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East Lothian Ice?

(21 posts)
  • Started 8 years ago by HankChief
  • Latest reply from Cyclingmollie
  • This topic is not resolved

  1. HankChief
    Member

    One for the hive mind...

    I'm planning a long ride at the weekend and whilst the forecast is to be dry and relatively still it will be cold so ice will be a risk and I don't fancy doing it on my studded bike.

    So, I'm pondering a trip along the coast to Dunbar & back as it will be low level and near the sea so hopefully less prone to ice.

    Anyone have any knowledge of a good gritted route. It will be early doors on Sunday so traffic shouldn't be too much of a worry but that means the grit might not be ground into the ice.

    Thoughts?

    You can suggest not heading out, although to get my January long ride in that would mean taking whatever weather comes next weekend and we haven't had a named storm for a while so you never know.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. amir
    Member

    Looks like a dry forecast for the weekend so hopefully the coast Road will be fine at least to North Berwick. I expect it will be fine after 10 am but be aware. I may be trying something similar

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. HankChief
    Member

    Thanks, I'm due back for lunch so it would be a pre dawn start- hence the concern.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. stiltskin
    Member

    I'm also planning to be out on Saturday morning. The coast road offers the best chance of being ice free but you can't guarantee it.. I'll be using studs.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. kaputnik
    Moderator

    As draining as stud can be on a long ride, they're less draining than the effects of a nasty off. I might make it out on the coast road, but will be joining team studs.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. HankChief
    Member

    I hear you. Might have to pass this weekend.

    My studded bike is the heavy upright tandem whereas the alternative is a lightweight racing machine so the speed differential is significant.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. Roibeard
    Member

    My studded bike is the heavy upright tandem whereas the alternative is a lightweight racing machine so the speed differential is significant.

    Try a different stoker...

    ;-)

    I'd volunteer, but I'm tied up this weekend already!

    Robert

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. steveo
    Member

    randonneur round the year must be frustrating round about now.

    I'm meant to be training for a big ride in May but can neither get a run nor a ride in for fear of injuring my self.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I tried riding up to the start of the Pencaitland railway path yesterday. I turned back on the Smeaton Shaw road as it was flooded. NCN1 at Whitecraig was a sheet of ice. I rode along the coast instead and that was ice free. Low sun put me off riding on the roads especially the return towards Mburgh.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. Schemieradge
    Member

    I did the railway path today and really regretted it..!
    Semi-frozen icy puddles - there's only so much studded tyres can do.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Schemie, makes me glad I didn't reach it. I thought the drainage was fixed.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. Schemieradge
    Member

    Not so much...

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Flash Video

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. amir
    Member

    The main road were absolutely fine along the coast today. There was the odd outburst of ice but easy to see no avoid. We went as far as Tantallon

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. HankChief
    Member

    Good work @Amir.

    Given it's current snowing. Think I'll delay to next weekend.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  15. gembo
    Member

    I cycled back up the WoL path today. It was a sheet of ice. Quite fun, going slow with softer tyres and saddle lower on my sit up and beg shopping bike.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  16. firedfromthecircus
    Member

    We are having problems in parts of EL right now with water runoff from all the rain freezing on the roads. The cars are distributing it further out as well and the grit doesn't seem to be melting it. Had trouble even walking the dog on some stretches this morning!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  17. Schemieradge
    Member

    To avoid the Pencaitland Path on the way home I took the road through Cousland instead - that was a nightmare. Steep hill and sheet ice. For the first time ever I had to get off and deflate my marathon winters to even be able to stay on the bike.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  18. Cyclops
    Member

    It appears that East Lothian Council may have hit on a novel way to deal with the inconvenience to users caused by the flooding in Schemieradge's video - lock the access gates to prevent entry.

    I assume this is the reason that I found the gates to the Pencaitland Railway path at Crossgatehall locked this morning at 10am. Having clambered over the gate I thought perhaps I would come across a fallen tree blocking the path but there was nothing more than a few big sticks all the way to Ormiston.

    There's no notice as to why the gates are locked or any signed diversions for people who don't fancy climbing the gate.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  19. Schemieradge
    Member

    Well that's one way of dealing with it. Remove the path.

    Pretty glad I've given up on it of late so didn't haul myself the length of the path to get to a locked gate at the en..d. Would have been less than pleased..

    Posted 8 years ago #

  20. Schemieradge
    Member

    Anyone been back on the Pencaitland Railway Path recently? Wondering what the conditions are like now...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  21. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I've not been along it for over a month.

    Posted 8 years ago #

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