martin

Must echo darryll's comments - from what I've heard a calendar of events like this will cater for all sorts of riders, Will there be Scottish Leader Whisky prizes?? :wink: where do I sign up? m

Doh! second half of the email. :? Sharon - can you confirm the dates? We are looking at the 17th - 24th, aren't we? For the rest of us; how many people are looking to fly? What do people feel about these flight options compared with the ones posted by Scott and Alan? Who wants to share care hire (current price estimate per week about £215 for an Astra estate, £320 for a 7-seater)? I'm keen to book up flights this weekend if I can, and it would be good to coordinate this, to make it easier for car hire etc. Drop a line back to give your views if you get the chance... cheers m

hi all been diggin around and doing some thinking. The friday - sunday options being discussed sound good, but of course mean 2 hotel nights, extra car hire days, more bevvy etc. Could add a wedge to the price, for effectively one extra day on the bike. Of course not everyone needs to travel at the same time, so I guess we could see different groups depending on cash / work / family constraints. Two options I found: The long week - direct flight from Glasgow to Geneva with BA Citiexpress 16 Jul Depart Glasgow 11:20 , Arrive Geneva 17:00 (BA1676) 25 Jul Depart Geneva 17:40, Arrive Glasgow 21:10 (BA1677) Price: £128.80 (Problem with this is the cost of hotels in Geneva - at least £60 per room per night) The short week - Geneva via Heathrow 17 Jul Depart Glasgow 07:30, Arrive Geneva 13:40 (BA1475). 2hrs wait @ heathrow 24 Jul Depart Geneva 07:20, Arrive Glasgow 11:55 (BA 2735). 2 and a half hours in London Price: £146.70

Big Al Yeoman has asked me to place an order for him: 1L/S top, 1S/S top (3/4 zip) and 1 pr bib shorts All size 5. He'll pay with bottle tops 8) cheers m

Kenny bib shorts & gilet - size 3 please m

kenny are the bib tights padded? are they roubaix material? what's a track top? will order, just need to check my sizing against all the clothes in the cupboard. m

what format is this event? is it a cross race? m

20th best for me m

I'm scratching my head and getting skelfs in my fingers. come back to you

oh, I hope no-one remembers that rab douglas used to be a dee as well - they might think there was a theme there. and what about chopper wilkie? he played a blinder on saturday, and from the parts of the game I could see from between my fingers he looked like the closest to scoring. face it, the whole team played like a bunch of haddies...

put me down for 1 dougie, please. Are you out tomorrow? I'll bring the readies along then m

hi kenny 2 for me ta m

I'm sure I remember som e of the ideas we had. If I go and drink another six pints it'll all come back to me - :mrgreen: - it's just that typing a message is difficult then. I'll post some ideas, just getting details of the glen tress stuff m

To hang with the bird in hand, how about a different route this Sunday? A rolling wee (238km ) hurl between Limoges and Saint-Flour, through the magnificent region of the Volcans du Cantal? As you probably know, the 2004 tour de france route is published today. (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/tour04/) This means the 2004 Etape du Tour stage is announced, too. See http://www.letapedutour.com/2004/us/index.htm for more information and a route profile. So, who's up for it? Various people have suggested that they would be keen to go along, so let's see a show of hands. We can't register until January 29, 04, so that gives plenty of time to work out a winter programme and plenty of time for me to nip your head. :twisted:

hi there now two spaces left for a hurl to ardrossan (ian manson got his email in first). anyone else want to join us, please drop me a line - first come first served. happy to arrange a meet or pick up on saturday (and I'll even bring you home afterwards

hi there if riding down to ardrossan and back stopped us getting in a lap of the island i'd be a little disapppointed - isn't that the point of going? So, don't want to stir things up, and appreciate that not everyone will have access to a car they can leave at the ferry for the weekend, but would anyone else be up for catching the 09:30 boat and then doing a lap? I've got space for 3 others, and three bikes, in my car. we can meet the superfit dougie and johan down there. :wink: Any thoughts? m

