My first Pedal for Scotland.

[Pat "5mph"]

The Glasgow to Edinburgh 47 miler challenge 2012 ride: read all about it here, come do it next year!

Left home at 7.15am, the plan is to meet George aka doddy73 about a mile before the start, be there bright and early before 8.
The queue was already enormous, as you can see.

Trying to find somebody in the medley of bikes and riders was a lost cause, but I did clearly see, starting well in front of us, Jim of Greenock, riding a recumbent. Wonder if George caught up with him. I certainly didn't!
Out of Glasgow we head, really they couldn't have found a duller route. Dennistoun, Gatamarlock (how do you spell it??), Easterhouse .... lovely!?
At least I know now where the Decathlon store is in Glasgow.
From the start of the ride I was glad of my commuting skills: traffic lights galore, a minefield of potholes, numpties in abundance, just like my everyday ride to work, with extra roundabouts thrown in for good measure
Route heading slightly uphill, I thought just before reaching the first rest stop. Can't be very hilly though, as they posted on CChat that it is quite flat.
Then I remembered .... arghhhhh.... the poster of that info, George, who in the meantime was well away into the pallid horizon, has incorporated the hilliest of our local hills in his daily commute .... I am doomed!
Och well, after this mini brainstorm there was nothing else left for me but to take a cigi break with complementary banana. By the by, a milk company sponsors the event: tackling the rest of the ride with a milk belly sloshing inside you is not advised. Lucky I am a double espresso kinda girl!
Here are some pictures of the first rest stop, milk, bananas, energy bars, water, free to all.
and a random guy on a trike
... To be continued ...

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Not much to report between the first stage and the second stage of the ride. The road surfaces were not the best, but we were still fresh and eager. Some riders were showing off their gearboxes some others having fun. An Easter bunny was keeping good pace, he must have been really hot in that outfit.
Lots of families, one tandem, a few group of friends, a club pushing their way forward, they should have done the sportive instead of trying to impress us
All dull, easy peasy, I hear you thinking?
No! Everything unravels after the second rest stop, the "cake stop". Here is some pictures for you: the field is muddy, the wind getting a bit chilly, the cue for the home baked cakes long winded (it was for charity, but also very very good cake!), the coffee good and much needed.

Muddy field Cue for cake tent cake
local band entertaining us with tunes - there was one in every stop!
I bought lots of cake from the good church ladies, only eat 2 small ones, because I knew what was waiting for me: a big hill to climb!
At this stage, it all starts to happen: after the climb, an accident: a lady, bleeding profusely, on the side of the road.
Lots of punctures and breakdowns, as I said before, the road surface was not the best.
A few miles later, I feared for my rear wheel too, even though I was on 1.75's. I went over a speed bump I saw too late, because it was at the bottom of a decline.
They had divided the road with the usual traffic cones: well, I almost crashed into one, had to do an emergency break. A very hulky bodied chap passed me from the other side of the cones, my headset seemed to have acquired independent steering will
The ride goes on, up and up it goes, naturally back down as well.
Some bits of the route went down treacherous bends, not suitable at all for beginners or children. Glad I had good brakes.
I'm proud to say that I have not walked one single hill on this ride. Huffing and puffing, I made them all!
Not at the bottom of the pack either
Every time we went up, I was gaining on others, had hardly anybody riding near me. The minute we started to descend, I am surrounded by a swarm of "all clicking" bikes. Because I'm rubbish at downhill (age brings prudence) and because I rode my Gonzales, one ring in the front, 5 rings in the back. Never use gears myself unless I really have to
There was one chap I passed twice on hills that was not too chuffed: I had to ride a bit on the right because I was getting ahead faster than the rest, he told me to get in line as we were still in town and there was a car behind me - ha ha!
.... To be continued tomorrow .... (my collision with a racer, arrival at Murryfield stadium)

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

I did not bother starting at Glasgow Green, I started along Duke Street. Ok a mile less but did not have to queue and get cold waiting. Maybe a tip there for you next year. I went the full distance with no stop. Anyway hope you include something about the climb out of Avonbridge in your tale. Especially if you filled up with cake at food stop lol. Anyway on with your worth reading story.........,,,,

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Back with the final installment of my first Pedal for Scotland report!
Fokker: yes, I did buy a lot of cake at the second stop, had a coffee and even 2 ciggies but I did not eat all the cake, as I knew what was coming. I only had 2 little bits, eat the rest on the bus home.

The climb out of Avonbridge: I made it, I actually found the climb after the last stop, before entering the Edinburgh cycle lane, more challenging. But I made that one too, without dismounting.

I think the Avonbridge descend was horrid. There I saw a lady lying on the road, bleeding profusely, I did not witness the fall, she looked in pain and shock.
The thing is that a lot of the experienced riders took the downhills too fast. Ok, they could, but a rider not used to much traffic is not expecting somebody flying past them close. I am used to this, because I commute in and out of town, taxis, buses, white vans. You could actually see which riders where commuters, and the ones that ride for leisure or race. Us commuters got a sore neck for looking continuously right and left!
All the young ones too: some folks never cared, just raced past the kiddies far too close in my opinion.

So, we are now at the third stop, here are a couple of pictures, it was a nice spot (the exact location escapes me) great atmosphere, I did not really need to stop, stayed just to see what was going on.

