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

Ride 16/07/2022

Today we decided to do a small group ride rather than the usual club bun run, that way we could get a few more miles in and some elevation. The route would take us over Cleish, along to Balado and on and up over the Ochil Hills via Stronachie, Path of Condie and down the Dragon into Dunning where we would stop for lunch. After lunch we would return by going up Dunning Common, along to Yetts and Powmill and return home the usual route over Knockhill and back to Dunfermline. I was looking to do at least 100 km so I followed Ken down to Dalgety Bay and then back up Crossgates. I decided at this point to get some more elevation in and try for 6000 feet of climbing so I went to Hill of Beath and did a few reps up this hill until I hit my mark and then went back home. So 77 miles clocked up at nearly 15 mph avg speed and over 6000 feet of climbing, not a bad days ride

Ride 10/07/2022

So today was the clubs Crieff Randonee around 85 miles in total, there was 11 of us doing it today and what a glorious day to do it on. Sunshine from the very start and it did get quite hot towards the afternoon, around 27 degree, even with factor 50 I still got burnt in a few places Anyhow we stopped in Creiff for our first pit stop before heading to Comrie and over the moors to Stirling. Ken and I decided to split from the group at this point as we were looking to do 100 miles today. We headed along the hillfoots to Tilly for our second pit stop for soup and sandwiches We then headed back to Cowdenbeath and down to Dalgety Bay for Kens finish. I had been riding at an easy pace all day today so I decided I would carry on and do some extra distance and hills. In the end I clocked up just over 130 miles and 6600 feet of climbing at an avg speed of 16 mph, my second longest ride ever but it was a long day in the saddle so my hands and feet are a bit sore but the rest of me is feeling ok bar the sun burn

Ride 9/07/2022

It’s a nice sunny day with a little bit of wind around but not as much as it was through the week. There were a lot of us today, over 20, so we split into 2 groups, with a few of us off today in preparation of tomorrows randonee. I just the normal router today with no extra since tomorrows randonee is 100 miles long. So 45 miles clocked up at 15 mph avg speed and that will do until tomorrow

Ride 3/07/2022

I was looking to do a longer ride than the usual 50 bun run so today Ken and I decided we would ride the Tak Ma Doon hill climb today which would give us a ride of about 75 miles. We were into a head wind for the first 35 miles out to Kilsyth which is where the hill climb starts but this would also mean we would have a head wind taking us back home again It’s been a good 3-4 years since I’ve gone up Tak Ma Doon so it was nice to climb it again. We headed for Stirling once we crested the hill and on to Coffee Bothy for lunch. After a bowl of soup, coffee and cake we headed back home along the coast to Dalgety Bay. I decided I wanted to do some extra on top of that to get to 90 miles as we have the 100 mile Ranonee next Sunday and I wanted to make sure I was fit enough for that after my 2 weeks absence from cycling. So 90 miles clocked up at an avg speed of 16 mph and 4400 feet of climbing

Ride 2/07/2022

So first full week back on the bike and I’m glad things are starting to get easier, performance is coming up and heart rate is starting to drop, I still got quite close to 200 bpm but didn’t hit it or break it, and I was doing some efforts today as well Weather forecast looked bleak, wind and rain but thankfully we actually managed to miss it but either way I was dressed for the occasion, I didn’t want to get soaked like I did Tuesday. 14 of us today on the bun run doing the usual route, I lead all the way to the cafe stop into a head wind but I didn’t mind as I was looking to keep my effort high to try and get my performance back. After some scrambled egg rolls and coffee it was back home again, still looking to get 50 miles done today but not any more, I just didn’t trust the weather to do some extra. Tomorrow is a better day so I’ll get the extra then For today I did 50 miles at an avg speed of 15 mph and I’m still in one piece after the ride so that suits me fine