Alan McLean

Hi all
 
The new mega South Glasgow Hospital has 10000 employees.
 
Lots come from Kilmacolm/BoW and a few of us cycle.
 
We have a  group leaving Pullman down track at 0730, arrive 0830 but departure times TBC daily. You are welcome to join at BoW/Brookfield/Linwood etc. This would also be good for people at Royal Alexandra Hospital (or anywhere en route actually).
 
25k. Vast majority traffic free, 2.5 k of minor roads with clever main road crossings. Pretty much NCR75/7
 
PM me if interested in joining.  If you are new to bunch riding you will receive on the job training!
 
Alan
 
 

now I see a snapshot gradient of 57% on wrynose so maybe GPS gradient not entirely reliable.

Chapeau to the guy on the flat barred bike with panniers, sitting upright with knees sticking out, who has twice cruised past me this week on the track at about 35 kph while I was on the drops battering a headwind up to BoW.
 
Completely baffling at first. It took me 20 seconds to realise he had a motor in his front hub, then he was kind enough to Derny me to Kilmacolm. Bliss.
 
I know electric bikes are not really cricket but if you meet him it he is highly recommended for a tow home around 6pm from Linwood.
 
(insert joke here about riders on hybrids passing me without need of motors)

Tidy bunch of seven avoided the showers and had a great ride on the Cowal, C11 etc all ridden in style. Screaming return through Clachaig with tailwind.
 
Congrats to Darryl for finding the only cafe on the peninsula which actually welcomes customers and serves food and drink without complaining. The Barn in Kames (Kaimes?)
 
Chapeau of the day to our Jet, Adam who shrugged off his 70 mile ride with 2000m of climbing. As I write George is probably climbing the Cote de Foxbar after a total mileage approaching 110ish.
 
All agreed that the Cowal on a good day is as good as anywhere in the world. The Cowal on a bad day is still pretty spectacular.

Tidy bunch of seven avoided the showers and had a great ride on the Cowal, C11 etc all ridden in style. Screaming return through Clachaig with tailwind.
 
Congrats to Darryl for finding the only cafe on the peninsula which actually welcomes customers and serves food and drink without complaining. The Barn in Kames (Kaimes?)
 
Chapeau of the day to our Jet, Adam who shrugged off his 70 mile ride with 2000m of climbing. As I write George is probably climbing the Cote de Foxbar after a total mileage approaching 110ish.
 
All agreed that the Cowal on a good day is as good as anywhere in the world. The Cowal on a bad day is still pretty spectacular.

Hi all
 
The new mega South Glasgow Hospital has 10000 employees.
 
Lots come from Kilmacolm/BoW and a few of us cycle.
 
We have a  group leaving Pullman down track at 0730, arrive 0830 but departure times TBC daily. You are welcome to join at BoW/Brookfield/Linwood etc. This would also be good for people at Royal Alexandra Hospital (or anywhere en route actually).
 
25k. Vast majority traffic free, 2.5 k of minor roads with clever main road crossings. Pretty much NCR75/7
 
PM me if interested in joining.  If you are new to bunch riding you will receive on the job training!
 
Alan
 
 

Also I don't really want to draft Darryl if he's wearing see through shorts. In fact that goes for quite a few of you.
 
Suddenly feeling unwell...

Also I don't really want to draft Darryl if he's wearing see through shorts. In fact that goes for quite a few of you.
 
Suddenly feeling unwell...

Chung, well done with the LBL mash up. Looking forward to your MSR alternative next year.
 
I will join somewhere along Georgetown/Bishy.
 
alan

got to red smiddy at 1830 to see you disappear up the road to Bishy. caught  Renfrew Bunch to hunt you down! another hot evening, this is getting to be a habit.

bridge, Balloch, fruin, garelochead, kilcreggan ferry, home.
 
Spring is here at last.

Hi Graham, seeing as the start is only 20m from my house I will join with Sarah B at 9. She wants training miles so we can leave her on the front all day.
 
Top tip:  co-op is only 10 secs away and their bananas are about 30p each so that is the food sorted.
 
Alan

Thanks to Jann, Kenny and all the organisers.
 
0930 group and full coast run much overrated.
 
Bagel Basket received a long visit and much custom from our small but elite bunch prior to the Haylie.

Excellent day including (as I pointed out to anyone who would listen) the traditional dragrace to Largs, into low sun glare, soaked and blinded by spray.
 
