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bonzo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 01, 2021 5:16 am Cheers Brian, as I've said before getting out on the bike is something I enjoy and enjoy sharing with you. Oh and by the way I'm far from fit

bonzo, I forgot to say, i have never visited Rothesay. Arran and Millport many times. Maybe it had gone out of fashion in the seventies or Wemyss Bay was to far from Kilwinning to get the boat

That's the first time I've been over for around 14 years, it was really busy but looking rather run down

Today was the "Round Stra'ven 50". I decided at the last minute to enter,

It's a 50 mile route, starting and finishing in Strathaven, and looping round the various villages around the town. All for charity - from the entry fees and donations they raise about 10k a year, which gets distributed to local charities. So the charities were out in force, with the round table and rotary people on points duty at all the main junctions, the Guides manning the feed stations, the motorbike club acting as Marshalls etc.

Normally about 500 people do the ride, with a "Mass Start" outside Strathaven Academy. This year, we started in"waves" - 150 people at 9am, 10am, 11am. There was also a 15 mile shorter course, with starts at 12 and 1.

I was on the 11.00 start. As I drove through, the heavens opened. I thought "this is madness".... but pushed on, there was a tiny blue chink in the sky.

Arrived in Strathaven just after 10, parked in the long stay car park at the other side of the town, and the rain was off! Things might be OK after all. I don't mind if the rain comes on when I'm riding, but I hate starting out in the rain.

Got to the school, checked in, and about 10 to 11 we were called out to the road behind the school to assemble for the start. And it started raining....

Underway at 11, slow start as the road was busy with bikes, and it's an uphill climb out of the town. Lots of people passing others for the first 2 miles until people reach their "natural pace", after that there was very little overtaking.

Still raining. About 5 miles out of the town, there's a road joins from the right, which would be our eventual route back home; just as we passed it the leaders from the 9.00 start were passing, nearly home.

Soaked through, to be honest it was pretty miserable riding, but a good spirit among the riders. We're heading west towards Darvel, and then turn left, South past Loudon Hill.

Cross the main road near Loudon Hill, then farm roads towards Drumclog. Heading East now, and there's a lightness in the sky. Maybe the rain will stop.

20 miles, come down the hill into Sandford, to the first feed stop.

The Strathaven ride advertises itself as something like "the friendliest bike ride in Scotland, with the best cakes". And the cakes were good. Covid restrictions meant that we couldn't go inside the village hall (other than to use the toilets), but they were set up outside with sausage rolls, sausages, sandwiches and more cakes than you could imagine.

And the rain stopped! I kept the wet-weather jacket on, just in case.

Fuelled up with sausage rolls and chocolate brownies, back on the road. Uphill, farm roads, eventually ending up in Stonehouse. From there, it was a uphill then a steep descent to Larkhall, tight left turn at the bottom of the hill then a steep climb. Quite a few people turned right, went along for a few hundred yards, then turned to "take a run at the hill".

It was a slog uphill, but soon we're at mile 32 - the second cake stop in Glassford. Same setup - juice, water, sausgages and sausage rolls, and still a great selection of cakes.

And the sun had come out, the roads were dry. The wet weather jacket came off.

Back on the road, Chapelton, with a few long flat roads and some gently undulating. Then a bit that I'd forgotten about - a fairly sharp climb up to the wind farm. There was an extra feed station (just water, juice and Caramel Logs!) just before that climb. After that it was a great descent, and mostly downhill all the way back to Strathaven.

For the last few miles, the route was shared with the 15 mile course, so lots of young kids and families out. Great to see their enthusiasm,

Finally, back to Strathaven Academy for the finish. And Coffee. And More Cakes.

Nice one Bruce

Ian - just wanted to compliment you on your trip to Rothesay, my favourite town on the Clyde. That was a long journey for you. Well done. Our summer holidays were always spent in Rothesay when we were kids. I keep telling my grandchildren this, no Majorca, or Florida or anywhere else in those days. Just Rothesay.

Over the course of 2021 I managed 3845 miles, my best year by far.

I have signed up for Doddie aid this year which runs from 1st January to the middle of February but being grounded for 10 days has put me on the back foot.

I'm in! I've just joined Doddie Aid to tackle MND: https://doddieaid.com/

Well done bonzo- Wear the Snood with pride

Well done Bonzo!

my mileage was waaaay down this year. Every year I set myself a target, which is usually "to go a wee bit further than I did last year". And for the last 5 years, I've managed it. But 2021 was harder. Started off well, but I sort of lost my enthusiasm mid-year.

So while I was on close to 4000 km for 2020, by 31 Dec my total was 1991 - about half of what it was last year.

But I couldn't leave it at 1991 - so on hogmanay, about 6pm, I went out for a ride round the 3 towns. Along the high road, past the cemetery, Stanley road, Montfode Drive, Island View, under the railway underpass and down Witches Linn. Montgomery St, Princes St, then right round the front. Canal St, then up towards the High Rd and back home, taking my yearly total to just over 2000....

It's weird - my lowest annual total in about over 5 years, yet this year I did my longest trip - the 100 mile overnighter from Carlisle to Edinburgh at Midsummer.

Sometimes you do lose your enthusiasm Bruce, I've been making a point for most of last year of getting a couple of hours in twice a week straight after work, which really racked up the miles.

January done and as I said earlier myself and Mrs B have been participating in Doddie aid which is an MND charity started by ex Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir who was diagnosed a couple of years ago.

The point of the exercise is to get as many miles in in any way, shape or form as you can between the 1st of January and the 12th of February, so for me that's obviously cycling.

I've set out a little course that I've been doing 3 times a week just from my work in Irvine and out round Troon and back home which gets me about 25 miles a time plus a run down to Alloway at the weekends coupled with a bit of walking I've racked up 471 miles in January.
Mrs B has stuck to Shanks's pony and has clocked up around 120 miles.

I will post a link to our just giving page and if anyone has a spare couple of quid it would be very much appreciated Thanks, Ian.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-burnsgts250

Keep it up, well done.

Cheers Brian and thanks for the donation