That's everybody on their way home, they left well over an hour ago ...
Eight of us meeting up at the Commie Pool, and departed only about 3/4 of an hour late, @
Col5632 had a puncture en route, and @
mr messy had an unfortunate meeting with a rather hefty shower resulting in him being delayed for a bit and rather well chilled
, but it's for for them to tell their tales
(will we get stories a la @
Pat "5mph" ?
)
On the way out of town, there were a few welcome hills (yes!), to help us all warm up a wee bit. At Bonnyrigg we somehow got split up (probably my fault for not checking whether everybody was still together - they were all there a minute earlier when I looked behind, honest
). Luckily modern technology allowed us to make contact again and @
DougieAB's local knowledge got us all together again. Then we finally reached the wee quiet roads through the fields and woods (I think @
Rasmus took some photos), with the autumn colours in full swing and great light, with golden sunlight interspersed with rather dark clouds threatening, as they rolled over the Pentland Hills with dense shower curtains attached ... We got to the reservoir a wee bit later than anticipated, looking forward to the long downhill (the highest point is ~290m ASL), but also wary of the moving shower curtains. It was starting to spit and we stopped briefly to don waterproofs, but it didn't come to much - there were plenty of wet roads and big puddles everywhere as evidence of what had come through ahead of us...
Back at Carrington, it was decision time - would we tackle the Poltonmill climb, or Roslin Glen? As it was getting late and some brave souls were planning to cycle back home after the foodstop, we decided to go the fastest way, which involved crossing the North Esk by a big bridge (via Dobbie's garden centre from Bonnyrigg, capably led by @
DougieAB, whose backyard is nearby
). @
Rasmus was rather disappointed to miss out on the fabled climb
, but we promised to take him there in the spring ... any excuse for another social ride
.
By the time we crossed back north over the bypass, the sun had come out and it was quite warm
... . From there it was just down and up one more hill, and we were soon at the RV, where @
HJ had kindly heated up the big pot of soup, and @
Harry_Palmer79 was waiting, having only arrived about 10 minutes earlier, all the way from Anniesland
, having had a wee encounter with the Edinburgh tram tracks on the way
(no serious damage, is that right?). The tea pots & soup plates were soon filled, and the blether started to flow as everybody was defrosting. A sudden complete silence descended as people were tucking into the cakes, which was quite funny ...
We nearly poisoned @
mr messy by providing proper coffee rather than half a spoon of instant coffee
.
Somehow 9 slightly damp cyclists and their wet bikes managed to steam up every single window in the flat, but that was quickly resolved, and the dishwasher is removing the last evidence of their presence ... apart from the wee bit of leftover soup & cake.
Given the temperatures, it's probably time to give in and go for straight RV rides for the next wee while, rather than social rides
... so the question is, where shall we all meet again? (apart from the Christmas meal in four weeks' time) ...
Thanks for a great ride, with the usual banter, any bike did do, there was cake, and nobody got left behind (apart from the wee accidental parting of company with @
Scoosh , @
Col5632 and @
mr messy )
T
), and three possibles ... so there should be enough chairs/other assorted perches, phew. 
...
now pondering whether that's enough ...
... wafting some smells across the internet 
do you have a route map? I like to do my dreaming in front of maps 
a pleasure, I like baking, and it's great to have an bunch of helpers for the eating part 
