SE Scotland MAM(AL)ILs – another ride?

I’m getting married the day before so I may miss this one….. 😀

Did a great route down there last month. Started in Moffat and rode up the Devil’s Beeftub to Moffat then right at Tweedsmuir, nice steep section up from Talla reservoir, east on A708 for a bit, then a loop starting up the B709, onto the B7009, climb and descent on to Yarrow, back towards St Mary’s Loch then over to Innerleithen and Peebles. I then entered a very dark place with the 35 miles from Peebles back to Moffat into a bitchin’ headwind. Got back to Moffat having done 99.8 miles. I slumped in the boot of my car and spun my front wheel till the speedo read 100. Job done.

The roads were great though – quiet and well surfaced I thought. Climbs not bad at all, Talla was the only steep one.

Tsch! I’ve heard some excuses in my time Dan… 😉

You get out this evening? I’m meant to be doing some research for an essay but spent the evening fannying around on here instead.

Yes, no takers on the site so I went out at 6pm so no need for lights. Planned to do two or three full perimter loops at the Dean but there’s a couple more tree’s down so my, ahem, ‘flow’ was interrupted….the second half of full loop was still a bit of a mess, there’s been some felling going on, but the first half was lovely.

After a lap I went and did the final climb and down the fireroad x 5. Very good little loop. Messed about for a bit thereafter. I’m free most this weekend if you wanna get out – from 1pm Saturday onwards and all day Sunday.

Back to the thread…..yes, it’s a poor excuse, but better than my one for abandoing halfway round last week 🙂

Off to Cologne this weekend for drunken shenanigans. I’ll need to do some penance next week…

DCC are doing a 100-miler this sunday, if you’re keen.

I’m thinking of the route that DOAGB suggested – basically the Bethany Sportive route. A slower group could take a short-cut at Innerleithen.

Gotta find a decent start/end point with “facilities” and some food nearby. Dobbies Garden Centre is a possibility.

Another one I fancy is the Tearfund Sportive, 100miles starting and ending at Drumlanrig. We could even take the MTBs for a quick loop after 😉

Routes

Brandishing white carbon shoes and the razor will come out. Were you looking at me at the crit? sounds the perfect description!

I mentioned that route to druidh on monday night, been meaning to do it for the last 3 years!

All these rides will give Andy a chance to get used to changing gear again, i think i heard a few moments where he did remember to change gear last night 😆

Nope, still can’t get the hang of it 😳

Good route that, but you cant have a ride in the Borders that doesnt take in the Swire. Route could be easily modified to do that though.

Tearful Sporting is already full. Nowt to stop us doing it on another date tho

There is also nothing to stop people from making the road ride meet thing a regular thing either – fortnightly perhaps?

What’s/where’s the swire?

Surrounded By Zulus – Member
There is also nothing to stop people from making the road ride meet thing a regular thing either – fortnightly perhaps?

Indeed – and one of the reasons I’m keen to look at an evening ride option.

What’s/where’s the swire?

It’s a minor road between the Ettrick and Yarrow rivers. It’s also one of the best climb/descents in the Borders area.

The Swire is a litte road that connects Ettrickbridge to Yarrow. Has a beautiful long climb to it and a cracking descent.

Evening ride option would be good for me too. Plenty easily accessible routes in the borders that we could do. Plenty permutations start from Middleton or thereabouts.

Joining this party late as I’d expected to be hiking this weekend, but I might be planning a loop from Dunblane-Comrie-Killin-Glen Lyon-Kenmore-Amulree-Sma’ Glen-Dunblane on Sunday.

Lots of nice rolling climbs/descents and one absolute stinker of a sharp climb/descent.

Oh, and thanks for the heads up about ‘The Swire’, I’ll be trying to incorporate that in a route soon!

I might be planning a loop from Dunblane-Comrie-Killin-Glen Lyon-Kenmore-Amulree-Sma’ Glen-Dunblane on Sunday.

