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Apologies, minor hi-jack - my racing-snake buddy has pulled out of our Gypsy Glen (revisited) ride tomorrow, if anyone fancies hooking up for some (undoubtedly) peaty, muddy mayhem (on my birthday :-)). Space for 1 more on the roof, e.t.departure 08.30-09.00.
Would love to do tomorrow but got to be home by eleven. Definately up for a Wednesday nighter. Re Balerno, have I missed something, has it moved to West Lothian.
Hullo! New member here, I'd love to mosey along to this, but at the moment my purist-style MTB is off the road. Would I be unwelcome if I turned up on my 'Special Requirements 29er-style Velocipede?*'
(*awright, I admit it, Its a fat tyred cyclocross bike)
Could give it a try - presuming smooth strata is more suited to a drop barred rigid, it wont be too bad. There will be some rough patches but many line choices - personally I've no idea how a cx bike rides..?
Sounds, from your alias, you're familiar with the Pentlands already??
Thanks, Robgarrioch, I've been riding in the Pentlands since before there were proper mountainbikes, I think the route that you have in mind sounds perfectly do-able. Pretty much the only thing thats not so great is deep gravel mixed with housebrick-sized boulders such as you find on the more eroded bits of The Yellow brick road.Steep gradients like right to the top of Allermuir are a bit of a nightmare on 34-32.
Speaking of which how dull is yellow brick road! Even the climbs aren't difficult. Makes me wonder why they bothered.
Mmm, new trailraker on the back, might be tempted to see how much resistance Allermuir puts up now!!
Don't know YB Road by name, which part's that?
Don't really know more names, it runs East/West along the Pentlands. If you ride East along it you come out at the top of the steep road after the car park at the top of Balerno.
If you ride West along it you come out near East Kairn.
YB road is an access road that was cut into the hills a few years back.If you go to the top of the Beech Avenue above Theipmuir and turn right, it leads directly west and joins up with Xylaphone street/ Carlops route.
Ah, I'm (vaguely) with you, think we'll be descending a little of that on Sunday... Remember doing xylophone st. last year, good feature!
An interesting nature type thread aside- I was riding over to Carlops a few months back, and as I was about half way up the hill I noticed that the wooden sections were covered with beautiful little viviparous lizards,sunning themselves on the planks.I felt pretty guilty about scaring them off by riding past.
Hi west kipper - more the merrier! Interesting to see an (to me anyway) unusual bike and how its ridden 🙂
I was wondering about the descent down to Glencourse - instead of the (now smooth) track straight down, I'd thought that the singletrack round Castlelaw would be a bit different and a laugh. Only ever climbed it from Glencourse and its a bugger!
Actually, a lot of castlelaw has been sanitized ( not that i'd be complaining on the cx! )although some of it is breaking down with water runoff.Still a nice wee climb as you round the hill.
The singletrack around the west side of castlelaw is my fave descent in the pentlands - well worth doing IMO
See this Xylaphone street/ Carlops route does that actually go anywhere ? If im thinking it's the same place it has loads of logs across the track etc. The last time i went to the top of it you passed a wall and went further into the hills but i didn't know where i was then. Is there a route up there etc to something ?
Meh. I'd kinda like to come along but:
a) I have cracked my handlebars
b) My girlfriend is making me do a day of DIY
Admittedly, I do have some old risers I could chuck on - but will have to see.
Dont look in here too often, just an occasional lurker 🙂 Ill be in the Pentlands tomorrow morning so will pop over and join you guys.
Offroading - the last (& only)time I did it, we continued on, down to the rhs of North Esk reservoir, & finally down to Carlops (more by luck than judgement). Then along the A702 to NineMileBurn & a hard climbing path back up to West Kip. Not a hugely enjoyable route, but definitely a good workout.
That Carlops route is better in reverse.
Will probably be along tomorrow - will send you (Kit) a text if I don't think I'll make it!
Think that makes 10 of us so far, will re-tread this thread in't morning for a final (?) count 🙂
I'm not going to make it, I'll be out and about but no chance I can make the start time so, I might see you- if you see a slow sweaty longhair on a blue Idrive, or more likely standing beside a blue Idrive reattaching a bit that's just fallen off, that'll be me 
I can certainly understand the Balerno comments, after all it takes nearly 5 whole minutes to get from my house to the middle of Balerno
Hi,
not sure if i am going to make tomorrow so please don't wait on me, kinda over did it today in Drumlangrig, great to be back on the bike though after injury.
Cheers HH, see you tomorrow hopefully.
