I'll look forward to seeing pics and post-ride report; and then decide if it's something I'll do next summer! Cheers – and enjoy the ride.

the dangerous brothers from aboyne are proper moonting legends, if youve got a spare 5 years,i could begin the stories.
kev just found a newspaper clipping from 1986 of him and stuart at the summit of lochnager on bikes on mid-summers in 1986 for stus 17th birthday (kev was 14 at the time) …………legends

Classic Kev Dangerous quote

"The older I get, the better I was".

Stuartie_c

Your route looks like a real classic. Were it not for the fact that my wife is overdue, I'd be joining you for the ride. There is so much good riding up there that I want to explore. Looking forward to seeing the pics on your Flickr account.

Out of interest, has anyone done a day loop from Ballater taking in Jocks Road and Glen Clova? I'm already planning a few missions for the early Spring up that way. I found a really tasty downhill trail that drops you into the centre of Ballater that doesn't appear to have ever been ridden. I fancy a weekend away staying in the Habitat bunkhouse if folk are up for that?

Cheers

Sanny

can sanny confirm the little known fact that weegies get a nosebleed if they venture above 3000 feet

italspark

I can confirm that weegies do indeed get a nosebleed when they venture above 3000 feet. I can also confirm that they dodge soap and are prone to excessive consumption of alcohol and poor dietary habits. However, at least they aren't from Edinburgh! 😀

they dodge soap and are prone to excessive consumption of alcohol and poor dietary habits

…..speak for yourself Sanny….. 😛

Sanny
The top section of Jock's Road is pretty boggy and not very bike friendly.
The lower half down to Clova is good but you'll find plenty steep and rocky sections.

Guys,

I'm agonising over this one…

I've got a sore throat and I'm generally feeling a bit run down (sympathy needed… :(). I've had a few call-offs and the weather forecast doesn't look particularly promising (BBC site is ambivalent and usually wide of the mark, MWIS is predicting 75mph gusts and general meteorological Armageddon – the truth will be somewhere between the two). I'm reluctant to travel up there if I'm feeling shite and the weather is going to be more of a challenge than the riding.

So I suggest we postpone this for now and perhaps go with Sanny's excellent suggestion of a weekend up there, staying in the bunkhouse in Ballater and get two quality days in. If there is a spell of settled weather in the next wee while, I may resurrect this thread, otherwise I reckon we leave it until the spring.

Sorry if you've made plans around this and these have now been thwarted, though there is nothing stopping you from going anyway – just go imbued with the spirit of the Dangerous Brothers and through caution to the 75mph winds…

I live up here… with this forecast you would be nuts to go out there… it would be no fun.

I've got the chance to go out but I'm e-biking today 😆

and through caution to the 75mph winds…

*throw*

Obviously.

pity about the weather, dont agree with waiting till spring tho, lets just pick a weekend and go for it. if its shite theres always low level rides followed by butteries and beer
lets start talking dates

Sunday 25th June – 10am – Invercauld Bridge?

June McM? …You been on the sauce?

I'm very keen to get out and do this ride, so let's get a date firmed up – no reason we can't repeat it in the spring if it's as successful as the Clova and Torridon rides.

I'm currently free on the following weekends:

14/15th November
28th/29th November

December will fill up with an endless series of drunken social engagements so best avoided.

If others who are interested post weekends they are free, we can go with the majority vote (if it means I miss out, so be it…)

Sorry Stuartie, I've been planning something else in June, tea drinker here.

I'll see what Colin has planned, and get back to you.

14th/15th
21st/22nd
25/26th nov
are all good for me, the guy at the ballater bunkhouse told me we could have rooms to ourselves if we have 3/4 capacity per room (id much prefer to share with smelly moonters than german nymphets !)
lets get on it and book it

Have you considered the possibility of there being some smelly German moonting nymphets? I'd rather share a 1/4 of a room with them.

Could do any of them, but 7/8th or 21/22nd would be my preference. Probably only able to make one day rather than both

Worried about the nymphette risk. Cup of cocoa and in bed by ten me

There might be nymphs there??

This is fabulous news, and may have to try and get a day free

P.s. Think this needs a new thread (the ride that is ) to ruffle up some bodies

I'll launch a new thread. May God bless her and all who sail in her.

It's looking like 14th/15th or 28th/29th November, though the weather may be beyond the pale by the latter date and you know what effect the cold weather has on German nymphs… 😯

I definitely can't manage 7/8 or 21/22 so I hope the above weekends are ok with everyone else (Capt. M.?)

Let's go with 14/15 – decision made!!!

14 / 15 Nov fine with me. Even if it clashes with the German Nymphoramafest. Anyone want to contact Habitat?

It's in the diary – will have to do some negotiating with Mrs M to get out of something else and will only be able to do one of the days, not both.

Please advise on specific anti-nyph measures I could take