Ride 26/09/2021

7 of us today and due to the Knockhill racing we decided to miss out Knockhill as it would be car bumper to bumper getting over the hill. We went via Saline instead and did a clockwise route around Loch Leven with a cafe stop at Loch Leven. I parted ways at this point as I wanted to do another 65 mile ride so I opted to head for Leslie and up and over Falkland hill, along to Strathmiglo and back to Milnathort before heading south and back home. The weather was good today some sunny spots, warm but with a bit of a strong headwind going home. This was fine heading towards Falkland but it made the last 20 miles a painful drag all the way home Anyway I got my 65 miles but at a slower speed that yesterday thanks to the wind.

Ride 25/09/2021

Bit of a mild overcast day with a little wind but not enough to bother me cycling. 16 on the bun run today and as per usual after the cafe stop I decided to do a little extra. I basically did a loop around Kirkcaldy, although I didn’t go the coastal route more along the inland route, which I seldom ride. Good distance and avg speed today, clocking up nearly 65 miles at an avg speed of 17 mph

Ride 18/09/2021

It started out to be a cold morning but actually turned into a nice afternoon with some warm sun There were 14 of us on the bun run doing the normal route, I was looking to get some extra again, so after the cafe stop I headed for a loop around Loch Leven. After lunchtime the sun came out so my loop around Loch Leven was a pleasant one. Not going particularly fast today, a steady pace, so my avg speed for the 63 mile ride was a consistent 17 mph No cycling tomorrow as my bike will be in for it’s service before I do my Portugal Ride next month

Ride 12/09/2021

Another good days cycling, not as warm as yesterday and a lot less wind but a decent ride none the less. It was the usual bun run today with 8 of us but again I was looking to do some extra so once we had out coffee and cake I parted ways at Kincardine bridge with Alistair who was joining me today. Wasn’t looking to go too hard so we did the 2 bridges route going via Linlithgow rather than Boness and then north over the Forth Bridge from Kirkliston. 67 miles clocked up at and avg speed of 16 mph

Ride 11/09/2021

It’s a warm, dull if not windy day for the bun run and since we were headwind all the way to the cafe stop I spent most of the time at the back I did do a little stint at the front but I was wanting to do some extra hilly stuff today so I didn’t stay long at the front. After the cafe stop we would be tail wind but I was planning on going to Dunning and up the Dragon today so I would split at Dollarbeg. There were 5 of us who were doing some extra but only Robert and I were going for Dunning and the Dragon, so we split again at Yetts. We had a quick stop in Dunning for a little bite to eat and then it was up the Dragon which is a short sharp hill climb with a few lumpy bits after it. Once over the Dragon it was down to Milnathort and Kinross heading for home. I wanted to get 4000 feet of climbing today so I split from Robert once we hit Kelty and I headed up Hill of Beath and then back home. So 65 miles clocked up at an avg speed of 16 mph and over 4000 feet of climbing, all in all a good days cycling

Ride 05/09/2021

So today is the clubs 100 miles ride up to Dunkeld, I’ve done some of this ride but not the full route before, so this was a first for me this far north. It started pretty cold in the morning, we had an 08:30 start, although there was some sun around but it soon disappeared. We headed north up to Crieff for our first pit stop, and then onto Dunkeld, the first time I’ve been here. We stopped at Murthly for our second pit stop where it had managed to warm up a bit so we could sit outside for our coffee and cake. By the time we hit Perth the sun had finally come out again, where we were riding the cycle paths, again a first for me so I had no idea where we were going. Once past Perth we were back on the roads again and in familiar ground for me, along to Kinross and Cowdenbeath. By this time the sun had disappeared again but it wasn’t cold and I decided to do some extra miles I had been riding at the head of the group for about 90% of the ride so I was getting tired but I wanted to get up to 125 miles today so I soldiered on. Down to Dalgety Bay and along to Crossford where I turned and headed back home again. I got my 125 miles and even managed to clock up over 5500 feet of climbing which was surprising as it’s not a particular hilly route apparently, with a steady 16 mph avg speed. Slightly soar legs by the time I got home and quite hungry to boot

Ride 04/09/2021

Since the club 100 miles ride is tomorrow I decided to just to the normal bun run today without going any extra. Also given everyone had signed up for the 100 miles ride there were only 3 of us on the bun run this morning and the other 2 guys weren’t doing the 100 mile ride anyway So 44 miles clocked up at a close to 16 mph avg time.

