Ride 27/08/2022

It’s a good weather day, with little wind around and some sunshine, not too hot, there were 22 of us today split over 2 groups. I joined the club up until the cafe stop but I was looking to do some extra miles today, so once I had my roll and fresh orange juice I split from the group to go my own way. I had a route in mind but it’s one that although I ridden bits of it before there was some new roads that I had not ridden down before so I was looking forward to some new roads. I rode to Bannockburn on familiar road but once here I detoured to the new road that I’ve never been down before which would take me to Carron Valley Reservoir. IT’s quite a lumpy road but through some stunning scenery but the road itself was in bad shape so I couldn’t go too fast in fear of a puncture or worse. It would be a great gravel bike road which would take the punishment better but I don’t want to ruin my new bike Once I hit the Reservoir I was back on familiar road and headed for Crow road and down to Lennoxtown. It was a straight shot home from here with a slight detour to my Uncles to top up on water, as I hadn’t measured the distance I was cycling I was running out of water. I wasn’t planning to ride a 100 miles today, I though the route would be about 80 miles, but I got that wrong Anyhow once refueled I rode back home via the usual roads going through Dunfermline rather than via Rosyth. I was going at a fast pace and was getting very tired by the time I hit 90 miles so I went home via the shortest route to save my crumbling legs. So 100 miles clocked up at an avg speed of 17 mph, which makes it one of the fastest 100 miles (successfully) completed to date, by about 2 mins

Ride 21/08/2022

10 of us on the bun run today, a little less wind and a little bit more sun as compared to yesterday but a good day to get some miles under my belt. I followed the group up until the cafe stop where I had the usual coffee and cake and after we left the cafe stop and once we hit the Kincardine bridge I went on my own to do some extra millage today. I wanted to ride to Bathgate as it’s been some time since I’ve ridden that way. It’s not a particular hilly route but does require a little bit of climbing, but once your at Bathgate it’s flat all the way to Uphall but once past here it’s a steady downhill gradient for a few miles until you hit Newbridge. After that it’s pretty much up hill back over the river and along to Dalgety Bay and home. Although it was a headwind all the way to the cafe stop this did mean I had some crosswinds to Bathgate but a great tailwind all the way to Kirkliston, I was going pretty fast for that section :-D. So overall I clocked up 78 miles at an avg speed of 17 mph.

Ride 20/08/2022

Well it started out as a very wet and windy day but by the time we left the cafe stop it was starting to get sunny, but still windy. Given the weather I was surprised to see 14 turn up but I had come prepared today with my wet gear on. We split into 2 groups, I went in the faster one, and headed for the cafe stop into a strong head wind and it even started to rain heavily about 10 mins from the cafe stop Once at the cafe stop I had a chance to dry out a bit and get my roll and fresh orange juice, and by the time I had finished the sun had started to show it’s face. On the way home I did a little extra down to Dalgety Bay and back up to home via Mossmorran to get my 50 miles. So I clocked up 53 miles at an avg speed of 17 mph thanks to going with the faster group

Ride 14/08/2022

Another glorious day of cycling, this time in the borders. The club monthly randonee was today starting in Peebles heading to Moffat and the loops back to Peebles again. There were 11 of us today and it was a hot sunny day from the get go, which suited me fine This months randonee would have us doing about 70 miles through some stunning scenery in the Scottish boarders. There wasn’t a lot of climbing and what there was, was shallow and long, so it was a bit of a drag up for some people but quite easy for me. We stopped in Moffat for our lunch stop, soup, sandwich and Jersey cream biscuit were the order of the day, with a coke to wash it down. After the stop we headed back to peebles in basically a loop only with less climbing in it. It was a hot day with temperatures reaching 30 degrees but whilst cycling we had a cool breeze so I didn’t get very hot, at least compared to some of the other riders who said it was too hot, I suppose cycling in the likes of Vietnam and Cambodia prepare you for that So 70 miles clocked up today at an avg of just under 17 mph.

Ride 13/08/2022

Well it’s been a fine week of weather which means some great riding to be had Today there were about 20 of us doing the bun run today and I was in the first slightly faster group of about 8. It started out overcast and chilly but that didn’t last for too long thankfully. I lead all the way to the cafe stop, at a decent pace, probably around the 18 mpg avg. Once we had our scrambled egg rolls and coffee I would be splitting from the group as I was going into Denny to visit my Aunt, Uncle and Mom, since it was a nice day. It actually turned out to be another scorcher of a day very hot and sunny, especially by the time I got to Denny. I stopped for about an hour to say hello and grab a bit more food and drink before heading off back home again. I kept up a good pace today and got a good mileage as well So 76 miles clocked up at an avg speed of 18 mph, and maybe a little bit of sun burn.

