chung

Sorry Mark I'm in Liverpool on 24th Aug.

Yeah, a great day out despite the weather. Good craic in the pub and a good spot to stay warm between laps. Nice to see the hard working Welshman pick up something for himself.
 
Best of all, what a hoot riding round the course. I know exactly how Thomas must have felt !

Brilliant, glad you heard the shout Chung! ☺ï¸

Well, Alan you missed the better half of the ride after you left us at Milgarvn!
 
It was a wet start to the day when I joined the bunch of 4 of Iain Couttie, Charlie, Alan T & Alan Michael at the end of Georgetown Road as I was running late and could not make it to the clubroom.
The bunch was briefly swelled to 8 when we picked up Iain Mcginty, Alan Fox & Big Al at the bridge, that didn't last long as Iain C was push for time and left us to do his own thing after the bridge.
 
So the 7 of us went round the intended route climbing the Crow and went as far as Kilearn where the decision was made to head straight back to the Westend via Strathblane, instead of Croftamie. It was wet & we wanted to be in the Westend by 1pm, where we met Mark to find a good spot to watch the race.
Byres road was just too busy so we ended up in Gibson Street and settled in the "Left Bank Bar", where upon beer, coffee, soup & chips was the order of the day. David B made a guest appearance for a while and we also met Kev. Habbick who only lived down the road.
 
This was one of the best cafe stop I've had in a long time, 2 & a half hour drying our self indoors watching the race on the smart phone while rushing out to greet the riders every time it came past outside the bar. The atmosphere were fantastic, helicopter hovering in the sky and police motorcycle wizzing past reminds me of the Tour & Roubaix, except in Glasgow, pure magic!
 
In the end, a well deserved winner in T. Geraints in a tough course with horrible weather. It's a bit of a shame David Miller or other Scottish rider wasn't in the final mix, but at least it was home nation rider.
 
After the race finished, we even manage to ride part of the course from the Westend to Glasgow Green to the annoyance of some of the stewarts still on the course, but the dispersing crowd loved it and cheered us on :-) "Com'on the Johnstone" someone shouted from the crowd :-)
Big Al, being the humble man that he is lapped it up and really enjoyed the appreciative/confused crowd as he raised his arm as if taking the win down Argyll Street - the mans a class act absolutely brilliant!
 
Thanks for the wheels guys today on what was a wet but fantastic day on & off the bike!
 
Right, I'm away to dry myself now!
 
Good luck to the RideLondon team next Sunday, have a good one!
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Well, Alan you missed the better half of the ride after you left us at Milgarvn!
 
It was a wet start to the day when I joined the bunch of 4 of Iain Couttie, Charlie, Alan T & Alan Michael at the end of Georgetown Road as I was running late and could not make it to the clubroom.
The bunch was briefly swelled to 8 when we picked up Iain Mcginty, Alan Fox & Big Al at the bridge, that didn't last long as Iain C was push for time and left us to do his own thing after the bridge.
 
So the 7 of us went round the intended route climbing the Crow and went as far as Kilearn where the decision was made to head straight back to the Westend via Strathblane, instead of Croftamie. It was wet & we wanted to be in the Westend by 1pm, where we met Mark to find a good spot to watch the race.
Byres road was just too busy so we ended up in Gibson Street and settled in the "Left Bank Bar", where upon beer, coffee, soup & chips was the order of the day. David B made a guest appearance for a while and we also met Kev. Habbick who only lived down the road.
 
This was one of the best cafe stop I've had in a long time, 2 & a half hour drying our self indoors watching the race on the smart phone while rushing out to greet the riders every time it came past outside the bar. The atmosphere were fantastic, helicopter hovering in the sky and police motorcycle wizzing past reminds me of the Tour & Roubaix, except in Glasgow, pure magic!
 
In the end, a well deserved winner in T. Geraints in a tough course with horrible weather. It's a bit of a shame David Miller or other Scottish rider wasn't in the final mix, but at least it was home nation rider.
 
