Forum ride - Central Scotland

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Tetedelacourse

Tetedelacourse

New Member
Location
Rosyth
Oh. My. God.

Well, if I'd bothered to check my PMs yesterday I'd have seen that Noodley wouldn't make it to the meeting. My mistake, sorry folks. If I'd bothered to pay attention to the forecast, I might have sent one myself!

We headed off out of Stirling just before 11am. Jassy had cycled 12 miles to get to the start. Gavin and his wife had done around 40 - 50 miles yesterday. HlaB had done a nice loop in Fife. I had about 12 pints and an Indian takeaway. Already I was thinking "uh-oh".

There was some light spitting as we set off - that's folk from Stirling for you ho ho ho, but there was general agreement that the day had turned out better than expected weatherwise, and the mood was high.

Jassy set a brisk pace up to Bridge of Allan and then Gavin and HLaB took over for the rest of the day. These men are machines. A big long gradual hill up towards Thornhill had me on my chinstrap, but little did I know it would get much much worse.

We turned south and into Hurricane Kippen. I now know what those giant monks on It's a Knockout feel like when they get buckets of water thrown in their faces. That pretty much continued for the next 3 hours. I have to thank Gavin's wife for pulling me along in the cyclone.

Shortly after Jassy had uttered the fateful words "I think there's a few wee hills coming up", we began to climb, and climb, and climb. Kippen is on a hillside. A steep road up to it, the main street is a steep hill, and there's a steep hill after it. Whenever the road levelled out, the gradient was replaced by a face full of weather. Aargh!

Anyway we battled on and I can barely describe the euphoria I was filled with upon seeing the sign for Fintry cemetary. That's where we had decided to stop for food (Fintry, not the cemetary). We pulled into a decent wee pub and squelched in. A few coffees, teas, pasta, chips and toasties were consumed as we sat huddled round a fire.

The great cycling football fans we were, we enjoyed a few moments from today's Swindon v Sunderland game, until a caption came up saying Sheffield Wednesday 1, Sheffield United 0. Time to brave the elements once more, which hadn't abated, no not for one moment.

We left our mark on the pub, which thankfully was removed by a wee lady with a towel when we stood up. Walking back outside into the rain, I began to visibly shake, either due to the weather or the shock. My body was demanding to know why I was subjecting it to tundra-like conditions again, with only Wiggle's cut-price attire by way of protection.

As we pulled out of the car park, I heard a motorist say to another that a tree had blown over in the direction from whence we had just come. That was another "what the f&&k are we doing here" moment for me.

Anyway, the general consensus was that the extra hills discussed earlier in this thread were not needed and we headed up Carron Valley, which in parts provided brief respite from the facefuls of water falling from the sky.

Sadly, just before Carronbridge, HlaB hit a pothole in the middle of the road, covered by surface water. Various bits flew off his bike and so he stopped. Gavin's wife did'nt have time in the still horrendous conditions to take evasive action and there followed that horrible sound that we all know only too well of bikes coming together and shouts of horror.

Such was the extent of the crash that she couldn't complete the ride. As we were only 8 miles out, it was decided that she'd wait at Carronbridge in the pub while Gavin got the car. Jassy departed at that point too. Or did you wait too? Hope you're bearing up ok Laura, looked like a nasty gash to the shin courtesy of a chainring. HlaB's brakes were affected too and he had to go easy on what must be the fastest longest downhill stretch I've cycled.

Gavin, HlaB and I reached Stirling at around 3.15 and said our goodbyes (I gave HlaB a lift back to Fife). And so came the end of an epic day in the saddle.

I can't remember ever feeling so cold and wet and exhausted on my bike as I did today. I can't remember ever having to put up with weather like that for so long. I can't remember seeing a nasty crash like that so close up.

But equally I can't remember spending a day in the saddle with a nicer bunch of folk, and I'm already looking forward to the next meet-up, provided I can't sell my bike and kit on ebay beforehand, and provided the weather isn't quite so biblical next time.

As I said at the time - that was an unforgettable day, and not for all bad reasons.

Chapeau!
 

Keith Oates

Janner
Location
Penarth, Wales
Good report Tete, I have to say after reading it that I'm glad I wasn't there as well. I'd blame Noodley for the weather, he knew it was going to happen and didn't tell anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
:ohmy::eek::biggrin:

Boy, am I glad I didn't go! I'd still be cycling just now! I spent the day playing with our and our German friends kids with only a short excursion to the local play park.

That crash sounds nasty and I hope Mrs gavintc isn't too badly hurt and recovers quickly.

