# Today we ride! CC Ecosse Arran/Islay tour 2014



## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

Tell us, o Muse, the tale of 10 courageous cycle chatters (plus @Brandane who left us on an island, taking away the sun with him), heroes that pedaled hard into the wind storms, so that their leader could revisit his ancestral home.

Day1:
Glasgow to Ardrossan Harbour by train, ferry to Brodick, on the isle of Arran, cycle to Lochranza.

On the train: Pat 5mph, Heather, Fiona, Ellebells, DougieAB, Harry Palmer 78, Scoosh, Fubar (our much revered leader). Meeting us at Ardrossan: MikeW-71, Brandane.
Meeting us in limbo: Edwardoka. Sorry for not tagging, it does not seem to work at the moment.
Some pictures of where it all begins (will put more in an album later) on a warm, sunny day, the gentle rocking of the ferry inducing musing of anticipation for the adventures to come, dread of failing on the steep hills ... visions of unfulfilled coffee cravings (me) ... a worried frown on our beloved leader's brow that will not quite fade till the end of this tale.





Laughter and merry making on this first ferry was now to be put aside, it is time to ride!
Oh pragmatic, much beloved all encompassing leader, what are your instructions for us today?
In earnest I say to you, my followers: don't ... *die!*
Shortly after, Garmins fired up, us girls, @Brandane and @Scoosh set out for the short (15 miles) anticlockwise way to Lochranza, while the rest headed the long way, about 40 miles clockwise.
What started as a pleasant coastal ride on a balmy afternoon was soon to turn into a nightmare climb: a close relative of Mount Ventoux suddenly appeared from round the corner ... nobody told me I had to cycle up an Alp! To my great dismay I see Fiona and Brandane wizzing up the monster hill like they had an invisible rope pulling, while Heather, Ellebells and I wished we never packed the toothpaste.
@Scoosh, always the gentleman, stayed behind shouting encouraging "allez" reclined on his 'bent.
Walking was not an option here: pushing up the bikes would have been more strenuous than cycling. Steaming like witches cauldrons, Ellebells her 2 bottom gears not engaging, Heather who should not have been cycling due to health reasons, me, with no excuse for not having lost a stone before the trip like I should have ... we made it to the top!

Ellebells reaches the top of Arran's steepest hill, with Heather not far behind.


@Brandane had to go for a sleep after reaching the top 

I was not last on the climb for a change, but I was last on the descent. Nay, I'm not scared of downhill, me , just wanted to take the scenery in ... ahem ...
My Strava here, much faster versions are available 
Lochranza, here we are! Still too early to check into the youth hostel, still too nice a day to stop riding.
So we ride towards the next village, along the coast, looking for a cuppa.
Picture this: four slightly dazed ladies on bikes, one man in search for his next hill, one Scooshy in a recumbent following said ladies to ...? Who knows ... let's go for coffee, let's ... stop, look, a seal, take a picture ... yes, no? Further up? Let's ride back, no let's take a photo here! What, it's not a real seal, it's a statue?? Let's take a picture anyway  Sorry @Scoosh we changed our minds, we are going to see the cignets ... yes, we just came from down there, but I didn't see them, just going to ride back a moment, we wanted a photo of that beach anyway ...
Scoosh pedals away (can't blame him) we don't see him for a good half hour, while we find a nice place for coffee near the Lochranza ferry terminal.
The coffee was excellent; the resident dog, Cooper, a gigantic German something or other, took a shine on me, sort of mistook me for his long lost Mum ... there are pictures I believe.
In the meantime, @Brandane also makes a canine acquaintance: while he is busy playing with his new pal, @Ellebells can't miss a picture opportunity of this bucolic frolicking.
There was a big bush of nettles nearby. Nobody else stepped in it. We did have Sudocream in our panniers. Nobody died.
Meanwhile, we have regrouped. The ones that rode the long way joined us, but still no news from @Edwardoka, who has been delayed in Glasgow by work, mechanicals and lack of sleep, is meant to join us in time for dinner. As there is hardly any mobile signal on the island, we are not overly worried, but hold little hope. Brandane says his goodbyes, intending to ride back to the ferry by the String road, the hilliest of them all.
We check into our accommodation, head to the nearby distillery that has a restaurant with a promising menu, 9 hungry cyclists, on foot for a change.
What I did not say previously, is that @Fubar was not happy with doing the 40 hilly miles, plus the 18 miles to the station that morning, he rode some more to make his 100km a month challenge!
We chatted in the restaurant, had a drink, ordered: suddenly a ghostly (maybe even a wee bit ghastly) being appeared: yes, it is @Edwardoka! He had had no sleep, his bike no panniers.
Carrying an enormous rucksack on his back, he climbed the monster hill in record time.
He made it, we are 10 again, ready to begin the next challenge!
Still, this day's perils where not over: the road back to the hostel was totally devoid of streetlights or moonlight or a pavement. We made our way to our well deserved beds by mobile phone light, following Ed's bike lights in the distance.
Ed's mega luggage:



