Some of you may be familiar with the KM Rally, which was a biennial weekend of relaxed cycling and (mainly) camping in Dumfries and Galloway run by the local CTC members group. It was struggling to keep going as the old guard began to fall away, and then the pandemic pretty much killed it off in 2020. Anyway, the funds left over in the pot have been given to a local group to revive the rally which will now be in Penpont (very close to Keir Mill where Kirkpatrick Macmillan did or did not invent the pedal cycle). They've secured camping space adjacent to the village itself, got local groups on board and it should be a bit of a return to its roots (after the old campsite got a bit too fancy to offer much in the way of actual camping).
It's a project that's dear to my heart, and this year we've included some shorter ride options that are designed to be suitable for families with cycling kids (or cargo bikes). D&G back roads really are extraordinarily quiet (albeit fearsomely potholed) and the local development trust who have taken it on have just spent the last five years or more getting a traffic-free path built between Penpont and Thornhill which is an epic achievement and makes the area even more cycling friendly.
Which is all a long winded way of saying if you want to spend the late May bank holiday weekend riding in good company in glorious countryside then please do sign up here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/km-rally-may-2024-a-cycling-event-for-everyone-tickets-768251871027 (you'll need to contact the organisers separately to book camping pitches, meals etc.) Family rides will be led by me and other Cycling Dumfries members.
Also if you have suggestions for getting the word out, please let me know, and please share.
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