Ride 29/08/2021

Bit of a dull wet start for today’s ride but 7 of us still turned up. I’m still on call so I wasn’t going to go too far today so I just stuck to the normal bun run route today with a slight detour at the end to get a little extra miles in.

Ride 28/08/2021

It’s a nice day today, a little chilly in the morning but it soon warmed up when the sun came out. No rain or wind today so it was a good ride. About 23 of us today doing the bun run and since I’m on call I wasn’t going for a long one today. So it was the usual route to the cafe stop and after we crested Knockhill I headed for Kelty and a small ride by Loch Leven to Lochgelly and Auchtertool and then home again clocking up 60 miles at just shy of 17 mpg avg speed.

Ride 22/08/2021

When left the house this morning it was wet and misty by the time I got home it was glorious sunshine, so it turned out to be a good day to do 100 miles It started with 5 of us doing the usual Sunday bun run up to the cafe stop. After that I parted ways at Kincardine bridge and headed towards Falkirk, I wanted to do some hills and also to ride on some of my old stomping grounds when I lived in Falkirk. As after lunchtime the sunshine came up it was quite foretuitous to cycling these roads as they are very scenic ones once your outside of Falkirk. Your cycling all of the back roads between Edinburgh and central Scotland which can be quite hilly at times with me going up some 15% climbs, but ones that I am familiar with so it was nice to do that again It was a bit of a zig zag route going from Torphichen, Linlithgow, broxburn, Kirkliston, Winchburgh, Threemiletown, past Hopetoun House onto South Queensferry but it was a nice day to do it. Anyway to get the 100 miles I wanted I headed to Oakley before heading back to Dunfermline and home. All in all 101 miles clocked up with over 5000 feet of climbing at and avg speed of 16 mph, I won’t complain at that

Ride 21/08/2021

Another very wet one today. There were 11 of us today and this wasn’t a surprise given the weather. It rained most of the way around the ride with a few dry patches here and there. I was a bit more prepared for this with my overshoes and wet weather gear. Unfortunately after the cafe stop I decided to do some extra miles as per usual, not that many given the weather, but enough to get me over the 50 miles mark and this was when the heavens opened up The last 10 miles or so it was raining cats and dogs and I was getting soaked through again, at least the overshoes were taking the brunt of it, my feet stayed mostly dry but the rest of me was wet through. I was very glad of the hot shower when I got home, although it wasn’t cold today, I was starting to get a bit chilly and I was covered in muck from all the spray i was hitting. Anyway 58 miles clocked up at a slightly sedate pace of 16 mph, it wasn’t even windy, so not sure why that was, i must be getting old

Ride 15/08/2021

5 of us today on the bun run and we couldn’t get up Knockhill due to traffic backing up a few miles from it due to the racing that was going on at Knockhill racetrack, so we headed downhill to Saline then to Dollar and Tillicoultry and then backup to the cafe stop. After the stop we carried on the usual route back to Dunfermline, because we missed out Knockhill I wanted to get some extra climbing done so once the group finished I carried on and headed for Falkland hill. It’s about the same height as Knockhill but not as long to climb although doing this pushed my millage up to 90 miles Once over the hill I was into the headwind most of the way home and although it wasn’t as strong as yesterday it was still painful to ride in due to all the effort I put in going up hill Anyway 90 miles clocked up at an avg speed of 16 mph with a decent amount of elevation climbed.