End of day one.
To be continued ...


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

Day2: Lochranza to Cloanaig by ferry, cycling about 6 miles across the Argyle peninsula to Kennagraig for the ferry to Port Askaig on Islay, then cycle to Port Charlotte, our sleeping quarters for the next 2 days, about 15 miles.
I have started an album here, it's a work in progress, will add pictures as I add to the report.

I was up around 7.30, tiptoing my way out of our excellent sleeping quarters, leaving @Ellebells in blessed slumber while I went in search for my morning coffee. Oh my! The weather had turned, gone yesterday's glorious sunshine, it was a dull, drizzly, windy day. Nothing I wouldn't cycle in my daily commute in Glasgow: it's only a wee bit "a whahataa", gonna go for a wee double espresso sourcing walk  

The morning of day2 on Arran: looks dull, but I can spot the sun peeping out from behind the clouds. We are going to be fine ... ha ha, the last famous words!
After practically forcing the Lochranza hotel to start up the coffee machine for me, feeling very optimistic for the day ahead, we regroup, pack up, head for the 10.45 ferry. Sadly the guys did not have the restful sleep us girls had in our twin rooms, them being in a dormitory, some of them were a bit crabbit and full of bad omens for the cycle ahead. Go figure!

Edward, a bit more rested after yesterday's ordeal, ready to board the first ferry of the day. The wind has picked up a fair bit.
The short journey takes us to Cloanaig, where our pragmatic, much beloved and all encompassing leader gives us the orders for the day: as I have done before, in earnest I tell thee: *Don't die*!
We made good progress on the rolling hills, after Arran our wheels were practically spitting out the miles. A fleeting thought passed through my coffee deprived brain after the particularly steep descent into Kennacraig: " how am I gonna make it up this hill on our way back???"
Now we are on the ferry to Islay, a 2 hour crossing that naturally induces idle minds (and legs) to much banter and carry on among the posse.
By now the weather had changed for the worse: it was blowing a gale all around the ferry, still not much rain though.
We (well, it was my idea) decided that a re enactment of the Titanic movie up on the top deck, complete with Celine Dion's "my heart must go on" as a chorus, would be fun. So, I picked Ross @Harry_Palmer79 to be my beau.
He soon shed is natural shyness, this picture was the result:


... you're here, there's nothing to fear ....

