ginty001

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

Chung
Could not have put it better. I have posted 1 strava section for main bunch run and one for amazing ride home via rr route. The applause from the Glasgow crowd was brilliant. Pretty cool cycling from west end to Glasgow green on a road laid out for the mighty jwcc

Is Phil's Folly now higher?
 
Will all Strava records for the climb and descent now be deleted?

Lochwinnoch-Kilmacolm road resurfaced. Phil's is butter smooth and I think we saw Andy Gumley whizzing down today.
 
Oddly it is still hard work going up.
 
Georgetown is also rideable again and Greenacres to Howood is super smooth and will no longer destroy a TT bike.
 
Might not be exciting to some but these are the highlights of my year so far.

Fabulous day out. Well done to Iain Couttie getting placed in the TT this morning. No idea how the fast boys got on in the racing this afternoon.
4 of us set out from club rooms at 08.15 this morning, we met Allan Michael and Iain mcginty at the 09.30 ferry. Good show from the jets as well, I was well pleased with my 21.53 on a breezy course littered with tourist cyclists. We retired to a pub for some refreshments, then went to watch the last three laps of the road race. Then a quick dive to the ferry and the train home.
Weather couldn't have been better, and the hospitality was excellent. Well done to everyone who took part.

My only reason for entering races is so I can write a report afterwards, Andy. I've rambled on here because I'm still too switched on to sleep (and because I like rambling on.) Skip to the end for the important bit.

Tonight's contest was a well-organised Glasgow Green CC production over two and a bit laps of the Stewarton circuit: twice over the Dams and the Clunch, with the finish line just outside East Renfrewshire's Newton Mearns rubbish tip. (I'm sure you all know it well.) There were 60 riders on the start sheet, and we rolled out from the Indian restaurant at the Malletsheugh in glorious sunshine, with me and Colin in the mix for the Wheelers. Roadside support by Chung and Ken.

The race kicked off by heading south on the A77. The first two miles were neutralised, but with no lead car directly in front of the bunch, the pace was brisk with lots of jostling. There was a keen westerly wind and you could clearly feel how much easier it was to ride near the gutter compared to the outside of the bunch. At the Galston roundabout we did a U-turn back towards the Malletsheugh. Colin was sitting in the front third; I'd done my usual front-to-back routine, easing away from erratic riders in the name of self-preservation.

I was determined not to tackle the Dams climb from the back, so I moved up as we approached the finish line for the start of the first lap proper. Not long after that, a break of about 8-9 riders slipped off the front with a good gap of about 60 yards. Jason Barnes went in pursuit and I chased after him. "Take a spell, Jason, take a spell!" My intentions were good but my ability to put a name to a face was not: it was Nicky Cronin from Glasgow Wheelers! Nonetheless, take a spell he did and we tried to get across. If we had a gap on the main bunch, it wasn't for long. We caught a few riders who had tried to get across to the break, but not the break itself - nowhere near them. I sat up as we turned left off the A77 and drifted backwards.

Going over the Dams, Colin was off the front in a second breakaway group of five or six. I swear I saw him turn around with a slightly puzzled expression on his face as he looked back across the gap to the bunch! He'll be able to fill you in on the details, but I reckon the second group were brought back by the top of the Clunch road. On the A77, we were told that the first break had a gap of about 1:40. We were travelling north quickly, but the chase wasn't organised with few contributing. I was happy to sit in.

Second time over the Dams and it's suddenly rather hard. Riders were flaking off the back of the group and I lost track of where Colin was. I managed to hang on, though, and was attached to the bunch as we turned for the Clunch. Could I actually make it to the end of a road race without cramping up?

Well, no, unfortunately. We're big-ringing it up the miserably steep introduction to the Clunch and I get that now-familiar feeling that my legs will not support my weight. Standing up is no longer an option, so I settle down in the saddle and try to make sure that I'm always in a gear I can spin. I managed to hang on over the top - just - after five minutes of teeth-clenching and muttering. Onto the A77 for the final time and as soon as the surge out of the corner had been dealt with, I was confident I'd make it.

As the finish line got closer, I recovered a wee bit and moved up the bunch. Don't get me wrong: I was wrecked, but I felt good enough to start thinking about whether it was worth sprinting through an unlit tunnel and onto the final rise with 20 or 30-odd guys for tenth place. "Probably not," I decided.

There were some daft moves over the white line in the last few miles (and throughout the race) and that made up my mind for me: try to stop a gap opening but no heroics. Although I was probably dead last, I think - I hope! - that was a bunch finish.