I'm not going to remember you all by the way - I might have to write this down and do a register, but not like Rowan Atkinson 😉 (poss NSFW [url=
Kit
robgarrioch
PaulGillespie
Garry_Lager
yetidave
couldashouldawoulda
gecko76
west kipper
DrT
househusband
and we might bump into epicsteve and Northwind.
See you tomorrow, gents!
Ahem, I'll be there now, but will make a point of getting there early just to save confusion!
Another lurker here...
Quite interested in coming along with GF if that's cool. Prob gonna take a view on the weather in the morning - will be there for 10 if coming.
Cheers,
Thomo.
I'm gutted to say that I dont think I'm going to make it. Was riding in Blackness woods yesterday and a piece of branch through the 'bars has ripped out my rear gear cable.
There's an outside chance I might be able to bodge the mountainbike back together in time, but as I'm also having to ride to Bonaly from Bo'ness, its looking a bit tight- If I'm not obviously there please don't wait.
I hope I've not burnt any bridges for the next time.
Anyway-Back to the workstand...
That's some cycle out! Don't worry about burning bridges - these things happen and we'll maybe see you next time (if not today...).
13thfloormonk, Thomohawk + lady friend = see you there!
I'm hoping for a [i]slightly [/i]more leisurely pace than the STW ride last weekend... on that one there were lots of people with zero body fat and very low (single digit..?) BMI's...!
Househusband.... It's cool, I'm a bit fat and suffering after a stack at GT yesterday, so defo taking it easy! 😆
Kit, we're leaving Stenhouse in 10! 😀
Thomo.
I headed out early this morning as I reckon my end of the Pentlands is going to get fairly busy later on, given then lovely weather.
Clear blue skies and only a little bit breezy at the moment so should be good for your ride.
Indeed, surprisingly fine weather, even the wind couldn't bring us down. Thanks to all who turned up, apologies to those who missed it. A couple of lo-quality phone photos for the collective - I'm confident Kits usual standard will put them in the shade;
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Dunno why, but this makes me think of a squadron of Lancasters, on the final run to the dams!??
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& mr 13floormonk about to catch some serious air (man)!
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A few more [url= http://s705.photobucket.com/albums/ww56/robgarrioch/Pentland%20Spin%2011-10-09/ ]here[/url]
Just off out again, so look forward to reading the post-ride comments later. Well done all.
[i]The singletrack around the west side of castlelaw is my fave descent in the pentlands - well worth doing IMO [/i]
Hard to disagree there. For me it's a toss up between that one and the drop from the bottom of West Kip down into Green Cleugh. Or the Black Hill descent if it's dry. Or the descent off White Hill. Or the Nail Trail.
Just over 28km - and slightly more climbing than descending!
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/4000629689_7d76a03f60.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Saw some bits of the Pentlands that I'd never seen before - good ride and good company. Thanks, all.
C'mon guys - it's a well known fact that there's nothing worth riding in the Pentlands.
How was the track on the south of Hare Hill? Boggy or ok?
Some good photos there Rob, looking forward to seeing a few more.
Cheers for a cracking outing guys... bit burst after that TBH.
Hopefully see you all again sometime!
Thomo & Kate.
I'm sorry I missed it,and glad you'se crowd had a good day.
(I say that, sitting here seething bitterly like Donald Pleasance in a Bond film, " I may haff been foiled this time, Meester Bond, but next time....)
Colin - so you were glad to be DIYing today instead of riding? 😉
Steve - it was in pretty good nick, as were most of the routes we did today.
Paul, Ian and I decided to go for a pint and a burger at the Park Bar, an excellent end to the day, although I'm ready for my bed now!
Kit - I can sleep well this evening knowing that my mother now has fully-functioning sash windows again. Gotta look after my inheritance you know. How else will I escape the drudgery of dealing with customers in a bike shoppe?
* actually, I'm very jealous. Weather was brill too.....
Two quick photies before I look through the rest of them:
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Really sorry I couldn't make it in the end. Moving house next weekend and spent the day putting things in boxes.
Looks like a great ride.
Hmm, looks like i missed out. no way i could make it. any chance of a midweek night ride soon?
Ant, nightride this coming Wednesday:
kennyp - Member
I'm off hillwalking on the 10th, but a few of us (well three so far) are planning to head off from Bonaly Corner Shop at 6.30 next Wednesday (14th) for a couple hours night riding.POSTED 4 DAYS AGO # REPORT-POST
And I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to get something else organised - I try and get out most weeks Wed/Thurs.
Hi guys. It was great to meet you all and thanks for not laughing too much at my dumb ass tumble! Sorry I had to scoot off before the very end. I was wanted home so we could go out for a nice long walk :(. Now I'm really knackered.
Hope to meet you all again and I'm def interested in the evening rides.