Scotland : Perthshire CC Ecosse Perth Ride - Sat 3rd August

[Telemark]

I can't believe how in love with that island I am.

You need to try some other islands next ... how about a few days on the Outer Hebrides? Catch a train to Oban, ferry to Lochboisdale, and keep cycling NNE-ish (with lots of wee side-roads to explore off the main road) ... ferry back from Stornoway to Ullapool, cycle to Garve (or Inverness) and catch the train back - a bargain with the CalMac Island Rover (you only need to remember to pre-book your bike on the trains you want to catch, due to the limited spaces available on the two train routes involved; ferries no problem).

Closer to home, Bute is great, too - with some good hills (including the Serpentine in Rothesay), but a lot flatter overall than Arran, and very quiet roads... We spend a weekend on Bute, exploring all the roads and sights - but it would make an equally good day trip with lots of loops and dead end roads - all of which are leading to or from Rothesay and the ferry

Back on topic ... looks like a big CC Ecosse Peloton is forming for 3rd August

T

 

[Scoosh]

Scooshie - are you taking the Scoosh-mobile? And if yes, can I tentatively reserve a space, please (if there is any left with the 'bent on board)

T

Hope so and naturally

Now, back on thread topic ... enough of this islands touring stuff ... grumph, grumph ...

 

[Col5632]

1.Col5632
2.GlasgowFinn
3.Jazloc (If back from London)
4.Edwardoka
5.Rasmus
6.Louch
7.GBC
8.Harry_Palmer79 (if bike is ok)
9.Pat "5mph"
10.DelB (if no romance plans are happening)
11.Gee_Dee (Maybe)
12.Edindave (Maybe)
13.Jen5656 (Maybe)
14.Mr Messy
15.Jann71 (Maybe)
16.Scoosh
17.Fubar
18.Telemark (Maybe)

Is anybody able to get in contact with @TechMech as i dont think he comes on the forum much these days, would be great to have him along again

 

[Scoosh]

Porridge shall be had, gears shall be installed and money shall be in pockets.

... derailleur shall be working .... Mum shall not be worried ...

 

[Scoosh]

@Col5632 I've PM'd TechMech to 'encourage' him !

 

[Louch]

... derailleur shall be working .... Mum shall not be worried ...

There is no solution to stopping mothers worrying!

 

[Edwardoka]

You need to try some other islands next ... how about a few days on the Outer Hebrides? Catch a train to Oban, ferry to Lochboisdale, and keep cycling NNW-ish (with lots of wee side-roads to explore off the main road) ... ferry back from Stornoway to Ullapool, cycle to Garve (or Inverness)

I did this very thing either last year or the year before that, but instead of Lochboisdale, got the ferry to Barra and rode to Stornoway. Stunning place to cycle, absolutely incredible, although the ferry trip from Stornoway to Ullapool and the subsequent ride to Garve were both very grim due to torrential rain, howling headwinds, and Citylink refused to let me on the bus with the bike despite the fact that the rain was bouncing six inches off the ground

There is no solution to stopping mothers worrying!

I find that not taking a 45mph header into a ditch tends to help
(Sorry, Ross.)

 

[GlasgowFinn]

I did this very thing either last year or the year before that, but instead of Lochboisdale, got the ferry to Barra and rode to Stornoway. Stunning place to cycle, absolutely incredible, although the ferry trip from Stornoway to Ullapool and the subsequent ride to Garve were both very grim due to torrential rain, howling headwinds, and Citylink refused to let me on the bus with the bike despite the fact that the rain was bouncing six inches off the ground

Did this cycle about a month ago. We got the ferry to Castlebay (Barra) on the Friday and cycled to Vatersay (so we'd "done" it). On the Saturday we crossed to Eriskay, up through the Uists, ferry to Harris and pedalled up to Drimshader (W coast of Harris). Sunday we cycled up through Harris and Lewis to the Butt of Ness and Monday we came home. Marvellous place although Lewis is "shut" on a Sunday.

Have to say we were very lucky with the weather.

