Hello from Jedburgh

[Martyn H]

.........Well, from between Jedburgh and Hawick in the Scottish Borders actually.

Have been lurking for a while to see how friendly the forum is before jumping in and introducing myself! My name is Martyn, I'm 52 and admit to riding a bike. I have a Genesis Altitude 00 MTB, which I have had for the last 2 1/2 years. I tend to ride locally - plenty of hills with some single track trails nearby.

As the weather has been so lousy I have tended to ride around the local lanes rather than get sunk up to my hubs in thick gloopy mud. I try and get out at least once a week, but should really try and get out more often. I'm usually out for about 15 miles or so, but when the weather improves that usually goes up to about 30 on a good day. I have an ambition to go a cycle touring holiday later this year, but no definite ideas yet, but possible a circular tour around Northumbria may be on the cards.

When I'm not riding, or thinking about riding I'm often dabbling with model railways or helping at the local Village Hall.

That's a little about me, so will get back to enjoying the forum

Martyn
a.k.a Dinorwic

 

[HLaB]

HIYA from up the road; well to Sunday at least, then I'll be passing near your place on route to the south

 

[biggs682]

evening Martyn and

 

[Biker Joe]

Hi and welcome,
A cycle touring holiday sounds good I hope you get to realize your ambition.
In the mean time , Happy cycling.

 

[Scoosh]

Martyn H and to CycleChat !

Nice riding country around you (hoss and iron hoss !) - hope you have some good cleaner for the iron one ...

If you fancy a meeting and ride with other CC Ecosse folk, keep an eye on the CC and Informal Rides section, when we sometimes get sufficiently organised to go for a bike ride in company. There will be CAKE !

 

[BruceF]

Marilyn---Welcome from another newbie! I'm here for less than a week, so you've been following CC for longer than me...

Anyhow--I'm a 2014 JoGLE wannabee and I wonder if you could help me with one point... I've read about the legendary midges of Scotland and my questions are:
1. Is there a 'midge season' or 'peak season' which would best be avoided when doing JoGLE?
2. Is there a 'most recommended' type or brand of repellant suggested for anti-midge use?
3. Do they get so bad that one of those jungle-style head-covering insect net enclosures is advisable?
My apprehensions may be a bit overbaked, but I'd prefer to avoid getting to the highlands uninformed and unprepared and find myself contemplating bailing out.
Thanks for your insight.

 

[Martyn H]

Marilyn---Welcome from another newbie! I'm here for less than a week, so you've been following CC for longer than me...

Anyhow--I'm a 2014 JoGLE wannabee and I wonder if you could help me with one point... I've read about the legendary midges of Scotland and my questions are:
1. Is there a 'midge season' or 'peak season' which would best be avoided when doing JoGLE?
2. Is there a 'most recommended' type or brand of repellant suggested for anti-midge use?
3. Do they get so bad that one of those jungle-style head-covering insect net enclosures is advisable?
My apprehensions may be a bit overbaked, but I'd prefer to avoid getting to the highlands uninformed and unprepared and find myself contemplating bailing out.
Thanks for your insight.

Hi Folks and BruceF

Scottish Midges eh!

well............I wouldn't worry about bailing out, Scotland is too beautiful to do that and half a JoGLE would be only half the fun.

I have found that the little blighters are most active between the months of June and September, with some hardier ones about during the colder months. The best thing to do is carry some midge repellent (widely available from pharmacists and tourist centres across Scotland) in your luggage, or some Nivea "Skin so Soft" cream helps too. If I become aware of them I just stop and apply the remedy and carry on.

They tend to be more prevalent on the West coast because of the wetter climate, whereas the East Coast is less affected. Only once have I seen so many that riding with a mosquito net may have been a good idea. It wasn't in Scotland either, it was on the shores of Kielder Reservoir in Northumberland on a warm humid evening. If you do get bitten, and most people get the odd bite, I find that antihistamine tablets or some anesthetic cream take some of the itchiness away. No doubt others may come along and also offer some tips, I can only say what has worked for me.

My best advice.......be prepared and enjoy your JoGLE.


Martyn

 

[BruceF]

Marilyn... Thanks a million for the midge info. Because of my perspective (solidly mired in inexperience and ignorance of midges and sitting an entire world away with nobody at hand who even knows what a midge is) I'd been forced to rely on what I'd read about midges, which was an image of endless clouds of insatiable carniverous flying insects that could strip the body of an ox to a skeleton in minutes flat (kind of like flying piranhas), etc... Some bicycle touring travelougues I've read were evidently written by unprepared newbies (probably from near where I live in New York) who suffered because of their ignorance and unpreparedness, so their travelogues ended up badly overbaked. I read one particularly memorable travelogue about back country highland mountain biking that was a horrifying tale of genuine misery. What you've given me is the image of a sometimes unpleasant but manageable situation and the knowledge that I can make it through even if the going gets nasty for a while. Many thanks for the reality check! One more area of ignorance filled in as I work down my checklist toward "The Big Trip"...

 

[i hate hills]

Welcome Martyn from dull and overcast Brechin!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nearly there]

from over the Border

 

[Fubar]

Hi and welcome from Dunfermline!

 

[Get In The Van]

Hello from the central belt, i'll be down your neck of the woods soonish, as i'm in for the Tour of The Borders Sportive in April, really looking forward to it.
a lovely part of the world!

 

[Martyn H]

Thanks for all the welcome messages, much appreciated. Today I have mostly been fettlingHave replaced the chain - not before time as I discovered a split plate on the inside. The link looked as though it was just ready to part company with the rest of the chain. I then turned to the front changer which is creaking away and refusing to travel it's full distance - even with the cable disconnected and the stops screwed right off. It's coming off completely tomorrow for a deep clean and lube and hopefully, put back for further use. Don'y you just love the recent wet weather At least it has been dry if very dull today.

Now off for some home made shortbread


Martyn