[Closed] 'Clouds of Dust' - the TBC/STW Pentlands Wednesday Wheeled Ramble

hmm i have split priorities. Supposed to be doing a Market Research forum thing for a friend... But riding is preferable.

Ooooo I'll keep you guessing (I'm sure it'll generate a couple of seconds worth of chat)

Is Smee going to be there to create the clouds of dust?

We need some different variations on route.

Am keen, will be along with plenty of spare tubes

Maybees. Need an Alps preparation ride so the Pentlands will provide... er... none of that really.

Not even the dreghorn climb? You could do it twice. Or 3 times

i'll hanker on a potentially

Climb? Why climb when you can use a van or a chairlift?

Its good for you

As usual I will put myself down for a provisional, will be singlespeeding though so might slow the group down on the flat bits.

I might be able to suggest some new trails on the day, depending on group size and vows of silence all round 8)

So's getting in a van and using a chairlift.

*high fives getting in a van and using chairlifts next week buddy*

Us men will be playing in real mountains 8)

*kicks you 2 in the nuts for alps teasing*

will be along again with paul (stanfree),
steven (menmuir) is indeed off radar 😮

where he be Bruce?

need some gardening help

8)

You could have been there. You made your choice, now live with it. You'll be missing these idiots:

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and this:

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I'll probably be there as well. It's 50% now because I might have to go to Glasgow and don't know whether I'll be back on time.

If I'll make it I can bring some kabanos stuff You tried Mark (don't know whether You liked it or not 😉 ) so others can try it later or at the end of the ride for extra energy.

Weather looks like we will have to bring our own dust to make a cloud...

better getting a head greenkeeper in for the garden 😉
sort your grass out,will give a help if you need it 😮

+1

Don't know what your route plans are but I was down the Nail Trail last night and it was riding well.

Am I the only one who call's parts up the pentlands 'the bit after the downy bit, you know, to the left, after that rocky muddy bit, you know, over there-ish...'

There are few trail names I still don't recognise myself. The Nail Trail is also known as the Balerno or Riggs singletrack.

It's looking nice out tonight so I think I'll be paying it a visit again later as it's my favourite Pentlands trail - even better than Scalextric.

Scalextric I know. Hope it's better if a favorite, that's just straight down double track.

Sounds like you're not going fast enough!

The bottom section of Nail Trail is good, but too much riding in all weathers is destroying the top section. I've avoided this part whenever I'm on the bike for the past few months, but I ran down it recently and it's going the way of Pistachio (i.e. churned up mess).

I've formed a splinter cell of colleagues so won't be in attendance tomorrow - Balerno start at around 6 for those who need an early night.

You can avoid the muddy top section of the Nail Trail (although it was ok last night) by taking the longer loop round to the west instead. That rejoins at the plank bridge so still includes the lower section. There are a couple of bits where you need to lift the bike over fences but it's still enjoyable. I think I'll go that way tonight.

I'm expecting to be up there tomorrow night as well but I'm only leaving the office by 6pm so won't be on either group ride.

On the top section there are only really a couple of spots that get cut up and last night I was thinking that it might not take much effort to improve them. I've no experience of trailbuilding/maintenance though.

It may only take a bit of work to improve it, but the last time someone tried it they fitted the nailed boards upside down 😀

(according to urban myth)

Sounds like you're not going fast enough!

Fast or slow, just didn't think it was anything that exciting.

Trees, Mark????
Just back from a 2000 miles drive round Alberta and British Columbia....what was that about trees?
Infact, if I see another one I'll scream!!!

(on the subject of chat on trail repairs, watch this space, I did make good contact with the rangers earlier in the year and took a look at pistachio but then summer happened and I've totally failed to follow it through as yet. But will be soon)

Might just make this one, if I decide my big bike's well enough packed, could do with a warmup ride before heading off to France...

I shall be in attendance as will have to miss the following 2 weeks due to crappy shifts. Hope the rain stays off .

I'm in Edinburgh visiting family. If they have no show booked for me (shudders) I'll try and make it along.

Where do you meet?

Bonally shop just down from the scout centre , someone will be along shortly with a postcode of google map ref.

(according to urban myth)

Nah, I was there, man... You should have seen it, nails, like, twenty inches long and stuff, it was gnarly.

Surpising no-one I'm sure, but I might have to skip this one after all, riding back from work revealed a suspiciously tender achilles tendon, a fairly epic weekend on the road bike perhaps to blame.

I maintain Scalextric is only exciting on the right bike. Taking 'alpine' bikes up the Pentlands is asking for disappointment 😀

Zzzzzzzzzzzz..... What? Did somebody mention my name?