 

[Edwardoka]

Did this cycle about a month ago. We got the ferry to Castlebay (Barra) on the Friday and cycled to Vatersay (so we'd "done" it). On the Saturday we crossed to Eriskay, up through the Uists, ferry to Harris and pedalled up to Drimshader (W coast of Harris). Sunday we cycled up through Harris and Lewis to the Butt of Ness and Monday we came home. Marvellous place although Lewis is "shut" on a Sunday.

Have to say we were very lucky with the weather.

My main memory of Vatersay is that cattle grid on the climb shortly after the causeway

I didn't get as far as Port Nis because of limited daylight - I had a very long wait for the Berneray to Leverburgh ferry (the nearby weather predicting stone could only entertain for so long), so by the time I got onto Lewis and Harris, I was already well behind schedule and got into Stornoway at nightfall.

The weather broke badly on day 3 so rather than heading further north I got the first ferry back to the mainland.
We should make it the next CC Ecosse ride after the Perth one!

 

[Louch]

Maybe once my flat tyre repairing skills get good enough I will give it a go. Not having a lotta luck last few weeks

 

[Edwardoka]

My main memory of Vatersay is that cattle grid on the climb shortly after the causeway

My memory of Vatersay is so good that I thought that said cattle grid was on Vatersay side of the causeway when it's actually on Barra

 

[Harry_Palmer79]

There is no solution to stopping mothers worrying!

I find that not taking a 45mph header into a ditch tends to help
(Sorry, Ross.)

Never a truer word was spoken (or typed)!

On a serious note, I actually feel quite guilty for putting my folks through that. I know it was an accident, but I probably got a bit carried away with the adrenaline rush (I'd only ever got it up to 40mph before, so 50 was a bit scary tbh, but exciting at the same time). With hindsight that seems pretty wreckless, especially as I'm fairly new to road-bikes and I didn't know the road at all. My mum, who's been amazing about the whole thing, has been encouraging me to get back on my other bike and to replace the Triban 3 asap* as it's something I enjoy doing, just to be a bit more cautious next time! I keep having flashbacks of the few seconds before the crash though and it's not put me in a good place mentally, so I don't know how soon I'll be riding anywhere hilly but I'm sure I'll get back in the swing of things given time...

*The frame looks gubbed, so a replacement seems like the only realistic option.

 

[GlasgowFinn]

This is the view from the top of the An Cliseam climb on Harris. The weather was like that the entire trip.

There are a lot of cattle grids !

 

[Louch]

Never a truer word was spoken (or typed)!

On a serious note, I actually feel quite guilty for putting my folks through that. I know it was an accident, but I probably got a bit carried away with the adrenaline rush (I'd only ever got it up to 40mph before, so 50 was a bit scary tbh, but exciting at the same time). With hindsight that seems pretty wreckless, especially as I'm fairly new to road-bikes and I didn't know the road at all. My mum, who's been amazing about the whole thing, has been encouraging me to get back on my other bike and to replace the Triban 3 asap* as it's something I enjoy doing, just to be a bit more cautious next time! I keep having flashbacks of the few seconds before the crash though and it's not put me in a good place mentally, so I don't know how soon I'll be riding anywhere hilly but I'm sure I'll get back in the swing of things given time...

*The frame looks gubbed, so a replacement seems like the only realistic option.

There's no Shame going down a hill as slow as you went up it. I shat out doing any great speed on it as I felt the wind take me as I accelerated . It was a big off, and has to be respected, but don't let it keep you off any bike too long Ross. Try a few wee gentle rides, so that you have a fresh bike thought other than how Saturday finished for you

 

[Edwardoka]

There's no Shame going down a hill as slow as you went up it. I shat out doing any great speed on it as I felt the wind take me as I accelerated . It was a big off, and has to be respected, but don't let it keep you off any bike too long Ross. Try a few wee gentle rides, so that you have a fresh bike thought other than how Saturday finished for you

Absolutely spot on. The longer you dwell on it the harder it will be to get back in the saddle. Back on the bike, sir!