AlanT

No coffee break, got to be back sharp. Planning for Stewarton, Burnhouse, Beith, Lochwinnoch. Heading out around 9, meet at the cycle track at Morrisons about 10 past? 40-ish miles at pie eater pace.

Bit time constrained on Wednesday, probably going to do the Stewarton loop and back home for 12-ish

It's the start of the Confined Event TT series, on Sunday 8th March. This is the first trophy of the season up for grabs to the fastest rider on the day, won last year by Marc Kelly in a ripping time of 27.31. 2 laps of a hilly route with some challenging turns and a terrific descent, all in the small ring. An excellent introduction to time trialling for beginners, as well as a decent warm up for the more experienced. In keeping with the spirit of restricted gears, only those riding road bikes will be considered eligible for the trophy, i.e. no TT bikes, skinsuits or pointy hats please. The jets will also be welcome to ride in this first competitive confined event of the season. There will be a short ride down to Castle Semple after the run for tea and scones, for all the athletes. As normal, there will be a £3 entry fee, payable on the day, the proceeds going towards the costs of the awards at the end of the season. The course: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/651582320 Please note that the start point has been moved to the duck pond where parking is better and traffic is slower. This should make the start a little safer for everyone. Meet at the start at 10:00 ready for first rider off at 10:15. I will timekeep, but I need a willing volunteer to hold. I will post the Risk Assessment on Friday. As usual, the weather conditions will be assessed on Saturday, but the forecast is not horrible for this weekend, so I have every expectation that the event will take place. Post up if you're coming.

Forecast is for dreadful, again. Turbo for me. In the comparative warmth and dryness of my garage.

Restricted gear isn't until 8th March. This week was supposed to have been the Don Smith, but since no one put their hand up to organise it, it's not going to happen this year. There is a proposal to use the routes this weekend anyway, but I guess that's going to depend on numbers and weather. Again.

Truly horrible, between the weather and lack of fitness. Turned up the Whin in the snow to get home before frostbite set in.

Yep, my mistake, Erskine isn't part of this route. It's part of the tour of the shire route for reliability 1, which didn't happen this year. Of course, if you maniacs out in the hail showers want to go that way, it's your call. Enjoy.

The bunch should pass Erskine bridge en route to Bishopton, but the starting point is the clubhouse in Miller St.

Nope, it's anti-clockwise. Georgetown, Erskine, coast to Largs, Dalry, Gateside, Howwood, Johnstone.

Is anyone out for the 09:00 Bunch? If not, I'll go out in the afternoon, 'cos the forecast is for hail showers between 9 and 11. And you know what you can do with rule 5😮

The fourth and final, or possibly the first to actually happen, of the 2020 Reliability rides, West Kilbride, 72 miles, is on Sunday 23rd February, assuming that the weather doesn't do us all in again. All rides will leave from clubrooms on Miller Street. As per previous years, there will be three bunches with the slower bunch leaving at 9:00am, the second bunch leaving at 9:30am and the racers leaving at 9:45am. The route http://www.mapmyride.com/sc/victoria-english-river/reliability-no-4-west-kilbride-route-14021498 Shorter options are available, the 9 o'clock bunch may choose to cut a few corners off the route and go out via the Kilmacolm cyclepath and return via Haylie Brae, that would cut the route down to about 52 miles. Donations of tea, coffee, soup, rolls, cakes or Italian pasta/pizza dishes will be gratefully accepted and served in the club rooms at the end of the ride. Please indicate what you will be bringing in your posting. If you haven't brought any food to the reliabilities this is your last chance this year! Thanks to those who have contributed previously. I intend to join the 9:00 bunch and will be available to open the clubrooms prior to the first run departing. If someone from the later bunches can turn up early, I can hand the keys over to them.

Chapeau for just getting out.

Too windy for me. Turbo in the garage. Again. Enjoy the run.

I'm looking at a forecast with high winds all day tomorrow. I'll turbo at home. Enjoy your run. Of course, if the weather is fine and the forecast is a lie, I'll be out.

Strong winds in the forecast for Sunday. Could be another turbo day. What about a group turbo in the clubhouse? We could put some sufferfest on, and get some soup afterwards? Thoughts?