Ride 07/08/2022

There were 8 of us today on the bun run and from the outset the weather was about the same as yesterday, only a bit warmer but this didn’t last all day. By the time we got out of the cafe stop it had started to brighten up and it was nice and sunny by the time I got back home again. With the strong winds again we would be headwind all the way to the cafe stop, I did most of the leg work here with a few others taking turns. After coffee and cake we would have a tailwind home so I sat at the back for the most part with a turn here and there when the group broke up a bit. Although it turned out to be a nice day I didn’t bother with any extra mileage, the prospect of having to deal with a head wind on my own turned me off so I just did the usual 50 miles today at an avg speed of 16 mph.

Ride 06/08/2022

Well it’s a windy and very wet day so it was onto the winter bike for today. It’s not cold today so there were about 16 of us today, resulting in 2 groups with me in the first one. Given the weather I had my wet gear on but by the time I got home again I was wet through. Given the weather I was looking to do the minimum of the ride and no more, so after the cafe stop I heading home the usual route clocking up 44 miles at an avg speed of just under 16 mph. Ironically enough the sun did start to come out about an hour after I finished my ride but that wasn’t forecast otherwise I might have done some extra but tomorrow seems to be a better day so I’ll try and make it up then.

Ride 31/07/2022

It started as a dull damp day with a few spots of rain but towards the end of the ride it had started to brighten up with some sunny spells. There were 8 of us today and I was out on the new bike, which had a few admires looking at it today We decided to do a different route today heading towards Auchtermuchty for our cafe stop via Kinross, Milnathort and Glenfarg. After lunch which entailed soup,coke and cake, we headed for our return route via Falkland, Strathmiglo, Balgedie, Scotlandwell and over Ballingry to Kelty and Cowdenbeath where I parted ways to head home. In the end I clocked up 57 miles at an avg speed of 16 mph and a sore bum due to me not having my seat on the new bike since I need a specific bracket for it to fit I have a loan one for now. Hopefully I’ll get that sorted next week as I wouldn’t want to do any longer rides than todays.

Ride 30/07/2022

Bit of a dull wet day but given the weather there was quite a large turnout of about 23 riders, although it’s still quite warm out. I wasn’t going to use the new bike due to the weather so was back on my Super Six. We split into 2 groups and headed for the cafe stop which was again into a headwind, not particularly strong but enough to make an effort to get there. After yesterday sprint ride I stayed at the back as I was still tired so I didn’t have to put up with so much wind by drafting people After the cafe stop I took the lead back home as we had a head wind which made my life easier. I wasn’t in the mood to do extra since I had done an extra days ride yesterday so I just did the normal bun run today and thus clocked up 45 miles at an avg speed of 16 mph.

Ride 24/07/2022

5 of us on the Sunday bun run today with a bit of a windy dull day. The forecast was stormy today but still very warm at 20 degree, so this meant we had a head wind all the way to the cafe stop and a tail wind home. Thankfully we missed the rain but the roads were wet so we couldn’t of missed it by much. Coffee and cake for today and then the run home with Ken and Paul Davies to Dalgety bay before the little stint back up to Crossgates, 54 miles clocked up at an avg speed of 16 mph.

Ride 23/07/2022

Well it was a busy day today with nearly 30 of us on the bun run this morning. More than what I was expecting given the weather, it was overcast but warm, but we were forecast for rain and it did clip it towards the end of my ride but nothing too drastic. So with so many today we split into 3 group with me in the second one. It was the usual cafe stop and given the light winds we were going quite fast today, this shows in my avg speed for today After the cafe stop we headed home the usual way but I was looking to get some extra done today so I parted ways at the usual point at Redgraigs and headed for Kelty. I decided I would go up over Knockhill twice today so headed for Cleish and Crook of Devon and around to Powmill for the full climb up Knockhil on the second attempt. It was then home via the usual route of Wellwood and Dunfermline with like I said a little shower of rain, which had stopped by the time I hit Crossgates and home. So I got the 65 miles I was after and at a good avg speed of 17 mph so happy with that on a good days ride

Ride 17/07/2022

Bit of a wet muggy day, it was starting to rain when I left the house this morning but didn’t come to much and it was quite warm too. There were 7 of us on the bun run today and although it was cloudy the rain really never came to much, very light indeed. It never really got that sunny even by the time I had finished but it did get quite warm towards the end of the ride. Anyway it was the usual coffee and cake at the cafe stop today before heading back to Dunfermline. I lost the group a little bit when they decided to go a different route to the norm but caught them up at Kincardine. I then followed the guys back to Dalgety Bay and the slit from them to get back up to Crossgates. I stopped at home for some lunch and then carried on for a further 20 miles to get some extra mileage and elevation. So 72 miles clocked up at an avg of 16 mph