After the race finished, we even manage to ride part of the course from the Westend to Glasgow Green to the annoyance of some of the stewarts still on the course, but the dispersing crowd loved it and cheered us on :-) "Com'on the Johnstone" someone shouted from the crowd :-)
Big Al, being the humble man that he is lapped it up and really enjoyed the appreciative/confused crowd as he raised his arm as if taking the win down Argyll Street - the mans a class act absolutely brilliant!
 
Thanks for the wheels guys today on what was a wet but fantastic day on & off the bike!
 
Right, I'm away to dry myself now!
 
Good luck to the RideLondon team next Sunday, have a good one!
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Depart time now 9am so erskine bridge 9.30 to accommodate the late night revellers

Started out with Campbell at 06:00 from Stornoway in glorious sunshine after a night on the gym floor (Campbell went with the luxury bedroom option!) The weather held all day with the exception of a heavy shower whilst enjoying a Stornoway Black Pudding/Egg roll on the Butty Bus. A bonus to have sun and no midges for the whole day.
Stunning scenery down the west coast of Harris to Leverburgh at the Southernmost tip was better then I remembered from my last visit. White sandy beaches stretching for miles. A pleasure to cycle. Returned from Leverburgh on The Golden Road on the East of Harris. Different scenery and a roller coaster road. If you're ever on Harris then I recommend a pedal on this road.
Returned back to Lewis via the one major climb of the day (covered from the North and South.) Not as bad as I thought it would be...not too steep, but long drag. Scenery on Lewis not as good, long stretches of straight roads through barren landscape. Near the Callanish Stones there was also the matter of a short, sharp 15% climb...not ideal after carrot cake.
Last 30 odd miles from the Butt of Lewis lighthouse to Stornoway was hard work into a head wind and on a road that always seemed to be going up. Legs got no reprieve.
Garmin reported over 10,000 ft of climbing over the 188.8 miles in 13hr 13min of cycling.
In contention for best day on a bike to date for me and rice pudding never tasted so good...

Great run today with a group of nine - Chung, Richie, Allan, Peter, John, Paul, Len, Bill and myself - with over 75 miles for most of us, and a lot more for some. Only one mechanical - yours truly making a mess of fixing a p******. Enjoyable cake stop in Clachan of Campsie - well-earned rest after the Crow Road. Thanks for all the help and support guys.

Another great day on the bike! Given the forecast I thought we'd get wet at some point but no, sunny all the way...what a summer.
 
Boyd, thank you for planning the route and the guided tour of the Drum and Clydebank on the way back to the bridge. Good to see some people I haven't seem for a while and meet the guys from Royal Albert CC from Larkhall. Bill was miffed that their bikes weren't red, white & blue!
 
We even had the bonus of meeting Chung's wife and son at the café stop and get the other side of the 'bollard incident'!

Cheers for race report Colin. It's good to find out more about what happened than the typical 16-year old's grunted feedback
 
All Lewis told me was that another guy jumped with 1km to go, he went with him and then round him. Couldn't quite hold off the chasers though and was pipped at the line.
 
Still, 2 envelopes for 1st jr and 3rd made for a decent outing to West Lothian. Happy lad.

Well done to all the TTers, and great to hear Ramsay back on the bike again! :-)
 
Cheers

To save Mul posting - Beallachandrain !

I managed a late entry into this event thanks to Graham Hanley (the organiser), I have fond memory of this event since this was my very first audax I did back in 2005 when it was organise by "Triking Dave" of the JWCC. So, I was happy to relive the memory again plus the route was very attractive indeed!
 
An early start yesterday with a few Joansins - Graham F, Campbell Hutcheson & Ironman Campbell along with 2 dozens or so Audaxer ventured North of the river. It wasn't a good start for Ironman as his freehub packed in just meters after the start, luckily a lift home for a back wheel change meant he could carry-on the ride only with the slightest delay. I suppose if it was going to happen, then it's better to be near home!
 
