A micro adventure

Weather forecast being good for once I decided on a wee spin and a night camped out.   My head needed it.

I decided on riding the old ” theives road” an old drove road from near Edinburgh to Peebles and beyond.  I knew my legs did not have enough in them so took my ebike particularly as the first section of the theives road looked vegitated and boggy.

Well the section from Balerno to West linton was bad as I feared although I did have the amusement of meeting a naked rambler.  1.5 hours for 3 miles.  Walk assist on the ebike came in handy.  Indeed without the assistance i would have walked more of this.

Second section from west Linton was more rideable and soon took me up into degraded grouse moor where i camped.  No grouse to be seen tho.  Just loads of pen reared game birds but a few buzzards.  I did get a friendly wave from a gamekeeper tho.

Today I have a probable short section of hikabike then i will leave The drive road to head north

Endless bog

Pics posted in the wrong order

Looks ace, beautiful weather for it!

Nice one TJ!

Coffee time

Looks like you had a great time. It’s always good to explore.

Weather looked perfect!

Much more cloudy today.  I suppose I had better get out of my sleeping bag and get moving.

20 odd mikes from home.

33 miles yesterday with 2600 ft of climb.  28 of which were offroad but mainly easy .  Water of leith to balerno.  A few miles down the a70 then the drove road.  Today will be follow the drive road fir a bit the forest riads tiwards leadburn. Road to Penicuik then old railway to dalkeith then over the wisp to home

I was trying to think of which bit would be boggy, but it looks like you went up by Harperrig? I’d only ever do that as a descent and gravity helps :-)

I’ve ridden to Peebles and back (with a lap of GT) on my Amazon, before gravel riding was invented, but that’s the advantage of living in Balerno – those tedious town miles are avoided.

You’ve made me determined to dig out my overnight kit again. I’ve only been out twice this year.

I went south from balerno on the A70 and picked up theives road there.  It was that section that was boggy.the climb mainly. Around Harpenrig reservoir  Descent into west linton was ok.

Over the wisp

God, takes me back to Edinburgh days

Best get cracking, nice ride ahead of you.

Edit will you need to recharge the eeb? And where?

Ill get home without a recharge.  Just.  Range anxiety is real.  40% battery left but only one real climb left and thats short.

Home.  29 miles and 1200ft of climbing today.  The climb i feared was a nice bit of single track and the rest of the ride home was fine.

Of the total 62 milrs 15 ish was road.  25 miles of old railway with a good surface.  The rest mainly estate and forestry roads with a few bits of singletrack

Scotroutes is right.  Theives road is best south to north

Home with 4% battery and 3 miles range.

Is an endless bog what you need after a bottomless cup of tea?

… and

I did have the amusement of meeting a naked rambler.  1.5 hours for 3 miles.  Walk assist on the ebike came in handy.

Are these statements all connected? I’m trying to get my head around it?

Only connected in thats the order they came out of my head in. :-)

Walk assist actually drives the bike thru bogs – very useful.

took an hour and a half to cross the endless bog!

I’ve been thinking of doing the drove road passed Harperrig to West Linton but I think I’ll leave until there’s a long dry spell – probably next summer!

It would be fine going south to north and without luggage ( well fine in scottish drag your bike thru a swamp terms)