We are on Islay, the ancestral land of our beloved leader! We have a genealogist among us, what could go wrong?
Rain is coming down in lashes, wind is blowing in our faces, we must climb out of port Askaig or the quest to reach Bowmore tomorrow will never be fulfilled!
Sometimes Google maps is your friend, I knew the hill was going to be immediate, long winding and steep. @Fiona MacNeill immediately took off. I managed to stay about a mile behind her, took comfort by having her bright red panniers in view, honestly I could barely see the road ahead for the rain in my eyes. That was a hard ride, made harder by not knowing where my companions were. @Ellebells, her malfunctioning gears keeping her back, was nowhere to be seen behind me when I stopped to investigate a noise coming from my bike.
I did not stop for long least I lose sight of Fiona: there is a right turn for port Charlotte, fortunate she knew it because it was badly signposted.
We thought the guys were well ahead, it turned out they did an extra 6 miles because they missed the turn, while @Fubar stayed behind, presumably shouting "allez" through the storm. Somebody else will have to report on this, apparently there was a non to pleased police car involved in shooing some lost cyclists off the road 
After the road splits, straight to port Ellen, turn right for port Charlotte - the very turn some of our group missed - the road becomes very exposed.
Would you believe it? You need to ride uphill to reach a port! I recall some light cursing by me to our all encompassing leader:
" what the *&%! in every other country ports are downhill, our *&^%%*&$ port is on top of one!" Our ever pragmatic leader answered thus: "Nay, it'll be downhill after that hill ..."
What a ride! We finally made it to the hostel in port Charlotte, drenched to the skin. Fiona got there first, even did some shopping  while @MikeW-71 who was one of them took the wrong turn, came in last, the living proof that a man can swim clipped in 
Never took any pictures, of course, so the ones in the album will be from the next day, when we rode some of the same route again.

The youth hostel at port Charlotte has an cracking drying room and ample secured bike storage. The rooms are not as comfortable as the hostel in Lochranza but adequate. The cooking facilities are good, we almost ended up cooking on thin air and food left by other guests, because we neglected to book for dinner. We managed a somewhat hurried but really tasty dinner at Yan's kitchen, highly recommended.

It was a day for getting lost: after dinner Michelle and I decided to do some laundry while the rest adjourned to the pub.
Many stuffings of shoes with newspaper later, we went to join them.
How can you not find 8 motley clothed cyclists sitting in one of the 2 pubs of a one street village? Well, you can if you are sitting in the same pub as them, in another room with no mobile signal, their staff baffled by my foreign accent.
Excuse me, is there another bar here, we are looking for our friends?
... There is the bar behind you.
Ok, is there another room where they could be sitting?
Wot, you want a room, no we don't have any 
Eventually we found each other, reunited with my Titanic love I was 
Amidst joious cries of "I've got 3G!!" .... or disappointed pouts "I don't have 3G!!", the entertainment for the evening was provided by a leaflet I had casually picked up, about cycling on Islay and Jura.
This is truly hilarious, so much that @Edwardoka kept asking if I was making the words up, but, no, was really just reading aloud.
It ends with "if you are reading this when you are already on Islay or Jura, it's too late"

The drying room is full of our stuff


My strava for day 2, other, much faster versions, are available 
http://www.strava.com/activities/182114808
http://www.strava.com/activities/182114811


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

Day3: ride to Bowmore and back, about 20 miles round trip.

In hindsight, we should not have ridden that day. @MikeW-71 warned us about high winds. He and @Scoosh decided to stay at the hostel, checking over the bikes, chilling out, while the rest of us headed out to get chilled on the bikes with our all encompassing leader in search of his ancestral roots.
I don't think he expected so many of us to follow him!
His instructions for the day to come were thus:
Today, I assure you with my word, that: *nobody is going to die!*
Truly, the weather did not seem so bad, here is the morning view from the hostel:


And here we are ready to set off, the sky had cleared with the rising sun.


A few miles out, the weather gods started battle. If among each other or against us because displeased with our quest, I do not know.
A fierce side wind hit us on the exposed stretch of road along the coast, bursts of hail taking turns with gushes of rain.
We got to Bowmore barely able to ride straight, @Fiona MacNeill had to dismount briefly least she got blown into the bay.
On top of the hill where the famous round church is perched, some of the locals coming out from the service were hanging on for dear life to the staircase railings. Another hail precipitation got us to take refuge in a bus shelter, bikes in first of course. @Fubar approached a local man, who in his youth went by the name of Ginger Willy  being his name William, having had auburn hair.
He may or may not be related to our pragmatic leader, the ever alert genealogist @Ellebells was at that point still in the church's cemetery trying to locate a "good grave"
This local gentleman informed us that there was no coffee to be had in Bowmore on a Sunday morning, we had to retrace our crank turns to 3 miles out of town, at exactly the same spot where the misleading sign is that yesterday led some of the guys to Bowmore instead of port Charlotte.
There we could get our hot drinks and some temporary shelter from the elements.
The offending sign: if you already know the right direction, there's a sign further on that tells you it 


The quest is fulfilled:

On top of the hill, at the church, glancing on the land below:

On the left the bus shelter we huddled in. This is the road that will take us to port Ellen tomorrow, a quite steep but very short hill, the only one until the mainland.



