Another CC Ecosse (East) RV Ride - Sat 10 March

[Scoosh]

After a good meeting and ride last Saturday , I've had a cold and sore throat , so this week I'm heading for the gentle slopes of West Lothian.

I'm aiming to be at Beecraigs Country Park Cafe at/soon after 1100 and I'll be riding on about 1230 (6 Nations rugby beckons ! )

The usual routine for an RV Ride applies:
- date, place and time arranged
- you can ride as far or as short as you wish to get there (or drive/ride )
- we meet, have CAKE - and anything else you wish
- you are free to leave whenever you want, to ride on or head back

With so much notice , anyone fancy a wee doodle on Saturday ?

Weather forecast is looking .... promising

 

[Telemark]

I'll keep an eye on the wind, the Met office is currently predicting WSW 18 mph gusting to 35 ... and I am no Mr Ridley (who laughs in the face of a storm)
Might see you there (or not ) !

T

 

[ACS]

Again I will be a no show . Signed up to do the ''Not The Tour of East Lothian' on Sunday and I doubt my legs will take a run down the capital on the Sat and a sprint over the 'Rigg' on Sunday

 

[edindave]

Again I will be a no show . Signed up to do the ''Not The Tour of East Lothian' on Sunday and I doubt my legs will take a run down the capital on the Sat and a sprint over the 'Rigg' on Sunday

Can't make Sat - Daddy Day Care duties!

I'm hoping to tag along on the NTToEL on Sunday too. But I haven't signed up - do I need to?

 

[Scoosh]

Can't make Sat - Daddy Day Care duties!

I'm hoping to tag along on the NTToEL on Sunday too. But I haven't signed up - do I need to?

This and this refer ....

I'm busy on Sunday, so have a great excuse can't make it. Had been looking forward to it

 

[edindave]

I've left it a bit late to sign up for that ride officially, so I'll just bring my own munchies and tag along.

Sorry I'll miss you all again on Sat. Hope there is another meet soon.

 

[mcshroom]

I'm sorry to go off topic.

Can't make this week as I'm in Brighton. I should be cycling into Edinburgh next Saturday though (from the South on Coast and Castles). Anyone likely to be around then?

 

[Telemark]

I'm sorry to go off topic.

Can't make this week as I'm in Brighton. I should be cycling into Edinburgh next Saturday though (from the South on Coast and Castles). Anyone likely to be around then?

off-topic reply -

Do you want to do a "calling CC Ecosse - Edinburgh 17 March" thread?
We might be around, but not 100% sure yet, and depending on time of day possibly, too! If it works out, we (CC Ecosse) could either meet you somewhere, or you could come to our place (T & HJ's) for a visit/cup of something & food? - perhaps combined with a CC Ecosse meet, but I am getting ahead of myself here. I can't remember if we have your mobile number and you have ours, feel free to PM nearer the time, if you want to swap numbers... it would be great to see you again!

Enjoy C&C South - we loved the northern part of it, from Alnmouth onwards , be sure you time your ride to cross the tidal causeway to Lindisfarne (and back again ) !

T

 

[HLaB]

The Kinesis is ailing so I doubt I'll be venturing far.

 

[Col5632]

Sadly i have plans on sat so i cant make it Might end up on a short ride of my own though

 

[Scoosh]

I'll keep an eye on the wind, the Met office is currently predicting WSW 18 mph gusting to 35 ... and I am no Mr Ridley (who laughs in the face of a storm)
Might see you there (or not ) !

T

Tuck yourself in behind the Hairy One and come along ! Besides, the visibility is described as 'Very Good', so you'll see the gusts a long ways off !

I intend to be at the A90 bridge (up from Cramond Brig) at 0945-1000, so can link up with anyone there. At 1000- I'm awa' ! (approx 23 km from there to cafe)

Anyone ??

 

[Telemark]

Phew .. I just finished work for the day , will see what tomorrow brings ...
The mind might be willing, but the body needs some sleep

Have a good ride if I don't make it!

T

 

[Scoosh]

A great ride, in the end !

Edinburgh_Rider28 and I met up early and 'ambled'** out to Beecraigs - against the wind and up a couple of slopes I had chosen . No one else there shortly after 1110, so we had a nice coffee and admired the view out of the panoramic windows. We were joined by Seamab, who had ridden over the Kincardine Bridge. He had had cross-winds most of the way, we had had headwinds .

We were about to leave, when Touche arrived, so we had to stay and have a chat with him ... He'd ridden along the canal from Edinburgh which, into the wind and along the towpath, was not as quick as anticipated !
We were later leaving than planned, so took the direct route back - averaging 28.8kph for the return journey.

A good ride in the end - and so much better to fly back than struggle into a headwind .

 

[Theseus]

Just back from an interesting ride.

Decided to leave off the lycra and all the gear, let the fixed have a rest and take a sedate ride into the country.

Left home around 9 with the only cycling specific clothes being the jacket in my backpack. The steed for the ride would be the No.4 bike with basic 7 speed triple and flat handlebars. The route to the RV chosen was to make my way into town, join the Union Canal and along to Linlithgow and then up to the RV. I had estimated a couple of hours for this, but in the end it took over 3. I didn't take into account that the canal takes the long way round, the wind was in my face, having to slow when meeting people, taking care going under bridges and over aqueducts & weirs, slogging through sticky mud, etc... the speed sustained was variable for a flat ride.

Just as I arrived, Scoosh, Edinburgh_Rider28 & Seamab were just leaving, but being the gentlemen they are they agreed to stay and chat while I had a restorative tea. Apparently ER28 is the sort of man that rides up climbs that defeat sportive riders while towing a trailer. After the trio left I had a bite and then made my way back.

The intention was to follow a route Scoosh recommended, but I probably took a few wrong turns and ended up at one of the construction sites for the new Forth crossing. A minor backtrack and a couple of other wrong turns had me riding alongside the A89 into Edinburgh. I stopped for a few minutes on the footbridge over the M9 to watch a plane take off over my head before riding on to the Gyle and making my way round the old ring road to get back home.

A nice little day long jaunt in jeans.

 

[Seamab]

The one reservation i had about this RV was getting through Grangemouth. As it turned out it was a doddle. Probably being on the weekend the industrial traffic was light. I had a recollection from a previous CC Ecosse "Round the Forth" route of a nice back road from Grangemouth to the top of Bo'ness but i missed it on the way there and ended up at Kinneil House which looked quite splendid. Unfortunately the NCN 76 route which goes through the grounds turns from tarmac to mud at this point, so i retraced back to the tarmac and took the road up and down to Linlithgow. I'd forgotten it is a bit of a climb up to Beecraigs! However, a nice coffee and scone/jam/cream and panoramic view soon made up for this.
ER28 and Scoosh had already made short work of theirs. Heading off Touche arrived from the canal route so we stayed for a chat.
Heading home the crosswind played havoc with the Beecraigs descent so i had to take it easy. I found the nice route down into Grangemouth i'd missed on the way out and headed back much the way i had come only this time going over the Clackmannan Bridge (having had crossed the Forth first time over the old Kincardine Bridge). So a nice 55 miles or so all in.
I enjoy the RV's as you take as long/short a route as you like at a pace that suits you and then meet up with some friendly CC faces (if your time management gets you there on time!). It gives a nice focus for the ride and gets me out on different roads. Today the crosswinds were a real challenge at times but that's all part of cycling.
Thanks to Scoosh for posting this up.