Threetowners cycling thread

[Bruce]

Out again this morning. I must be mad!

Looked out the window - Arran looked incredible, with snow on the top. So the visibility was good at least!

Quite a stiff breeze. Got to the top of the road, turned into the wind (to make the trip home easier!) and headed towards Stevenston.
Familiar roads to Kilwinning and then on to Stewarton via Benslie. A few bikes and walkers out, but very quiet. Not really surprising, bearing in mind the cold wind.

20k and just over an hour later I’m in Stewarton. The trip took 10 mins longer than usual, cos of the headwind. Should make the trip home easier (ha!)

Followed the main road to Kilmaurs, then farm road back to Cunninghamhead. Making a great pace with the wind behind me.

I had passed 2 of my usual cafe stops - both closed of course, so no coffee


By this time it had started snowing.
I’m now near Torranyard.


Snow. Freezing cold. Numb fingers. Middle of nowhere. The perfect place for a visit from the puncture fairy!

There’s a caravan park up ahead. Usually give the security guy at the gatehouse a wave when I pass. Of course, it’s deserted today, so no chance of somewhere warm to get sorted - but able to get a bit of shelter to get the tube changed.

Nearly home, fingers numb. GPS says 47k, so a loop round the seafront to make it up to a round number.

[bonzo]

Since the latest lockdown I've been trying to stay within "County lines" and not wandering too far from home. So I've been doing the same wee circuit most Sundays this year.
I leave Castlepark and head into Irvine round the Marress Rd past the high flats out to The Gailes hotel, Beach park and Harbourside. Back up the Marress and into Kilwinning. Through the town center and along to Stevenston. Turn down the New Rd up Lundholm Rd, down to the point then the prom into Saltcoats. Back on the road round the Braes, South Beach and into Ardrossan. Turn back along the High Rd back into Kilwinning following the main road back to Irvine. Gets me out for a couple of hours, about 27 miles and never more than 9 miles from hame.

[Bruce]

Great day for a bike ride today!

Weather was fine, but breezy at the coast, so I stayed mostly inland. Hadn't planned to go too far, originally intended just to head along to Kilwinning or Irvine then back, but ended up in Kilmarnock!


Saltcoats, along the High Rd to Stevenston, Dubbs Rd to Kilwinning, and on to the Eglinton Park gates. Five Roads, Benslie, then Lawthorn. Some paths and lanes, Perceton Row, then I picked up the cycle path near Dreghorn and followed it to Kilmarnock.

Lots of people out and about, both on the paths in the town and the cycle route from Dreghorn to Killie. All sorts of people on bikes - lots of families and kids with shiny Christmas bikes. teenagers - even saw a couple on a Tandem on Dubbs Rd!
Lots of walkers, and even a horse on the cycle path near Crosshouse.

When I arrived at Kilmarnock - the path ends at Western Rd, and then you're on streets for a bit - I turned back and retraced my route back to near Dreghorn. Through Bourtreehill, into Irvine, along the Main Street and back out towards Kilwinning.

Back to Stevenston via Dubbs Rd. Turned left down the ICI road, and went round the "bottom end". Into Saltcoats past Auchenharvie, then round the front as far as the Lauriestion. Lots of people on the prom - which is also the cycle route - I stayed on the road.

Turned up at the Lauriston past South Beach station, up to the High Rd at Ardrossan Academy, and then home.