Smiling in the rain.
Having accomplished our mission, we rode (got blown) to the coffee shop, had a leisurely break, then set back for the 8 miles back to base. The weather was fine again, here is a picture if you don't believe me 


@DougieAB had already headed off, @Edwardoka (will you believe it?) decided he needed to head back to Bowmore to use the cash machine, refusing multiple offers of loans, stating he would catch up then beat us to the hostel.
This he did indeed, barely managing to hold on to his intestines, but he did it.
Wonder if he was under a Strava spell? 
Of course the wind picked up again as soon as we got to the coastal road.
Here I got a fright: seen @heather68 ahead of me getting blown over, imagined it was because the wind was really strong at her location.
Turned out it was a combination of a missed clip in and a strong gust. She was fine, jumped back in the saddle like a grasshopper 
Later we got told by @MikeW-71 the winds did gust at 30 to 45 mph while we were out. My Strava: http://www.strava.com/activities/182114798
Surprisingly, the excursion only took us less than 4 hours, I guess over one hour was spent exploring, taking pictures, shopping, having coffee, so not too shabby for a tempestuous ride!

Our last evening on Islay was spent relaxing, eating a lovely meal at the pub that couldn't fit us in the day before - we had booked this time - @Ellebells and I went for a long walk to the lighthouse, singing traditional Scottish songs while walking deserted roads, searching for Heathcliff in yet another cemetery. Completely disregarding our beloved leader's warnings about 'elf 'nd safety we perched on a cliff taking yet more pictures, the sea raging down below.
Oh beloved, pragmatic, etc.. etc... leader, what good is your red folder with our hard gotten emergency numbers, when we are in need and there is no signal on this barren island? We did feel mischievous 
A couple of drinks, then an early night for all: tomorrow we have to do it all again, in reverse, in one day!
Will we make the final ferry from Brodick to Ardrossan, united in our achievements, or will some of us be defeated by the last Arran hill?
To be continued ...

Port Charlotte from the lighthouse.


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## djb1971 (20 Aug 2014)

Excellent!

Pat "5mph" "cougar", did you scare Ross


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## Scoosh (20 Aug 2014)

djb1971 said:


> Pat "5mph" "cougar", did you scare Ross


Yes - and No ...

Yes - she frightened Ross. 
No - she frightened _everybody_ - so Ross was no exception. 

The caffeinated Duracell bunny on speed strikes again !


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## djb1971 (20 Aug 2014)

Looking forward to the next instalment. It may be X rated, that's Pat not the hills


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## Scoosh (20 Aug 2014)

djb1971 said:


> Looking forward to the next instalment. It may be X rated, that's Pat not the hills


You've met @Pat "5mph" then ?


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## djb1971 (20 Aug 2014)

Scoosh said:


> You've met @Pat "5mph" then ?


No but a picture says it all, like a woman with spirit


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## Edwardoka (20 Aug 2014)

Has part 4 not been posted yet because @Pat "5mph" is too busy hunting for the now-in-hiding @Harry_Palmer79 ?


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## Scoosh (20 Aug 2014)

Edwardoka said:


> Has part 4 not been posted yet because @Pat "5mph" is too busy hunting for the now-in-hiding @Harry_Palmer79 ?


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

Day 4 of this epic adventure, a true CC Ecosse ride, a race against time and the elements, against rugged landscapes, mechanicals, livestock, weary legs spinning towards the next landmark.
Ride port Charlotte to port Ellen (20 flat miles), ferry to Kennacraig, ride to Cloanaig (6 ondulating miles, starting immediately with a 14% gradient), ferry to Lochranza, then ride the 15 miles to the last ferry at Brodick, a cat 3 hill in between.

