She raced her first CX race back in the late 80's. Was the only women and was made to race with the children. Super interesting.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  18. LaidBack
    Member

    Frenchy - we were out on trikes that way. Some frozen bits of road near Gladhouse Reservoir and the bridge near Temple was lethal. Plenty of cyclists out.

    I took a reclined trike as was worried about having an 'off'.

    I must admit I found three wheels fun for a change. The fact you could belt down towards bottom of a hill with icy section meant progress was fast enough.

    I could recommend the trike option to anyone worried about road cycling in winter - but that would breach forum rules about impartiality!

    Trike mini-Tour January 2017 by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

    Trike mini-Tour January 2017 by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

    Posted 7 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    "that would breach forum rules about impartiality"

    Fake news.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  20. Roibeard
    Member

    "Fake news" - surely just alternative facts frames?

    Robert

    Posted 7 years ago #

  21. gembo
    Member

    Out the windy Whang this morning with my pal who broke his neck on the Whang 8 years ago tomorrow.

    He is getting back into road cycling. Hills are a bit of an issue for him.

    Was pretty windy, I was apparently free wheeling (in tuck) from harperrig to kirknewton turn at about 35 mph

    Slightly marred on the zig zag bends into Balerno by some eejit blaring his horn on the bends when no one had anywhere to go (we can stop at top to let cars past if a big queue forming but nowhere to stop further down). I pulled in and the first car pulled in behind me, which I found odd, was shouting What are you doing, then the driver pulled away, my pal explains it had been two behind This driver. We stopped at the next passing place and had a nice chat and actually the driver was quite shaken by what the other driver had tried to do, two car overtake (one of the cars being a big van) with oncoming traffic.

    All of this about 500 metres from where my pal broke his neck. Lucky he is resilient.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  22. Frenchy
    Member

    I'm going to need a diagram to understand all that.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  23. Nelly
    Member

    Cycled in late this morning as I wanted to see daylight for a change.

    Wonderful morning to cycle, fairly still, not cold, traffic not too mental, filtering quietly past queues of cars, taking quick little detours to avoid obstructions and getting into the office much quicker than any other method - and then meeting Wilmingtons Cow for a chat in the office changing rooms !

    It just makes you feel so free and energised of a morning !

    All served to remind me why I love cycling - even boring old commuting.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  24. gembo
    Member

    @Nelly

    Bit of an easterly for you to contend with on way home unless it switches.

    A phen0men0n of a tail wind is endorphin release n'est-ce pas?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  25. Nelly
    Member

    @gembo - so true, only 8mph though. Had a virus a couple of weeks ago and a wee headwind had me checking that the bottom bracket wasn't gubbed !!

    Posted 7 years ago #

  26. gembo
    Member

    @nelly I think it is worse on a longer ride without the work bit in between when I get to Carnwath thinking I have made good time only to realise I will have headwind on way home.

    There is a big windsock at the kirknewton airfield I like to check on way by. Also strava now have a wee windsock you attach to your handlebars, metaphorically speaking.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  27. HankChief
    Member

    Micro-Chief had a party at Dynamic Earth, which allowed me chance to get in some laps of Arthur's Seat while it was on. Not something I have done for a while and pleasant enough on a dreich day.

    The strong easterly meant that the flat bit at the bottom was tough but as you got neared the summit you had a tailwind to see you over the top :-)

    We came back along the shore, great with the winds at our backs and big waves smashing into the defences. We were just after high tide so safe enough but the Prom between Gypsy Brae and Broadwalk cafe was littered with debris. Would have been fun and hour earlier.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  28. Frenchy
    Member

    Is that laps of Arthur's Seat on a tandem, minus stoker?

    Is that much harder work than on a normal bike?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  29. HankChief
    Member

    Yep. Plus I have my studs on and had 2 panniers of stuff with me.

    It was hard work - about 20mins a lap - but that was what I was after. Managed to keep a consistent pace and was spinning up without burning out so happy with that.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  30. gembo
    Member

    @hankchief reminds me of my old boss's story about his dad who did a bit of cycling in his youth and was cycling west out of the Clyde valley up a steep hill and he could hear a rattling in the distance that was getting closer and closer until he was eventually overtaken by the Scottish junior champion out training on a tandem without a passenger.

    Yesterday I was on the bus and the woman in front had been listening to me chatting with another Balerno dad about the improvements in other Balerno dads in cycling terms, when my pal alighted the woman turned to me and we had a very nice conversation about her cycling exploits in her younger days. Cycle youth hostel ling as far as Llandudno. And about how her grandchildren found this hard to believe as they cN only see who you are in the present. I said I envied her and she said, you mean the peaceful roads and I said yes.

    Posted 7 years ago #

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