This one isn’t ideal from a location POV, but Glasgow would be lovely for a framebuilding holiday – http://rothaircycles.com/scottishframebuildersworkshop-com/

Would you like a Kindness of Stranger followed by Incompetence of Stranger story too?

Not only that ride. Any rides previously logged are null and void.

Extended gastronomic version of Ride to the Sun?

Grasmere Gingerbread (unless Carlisle has a sweetie/cake?)
Ecclefechan Tarts
Moffat Toffees
Hawick Balls
Jethart Snails
Edinburgh Rock
Cramond Antacid Tablets

330km, perfect for the RttS Doublers.

Thanks KCR – I’m a worrier… 🙂

Was looking at some routes last week and Afsluitdijk is closed to bikes until 2025, There is a bus service that carries bikes across, but you can’t book it, so seems like a bit of a gamble.

Like the others have said – go for it. We had three amazing days from Rotterdam down to Antwerp, out to the coast and then back up to the ferry last year All incredibly easy.

And like midlifecrashes mentioned, we rolled out of Hull port to find a van blocking the cylepath and then litter strewn, overgrown and puddled paths back to where we’d dumped the van…

Saw this film about wild “ducking” at Kendal which was inspiring, but hasn’t actually got me into the water – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYyuygcFEEo

Have done the last two – a brilliant thing indeed. 2022’s thousand years stares over bacon rolls at Cramond Church Hall were #ChefsKiss. Back again next year and maybe a Ride From The Sun soon if I pull my finger out.

Logistics – driven down from the central belt for the start and then returned the next day by train.

190km Bridge of Balgie Tea room
226km Killin lots of options

And that’s a very long 36km too. Only regret doing it last year was thinking I could push on to Killin and not stop at the tearoom. Bonked spectacularly about 5km later.

Most definitely. Not as my main MTB these days, but still out on an old Genesis IO and less frequently on a not quite as old Genesis Day-One that’s set up fixed.

Just to echo didnthurt’s suggestion of the Pilgrim’s Way – really enjoyed this when I did the St A > Culross version last year. 120km for me from train at Leuchars > home in Falkirk. Can add another 20km by starting/finishing in Dundee instead

We did a quick tour last spring – Dunkirk > Kwaremont for a couple of nights > Dunkirk and had a brilliant time.

Great roads, few cobbles, quite a few beers and a visit to Brouwerij Verhaeghe in Vichte for a brewery tour to see how they make Duchesse De Bourgogne.

And then, I thought, I seem to remember reading that SRAM gear cable is narrower in diameter than other makes. Is that true, and could this be the cause?

Yes, SRAM gear cable is 1.1mm

Back in the 80s a woman on the wrong side of the road had a head on with a motorbike.
The rider died and she got off as the judge deemed that having to live with the guilt was punishment enough.

Still happening – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-61549725.amp
He said he decided against a prison sentence because of Macdonald’s clean driving record, and the effect the accident had on him personally.

A wee detour to Inverkeithing would give you another secteur – https://goo.gl/maps/bYCQa5JC29ZkQknG9 (although it’s more RvV than P-R in character).

“a beautiful tailwind ride down”
Unpossible! 😉

> a big cloud bank on the Aviemore side
I can confirm that there was a big cloud bank on the Aviemore side. Popped out of it about 100m below the summit of Cairngorm with wee teases of Macdui and Braeriach in the distance. Glorious on Macdui and then back into the clouds

> Tom Bhuide and Tolmount
Rode them last summer from the A93 (small car park at NO 147799) as a a/c foursome with Cairn of Claise and Carn an Tuirc. Not bad day out, but never really catches fire.

> a beezer of a tailwind for the fast spin down the glen.
Does not compute. There’s always a headwind down GT and that river flows uphill…

Did you get that sorted out? Can be sorted through social media too – FB / Twitter / Instagram

Sanny – sorry missed the other bit of your post this morning. Thanks – like shooting fish in a barrel given weather. Been doing more “proper” rides again and hitting a few more hill. Gears and suspension eh, whoulda thunk it. Cairngorm>MacDui>Derry Cairngorm>LG was a humdinger, still got the tan lines… Hopefully spring/summer will deliver again.