We are up early at 6am, apprehension churns our stomachs, we want to be on the road but there are matters to be attended to first.
@heather68's panniers had been sliding off the rack, unbalancing her.
With a long strip of inner tube and some electrical tape that I always carry with my tools - doesn't every girl do that?  the loaded panniers are secured.
Us girls try to tell our pragmatic, beloved, all encompassing leader that, should we not make the Arran hill, to leave us behind as we could catch the next ferry without worries of missing a train connection in Glasgow.
Those were his wise words: Ride the Road, not the Hill!
A promising dawn:


Our daily briefing did not need to be solicited, orders came firm and strong: today, my followers, today we do not take picture, we do not stop:
*today* *we ride!*
Multiple cries of "Andiamo!!!" - we set off.
It was a beautiful ride. The miles flew by while the sun pushed it's way up, a beacon along the horizon. We said bye to the round church up the hill, graves sparkling from the morning dew. I found myself alone on a long stretch of empty road, near the peat moss used by the Laphroaig whisky distillery.
Disobeying the instructions I was given, I stopped to take a picture. @Fubar was promptly behind, urging: "pedal, Pat, pedal, no stopping, no pictures!"


riding the road to Port Ellen.
The first destination was reached, first ferry boarded.
The first big ascent of this return trip now had to be faced. @Ellebells gears did worry me, but my legs worried me more!
There were also more cars on the road, as the first ferry had been canceled.
Ride the road, not the hill! A bus comes towards me, a welcome stop at a passing place. A camper van, great, another stop, but I'm fighting against time, only 6 miles, it's a massive hill, but only 6 miles, barely more than my daily commute. The guys and @Fiona MacNeill soon disappeared out of sight.
Later I heard of how the ever gallant @Scoosh kept Michelle motivated, with a supreme effort she reached the top, hurled down to Cloanaig like a demon possessed, maybe to escape him 
But what about Heather? Here she is, good going girl!
We made it to the second ferry with time to spare, gathering into the shelter to escape the freezing wind.

Heather the pro cyclist.

It would be crossing of a couple of hours. We had a third breakfast, then some went for a wee snooze. What a difference from the inwards leg, we were saving all our energy for the last climb, the last 15 miles, the last ferry dash. To finish together like we did start together, we must beat time.
Questions about timings kept being asked, the by now not so patient leader again takes out a time table from his red folder.
For sake, I've just told you! 
On disembarking, he stares us in the eyes: we have 2 hours to make this, the race against time and mountain is on again!
Fiona leaves us at Lochranza, she is staying on another few days.
Ed needs to stop at the hostel, to collect his bike lock: you go, he urges, I'll catch up! Another Strava challenge probably.
I'm on my own again. The boys pushed ahead, fading into the distance. I pass Michelle, her gears do not want to change at all.
There is still more to climb, but it's not as bad as I feared.
A sudden shout "Andiamo!!!" - @Edwardoka sprinting away, fading fast into the distance. It's getting too hot, must take my jacket off, must take a quick drink of water, carry on up. I see a rider stopped further up, can now see it's @Fubar.
I ask him what's happening, he says: you made it, this is the top! Carry on, I'll wait for Heather, but he urges me to go, pedal, Pat, pedal!
The view on top of the world is stunning, but I can't stop, there are still miles to go.
Michelle flies past me, a big grin on her face, she is soon a dot far away down there, not scared of downhill like me.
I turn round, there is our leader followed by a line of cars, Heather is right behind them.
We all made it up the Arran hill!
Still, we need to press on.



Heather conquers the last hill.
I can smell the sea, we are near the ferry terminal, about an hour to spare according to my Garmin. Shops start to appear, my mind wanders. Surely I can stop now to buy a few souvenirs?
Pedal, Pat, pedal, no shopping, no stopping: I want to mutiny so badly, there is @Scoosh leaving a shop!
Go, Pat, go, you can catch him! Our leader is a good people manager!
I do catch up with Scoosh, pass him and now am at walking distance from the ferry terminal.

Triumphant, started as one, finished as one!

