Roberto

OK, with my op now done and dusted I'm glad to say that I'm back up and running! The date for this year's run is Sunday 20th August, so if anyone would like to join us, please post. Here's a  wee reminder of what this run is all about:
As always, this run is about creating a platform for riders who have never ridden 100 miles in one day, and at the same time allowing more experienced riders to take a break from a heid doon and a**e up approach and enjoy a social ride in the lovely South Lanarkshire/Borders countryside.
Cycling is ultimately about travel, socialising and keeping fit and, for me, that sums up the Blackwood/Peebles runs that have taken place for 10 years now.
There is never any entry fee for this run and there will be the usual lunch stop in the Peebles area and Morag has once again kindly offered to open Mo’s Café here at our place at the end of the run.
Details of the exact route and the lunch stop venue will be given out later, but it would be useful to know (for catering purposes both at the lunch stop and Mo’s Cafe) how many riders would like to come along. It would be great to have your company if you can make it.
Please post a ‘yeah’ if you wish to join this run. Thanks.

Hi Robert, great you are coming up. What time are you expecting to be there?

More the merrier Robert.
 
Darryl/Davie, how did your Oban trip go?

Looking to join y'all for the Bealach on 10/08😎

Times
 
Alan T - 1.10.01
James S - 1.05.07
Iain C - 1.03.33
Billy M - 1.02.25
 
Nice night but a hard slog back into the wind from the turn, Well done to all !

Great ride around the familiar roads (to myself anyway) of a forgotten corner of the country on sunday, only 30 or so entries for longest route of 73 miles & over 3K feet of up, wind minimal, some rain only when the Glenkens were reached. Decent avg speed of 16.6mph for solo effort. Catering by relatives in Dalbeattie was much appreciated!

The first of the 25 mile TTs, 25 miles of shaky, rattley pain over what I think is one of the hardest 25 courses around. If you can ride this, you can ride any 25.
The course is the Lochlibo road from Shilford out to the roundabout at Irvine and back.
The start is at CJS signs near Shilford, the finish is about a half mile past the start at a layby with a field gate.
Please note that this will be a 6:30 meet for a 6:45 off.
Usual volunteers required please, and some riders would be good too.
I'll post up the course and a risk assessment before next week.

There was a really great day out last summer where we had a nice ride round Arran. It would be nice for a meet up to do it again. The pace will be determined by us on the day so that everyone can comfortably keep up.
 
Meet at the clubrooms at 0800 to cycle down for the 0945 ferry, or meet in Ardrossan for just the Arran leg. Once we have numbers I can reserve a table for lunch somewhere and a pub stop before the ferry would be nice too (bring lights if cycling back home!).
 
Post up if you are coming.

I'm in shock, on the boat after a single single. Got a bit emosh in last few miles as not being a TT person at all I honestly did not think I could do it. Wind was straight westerly which was cross wind up west coast and a bit unhelpful but hey ho. Happiest man in world right now. 😂ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ The way my legs feel I think I'll take up chess till track league starts 😳

Thanks to Iain C and Ian H for timekeeping,
Well done to Gerard and also Alan after a tough ride at the weekend. I surprised myself with that time!

Just a small reminder to everyone there tonight that, despite the cold air it is actually July. Well done to Scott on a fantastic run and to our esteemed timekeepers on the night. Thanks to Alan for his effort too.

Times
Allan t. 25.08
Scott 23.36. Pub ()
Gerrard 23.46

Clune is closed for resurfacing (its possible to ride past on pavement but really suitable for a big bunch) so Sewing Bee route for the next couple of weeks
 
Meeting place is outside the clubrooms at 630 (or bottom of the Bowfield about 640)

Aim is to keep it together up the Bowfield then through and off to Stewarton via Lugton and Dunlop. Intermediate is the Dunlop 30 (2, 1 points). Once at Stewarton take a left then up the drag and it will be 3, 2 ,1 points for the first 3 to the top. The finish of the KOM will be the start of layby at top of the hill before the fishing reservoir.

Here is a photo so you know where it is and so i dont get accused of making up a finish line that suits where i am on the night




Regroup after the descent at Craigton road which is this road.
 



We then take Craigton road to Neilston and the stage finish is the top of the Dalek climb (top taken to be the right turn at the farmhouse at the top of the hill not the junction at the top of station road) 6, 4, 2 for the first 3.

The day 0500! Up breakfast 5:30 Ride down the Alp 06:00Then in pen eventually over the line 07:15 the ride to the glandon is fast and fun but over too quickly then the 24 k of the Glandon me Grieg and George rode up most of it together soon enough it was me and George 2 plus hours latter the decent which was damp and cold and scary lost George as he was well in front
Next year valley to Telegraph spent most of that on my own eventually reaching the col but spent a couple of matches caught up with George and rode the 12 k or so together nice short decent and the Galibier 20 k this was sole destroying eventually I left George and rode to the top and waited for a short time as it was freezing
Next a fantastic descent to the Alp again sort of on my own dragged a bunch to the btm of the Alp
The Alp 22 hair pins of total torture everything hurts close to chucking it many times hung in finished had a few beers and George rolled in
The rest can add but George's Alp storey is good

Evening all.
 
