Mark Whitehead

Alright Darryl, Are ye winning? Can you please put my name down for the trip? Cheers, Mark

Hey Darryl, I just checked the times for the climb of the Bealach and notice that we made the top 15! I think we would have blitzed those winning times if we spent less effort in cracking jokes up the climb and more effort in actually pressing on the pedals! But hey, it was all good fun! M

Cheers Jim, Hey, they're really top quality mug shots! What a great turn out from the club and a great event! M

Alrighty Kenny, Count me in for this as well - sounds good! Stevie man, that sounds like some trip you had to Canada Was it really better then the Raid Alpine Rendonee and did you get chased by any grizzly bears on those big climbs?! Cheers and see you for the curry or maybe oot for a wheel aboot wae the bunch before then, Mark

Cheers Stevie, Yes indeed, the strain is well maintained! Being positive, you can say that the stag week was a good carbo loading exercise! I'll miss the bunch tonight but will be there on Thursday. So you don't fancy taking up the fiver bet?? You declined the same bet for the Tarsan dam climb a few years ago and you managed that in the big ring easy! :-) Mark

What a great event eh? That Hardknott pass was brilliant! Not easy with over 90 miles already in your legs at the bottom of it and a block headwind all the way up it, but it was amazing how you could see most of the hairpins straight ahead of you. I don't know about you guys, but I think I've worn out my 29 sprocket!! Anyway, it was great the way everything worked out for all the Johnstone Wheelers riders who made it on the day, especially when you think that we all managed to meet up at both the feeds, which was great. Chung - you are the jammiest guy I've ever known! Most people who get lost end up way off course, but you end up taking the best possible shortcut and still made the correct checkpoints to get a legal time!!! I've got to hand it to you! But hey, that climb you missed out wasn't up there with the hardest, so I think you can still say that you completed the event. Stevie Blom - how's it going? If you fancy doing this next year then I'll bet you a fiver that ye canny ride over the Hardknott pass in the big ring!!! Take it easy, Mark

Hi Darryl, Turns out I'm already booked on that night so I can't now make it for the curry - bummer! Hope I'm not too late in cancelling before the deposit is paid - let me know? Cheers, Mark

Hi All, I'll come along on the Arran trip this year, wherever and whenever it may be! Cheers and take it easy Mark

Alrite folks? Are ye winning? Darryl and I went cycling in the French Pyrenees and have been asked by many people how it went so here's a wee summary from me:- The aim was to ride as many mountains as possible within 9 days (without being on our knees! ) and Pyrenean stalwart Pete Bennell suggested that we base ourselves at Argeles-Gazost for easy access to the best of the best. Cheers for the advice Pete ~ it was a perfect location. (Staying at the top of Alpe D'Huez last year was fine (apart from having to climb it every day!) but staying in the valley at Argeles-Gazost meant that we always had a downhill finish everyday, which allowed for a more enjoyable finale!). We flew to Toulouse then hired a car to get us to Argeles-Gazost. We joined in with an experienced bunch of Belgians for a couple of days ~ 12 hard men in all ~ which proved to be a good move on our part as they really knew how to handle themselves (not surprising really but still good to be in a bunch where you felt confident), knew the roads, spoke the same language, and really knew how to have a laugh!!! If you are reading this Philippe, your prediction came true ~ when you guys moved out of the hotel, another bunch of Belgians moved in!!! The rides:- Day 1 ~ Rode up to a lake south west of the Col du Soulor as it was recommended we take in the view. (Maybe Darryl can check the map for the name?!) This is a road to nowhere and still rates as a mountain! Day 2 ~ Joined the Belgians and rode up to Gavarnie. Very scenic at the top as we were surrounded by mountain ridges. This was 3 hours of solid climbing from the hotel (those Begian hard men don't even stop to pee!) and as hard as any famous alpine climb I've ever done. Day 3 ~ Joined the Belgian hard men for more fun. Up the Col du Tourmalet (opposite side from Barèges and the hardest mountain I've ever done) Day 4 ~ The Belgians had a 15 hour drive home (nothing for those hard yins!) so we were on our own now ~ us against the mountains! Hautacam was on the menu today and it didn't dissapoint. First time I've ever rode through the clouds to then be way above them ~ they just looked like a misty Loch in the distance. (This is where we met the 3 French dudes and took a few foties.) Day 5 ~ A 3 col day. Rode up the Col du Soulor straight from Argeles-Gazost and met the same 3 French dudes from the previous day at the top and took more foties! Cheers for that guys and hope you had a safe journey home. Descended the northern side of the Soulor (as the Tour riders were due to do) then round to the main side of the Col D'Aubisque. We then rode the spectacular road from the top of the Aubisque over to ascend the Soulor from the other side then had a mental barney of a decent all the way back to the hotel and straight into the pool! Day 6 ~ This was meant to be an easy day with a ride to Cauteres for a wee coffee but even this turned into yet another slog as it was all uphill! Day 7 ~ Tour day. The plan was to ride the back rode to Ferrière then ascend the northern side of the Col du Soulor (where we descended on day 5 and which the tour riders would descend today) then watch the race at the top. Unknown to us, this back road took us up the Col de Spandelles ~ a brutal single lane road. We guessed that this has never been in the tour as it's a single lane road, but it's as hard as the classic climbs. Have you ridden this one Pete? If not then we recommend it! Oh aye, we watched the bike race on the hill then had another mad barney down into Argeles-Gazost ~ blasting our way through hundreds of groups of Americans, decked out in our Scotland/JWCC kit - MAGIC! Note:- Before starting the descent we saw Phil Anderson sitting on a bike and looking exactly as he did when he was 'up there' in the Tour 20 years ago. Day 8 ~ Darryl (pure legs of super strength steel) rode the Luz-Ardiden while my severely sun burned legs cooled off in the hotel pool! Day 9 ~ (Wearing a pair of knee warmers to cover my sun burn) we rode upto the famous ski station at Luz-Ardiden then descended and rode straight up the Col du Tourmalet from the Barèges side. From both sides, this is the hardest mountain I've ever done (and to send poor blokes on bikes to race up it is pure nuts!) The most enjoyable riding point for me was on the Col D'Aubisque. The Pyrenean climbs have signs that count down every kilometre to the top, with the average gradient for each kilometre. At the bottom, with 18km to the top, Darryl and I took kilometre turns on the front, keeping a good pace all the way to the top! So that was what we did. This holiday was great but also physically much harder than the Alpe D'Huez trip we did last year. Having ridden the alpine cols last year, and the Raid Alpine Randonee the year before, I thought the Pyrenean climbs were much harder than the alpine ones ~ but that's my opinion only! Au revoir and take it easy Mark