Terrain is such that I don’t think a fat bike would make that much of a difference. A hover bike would be good…

The big hairdryer will need to be turned up to 11 to shift that amount of snow quickly. Was up at Glencoe last Monday and there are metres of it higher up – can’t remember seeing so much in 25yrs+ of Scottish skiing.

Not sure if Cairngorms have caught quite the quantity.

Given the current snow levels, you might find the higher stuff still has a fair covering in May…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-26339994

> Also, has anyone crossed the plateau from Carn Ban Mor to Braeriach?
Ground from end of the LR track across the area north of Tom Dubh is very boggy. It’s not horrific, but almost zero riding.

Jocks Road – get’s pretty unpleasant after Davy’s Bourach until you’re right down into Callater. As Sanny says maybe Broad Cairn, etc and drop into Callater that way.

Lairig Ghru – it’s not boggy, but almost total rock **** from near Corrour Bothy right into Rothie. Lairig an Loaigh much easier (but still not easy).

Streak of Pish makes for a quick push back up from Muick to the pony hut.

p.s. Sanny said “beta”!

Try this FB group, lots of Edinburgh/Scotland folks on there and a few CX bikes have come up in the last wee while.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/198728110180843/

…and I think the 500 does too

On the 500, it’s:
Long press on Page/Menu (to main menu)
Down two & select GPS
Down one & select Satellite, then down to display grid ref.

Another pretty much stock Anthem X3 (2010). Been a great bike.

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IMG_7747[/url] by martysavalas[/url], on Flickr

want to see the scar I got from falling on red stone chips as a nipper?

What Hels said.

From a long term business pov I’d be developing MTB trails on my mountain with some eagerness.

Entering into SingleGuessWorld here, but ownership of land and ownership of the ski centre on top of it are two different things.

At Nevis Range it’s Rio Tinto Alcan up top and FC below isn’t it? Seem to remember the lease arrangements here control the mtb trails can open.

some local authorities have interpreted that as meaning you can’t rattle a tin, but it’s not actually illegal (unless done in a harassy way).
Based on what the Mrs was told by our local council (Fife).

There’s some legal stuff you have to get covered before you can “rattle the tins”
And rattling the tins is one of the things you can’t do… 🙂

Tyndrum would probably be the best bet on the WHW itself. Lots of people stopping at Real Food / Green Welly on top of WHWers. Possibly Milngavie if you’re doing some photos at the start and Balmaha too (if you’re there on a weekend).

Pre-event fundraising online would almost certainly net you more than collecting change whilst riding. Virgin Money Giving / JustGiving page and encourage folks by email / social media?

Most people head S>N, so if you’re riding the same way you’d be stopping to speak to folks which I’d imagine will get a bit wearing and depending on when you’re doing it, you might not see that many people on bits of the route.

Edit: ditto what scotroutes said in his point B.

dry spell?

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IMG_7463[/url] by martysavalas[/url], on Flickr

🙂

Not sure the FCP counts as “easy” if you’re doing the whole thing and not skipping the PITA bit from St A to Boarhills and the sandy bits…

Steel or M2?

and highlights on ITV4 at 21:00

So w’happen DanEvs? Did you win? 😉

They are approaching Edinburgh ATM and, judging from the tweets, are working out a way of getting round legally as the Bypass has a no cycling rule.
Didn’t stop the guy I saw on the Bypass between Straiton and Hillend at about 11:00 today…

You are Dave Brailsford and I claim my £5.

Remembering that Uphall Station is on the slower line to Glasgow – ~50mins minimum to GQS. Parking there can also be tight.

I read the legal bit in the OP in a not painting a giant cock on the gardener’s lawn in weedkiller way, rather than calling in the lawyers way…