So ends this tale of epic achievements, thanks for reading, till the next one.
Thanks @Fubar for organizing and for putting up with me. Would I do it again?
You bet!
My Strava (faster ones always available) 
http://www.strava.com/activities/182114788
http://www.strava.com/activities/182114771
http://www.strava.com/activities/182114775
CC album here.
Check out @MikeW-71 fantastic video of the last day!


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## edindave (20 Aug 2014)

Great reading! Glad you all had such a good time!


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## Fubar (20 Aug 2014)

Brilliant write ups Pat, you give me far more credit than I deserve!


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

@Fubar 's happy "I'm not your leader anymore!" dance.


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

Boarding the ferry home:




A well deserved meal!


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## John the Canuck (20 Aug 2014)

excellent - enjoyed the write-up...............thanks


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## Brandane (20 Aug 2014)

Please don't tell me you didn't manage to visit the chocolate shop in Brodick @Pat "5mph" ?


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2014)

Brandane said:


> Please don't tell me you didn't manage to visit the chocolate shop in Brodick @Pat "5mph" ?


I did visit


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## Ellebells (21 Aug 2014)

Amazing write-up of the trip @Pat "5mph" - all that note-taking was worth it  

If anything of interest happened or pearls of wisdom/nonsense were uttered this was the reaction of our dedicated blogger:


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## djb1971 (21 Aug 2014)

Looks like you all had a great time. Some more than others, it's amazing how fast you can pedal when being chased

Love how you photoshopped blue sky into a couple of shots Pat

Strange I never get that


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## Brandane (21 Aug 2014)

Ellebells said:


> Amazing write-up of the trip @Pat "5mph" - all that note-taking was worth it
> 
> If anything of interest happened or pearls of wisdom/nonsense were uttered this was the reaction of our dedicated blogger:
> 
> View attachment 53913


Where are the photos of @Pat "5mph" and her friend Cooper, then? Not suitable for public viewing?


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## ScotiaLass (21 Aug 2014)

Loved reading that @Pat "5mph" 
Maybe one day I will be fit enough to join you all on a mini tour


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## Fubar (21 Aug 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> Loved reading that @Pat "5mph"
> Maybe one day I will be fit enough to join you all on a mini tour



I'm sure the ladies will agree it was all doable - I allowed 10mph average for point to point changes (and to allow for mechanicals, p*s, etc) to make sure we all got there as a group, there was a bit of anxiety keeping everyone moving and stopping @Pat "5mph" taking photos and going to the shops!


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## Fubar (21 Aug 2014)

Brandane said:


> Please don't tell me you didn't manage to visit the chocolate shop in Brodick @Pat "5mph" ?



She almost cycled straight into the shop when we got to Brodick - wild horses couldn't have dragged her out!


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## ScotiaLass (21 Aug 2014)

Fubar said:


> I'm sure the ladies will agree it was all doable - I allowed 10mph average for point to point changes (and to allow for mechanicals, p*s, etc) to make sure we all got there as a group, there was a bit of anxiety keeping everyone moving and stopping @Pat "5mph" taking photos and going to the shops!


I just don't 'do' hills. I'm more than capable on the flat and 10 mph wouldn't be a problem for me but as soon as I hit a hill I drop to the back. 
I have a very dodgy knee and shortened hamstring on the same leg  
Maybe if I took my own physio along..... lol


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## Fubar (21 Aug 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> I just don't 'do' hills. I'm more than capable on the flat and 10 mph wouldn't be a problem for me but as soon as I hit a hill I drop to the back.
> I have a very dodgy knee and shortened hamstring on the same leg
> Maybe if I took my own physio along..... lol



@Scoosh could demonstrate his stretches! He's very bendy...


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## Scoosh (21 Aug 2014)

Fubar said:


> @Scoosh could demonstrate his stretches! He's very bendy...


Nah - he's just 'bent !


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## Ellebells (21 Aug 2014)

Brandane said:


> Where are the photos of @Pat "5mph" and her friend Cooper, then? Not suitable for public viewing?



Dinnae fear - they're on their way  As for suitable for public viewing, I'll leave that up to the audience!


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## Scoosh (21 Aug 2014)

"The people will decide !" ... now where have I heard that before ... ?


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