007
Active Member
Well, Saturday saw some excellent weather in the West of Scotland. Sunny and cool - crisp autumnal weather, great visibility.
I awoke at 6.45 am with a view to heading out for a long run, to a look of disbelief from Mrs 007. I had porridge - the breakfast of champions, a pint of water , put air into my tires - checked my kit and food - and headed out at 7.30 am, switched on the GPS and put it in my bag.
I had no idea where to go, but after some great route advice from Sayek and Jackthelad on this forum, I made a snap decision to head to Gourock.
When heading down the street, I was immediately struck by how cold it was, my face and finger tips were almost immediately freezing, fingerless cycling gloves were a bad, bad choice. I had to stop 5 minutes in and put another layer on. What the f**k was I doing, I was thinking to myself? Was hypothermia on the cards? According to weather at 7.30 it was 1 degree celsius when I left. Cold!
I went on to the A737 and headed for Lochwinnoch, only one or two cars on the road, I got some speed going down the hill into Lochwinnoch - the downside is that my face was actually so cold I could not feel it. I joined the cycle path, and headed for Johnstone, I was starting to warm up as the miles went by.
Not too many people out and about - just a few people walking their dogs. Props to the woman who allowed her playful little scamp of an alsatian run along side me barking like a lunatic for a few hundred feet. ´He just wants to play´ she said. People - why do people give their dogs a free reign on a cycle path?
The sun was rising rapidly, as I passed through Johnstone, upto Quarriers Village and out to Greenock, Port Glasgow way. Some great scenery, and I passed a few other bikers. I wonder if the guy I saw with shorts and vest and road bike going in the other direction succombed to the elements - or he had boiling water coarsing through his veins??
It is a shame, but I noticed as I approached the council estates of Port Glasgow and so on, the amount broken glass on the cycle paths increases by umpeen hundred percent. There were a few sticky moments, as i swerved around avoiding half broken beer bottles and so on. An adrenalin rush. I was rewarded when I got to a high part of the route near Greenock with amazing views over to the Highlands. Ben Lomond, the Luss Hills, the Cobbler, Ben Vorlich and hills over towards Stirling looking resplendent in the morning sun. Still not a lot of people out and about, it was great stuff I had the cycle path to myself. Zero clouds and the temperature was heating up. Loving it!
I descended rapidly into the Greenock. Where the cycle path enters a road section. Headed along the road into Gourock. I made a decision to see if the Ferry was possible to Helensburgh. It was. I chilled out for 20 minutes or so, with a coffee, some water and a couple of sandwiches. Checked the GPS - 30 miles gone and a max speed of 34 mph. Not bad.
The ferry took me over to Kilcreggan, and then I disembarked at Helensburgh. I put on my shades, took of my windproof layer and headed down the coast road towards Dumbarton. The roads were getting busy, but there is a lot of roadworks - so I was able to have long stretches of empty road from time to time as the cars were held back by the temporary traffic lights. Once in Dumbarton, I left the road - and went back to the cycle path and headed towards Clydebank. After I negotiated the expected build up of broken glass and unleashed dogs, I stopped again for a break at the river clyde, near Yoker for a drink and some food. Not hydrating enough, need to remember this - in fact I am going to invest in a hydration bladder for the next trip.
Over the new, small Renfrew Ferry into Renfrew, then upto Paisley. Paisley town centre traffic is always fun, but I sped through it as quickly as possible, then rejoined the cycle track asap.
When I got to Linwood, I was starting to tire. The road into Beith is hillly, there is no escaping a climb, but I kept going on through Howwood, then Lochwinnoch. Lots of people out on bikes lots of pedestrians to try and steer round. Nearly came a cropper at one point when 4 walkers who were straddling the cycle path just decided to randomly stop in my path, I had to leave the path and go round the grass verge to avoid them. When I passed Castle Semple at Lochwinnoch I was really feeling cooked. I was getting some pain in my upper back and legs. And of course, I was close to the climb into Beith.
People were starting to really annoy me. Kids leaving bikes on the cycle path, parents with kids letting them swerve around the path, walkers randomly stopping etc etc. By this stage of the game I was craving a comfy seat and a beer.
When it was time to pass Lochwinnoch train station, I amazingly just sailed up that hill past the hungry monk retaurant. I joined the farm road before the roundabout, it is a wee bit hilly, but was OK, I just kept going. The final climb wasnt too bad either - the dread was un-required, the climbs were OK.
The grand finale through the Beith saw me going into the big ring and flying along the road into my street. Checked the GPS, 72 miles travelled - not sure of the accuracy. Later that day, I wolfed down some pizza and several cervezas and slept like a log.
Sunday came and went and even today I feel OK, going out on the bike today on a ´short´ 20 miler. Months ago, 70 miles on a bike would have been unthinkable. All good.
Looking to plan another long route. Wondering what the route from Gourock to Largs is like - too much traffic??