Between here and the last stop before finish nothing much happened, it was again mostly uphill, some young ones were running out of steam, some others were doing very well.
A marked improvement on the scenery too, I must say. There was now lots of locals cheering us along the way, with flags, clapping hands. I saw a lady waving a teddy bear!
I'm consulting my map: the bit between Linlithgow and Kirkliston I found slightly difficult, it was uphill (ha ha!), there was some motorized traffic coming downhill, slower riders on my left, faster ones on my right, felt a bit sandwiched On the last steep incline before entering the Edinburgh cycle path I had a guy pushing the bike on my left, a car wanting to go down, the marshal telling us to keep left. Did not want to dismount, so I practically pushed the poor guy out of the way

The great crash!
Well, on entering the Edinburgh cycle path you had to cross a street at pedestrian lights. Some clever clogs decided to cross a few yards ahead to skip the queue. So we had cyclists entering the path from the left and from the right. I crashed into a guy, fell over him with my bike I saw him, should have used my brakes faster, but there you go. He said "you go first" .... I gave him "the LOOK", told him "no, by all means, you go, see that you are so fast ...."
The exit from that path, just before entering the stadium, was atrocious imo: a tight spot for any inexperienced rider pushed to speed up by others behind him.

The arrival:
amazing atmosphere at Murryfield, lost it a wee bit, did not realize I had to pedal round to reach the arrival gate!
By now the weather was getting a bit chilly, glad I'd brought a light jacket. Never saw another cycle chatter, but I met a friend (chances, one in 8000?) that, like me, had started cycling about a year ago, it was a first Pedal for Scotland for him too.
Had a wee chat with David/Magnatom at the pedal on parliament stand, realized that he is the same guy that comes to the SECC where I work when the Cycle show is on (doh!), gave him CChat's love
and headed to the transport back to Glasgow.
A great first mass cycling event for me, thought the organization was great, right down the bike mechanics along the route. Fortunately I did not have to use them, but I got to know of people that managed to complete the ride thanks to them.
Have you noticed that on the tee shirt they gave us there is no year printed for the event?

What I have learned yesterday:
I will never complain about my wee sturdy legs again: they are hill crunching! Just hope my knees will keep up! This was a great incentive to curb my cigs intake for the future, must master more hills.

There is more money in Cancer Charities than in cycling promotion: this I am comparing with last year's cancer research moonlight walk I did. The sponsors in the goody bag were more, the medal and tee shirt better quality, the offers at the food stops better. Still, we had to pay £ 30.00 to enter plus raise sponsorship.

A couple more pictures for you

 

[MissyR]

Well done Pat we were there also and cheered on several of our friends too. I agree with a lot of the critisisms of the day there were several accidents and plenty of bloody knees about. Two of our group got knocked off with cyclists who were not paying attention to what was on the road in front of them!

 

[arranandy]

Good report. How was the trnsport back? Did everything go smoothly?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Transport back went smoothly for me.
After a little wonder in Murryfield I heard them announcing that there was a dozen trucks ready to leave for Glasgow if we wanted back promptly.
So I headed for it, bike was loaded on the second track available, bus left immediately.
I live about 3 miles from the Green, got home (a bit wet ) by 6pm.

 

[arranandy]

Sounds like you had an action packed day out.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Well done Pat we were there also and cheered on several of our friends too. I agree with a lot of the critisisms of the day there were several accidents and plenty of bloody knees about. Two of our group got knocked off with cyclists who were not paying attention to what was on the road in front of them!

Well, no reports of any children hurt, that at least is good!

 

[Pedal pusher]

Great report Pat I think you summed up the day perfectly. What you said about the split of people between commuter, family's roadies and MTB's is spot on. This was my first PfS and I thought it would be more first time riders/ family's. I saw enough roadies to merit perhaps another level, say a 60 mile sportive or do I just need to train a lot harder and do the 110

 

[Pat "5mph"]

or do I just need to train a lot harder and do the 110

This ^^^ Go for it!

 

[doddy73]

Great report Pat I think you summed up the day perfectly. What you said about the split of people between commuter, family's roadies and MTB's is spot on. This was my first PfS and I thought it would be more first time riders/ family's. I saw enough roadies to merit perhaps another level, say a 60 mile sportive or do I just need to train a lot harder and do the 110

I'll second that, perhaps 75???. Some Sportives offer 3 distances (Kinross for example) surely they could fit this in. Would keep the numbers up and bring back a few more club cyclists who I know avoid it.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

I am a club cyclist and for 1 Sunday a year I forget about being one. I find it great riding with all other cyclists for the first 20 miles or so. After that I find the roads clear and I can ride how I want then. There were times this year I could see no one in front of me or behind me. I agree some club cyclists seem to have no respect for other cyclists in an event like this. On a brighter note......we should arrange a ride up to the Whitelees Windfarm one day to get some hill climbing into the legs

 

[Fubar]

Great report Pat I think you summed up the day perfectly. What you said about the split of people between commuter, family's roadies and MTB's is spot on. This was my first PfS and I thought it would be more first time riders/ family's. I saw enough roadies to merit perhaps another level, say a 60 mile sportive or do I just need to train a lot harder and do the 110

I would agree with that - I think 100 miles is a bit out of reach for a lot of us (especially with some of the times posted) but a 60-miler would be a good intermediate level. Regards, Mark

 

[Col5632]

Good report Pat, glad you enjoyed yourself