Another new year..... 2007
After miserable weather over Xmas and Hogmany, the first cycle trip of 2007 was a short run-of-the-mill trip along the Forth and Clyde Canal - from Maryhill Aqueduct to just east of Kirkintilloch - in early January with Stuart
http://superjakey.blogspot.com/and Vikki (a round trip of around 45ks). Quite a dreich day weatherwise.... but some glimmers of sunshine; pictures from the trip are available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/sets/72157594463157236/During mid January, we re-visited Strathpeffer to do the Strathpuffer 24 race - a 24 hour off-road race from 10am Saturday morning to 10am Sunday morning. Yip, nuts ! Three of us (me, Stuart, Steven and Susan - aka "Goldielocks and the three bears") tried it last year - 2005 - but it proved a bit too much for one of the bears (me!) and the plug was pulled after around 12 hours. So this year I decided my role would be that of "facilitator". This role involved trying to ensure our newly purchased diesel generator didn't electrocute us in the pouring rain - great fun ! The weather was really awful this year. It rained for almost the entire duration of the event and it was pretty cold and windy. G&TTB this year comprised Stuart, Steven, Susan and Gavin and they did very well against all the odds (and elements) and cycled well into the wee sma' hours (around 3am). I had retreated to my freezing cold tent around 2am thankful that nobody had cycled into a tree or been blown up by the generator. You can see pictures at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/sets/72157594478785880/and there's a video clip of the start of the race at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t5KOG7ITo0 And if you're wondering if there will be a third attempt in 2008.........?????
During the first weekend in February I enjoyed a 56ks solo trip to Cowal and Glen Massan in beautiful weather (probably the best weekend in months !). Glen Massan is a really beautiful place and the trip was spoiled only by two wee ferocious dogs snapping away at my ankles at the top of the Glen. To get there, I cycled into Glasgow city centre and got the train
www.spt.co.uk to Gourock. From Gourock, it was on one of the old CalMac
www.calmac.co.uk ferries across to Dunoon and then around 10ks of road cycling to the start of the track up the glen. Pictures from the trip are at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/sets/72157594515821800/On Tuesday February 6, Stuart
http://superjakey.blogspot.com/and I went for a very short trip - in the freezing cold - around Glasgow's west end (Glasgow University and the Botanic Gardens). Pictures are at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/382059657/Because I live in the south side of the city, there's a 6ks trip (which can be an adventure at times) involved in getting from south to north west (west end). This usually involves hellishly busy roads (Pollokshaws Road/Eglinton Street), designated cycle paths (along the Broomielaw and in Kelvingrove Park etc) and some crazily designed cycle lanes. Glasgow has still plenty to do before it gets anywhere near becoming a cycling-friendly city.....
The forecast looked good for Saturday 17 February so Stuart and I headed off to Inveraray at Loch Fyne to do a cycle trip to a wee bothy in the area.....Pictures from the day are at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/sets/72157594541115970/On Sunday 25 February, Steven, Stuart and I headed down to Glentress.. Steven and Stuart did the red circuit - I just messed around with the camera.... Check out the pix at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/sets/72157594556116470/On Saturday 3 March, Colin and I went across to the Isle of Bute for the day for a cycle down to Kilchattan Bay and then a circular walk taking in Glencallum Bay, Saint Blane's Hill and Saint Blane's Church. The weather was fantastic... see the pix at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65166290@N00/sets/72157594567779808/