Seriously I am glad I didn't go as I am just starting to get a hunger for distance cycling and I don't want anything to put me off at this early stage. I think I'll leave it 'till the spring!

Well done guys for the effort! Chapeau indeed! :becool:


P.S. Tete, what do you mean you can't remember a day in the saddle with nicer folk, what about PfS? Oh wait a minute, you were mostly just with your wife weren't you.........:laugh::biggrin:
 
goo_mason said:
You might get a cameraman, but the amount of video he'll have will take an awful long time to edit down.... :becool:


I really have been snowed under with stuff, German visitors, stag weekends, bike courses, etc. I will get it done honest!:laugh:
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
It was as tete described an epic. The damp chill as you get back onto your bike in driving rain after the lunch stop was most miserable.

I do hope that HLab's brakes are OK as my wife give him and his bike quite a shunt. Thankfully she stopped at the pub as when I came to load the bike into the car, the front skewer disintegrated. She must have walloped the skewer in the impact. As soon as I flipped the QR, it just came apart into lots of little pieces. She also broke her left Ergo gear lever in the process as well.

She was very grateful for jassy_x remaining at the pub to give her morale encouragement while I went the 8 miles to Stirling for the car.

edit: My wife will kill me for not giving an update to her health having focussed on the bike. The gash in her leg was pretty superficial - blood but not deep. The bashes on her elbow and knee are sorer, but with painkillers and a glass of wine she slept OK, but was stiff this morning.

As tete described - one to be repeated but in better weather.
 
Is mrs gavintc ok? My derailleur is bust from the impact and my front wheel buckled my sti's were bent a bit but other than that I don't think its too bad. I had to take the brakes apart last night to get the wheel off but I'll true it later, I've got a holiday to Sardinia to pack for. Physically I escaped OK I think. A couple of bruises on the left knee and I think I might of pulled something on the right, hopefully not.

I hope we get better luck another time.

Edit: thanks for the update on your wife
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
I am sorry to hear that you too suffered some equipment breakage. I had hoped that your brake problems were minor. It was an unfortunate piece of road - very bumpy, potholed and not a good brakeing surface. Lori felt guilty after the event and I do not think she apologised properly at the time as she was a bit pre-occupied.

I hope you enjoy your trip to Sardinia.
 
gavintc said:
I am sorry to hear that you too suffered some equipment breakage. I had hoped that your brake problems were minor. It was an unfortunate piece of road - very bumpy, potholed and not a good brakeing surface. Lori felt guilty after the event and I do not think she apologised properly at the time as she was a bit pre-occupied.

I hope you enjoy your trip to Sardinia.
Tell her there was no need to, I was more concerned about her.
 
HLaB said:
Tell her there was no need to, I was more concerned about her.


I just hope your in the CTC HLaB, they have some good lawyers that could get you a good compensation pay out. I hope you took pictures. Do you think there were any CCTV cameras close by........:becool::laugh:
 

Scoosh

Velocouchiste
Moderator
Location
Edinburgh
What a ride ! Well done guys and gal :laugh:. I was thinking of youse (and quite glad I wasnae there TBH :becool:)

Hope the injuries to bikes and peeps peeps and bikes are coming on OK, with no long term damage. Strangely enough, there wasn't any rain in Embra till about 1400, though there was a lot of wind - as forecast.

Mind you, from reading the report(s), I get the feeling there might be an A team and a B team forming. Those who did this one are defo A team.
CHAPEAU :biggrin:




Who wants to join me in the C team :ohmy: ?
 

jassy-x

Well-Known Member
Tetedelacourse said:
Oh. My. God.

Well, if I'd bothered to check my PMs yesterday I'd have seen that Noodley wouldn't make it to the meeting. My mistake, sorry folks. If I'd bothered to pay attention to the forecast, I might have sent one myself!

We headed off out of Stirling just before 11am. Jassy had cycled 12 miles to get to the start. Gavin and his wife had done around 40 - 50 miles yesterday. HlaB had done a nice loop in Fife. I had about 12 pints and an Indian takeaway. Already I was thinking "uh-oh".

There was some light spitting as we set off - that's folk from Stirling for you ho ho ho, but there was general agreement that the day had turned out better than expected weatherwise, and the mood was high.

Jassy set a brisk pace up to Bridge of Allan and then Gavin and HLaB took over for the rest of the day. These men are machines. A big long gradual hill up towards Thornhill had me on my chinstrap, but little did I know it would get much much worse.