Ian Archibald and Jim C got bored and opened a gap at Burnhouse which Alan bridged in an impressive bonkers solo effort.
 
The mighty Lindsay and I chased the first three all the way to Barrhead.
 
Geeky analysis confirms very fast times out of Kilwinning which explains why I am typing this lying down.

I knew if I made enough stupid suicide attacks one would pay off. First in scratch after attacking with 2.5 laps to go. Also 2nd in devil after sitting at the front for 24 laps, a tactic which works for someone with no sprint. Highly recommended coaching point.
 
Fine performance from the Jets in the youth/junior groups. Danny was podiumed out and the girls were  very strong amongst some really fast boys but could not quite hold on past about 20 laps of eyeballs out racing.

I knew if I made enough stupid suicide attacks one would pay off. First in scratch after attacking with 2.5 laps to go. Also 2nd in devil after sitting at the front for 24 laps, a tactic which works for someone with no sprint. Highly recommended coaching point.
 
Fine performance from the Jets in the youth/junior groups. Danny was podiumed out and the girls were  very strong amongst some really fast boys but could not quite hold on past about 20 laps of eyeballs out racing.

Superb riding at 30mph along the coast road in bright sunshine in a big group of 25 or so.
 
The drag up Auchentiber road out of Kilwinnng was ok but too slow for Paul McD who earns a massive chapeau for getting his retaliation in first and jumping just before the Barrhead Road to get a 200m gap.
 
After that it was a bit of a horrible blur of rear wheels until I finally pinged off at Burnhouse.
 
Lots of Wheelers stayed in the habble which I last saw at Lugton heading north.

You Renfrew Bunch types are mad. Every surface in Kilmacolm was covered in ice glaze at 9 am.
 
After bringing the car round my chauffeur spent ten minutes scraping the windscreen and cook had to rustle up some extra pheasant broth for the men in the gatehouse.

Hi Paul, B1 or B2? Do you have a choice?
 
One of them is the predominantly bonkers youth/juniors group.  Like the ultra-zombies in "28 days later" they never stop attacking.

Good fun but too expensive now considering that two-thirds of the course is on empty roads anyway.
 
Loch Rannoch must have quietest roads in the country.

I was working so could only spectate. Lovely fresh weather and dappled sun lit up the classic autumn course.
A great turnout from Jets and the more mature gentleman riders but I only saw Davie entered in the seniors.
 
The first races did not cross the ravine of doom so the parcours was very fast with surprisingly little mud given the recent rain.
 
The best vantage point was the top of the big berm, about 25m of 30% muddy grass. I joined the layabouts cheering the very few who could ride to the top and commiserating with the riders who ran out of steam one pedal stroke from safety.
 
Big chapeau to James who has given up all pretence of attending races as his son's helper and is now a full on cross racer. We are expecting carbon tubs to appear soon. He also had the best clipped in slo-mo fall!
 
The recent CX events have been stuffed with riders aged from 8 to 80 and are a brilliant day out. It was particularly good to see a field of around 30 women racers with really close action.
 
Hoping to get a couple more rides before xmas.
 
Alan

Very civilised until Dalry but got a bit harder and Roubaix-like through Barrmill.
 
It was great to see a big bunch heading towards us and realising it was our own Jets.  (without me, ahem, sorry mul)

Hi, I have asked Martin for one big and one small ticket please.

Would not like to see your food bill. Does Pauline just buy a half-cow every week or what?

I was working so could only spectate. Lovely fresh weather and dappled sun lit up the classic autumn course.
A great turnout from Jets and the more mature gentleman riders but I only saw Davie entered in the seniors.
 
The first races did not cross the ravine of doom so the parcours was very fast with surprisingly little mud given the recent rain.
 
The best vantage point was the top of the big berm, about 25m of 30% muddy grass. I joined the layabouts cheering the very few who could ride to the top and commiserating with the riders who ran out of steam one pedal stroke from safety.
 
Big chapeau to James who has given up all pretence of attending races as his son's helper and is now a full on cross racer. We are expecting carbon tubs to appear soon. He also had the best clipped in slo-mo fall!
 
The recent CX events have been stuffed with riders aged from 8 to 80 and are a brilliant day out. It was particularly good to see a field of around 30 women racers with really close action.
 
Hoping to get a couple more rides before xmas.
 
Alan