The third of the 2020 Reliability rides, to Sinclair Street (Helensburgh), 58 miles, is on Sunday 16th February, barring tsunamis, earthquakes, rains of blood and hail or other natural disasters. All rides will leave from club rooms on Miller Street. As previously, there will be three bunches with the slower bunch leaving at 9:00am, the second bunch leaving at 9:30am and the fastest bunch at 9:45. The route can be found here http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/elderslie-sct/reliability-no-3-sinclair-street-route-1827559 Donations of tea, coffee, soup, rolls, cakes or traditional Polynesian luaus will be gratefully accepted and served in the club rooms at the end of the ride. Please indicate what you will be bringing in your posting. If you haven't brought any food to the reliabilities yet there is still time, thanks to those who have contributed previously.. A volunteer please to heat the soup and open up the club rooms post run. Hopefully, we'll actually get one of these off the ground this week. I can open the clubrooms pre-ride as I intend to join the 09:00 bunch due to my ongoing lack of fitness.

I get that sometimes too. I put it down to a movement in the strap causing spikes. Don't actually know if that's true though.

Sadly, the Don Smith Memorial ride will not take place this year, as we do now t have an organiser. The intention will be to ride the routes as club runs on the first Sunday in March, leaving from the club rooms. There will be more detail from the ride moderators nearer the time.

The second of the scheduled 2020 rides on the Reliability routes, to Moscow, Ayrshire, a rolling 46 miles, is on Sunday 9th February. Lets hope the weather is better than it was for the first run. All rides will leave from clubrooms on Miller Street. Can we have a keyholder available to open the clubrooms before and after the ride please. There will be three bunches with the slower bunch leaving at 9:00am, the second bunch leaving at 9:30am and the fastest bunch at 9:45am. The route is here: http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/elderslie-sct/reliability-no-2-moscow-route-1787383 Donations of tea, coffee, soup, rolls, cakes and traditional Norse feasts will be most welcome, and will be served in the clubrooms at the end of the ride, please indicate what you will be bringing in your posting. One contribution per person across the 4 weeks of Reliability rides will mean a hearty snack for all at the end of each. I will be joining the 9am bunch. There are bail out options available for those who don't feel up to the full distance.

4 individuals turned up for this ride. Iain Couttie, Greg Balden, Glen Irving and myself. 2 of that 4 fell off negotiating the puddle at the club gate, and Glen suffered a mechanical that saw him soft pedal home again, so three got as far as Bishopton before Greg and myself decided that enough was enough. Hard man Couttie continued on along OGR rather than Westferry, and no idea where he went after that. Very wet and very cold, but glad to get out. Even more glad to get home and heated up though.

Sunday pickup would be ideal. 😀

The first of the 2020 rides on the reliability routes, the Tour of Renfrewshire, 40 miles and only slightly lumpy, is on Sunday 2nd February, as advertised on Strava. All rides will leave from clubrooms on Miller Street. Can we have a keyholder available to open the clubrooms prior to the first bunch leaving. As normal, there will be three bunches with the slower bunch leaving at 9:00am, the second bunch leaving at 9:30am and the fastest bunch at 9:45am. The route is Clubhouse, Georgetown, Erskine, Bishopton, West Ferry, Clune, The Wall, Lochwinnoch road, then cut off to Howwood and back along the Beith Road. It would be helpful if there was someone in every group who knows the route. http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/elderslie-sct/reliability-no-1-tour-of-the-shire-route-1730016 As always, donations of soup, cakes, 5 course banquets with choices of fine wines will be gratefully accepted. Such donations will be served in the clubrooms at the end of the ride, please indicate what you will be bringing in your posting. One contribution per person across the 4 weeks of Reliability rides will mean a hearty snack for all at the end of each ride. Can we have a non riding volunteer please to heat the soup, etc. for this first week. If you don't feel ready for the full 40 miles at this stage in the season, don't worry there will be others in the same boat and there are various shorter options available. Just come along and work up an appetite for the soup! I will plan to join the first group out.

Proof, if you ever needed it that the BBC lies. I'm looking out the window at a distinct lack of rain. See you at 11.

I'm looking at a forecast that says it's going to be peeing down until 1. Going to hit the turbo this morning. Enjoy your run out.

Might miss out and turbo. Tour of the shire is a good alternative though.