Well this weekend Pen and I joined an entourage of keen cyclists who met at Bill and Isla's on a beautiful sunny Scottish spring day. The plan was to cycle over mostly flat terrain, avoiding roads, riding some singletrack and then heading back, around 20 miles all said and done.
We did as said, although I opted to cycle out to Bill's which added an extra 9 miles onto my day...however seeing as I've got a race coming up...I need the training!
So around 11am in sunshine, Al, Bill, Fi, Pen, me, Wendy and Xander left and followed a brilliant bit of singletrack that followed a meandering stream, and that's where we had our first incident, and definetely the most carnage. Al tried to ride between a tree and a barbed wire fence....and didn't. Instead he got his clothes and arm hooked on the barbed wire fence which pulled him into the fence at a decent clip and as a result left him looking like he went 4 rounds in a boxing ring with a tiger. A scary moment, that definetely could have been worse. Fortunately he was okay apart from bleeding like a stuck pig all over his body.
Next we came out of the trail and faced ridiculous wind as we headed east towards a sustainable transport track which would take us out to Devilla. It really was a beautiful day apart from the wind...and once we got to Devilla we were all enjoying the sunshine and company! We wandered around Devilla following a few miles of singletrack which winded along river fronts, through rhododendron (is that how you spell it?) forests, and past a burnt out wreck of a car. Unfortunately I punctured my rear tire on something, so thanks to Xander who helped me change the tire (my shoulder isn't up to that kind of action...yet!).
Shortly afterwards we all started to feel pretty hungry, and run out of energy....so homeward bound it was....and that was when I noticed low pressure in my front tire! So I had a thorn, but it seemed to be more of a slow leak than full on puncture, so I pumped up the front tire with some extra air for good measure, and it managed to get me home. Then for the feast, after all was said and done we did about 24 miles out to Devilla and back, and with my 9 miles I did 33 miles...or 53kms! So we all got back, washed up and went to the pub for some well earned grub!
Awesome day out, apart from Al's barbwire interaction, and my puncture. Can't wait for the next one....bring on the summer!
P.S there should be a wee videoclip at the bottom of me filming while riding over a bridge...I know you're expecting carnage, but I managed to pull it off!!
Scott
We did as said, although I opted to cycle out to Bill's which added an extra 9 miles onto my day...however seeing as I've got a race coming up...I need the training!
So around 11am in sunshine, Al, Bill, Fi, Pen, me, Wendy and Xander left and followed a brilliant bit of singletrack that followed a meandering stream, and that's where we had our first incident, and definetely the most carnage. Al tried to ride between a tree and a barbed wire fence....and didn't. Instead he got his clothes and arm hooked on the barbed wire fence which pulled him into the fence at a decent clip and as a result left him looking like he went 4 rounds in a boxing ring with a tiger. A scary moment, that definetely could have been worse. Fortunately he was okay apart from bleeding like a stuck pig all over his body.
Next we came out of the trail and faced ridiculous wind as we headed east towards a sustainable transport track which would take us out to Devilla. It really was a beautiful day apart from the wind...and once we got to Devilla we were all enjoying the sunshine and company! We wandered around Devilla following a few miles of singletrack which winded along river fronts, through rhododendron (is that how you spell it?) forests, and past a burnt out wreck of a car. Unfortunately I punctured my rear tire on something, so thanks to Xander who helped me change the tire (my shoulder isn't up to that kind of action...yet!).
Shortly afterwards we all started to feel pretty hungry, and run out of energy....so homeward bound it was....and that was when I noticed low pressure in my front tire! So I had a thorn, but it seemed to be more of a slow leak than full on puncture, so I pumped up the front tire with some extra air for good measure, and it managed to get me home. Then for the feast, after all was said and done we did about 24 miles out to Devilla and back, and with my 9 miles I did 33 miles...or 53kms! So we all got back, washed up and went to the pub for some well earned grub!
Awesome day out, apart from Al's barbwire interaction, and my puncture. Can't wait for the next one....bring on the summer!
P.S there should be a wee videoclip at the bottom of me filming while riding over a bridge...I know you're expecting carnage, but I managed to pull it off!!
Scott
Bikes at the ready....where are the riders?
Fi, Pen and Wendy going for the safer option hoping to stay dry
Al with the results of not so much skill at the barb wire fence.
Penny riding through a lovely forested section...aw.
Chill Bill
Penny over debris, and downhill...that's ma girl! 
Al next....making it look easy
Xander picking his way along...
Wendy showing off her prowess....
and Fi with a style of her own!
Scott got fed up with cycling and opted to drive home...
Some of the cool scenery in Devilla
Pen and Wendy with a distant Fi in Devilla
Al bombing downhill
Bill after being dumped in the muck!
Pen flying downhill....wind screaming in her ears...or maybe that was her?
Pen and Wen all smiles!!
Three musketeers...Bill's but, Al, and Xander
Al reckoned Bill wasn't cycling fast enough, and offered a helping push...
Fi and Al through the Rhodendron forest...and below a wee video clip of us riding along...filmed with me holding the bike with one hand, and the camera with the other....recipe for disaster?
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