Along the way, we picked up Big Al Yullie at the bridge but no sign of Simon Simpson :-)
The 4 of us - Campbell H, Graham F, Al & myself rode in our wee group making good progress. We had to since we had THREE cafe stops, one in Callander, then Inversnaids & finally Aberfoyle. The stop at Inversnaid Bunk house was a new one for us, the soup & sandwich deal which the organizer made with the owner which cost us a fiver was hard to beat! :-)
 
So it was a magnificent day of cycling with lots of sandwiches, rolls, soup, tea, coffee, cakes & splendid company along the way!
Oh, and with 205km & 7000ft of climbing by the time we got back to BoW with more tea & coffee, even a plate of vegetable curry was on offer too!
 
Thanks for the wheels chaps & Al constant blether!
 
Hope to do this again next year, a great route indeed!
 
Cheers
 
Chung

A 20 strong bunch for this year's edition in fine borders countryside. JWCC/ Renfrewshire represented by Joyce & David, Campbell H, Iain Couttie and me.
 
A ride of two halves, the outward consistently wet, the return leg consistently dry with a measure of warm sunshine to boot. Really nice friendly bunch, offering safe wheels to follow and working well together. All civilized till the usual gallop up the Wiston climb around 85 miles - honours went to a frighteningly fit 21 year old, riding a steel commuting bike! Really strong.. perhaps not surprisingly so given his 3-4 times per week commute from Carluke to Glasgow.
 
A fine route as usual and fabulous food and hospitality from Morag & Dennis - always a highlight of my cycling year.
 
Thanks again!
 
Iain

Thankyou... Dennis and Morag for a wonderful and special day....! nice to cycle again with the Royal Albert..!
good bunch of guys ...! You wanna good time?
Chapeau
Campbell H

A day of intelligent conversation - saddlebags, gear inches, real ale, folk music !

Hi Chung, great to hear from you and it would have been good if you could have made it on Sunday, but don't worry, it will be there next year, as you say. I'll ask Morag to give Iain some of the 'wee feast' to take away for you!

Chung
I don't look like an Iain or an Ian Ian far to intelligent to have such a common name

Well done to all who rode & the PBers. Billy, marginal gain - just change your name to "Ian or Iain" - that would certainly help
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Well done to all who rode & the PBers. Billy, marginal gain - just change your name to "Ian or Iain" - that would certainly help
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Billy, I assume you mean the image of the thumbnail photos of Big Al regarding logos. Yes, I can see that very clearly.
 
If that was indeed the "design" we signed off to print, then it's not Pactimo's fault, they're just manufacturing what we agreed on.
However if on the other hand it does not match the design drawings, then we have a case to take up with Pactimo. But until we find out if thats the case, then I cannot comment. No doubt I think Mark can fill us in on that when it's convienent for him to do so.
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Life's too short for the cafe at Strachur (IMO)!
 
Last couple of times I've been round that way I have eaten at the Creggans Inn round the corner (towards Cairndow). The bar food is excellent and reasonably priced, service first class and very welcoming of cyclists. It also has outside tables in the event of sunshine!
 
Iain

Off tomorrow for a couple of days cycling Dunoon, Oban, Loch Awe, Lochgilphead area, including Al's route, with the Tearfund people so won't make Sunday. Have a good one.

Thanks Al for the parking warning.
 
Thanks Jann, the time allows for plenty of stops/photo opportunities and encouragement of novices, if we arrive at the cafe first then we can have extra coffee and cake before the other bunches. No problem if you want to pedal out or back with a keener group.
 
Everyone welcome, especially potential new Wheelers.

Yeah ,with Simon. We did complete the loop to kinross btw, Garmin battery gave up before us ! SS reckons it's the best one day in Scotland - some beautiful roads including Glen Lyon and south sides of Loch Tummel and Loch Earn. Plans being made for another big one for weekend 7/8th June.