Irn-Bru? Scottish Blethering Thread

[Somebuddy]

Great writeup and some awesome photos, even if they were mostly stolen from your fellow tourists' blogs !

Ed, Thank You very much for your kind words. I tried my best on the blog. Thank you for reading it. The tour was very different being in the wilderness most of the time. It was a shorter tour than my USA coast to coast 2 years ago, but much much harder. But I managed it and I'm a better man for it.
My American cycling friends are wanting me to put together a European tour. But if they come over, the wife's will come too, and they don't do camping. So it would be quite expensive doing guesthouses every night. I still have the route map for the R1, St Petersburg - Berlin - Amsterdam or Calais and I still fancy doing that one. I'll have to price it up. Or there is the North sea cycle route perhaps.
On another topic, i'm not getting enough cycling in. I tend to be a fair weather kinda guy. So i'm considering joining up with either West Coast Velo or CTC Glasgow. Two groups I have found on meetup.com that are more social rather than serious racing type cycling. I'm swaying as most of the rides are in the town and I'm out in Lanarkshire. But having said that, I'm getting fed up of cycling from my front door. I have found some good routes on plotaroute.com

 

[Edwardoka]

My American cycling friends are wanting me to put together a European tour. But if they come over, the wife's will come too, and they don't do camping. So it would be quite expensive doing guesthouses every night. I still have the route map for the R1, St Petersburg - Berlin - Amsterdam or Calais and I still fancy doing that one. I'll have to price it up. Or there is the North sea cycle route perhaps.

Maybe hostelling or renting a campervan or two?

On another topic, i'm not getting enough cycling in. I tend to be a fair weather kinda guy. So i'm considering joining up with either West Coast Velo or CTC Glasgow. Two groups I have found on meetup.com that are more social rather than serious racing type cycling. I'm swaying as most of the rides are in the town and I'm out in Lanarkshire. But having said that, I'm getting fed up of cycling from my front door. I have found some good routes on plotaroute.com

Do East Kilbride Road Club still do social rides? I went out with them a couple of times a few years ago, but the weather was grim and about 2/3rds of the way over Eaglesham Moor they all decided to turn back, but it was easier for me to carry on ahead than go back with them

I'm giving thoughts to joining VC Glasgow South as I badly need to start getting training in for LEL next year.

 

[Somebuddy]

I badly need to start getting training in for LEL next year.

Excuse my ignorance..... but LEL? The best I could come up with was Lands End - London....... a mere stroll for a man of your calibre.
What exactly is LEL?

 

[Somebuddy]

Oh Oh Oh ..... It just clicked...... London - Edinburgh - London...... am I right?

 

[Edwardoka]

Oh Oh Oh ..... It just clicked...... London - Edinburgh - London...... am I right?

Yep, that's the one. My longest ever mileage-wise day on a bike is 153 miles. Audax requires endurance levels that I cannot comprehend!

 

[Somebuddy]

I cannot comprehend 153! You must have been in a straight line and having a snooze for some of that.

 

[Edwardoka]

I cannot comprehend 153! You must have been in a straight line and having a snooze for some of that.

'Twas Glasgow to Campbeltown overland (and before anyone tells me that it's only 143 miles, piffle, I say! The Dumbarton to Helensburgh road was closed that day and I ended up on the A82 for an unhappy stretch). On days when I've got endurance fitness, I usually only tend to start struggling after the ton is in the bag.

 

[arranandy]

@Louch still do the Strathaven 50 tomorrow?

 

[arranandy]

Maybe hostelling or renting a campervan or two?


Do East Kilbride Road Club still do social rides? I went out with them a couple of times a few years ago, but the weather was grim and about 2/3rds of the way over Eaglesham Moor they all decided to turn back, but it was easier for me to carry on ahead than go back with them

I'm giving thoughts to joining VC Glasgow South as I badly need to start getting training in for LEL next year.

Depends on your idea of social....

 

[Pat "5mph"]

So i'm considering joining up with either West Coast Velo or CTC Glasgow. Two groups I have found on meetup.com that are more social rather than serious racing type cycling

Thus spake the man that tried to run Pat 5mph off the road because in a rare fluke of energy she was getting ahead of him
Anyhoo, both VCV and the local CTC go like the wind, don't expect a CC Ecosse ride

 

[Brandane]

So i'm considering joining up with either West Coast Velo or CTC Glasgow.

Anyhoo, both VCV and the local CTC go like the wind, don't expect a CC Ecosse ride

I joined Ayrshire CTC a few years back, but let my membership lapse after the first year. They made CC Ecosse rides look like the TDF., and I'm saying that as someone who is quite happy tootling around at 12mph..

 

[Somebuddy]

You have both put me off trying to find like minded friends......... i'll just continue to cycle alone.........

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You have both put me off trying to find like minded friends......... i'll just continue to cycle alone.........

Why? Just obtain the gpx file so you don't get lost, and if you get dropped you get dropped, you'll still have met lots of nice people.
Both groups have social rides, so ask which ones they are.

 

[Brandane]

i'll just continue to cycle alone.

Didn't mean to put you off , but I have to admit that I also struggle to find people to cycle with.
Local cycle buddy and ex work colleague - I got fed up listening to him (and his wife, and his son) nagging me to wear a helmet. Then we would head out for a ride and he would announce that he has to be home by x-o'clock to do x,y, and z, thus cutting the ride short of what had been originally arranged.
Another one who has aspirations to become Bradley Wiggins, at the age of 54 - which is fine; but I have no intention of trying to keep up, and him volunteering to slow down doesn't cut the ice as you know he really wants to speed up.

I actually quite enjoy cycling alone. It means I can change plans to suit myself; go at MY pace; stop when and where I want, stay out all day or 10 minutes if I CBA'd, etc..

 

[Edwardoka]

Good luck to everyone doing the Strathaven 50 today. Hope the weather stays good.