I dunno, not that much of a fan of Scalextrix really, I'd rather do Maiden's as a descent then slog up phantom's and then use the path down the side of puke hill. Longer though.

Scalextrix is much improved by ragging down alongside someone.

coogan - Member

Sounds like you're not going fast enough!

Fast or slow, just didn't think it was anything that exciting.

Its not - its the Pentlands - just nice riding - nowt particualraly exciting. a few decent decents and some good views in places.

was up there tonight and despite the rain it was in fairly good shape. Hopefully see y'all tomorrow!

[i]I dunno, not that much of a fan of Scalextrix really, I'd rather do Maiden's as a descent then slog up phantom's and then use the path down the side of puke hill. Longer though. [/i]

Rather than go down Puke Hill, why not head over to White Hill and go down any one of a number of great descents there, both in the wood (the youth-made ones) and one the grass in front of the hill.

Was just about to suggest (demand) White Hill for tomorrow's ride.

Please.

Clouds of [s]Dust[/s] Midges

[b]ShoePolice[/b] - plug this grid ref into [url= http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm ]Where's the path?[/url] or [url= http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=NT+213+683&countryCode=GB ]Multimap[/url] - NT 213 682. It's on the corner of Bonaly Road / Bonaly Avenue.

Hoping to be along - depends a bit on work issues + residual pain from a bizarre thigh / top-tube interface-on-dismount rad move this evening... If not there @ 7 please blast on.

Stanfree / Paul - you can grab that rack if you want to try it - if I don't make the ride I'm just 2 mins from Bonaly shop so call 0seven76sixfive5 3fivetwo0 when you get back down & I'll magically appear (almost) instantly!

trouble with going down one of the white hill / puke hill varients is that you end up losing a load of height back to the river on tarmac down from the car park. Must be more singletrack from there down to somewhere on the river?

Push/grunt up the path on the right before the gate. Then down through the woods, under the bypass and more woods down the side of the barracks.

I'm working my final day EVER* tomorrow and then having a big piss-up, so won't be out as per usual. Have fun 🙂

*until next year when I've run out of money.

[i]trouble with going down one of the white hill / puke hill varients is that you end up losing a load of height back to the river on tarmac down from the car park. Must be more singletrack from there down to somewhere on the river? [/i]

There is (assuming you mean the car park at the foot of Puke Hill). There's a tasty wee piece of singletrack through the trees on your left hand side (opposite the Scout camp).

Losing the height isn't a problem for me as I live in Bonaly, so that bit is usually the end of my run.

Alternatively, from the car park there is the track that leads off to Torduff, or the other one that leads round the back of the Scout camp and down towards the Polo Field, or continues on to the foot of the Dreghorn climb, or even on from there towards Hillend.

[i]trouble with going down one of the white hill / puke hill varients is that you end up losing a load of height back to the river on tarmac down from the car park. Must be more singletrack from there down to somewhere on the river? [/i]

Just re-read that, and realised that by river you mean the Water of Leith. There's no singletrack I know of, though as I said, not an issue for me because of where I live.

Pah, some of the best singletrack in the pentlands resides in the woods en route back to the city from the foot of white hill.

I reckon you could make it all the way to Morningside almost entirely off road. Would be glad to lead that particular portion of the ride if I make it along.

stevenmenmuir

aye - thats the only way I could think of.

I just find it vaguely irksome to descend on tarmac rather than singletrack

Ian - were you on about swapping books with Kate? Know which ones? She might be along running so could bring some.

I think Rob mentioned that there is a little bit of singletrack from Dreghorn services, you can see the start of it next to the roundabout. Dunno how long it is mind.

I was, in particular one of three books I don't currently have in my possession, d'oh!

I think it was "mountain days, bothy nights" and "children of the dead end" or perhaps "the testament of gideon mack". Was it Kate or your father who had written a book about his hillwalking days?

Steven, there are two short but very sweet sections of trail in that area, and a short hop along Caeystane Road brings you to the top of some more trail that eventually deposits you in the Hermitage above Morningside.

"Rather than go down Puke Hill, why not head over to White Hill and go down any one of a number of great descents there, both in the wood (the youth-made ones) and one the grass in front of the hill."

I don't know how to get into the top of the DH trail from that way, is there a good route? I always just descent Puke Hill, go round the side of the woods (past the end of Scalextric) then back across the other side of the woods and then push up for the nibbler

[i]I don't know how to get into the top of the DH trail from that way[/i]

If you were coming from Phantoms, instead of going through the gate at the top of Puke Hill, keep going, stay left where the track forks and you'll end up at a big gate. Go through and you are on the main descent to Dreghorn. Instead of this though, follow a very faint path on the left, close to the wall. It goes down, climbs a bit and leads you to a stile by the woods on White Hill.