from www.procycling.com/news Tour of Scotland begins to take shape The first concrete details of the much-rumoured Tour of Scotland are beginning to emerge. The five-day race has been approved by the UCI and will run from May 26-30. It will be categorised as a 2.3 level stage race, which should ensure a decent field of pro riders, many of whom will no doubt be well into their preparations for the Tour de France, which follows little more than five weeks later. The IMG sports management and marketing company is behind the establishment of the new event. It was reported in the Scotsman newspaper last weekend that sponsors have been found to cover the budget of £2m. Various Scottish tourist and sporting bodies are also heavily involved in the project. There are no confirmed route details as yet, but the Scotsman reported that the route would cover a large part of the country. Oban, Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen are being tipped as stage towns. Glasgow and Edinburgh are likely to feature prominently as well, probably as start and finish locations of the race. Although no details of teams have yet been released, the organisers would undoubtedly be hoping to attract Scot David Millar. IMG have stated that they expect a field of about 100, and add that the race will have a global TV audience. Graeme Herd, the national coach at Scottish Cycling, told the Scotsman: "It would provide cycling in this country with a major boost by raising awareness of the sport. There are a lot of negative perceptions of cycling in Britain, principally because of the weather, and through people riding irresponsibly in cities and towns. "A professional Tour of Scotland could help alter that, and there could be positive spin-offs in terms of promoting cycling as a healthy sport, and as a means of sustainable transport." The race is part of a strategy put together by the Scottish government to establish the country as a recognised location for major international events. A 12-year plan has been drawn up and will be overseen by EventScotland, an agency backed by a budget of £10 million.

this from from cyclingnews.com today. As one of my friends says, tough choice for riders: Giro d'Italia or Tour of Scotland? Tour of Scotland arrives Next year will mark the inauguration of a new UCI stage race, the Tour of Scotland. The five day race is has been granted a slot on the UCI calendar from May 26-30, 2004 and will cover some 600 miles, possibly visiting cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and Inverness, according to an article scotlandonsunday.com. "[The Tour of Scotland] would provide cycling in this country with a major boost by raising awareness of the sport," said Graeme Herd, Scottish Cycling national coach. "This, in addition to the Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup, would really put Scotland on the map." Race promoter IMG is said to have sponsors in line for the event, but is also seeking public support, and is in contact with various sports and tourism bodies in Scotland.

dougie just got clearance from houston mission control (also known as pauline) to join the jolly boys outing. sorry to be at the coo's tail am I too late to join the trip? If so, can I be first subbie if any of the guys already down can't make it? martin

:? conspiracy?

kenny I always wondered what the bit on the club website about bike polo meant. I thought it was a made up story to catch out the gringos these may be daft questions, but do we ride bikes around a grass pitch? In winter? I thought it was only the fitba' boys that had their season in the wrong season. Sounds like great fun to me. what kind of bikes are they? how many a side? do we need shin pads? are there any rules? it's in my diary m

Is it just my screen, or is Campbell wearing sparkly spandex shorts??? well done ironman - still smiling after all those miles m

hi there I subscribe to a monthly ezine published by the American "bicycling" magazine. This month's onlne issue has a 9 page profile on Scotland's very own Obree: have a look at http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,5073,4901,00.html?category_id=363 m

hi all This weekend sees the annual Glasgow Bikeathon, a gruelling and arduous test of skill and stamina over a challenging (13 mile) course through Glasgow's West End, Clydebank and Maryhill. (See http://www.cancerschool.gla.ac.uk/latest-news-items/LRF-Glasgow-Bikeathon-2003.htm%20for%20details) The Mulholland family, including 2 junior Johnstone Wheelers (Danny, age 3 and Lewis, age 5) are taking part in an effort to raise cash for Leukaemia Research. We’ll be delighted to accept all offers and pledges of support, be it folding paper, coins or even a push on the hilly bits. Be warned, I’ll be prowling with a sponsor form, or save yourself that experience by clicking the pm (private message) button below and dropping me a note. Thanks for reading and for your dosh if you can help! martin, lewis (cipo), danny (robbie mcewan) and pauline ===============================

kenny will come back to you with an order. Question though - what happened to the idea of a new kit design? (I remember going through a stack of smart group messages when I came back from my holidays, & seeing a few messages about changing the look, talk of 'retro kit' etc.) m