David Dalziel from the Nightingale beat his breakaway companions for the win and his second WOSCA victory this year. Colin finished a bit behind me - how much, I'm not sure, cos I was a bit spaced out when we were chatting back at race HQ. Exhaustion is also my excuse for losing my sunglasses in the last four miles and running over a dead pigeon on the way home. I just wish I could blame tiredness for calling Nicky "Jason" and for forgetting to start my Garmin. :-/

With the ride out and back, that was probably my longest run in the last eight or nine months. My legs might benefit from another race next week, but there doesn't seem to be anything in the West of Scotland. I've entered the next Glasgow Green WOSCA race in a fortnight and the Glasgow Road Club race at the start of August. Get your entry in now, Paul!

Was waiting on Al's detailed Garmin report, but he must be out of internet reach again...
Early 05:00 departure was required to make the 07:00 start. However, we missed the main bunch start (comfort break) and ended up on our own. This was the pattern for the rest of the day. Started off in light rain, but this cleared for most of the rest of the day with the exception of two heavy downpours in the afternnoon.
Scenery outstanding all the way with several of the roads smooth tarmac to match. No vertical gradients to speak of, but many long drags to sap the strength. In fact, had to suck Al's wheel for several miles on the return leg to Langholm when I was toiling up a 10 mile 'slope' after about 130 miles. I knew I would suffer on this - it was a two up TT at around 25mph on the way out! Eventually recovered with a red bull!
Finished the run at 21:23 with 195 miles on the clock. MacDonalds never tasted so good. Probably around 13 hrs in the saddle and I have the backside to prove it.
Despite 3 cafe breaks and a couple of 'shop' stops, lesson for me is that I need to take more real food (and red bull) on board. Think my stomach was rejecting gels late on.
Great day on the bike and good to hit the milestone. Strange feeling sitting at 100 miles and realising you're just over half way.
Dawes Tourer now on order and beard coming along nicely.
Planning next trip to Stornoway at start of Jul for the next 300km. All welcome....

Ginty
Al tells me he has only reached chap 48 so report could b a while

Well ???????

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 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

Mr McGinty, striding through Glasgow Central in a stunning petrol blue suit.
 
Had that "got off with community service" swagger about him.

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.

I think the key word there was "refreshments" Billy

I'd be happy to provide some vouchers as wee token prize to compliment the title in each of the above categories if this would be appropriate if not I totally understand
 
Unfortunately I won't be able to attend on the 27th it's my wife's birthday and it's a significant one
 
If you require the voucher give me a wee shout back please and I'll sort it out
 
Cheers
 
:-)
 

Evans just posted some pictures of the run on the Langholm Sportive Facebook page, with 2 JWCC riders looking resplendent in their new kit in 3 of the 4 pictures posted. I hope you can get to this link
 
https://www.facebook...regular&fref=nf

30 milers this week consisted of Ken, Anthony, Carol and Dave and headed up the Bowfield, then left turn along back roads to Uplawmoor, Lugton, Dunlop and Stewarton. Cafe stop at the Limegreen coffee shop which is very bike friendly even allowing bikes in shop for safety.
Returned to Lugton and then past Greenacres and down Bowfield and home via Kilbarchan for 39miles. Thanks to Ken for the route and Anthony for the company and we never had one drop of rain...honestly. Dave & Carol

Didnt realise there were other Wheelers riding! Hope you all enjoyed yourself
 
Was an enjoyable event. Pleased with my time and also my sprint placing, have much to improve on with the king of the mountain section though. Highlight was towards the end - there is a tough little climb at Logierait that catches riders unaware because most are in the big ring then take a corner directly onto a steep slope which is hidden from view. Anyway because i knew it was coming i'd changed down in advance and overtook a guy on a Boardman bike who was also wearing Boardman top...it was only after i noticed these things that i realised it was Chris Boardman himself.

Ginty,
 
We met at Thomsons, up the braes and over to Lugton. From there Dunlop, Stewarton and Fenwick. A77 up to Philmuir Rd. Paul and the other headed for Barrhead and Paisley while dropped down to Eastwood toll. Fairly sharp pace all evening. Great fun.

Ian, I left home at 5:10 and did some extra miles before meeting up with the others. Got home 8:50

A wee teaser... we'll all be cheering a member of his family this summer

Archibald !? :-)

Great day yesterday at Drumlanrig. The organisers Rolf & Dave and all their helpers are really appreciative of the Wheelers support over the years.
 
Their Fort William Lochaber 100 event is just as good as Drumlanrig with a fantastic route and even more home baking to wade through. Plenty of B&Bs, caravan parks & camping for the Friday night to bring a social element to the trip!
 
Saturday 6 September 2014
 
http://www.tearfundcycling.btck.co.uk/Lochaber100
 

Reminds me of the quote from Theo de Rooy: "it's bollocks this race! You’re working like an animal, you don’t have time to piss, you wet your pants. You’re riding in mud like this, you’re slipping, it’s a piece of shit…â€
 
Interviewer “Will you ever ride it again?â€
 
de Rooy, “Sure, it’s the most beautiful race in the world!â€