Thanks for reading...
I awoke at 6.45 am with a view to heading out for a long run, to a look of disbelief from Mrs 007. I had porridge - the breakfast of champions, a pint of water , put air into my tires - checked my kit and food - and headed out at 7.30 am, switched on the GPS and put it in my bag.
I had no idea where to go, but after some great route advice from Sayek and Jackthelad on this forum, I made a snap decision to head to Gourock.
When heading down the street, I was immediately struck by how cold it was, my face and finger tips were almost immediately freezing, fingerless cycling gloves were a bad, bad choice. I had to stop 5 minutes in and put another layer on. What the f**k was I doing, I was thinking to myself? Was hypothermia on the cards? According to weather at 7.30 it was 1 degree celsius when I left. Cold!
I went on to the A737 and headed for Lochwinnoch, only one or two cars on the road, I got some speed going down the hill into Lochwinnoch - the downside is that my face was actually so cold I could not feel it. I joined the cycle path, and headed for Johnstone, I was starting to warm up as the miles went by.
Not too many people out and about - just a few people walking their dogs. Props to the woman who allowed her playful little scamp of an alsatian run along side me barking like a lunatic for a few hundred feet. ´He just wants to play´ she said. People - why do people give their dogs a free reign on a cycle path?
The sun was rising rapidly, as I passed through Johnstone, upto Quarriers Village and out to Greenock, Port Glasgow way. Some great scenery, and I passed a few other bikers. I wonder if the guy I saw with shorts and vest and road bike going in the other direction succombed to the elements - or he had boiling water coarsing through his veins??
It is a shame, but I noticed as I approached the council estates of Port Glasgow and so on, the amount broken glass on the cycle paths increases by umpeen hundred percent. There were a few sticky moments, as i swerved around avoiding half broken beer bottles and so on. An adrenalin rush. I was rewarded when I got to a high part of the route near Greenock with amazing views over to the Highlands. Ben Lomond, the Luss Hills, the Cobbler, Ben Vorlich and hills over towards Stirling looking resplendent in the morning sun. Still not a lot of people out and about, it was great stuff I had the cycle path to myself. Zero clouds and the temperature was heating up. Loving it!
I descended rapidly into the Greenock. Where the cycle path enters a road section. Headed along the road into Gourock. I made a decision to see if the Ferry was possible to Helensburgh. It was. I chilled out for 20 minutes or so, with a coffee, some water and a couple of sandwiches. Checked the GPS - 30 miles gone and a max speed of 34 mph. Not bad.
The ferry took me over to Kilcreggan, and then I disembarked at Helensburgh. I put on my shades, took of my windproof layer and headed down the coast road towards Dumbarton. The roads were getting busy, but there is a lot of roadworks - so I was able to have long stretches of empty road from time to time as the cars were held back by the temporary traffic lights. Once in Dumbarton, I left the road - and went back to the cycle path and headed towards Clydebank. After I negotiated the expected build up of broken glass and unleashed dogs, I stopped again for a break at the river clyde, near Yoker for a drink and some food. Not hydrating enough, need to remember this - in fact I am going to invest in a hydration bladder for the next trip.
Over the new, small Renfrew Ferry into Renfrew, then upto Paisley. Paisley town centre traffic is always fun, but I sped through it as quickly as possible, then rejoined the cycle track asap.
When I got to Linwood, I was starting to tire. The road into Beith is hillly, there is no escaping a climb, but I kept going on through Howwood, then Lochwinnoch. Lots of people out on bikes lots of pedestrians to try and steer round. Nearly came a cropper at one point when 4 walkers who were straddling the cycle path just decided to randomly stop in my path, I had to leave the path and go round the grass verge to avoid them. When I passed Castle Semple at Lochwinnoch I was really feeling cooked. I was getting some pain in my upper back and legs. And of course, I was close to the climb into Beith.
People were starting to really annoy me. Kids leaving bikes on the cycle path, parents with kids letting them swerve around the path, walkers randomly stopping etc etc. By this stage of the game I was craving a comfy seat and a beer.
When it was time to pass Lochwinnoch train station, I amazingly just sailed up that hill past the hungry monk retaurant. I joined the farm road before the roundabout, it is a wee bit hilly, but was OK, I just kept going. The final climb wasnt too bad either - the dread was un-required, the climbs were OK.
The grand finale through the Beith saw me going into the big ring and flying along the road into my street. Checked the GPS, 72 miles travelled - not sure of the accuracy. Later that day, I wolfed down some pizza and several cervezas and slept like a log.
Sunday came and went and even today I feel OK, going out on the bike today on a ´short´ 20 miler. Months ago, 70 miles on a bike would have been unthinkable. All good.
Looking to plan another long route. Wondering what the route from Gourock to Largs is like - too much traffic??
Thanks for reading...
.
(it's not always like that!!).
.