Pedal for Scotland 2005

"Brian G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well I've done my first mass participation ride - 50 miles from Edinburgh
to Glasgow into a near-gale and horizontal rain. The event was run from
east to west this year to finish in Glasgow at the start point for the
Tour of Britain. It was quite nice in a way to be cheered across the line
by a small crowd at the finish in George Square, but to run this kind of
event against the prevailing wind is asking for grief, especially as the
route from Edinburgh to Glasgow is surprisingly lumpy, especially in the
middle bit across the moors.

It's not a race, of course (it's a charity ride) but I did manage a time
of 4 hours and 21 minutes. Some of you will find that laughably slow, no
doubt, but I can only say that no-one was laughing today as we slogged
against the wind. At one point I wondered if the uphill section was ever
going to finish, then I realised it had finished already and I was
actually pedalling hard in a low gear downhill!

The whole organisation seemed to work pretty well, with our bikes being
delivered back to Edinburgh by truck while we returned by train. The only
complaint is that the medium-sized commemorative tee shirt might make a
useful bandana!

On reflection tonight, I think I enjoyed the experience despite the
weather. Most riders were friendly enough and it was interesting to ride
with such a mix of grizzled road veterans, young (and youngish) hot-shots,
family groups and even a guy with his daughter in a tagalong trailer.
Maybe I'll try another one sometime, maybe not. Meantime it'll be back to
solo cycling from... well maybe not tomorrow...
--
Brian G

Well done Brian .. a group of us did it last year .. wind at our backs &
sunny but light showers .. 2 hrs 50 ... the most memorable part was at the
hill at avonbridge church, what a killer .. glad we did'nt stop there. Most
of our group could'nt make it this year .. so were thinking about a 3
countries jaunt .. ferry from rosyth to bruge .. then one onther country and
return .. what we will be doing next year is .. the Edinburgh to St. Andrews
jaunt.

Bd

"Brian G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well I've done my first mass participation ride - 50 miles from
Edinburgh to Glasgow into a near-gale and horizontal rain. The event
was run from east to west this year to finish in Glasgow at the start
point for the Tour of Britain. It was quite nice in a way to be cheered
across the line by a small crowd at the finish in George Square, but to
run this kind of event against the prevailing wind is asking for grief,
especially as the route from Edinburgh to Glasgow is surprisingly lumpy,
especially in the middle bit across the moors.

Hard going wasn't it. It was my first mass participation ride, and first 50
miler too. The wind was so hard it blew a fence over onto the cycle path in
Linlithgow, injuring one rider.

Quoted message said:

It's not a race, of course (it's a charity ride) but I did manage a time
of 4 hours and 21 minutes. Some of you will find that laughably slow,
no doubt, but I can only say that no-one was laughing today as we
slogged against the wind. At one point I wondered if the uphill section
was ever going to finish, then I realised it had finished already and I
was actually pedalling hard in a low gear downhill!

I was able to keep going at 7mph over the top of the moor....
Your 4 hours and 21 minutes compares extremely favourably to my time, but I
did spend a lot of time waiting about for a slower partner. Honest.

Quoted message said:

The whole organisation seemed to work pretty well, with our bikes being
delivered back to Edinburgh by truck while we returned by train. The
only complaint is that the medium-sized commemorative tee shirt might
make a useful bandana!

My only problem with the event was the long queue to sign on a Murrayfield.

Quoted message said:

On reflection tonight, I think I enjoyed the experience despite the
weather. Most riders were friendly enough and it was interesting to
ride with such a mix of grizzled road veterans, young (and youngish)
hot-shots, family groups and even a guy with his daughter in a tagalong
trailer. Maybe I'll try another one sometime, maybe not. Meantime
it'll be back to solo cycling from... well maybe not tomorrow...

Like you, I did enjoy it, and will look back and have enjoyed it even more
after I've finished this bottle of red! cycling to work for the coming weeks
late shift will be a definite no-no though.

--
Duncan Gray

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

Duncan Gray said:

Like you, I did enjoy it, and will look back and have enjoyed it even more
after I've finished this bottle of red! cycling to work for the coming weeks
late shift will be a definite no-no though.

Do it. Get on and ride, just spin more gently.

I was out today doing my usual utility stuff (ie about 4 miles) despite
the wind and rain, and my first 200k yesterday. Yes it hurt, but gentle
exercise is IME the best way to reduce the aching.

...d

in message <[email hidden]>, Brian G

(') said:

Well I've done my first mass participation ride - 50 miles from
Edinburgh to Glasgow into a near-gale and horizontal rain. The event
was run from east to west this year to finish in Glasgow at the start
point for the Tour of Britain. It was quite nice in a way to be
cheered across the line by a small crowd at the finish in George
Square, but to run this kind of event against the prevailing wind is
asking for grief, especially as the route from Edinburgh to Glasgow is
surprisingly lumpy, especially in the middle bit across the moors.

Sympathy. I was also out in the wind and rain in southern Scotland
yesterday morning - but as I was just doing a training ride I set off to
winward in order to have a nice tailwind on the way home. It was
decidedly bracing and autumnal. And, I have to say, a thoroughly
enjoyable ride, although I shall need to clean the bike this morning.

Then in the afternoon I went off to catch the end of the SXC racing at
Drumlanrig, and to cheer in our riders. We picked up a third in an
amazingly exciting to the elite mens, as Bruce passed a rival in a
completely brilliant sprint finish, and one of our ten-year-olds picked
up first in the under-16 fun race.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; lovely alternative to rice.

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Duncan Gray said:

Like you, I did enjoy it, and will look back and have enjoyed it even

more

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

after I've finished this bottle of red! cycling to work for the coming

weeks

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

late shift will be a definite no-no though.

Do it. Get on and ride, just spin more gently.

I suspect building up enthusiasm for getting changed and onto the bike at
midnight or 1am after the days work will, as usual, be too much. Now the
weather's starting to get better I'll go out for a spin in the mornings
maybe.

Duncan