Well, here's the report from one of the 'also rans'
 
I had been keen for Roubaix this year until Geo talked me into the Marmotte.
 
"11 months to go" I thought....what could go wrong!
 
A combination of work and a 2yr old meant I didn't get as many miles in as I would've liked...I had ridden a couple of 75 milers in the previous couple of months but my last century was at Flanders last April.... but before I knew it, we were flying out to Geneva!
 
As George said, a bit of delay getting to the Alpe but a nice wee ride down the Alpe on Sat, along to Allemont and then a climb up to Villard Reculas and into Huez village. It did made me think about the day to come!
 
The descent to the start wasn't as bad as I feared and we were soon off and blasting through the valley. I was with my friend from Dumfries and we were staying together as he has been on the bike less than me.
Up and over the looooonnnnnnggg drag of the Glandon into the cold and mist. Not much hanging about before the neutralised descent.
Neutralised because it's dangerous.....it also didn't help that visibility must've been down to 50ft! Interesting!!
 
I had lost sight of my mate and found myself on a wee train along the valley. Hanging on a bit as I didn't fancy being stuck on my own into the headwind.
We collected Greg, who was doing exactly that, just before the feed stop and we were joined by my mate before tackling the Telegraphe.
The Telegraphe itself isn't too bad a climb but then we were onto the Galibier. At this point my mate said he was chucking it and as Greg and I spoke to Ramsay and Elaine....who had caught us for about an hour!!...I lost of sight of him and we eventually thought he must've turned round.
 
The Galibier was ok to start with but the last 8 or 9km is a pretty hard slog. Think it was about 4 or 5mph all the way up!
 
To surprise and delight, my mate was at the feed station at the top! It was blowing a gale so we headed off down the descent which wasn't too nice in the wind.
The Galibier soon turned into the Col du Lautaret and it's fast, majestic sweeping bends that went on for km after km.
Good for the morale and the sun had came out by now!
We realised we weren't as far ahead of schedule as we had imagined so it was a race on to make the time cut off of 6.15pm at the foot of the Alpe.
We dug in and made it with 10 mins to spare. We had dug in because we had decided we weren't going to ride the Alpe after all.
 
Then we decided that that would be daft......so off we went!
 
It was in the 20's by now so off came as many clothes as was decent and we agreed it was every man for himself so I continued on my 4mph slog upwards and got closer and closer....seeing a lot of folk looking in a worse state than yourself is a strange morale boost!!
 
I eventually got to hairpin 1 and had some new found energy so had a good run in to the finish line.
 
Total time from start to finish was 12hrs and 20 mins so a long day in the saddle.
I was delighted to have finished because I had my doubts. It was a tough mental battle at times.
 
I was less than delighted to be told that they didn't have any medals left!!!
I'll see how the organisers reply to my e-mail!
 
What Ramsay didn't tell you was that he still managed to climb the Alpe in 1hr 10 after everything that came before!! Chapeau
 
As the others have said about the Fred, not sure if I'd do it again but glad to have ticked it off!
 
Thanks for reading....and goodnight

Elaine & I also did this with a group from her work.

Briefly met Grieg, George, Billy, Richie and other for a beer on the Saturday night.

Had a cracking day after a shaky start (literally!). I rode down to the start from Alpe D'Huez and twice had almost uncontrollable speed wobbles at 35mph+. Very frightening, but sorted at the bottom to start almost last and behind the following vehicles!

After starting at the back, we rode steadily and passed people all day, which was nice. The sun came out on the decent from the Galibier and made the Alpe D'Huez climb almost hot. Finished in time for a beer and pasta.

Longest ever ride for Elaine and most climbing in a day for both of us.
 
Happy days!      

Houston, we have a problem
https://www.strava.com/segments/4288093
 
 
Short one this week with a punchy climb

All the best, guys.

Well done

Nice one Roberto

Tough day was had, only 5.5 hours sleep didn't help, v warm day, hammies (still playing up) were smashed by the end, finished 31st from 180. Excellent route thoroughly recommended.

Tough day was had, only 5.5 hours sleep didn't help, v warm day, hammies (still playing up) were smashed by the end, finished 31st from 180. Excellent route thoroughly recommended.

Tough day was had, only 5.5 hours sleep didn't help, v warm day, hammies (still playing up) were smashed by the end, finished 31st from 180. Excellent route thoroughly recommended.

Tough day was had, only 5.5 hours sleep didn't help, v warm day, hammies (still playing up) were smashed by the end, finished 31st from 180. Excellent route thoroughly recommended.

Completed 314km Audax Sat.
Gruelling course from Musselburgh to England and back.
Not helped by the headwind heading South which lessened considerably on the way back North!!!
Started at 06:00 and finished at 21:30 with only one puncture thanks to a cattle grid.
The 400 may be a stretch too far this year.