I could be up for that, sounds nice.

Anyone riding tomorrow?

Thats a nice route 13thfm. *is jealous and regrets entering sportive which means i can’t ride where/when i want to*

I know what you mean DGOAB, although I’m torn between training for Sportives and just going hillwalking every weekend at the moment, nice dilemma to have I suppose 8)

Bigdug, its 120 miles give or take so I’ll be happy just to push 15-16mph average for the ride, headwinds permitting. If that’s not too sedantry for you then I’d be glad of the tow company. I’ll need to check the trains but think they should be regular enough.

That does sound a classic route Iain, be brilliant just now. If it wasn’t for life getting in the way, I’d be there, no waiting…

absolute stinker of a sharp climb/descent

That’ll be out of Kenmore then? Ouch. Came over that way on the motored-velocipede last year; there’s a hairpin on Glen Quaich that a few bikes had clearly been getting ‘well over’™ on on the way up…

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Don’t worry Rob, I’ll have a new MTB soon enough, we’ll get some sneaky evening rides in.

Thats the very descent, I think I prefer descending it the other way, but yes, that hairpin lends a bit of excitement to an already steep section. Looking forward to descending through Glen Lyon from Pubil, drove up it a month or two back on our way to a hill, looked fast and rolling in the opposite direction!

13thFM that sounds a good pace, what time you planning on starting?

First train from Waverley is 9:30, gets to Dunblane for 10:40. Say between 8-9 hours riding/cake stops means I’ll be getting the hourly service back from Dunblane at 18:01 or 19:01. I’ll be getting to the station early in the morning to get a coffee and make sure I get on with the bike.

Just to avoid massive disappointments on the day, I reserve the right to bail early if my knee goes *click*, however its withstood two or three days silly commuter racing and Arthur’s seat laps so I should be OK.

No early flouncing will be accepted, you are much fitter than me!

you are much fitter than me!

As evidenced by what, my only dropping you on the etape recce cos you’d stopped for a five minute pee? 😀

Anyway, lets not start down that road, I’ll invite my mate as well, he’ll be slower than both of us 😈

(Markus, on the slim chance that you’re reading this, you know I’m joking!)

Doug (or anyone else) if you’re still up for this I’ll see you at waverley for the 9:30 train, or Dunblane for 10:30, whichever’s easiest. Maybe planning to finish at Bridge of Allan instead to sneak in an extra climb/descent beneath Dumyat.

For those after something less strenuous, there’s a small group leaving Tusitale at Fairmilehead tomorrow morning around 10am. Plan is to have an easy ride out to Broughton for some scran.

I rode the “Bethany Sportive” route yesterday and had a great time. Looks like a good option for May 8th. I just hope the weather is as good!

Is may 8th an open invite or is this another sportive?

May 8th is for everyone. I’ll post details nearer the time, but it’s basically a 160km route from Lasswade.

Viva Lasswade!

I’m up for that. It ‘s a great route with some surprisingly good long (mile+) descents – 7 that I can think of off the top of my head.

After today’s ride, Stuart and I are due some sun so can someone book the weather please? As hot as two weekends ago would be nice thanks 🙂

Currently looking like 13/14C tomorrow. No rain and a 9mph Westerly.

After today’s ride…

There was a ride today? Wine has obliterated all memory of it.

I feel broken.

Anyone fancy a MAM(AL)ILs FB group to help arrange more regular outings?

Good idea Dougie. You gonna set it up?

Could be an idea. For instance, tomorrow run was just something that DGOAB and I dreamed up over the last couple of days whereas we might have just planned to tag-along on someone else’s ride if we’d known there was one organised. Should we just focus on those of us in SE Scotland?

Maybe give it a try tomorrow, I’m crap at these things, so you’ll need to bear with me!

It
Is
Done

Let me know if you need an invite

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_179597792090857

Edit: Anyone got a decent photo for it?