Hi Paul, How goes it likes? Are ye winning? I'll lend a hand at the marshalling for you. See you on the day or possilbly out with the Renfew bunch before then, Take it easy, Mark

Great report Stevie Brings back some good holiday memories and makes us look forward to the Pyrenees this year! Start saving those pennies now (like me ) and come over with Darryl and us other muckers Take it easy, and don't forget to maintain the strain Mark ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll be there too Stuart. Craig Leckie says he'll come along also. See you there, Mark

Alright Kenny, If you get stuck for a bike bag then give us a shout and I'll give you mine. It's out on loan but hope to get it back soon. Cheers, Mark

Alrighty? Friday 10th suits me too Stuart. Take it easy, Mark

Nae bother Stevie big man - I'll try and pop round on Monday night as I reckon you'll be pounding those pedals on Wednesday night - and I don't want to put you off your training! he he! Ok man, I'm gonna shoot the crow now - take it easy and catch you later, Mark

Alright muckers? Hope the form is coming along nicely! Aye, what a great holiday – riding up Alpe d’Huez while being cheered on by thousands of fans, watching the pros racing up the alpe like we normally ride on the flat (!), having countless café stops every day, enjoying those pizzas every night (along with a few beers!), watching Mr LA making tour history, and generally soaking up the atmosphere of the Tour de France in the alps – magic stuff! But what ever happened to that night out we all planned where all the photies would be paraded for all to see then saved for nostalgias sake on cd? (Is it just me or does that sentence rhyme?! Poetic talent or wishful thinking?!!!). Aye anyway, like most of you other muckers on the hol, I have collated 150 or so pristine pics that document the time had. These include – Mr Dougie De Rosa enjoying a shower at hairpin no 19 on Alpe d’Huez in 35 degree heat, big Alan Yeoman’s bike with a 3 foot long baguette instead of a bidon before the day’s ride!, Mr Scott Donaldson standing on the summit of the alpe (looking like a local with his French national jersey!), Mr Stevie Blom looking as fresh as a daisy at the top of the Col du Galibier (“The giant of Provence”), Frenchman Christian riding Dougie’s De Rosa King atop of the ski resort of Les Des Alps, El Michanico (Paul McSkimmon) looking as cool as a cucumber while sitting next to me in the chair lift up the alpe!, ex-pro and second best Scottish cyclist of all time (behind Roberta Millar!) administering some maintenance to his sti levers with a rock!, Martin Mullholland astride his elegant Colnago C40 at “Dutch corner”, and big Al & Sharon enjoying a cool ice-cream, again at Les Des Alps. How’s about organising that night out that we all agreed on? If someone has access to a projector then it may be a good idea to have it down at the clubrooms some night (along with a few beers?! He he!) just a suggestion! Oh, and I even have a pic of me riding up the alpe in a pair of trainers if you’d believe it!!! Take it easy and catch you later , Mark P.S. Congratulations to Sharon & Al on the good news. Now we know why you weren’t well enough to ride those alpine climbs Shazy - maybe next time? P.P.S. Stevie B, I’ll pop round some night during the week to show you the holiday snaps – what night suits you?

Alright Stuart? How goes it? Are ye winning? Count me in for that curry night. Take it easy, Mark

Awrite Shazy & Al, Hope the form is coming along nicely?! Aye, Fri 11th should be okay with me. Down at the clubrooms is it? Cheers and take it easy, Mark