We turned south and into Hurricane Kippen. I now know what those giant monks on It's a Knockout feel like when they get buckets of water thrown in their faces. That pretty much continued for the next 3 hours. I have to thank Gavin's wife for pulling me along in the cyclone.

Shortly after Jassy had uttered the fateful words "I think there's a few wee hills coming up", we began to climb, and climb, and climb. Kippen is on a hillside. A steep road up to it, the main street is a steep hill, and there's a steep hill after it. Whenever the road levelled out, the gradient was replaced by a face full of weather. Aargh!

Anyway we battled on and I can barely describe the euphoria I was filled with upon seeing the sign for Fintry cemetary. That's where we had decided to stop for food (Fintry, not the cemetary). We pulled into a decent wee pub and squelched in. A few coffees, teas, pasta, chips and toasties were consumed as we sat huddled round a fire.

The great cycling football fans we were, we enjoyed a few moments from today's Swindon v Sunderland game, until a caption came up saying Sheffield Wednesday 1, Sheffield United 0. Time to brave the elements once more, which hadn't abated, no not for one moment.

We left our mark on the pub, which thankfully was removed by a wee lady with a towel when we stood up. Walking back outside into the rain, I began to visibly shake, either due to the weather or the shock. My body was demanding to know why I was subjecting it to tundra-like conditions again, with only Wiggle's cut-price attire by way of protection.

As we pulled out of the car park, I heard a motorist say to another that a tree had blown over in the direction from whence we had just come. That was another "what the f&&k are we doing here" moment for me.

Anyway, the general consensus was that the extra hills discussed earlier in this thread were not needed and we headed up Carron Valley, which in parts provided brief respite from the facefuls of water falling from the sky.

Sadly, just before Carronbridge, HlaB hit a pothole in the middle of the road, covered by surface water. Various bits flew off his bike and so he stopped. Gavin's wife did'nt have time in the still horrendous conditions to take evasive action and there followed that horrible sound that we all know only too well of bikes coming together and shouts of horror.

Such was the extent of the crash that she couldn't complete the ride. As we were only 8 miles out, it was decided that she'd wait at Carronbridge in the pub while Gavin got the car. Jassy departed at that point too. Or did you wait too? Hope you're bearing up ok Laura, looked like a nasty gash to the shin courtesy of a chainring. HlaB's brakes were affected too and he had to go easy on what must be the fastest longest downhill stretch I've cycled.

Gavin, HlaB and I reached Stirling at around 3.15 and said our goodbyes (I gave HlaB a lift back to Fife). And so came the end of an epic day in the saddle.

I can't remember ever feeling so cold and wet and exhausted on my bike as I did today. I can't remember ever having to put up with weather like that for so long. I can't remember seeing a nasty crash like that so close up.

But equally I can't remember spending a day in the saddle with a nicer bunch of folk, and I'm already looking forward to the next meet-up, provided I can't sell my bike and kit on ebay beforehand, and provided the weather isn't quite so biblical next time.

As I said at the time - that was an unforgettable day, and not for all bad reasons.

Chapeau!
...good report Tete.....couldn't have said it better myself....
...although pretty grim at times with the weather, looking back it now, it was a great day all in...just a shame about that nasty wee collision with Hlab and Lori, I can still see it pretty vivid right now as I had one of those braking while screaming moments as I just managed to avoid it becoming a three bike smash...pretty fortunate you guys came out with only cuts, bumps & bruises...could have been a whole lot worse....hope the bikes get well soon!!!!..
...after Gavin came back to pick up Lori...I then continued my last 7/8 miles home and although mostly down hill, the wind seemed to have picked up even stronger which at one point came side on and nearly took the bike from under me..one of those....:ohmy:oh FFS!!!!! moments...but thankfully I stayed up and got home safely....and boy was I glad to see home !!!!:laugh::biggrin::biggrin:

looking forward to the next one guys.....:becool:
 
After Tete dropped me of in Cairneyhill, it was a very slow cycle home for me (about 10mph) for the last 5 miles. I deliberately didn't worry my mother with the details of the collision but when she offered to give me a lift back to Edinburgh I gladly accepted.

Putting the moments aside, it was nice meeting everybody :becool:
 

Noodley

Guest
My apologies guys, I should have posted a reply here rather then sending tete a PM. My F-in-L was taken into hospital with a collapsed lung so I had no choice but to cancel ;) Sounds like a few of you only narrowly missed joining him ;)

Hopefully, the next time I'll be there and I'll bring some decent weather with me...
 
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