Over the stile and there are umpteen variations of descents, all excellent. Grass ones can be very slippy in the wet though, and there's one very steep gully I've never had the guts to ride.

Ah, sounds great, cheers! That's out at the edge of my usual loop so I've never explored in that direction.

stevenmenmuir - Member

I think Rob mentioned that there is a little bit of singletrack from Dreghorn services, you can see the start of it next to the roundabout. Dunno how long it is mind.

here where you been hiding? 😮

Rob i should remmember how to get to yours from last week if paul wants that rack,
sorry for late post...was on a date tonight....jeezus the tide wouldnt have taken her out 😯
tomorrow night will be a recovery ride for me 😆

jeezus the tide wouldnt have taken her out

😆

Now have a 'Jaws 2' mental image that'll last all day...

Elegantly put Bruce. 😆

Ha ha brilliant Bruce , Aye Rob still interested In the rack , If It fits I can paypal you some cash or give It to Bruce as Ill miss next weeks ride.

Thanks

Paul.

I won't make it this week (as always). It's just the wrong time for me. Sometime I'll arrange an early start ride, at 4 or 5 for those who finish work at a reasonable time. Anyway, I think a group of 20 or so is too big for the Pentlands.
An aside - Mark - do you have the Topeak Mountain Morph pump in stock?

Chris - not at moment. Want me to get you one?

Mark, I want to see how the presta/schrader change is done. This is my only concern so I'm 95% sure it's the pump I want.

well you unscrew the ring and then flip the rubber bits over and BOSH done.

Ok,

Get one in for me and let me know when it arrives.

Was it Kate or your father who had written a book about his hillwalking days?

Errmmm.... What was she telling you?!

Favour to ask - does anyone going on the ride have a bivvy bag (or 2) they'd be prepared to lend for the weekend?

Ta

...does anyone going on the ride have a bivvy bag (or 2) they'd be prepared to lend...

If it's for you and Kit to snuggle up in surely you'd be wanting just the one..?

i have an Alpkit bag unused you can borrow Jimmy,bring it up tonight 😮

Fine wee ride tonight chaps, still good to get social when sticking to the harder wearing trails. I hope others pics are decent, mine being [s]pretty poor[/s] bl00dy awful this time, think I got my settings mixed up - most too blurred to put up...

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/robgarrioch/sets/72157624704783310/ ](full sizes here)[/url]

Funny how different Green Cleugh is going down... I almost gave Bruce a fine view of a proper face-plant. Damn wide tyres 😈

Yup nice wee ride . Green Cleugh was different , Phantoms was a slog and Scalextric a blast. Sadly there getting shorter due to fading light.
I'll let you know about the carrier Rob , hopefully It works and I can start repaying Bruce's taxi service soon. See you all In 3 weeks.

good cardio work out tonight chaps 😮 thanks again,as always a new trail thrown into the evenings ride...even though you got it sideways a bit rob 😮 my elbows got a big lump now too..Mmmm time for a quick cider,see you all next week 😮
some pics...
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As always, a very enjoyable ride.

Cheers

Thanks all; great ride, great company - and a good pace!

Grand day out ta chaps even if a bit much tarmac

can always get in some wheelie pratice on the roadie bits! 😮

Over the stile and there are umpteen variations of descents, all excellent. Grass ones can be very slippy in the wet though, and there's one very steep gully I've never had the guts to ride.

I went looking for these trails on Saturday and find what I'm pretty sure is the right stile having followed the slight trail down the side of the wall. Over the stile I wasn't sure which route to follow so took the most obvious line round the front of the hill. That was quite steep in a couple of places but not technical in any way so I don't think was one of the trails. There were a couple of other trails leading slightly uphill back into the woods - should I have been following one of those to find the downhill trails?

Steve if you are talking about White Hill, if you go left after the stile into the trees, there are some trails criss-crossing around the hill clockwise that end up at Bonally, very pleasant. The yoof DH type trails are nearby also. I am aware of only one going right, which traverses steeply as you describe.

should I have been following one of those to find the downhill trails

Nearly there Steve - once over the stile, go 'straight ahead' up a singletrack through the trees, which pops out & runs uphill alongside the plantation. Takes you to the top of the hill, then you'll see the DH bits starting... best to recce on foot first 😉

Cheers - I'll give that a look next time I'm in the vicinity.