EricL

Not sure where feedback for the whatsapp proposal is to go. But here is mine.
Personally i'd be reluctant for things to move to whatapp for a couple of reasons. First,  large whatsapp groups can quickly become overwhelming (a bit like a chaingang!) and the messages with relevant content (in this case details of the club ride) often get lost. Second  it is also not good for prospective members wanting to see what is happening with the club. Even if they are not yet signed up many will still read the forum before deciding to come out on a ride, if the club rides are organised and discussed in private then it excludes those not already in the group from participating (even if just as an observer at the beginning).
Perhaps if an information group could be set up so only those who are admins can send messages then it might work out better? The messages would then include the details of the weeks ride (route, where and when to meet) but with discussion about it then being directed towards the bunch forum.
 

Great day all round for JWCC and the race was superb as always.
Charlie took the V60, and a prime
I took the V50, with Colin 1/2 wheel behind for second in that category
Richie was 10th overall

 
 

Warranty replacement frame n fork 

Thank you to everyone who helped out today.  The event went really well and we had some great rider feedback about the day.  Just in case, if anyone notices any of the signs still up then let me know.

From the first groups perspective i think that worked out all right tonight. Bunch was the smoothest it has been all summer and it felt safe too. 
 
 

Nice run this morning with Couttie & Eric. No rain and the sun shone

A761 Closed
Iain,
You will have noticed the temp lights and works in Kilmacolm. Scottish Water will be closing the road completely for 2 weeks starting next week. Just thought you should know for both Renfrew and JWCC chain gangs to modify routes.
https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/en/In-Your-Area/Investments-in-Your-Area/Kilmacolm-Sewer-Upgrade/Kilmacolm-Phase-2?fbclid=IwAR1e1WAwET_8zpi_4zm-oMswNFX52zkZH8P430jbYRerm_6J9_8rZazKii4
 
cheers,
Eric
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqeDDuhtLwQ
Wait for it.................there he is (at 1.22) !!!
This also reminds me of a great day spent on The Cauberg at Amstel 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqeDDuhtLwQ
Wait for it.................there he is (at 1.22) !!!
This also reminds me of a great day spent on The Cauberg at Amstel 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqeDDuhtLwQ
Wait for it.................there he is (at 1.22) !!!
This also reminds me of a great day spent on The Cauberg at Amstel 2019.

Hi people,
the title of my post might have set alarm bells ringing. Sorry for that.
So.... I’ve not been well for the past 3-4 years. Up & down. Making bad choices then punishing myself for it. Caught in a loop. Eventually went to get help.
Basically l, I had a really bad experience when I was young that I hidaway from.Denied it happened. Beat myself up for it. 
Eventually, I sought help. I was referred to a councillor and a CBT therapist. I won’t lie, having to discuss my issues and experiences was brutal. 
Why am I telling you this? Because if I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t be here.
Things got so bad that, what I thought was my salvation, “cycling” became toxic. Watching my weight, training, trying to keep up &, as life unravelled, being dropped was very crushing. I saw cycling as being my validation but it became a pressure & a stressor.
Thanks to mental health professionals & some very good friends in the club who have given me council, I’m on the mend. Thanks, guys.
I’m still cycling but for now I’m just going out when I feel like it. I’m also eating like a horse with no qualms or worries about “racing weight” I never raced much anyway!
Why am I posting this? We live in a society that is so driven by aspiration and the need to “get on” and compete. I’ve come to the conclusion that after my experiences I’m just lucky to be here. I’m quite proud to be alive.
So my message is- if you are struggling, don’t be ashamed to seek help and if you think a friend is struggling don’t shy away from asking if they are ok.
you just might savesomeone’s life. 
If you are struggling and looking for help, message me. I might not have the answers but I can signpost you to people who can help you.
It’s ok not to be ok!

Great wee run today with Karen, Anthony, Tom and myself. Headed to Port Glasgow then along the coast for a quick coffee in the BB. Up the Hailey Brae and back towards the clubrooms. Hopefully all made it home well before the rain started! 

Solo double attempt 2...missed her again. 
With north westerly winds, went for the anti-clockwise again (not my favourite). First lap went well...second lap after Lochranza lost the pace...I dont know why just couldn't get going again after the downhill section. A gel and a snack 15-20mins later I was back on again. But by that time lost probably 3mins or so on top of the usual 3mins at the start. Finished second lap around 8 mins down.
Ah well...may be one day. Probably need another month of the volume and intensity that I have been doing for the last 4 weeks. But play time is over now. Next week back to the usual 

Photo from Sam Robinson Memorial today. Fantastic!

Well done to Cedric who won the Sam Robinson road race today - he joins a who's who of Scottish Cycling on the trophy including wheelers like Brian Smith, Willie Gibb and Robert Melrose!
Chapeau
 
 

What could have been a solo double...
Settled with the solo 56+50 and what a day!
The highlights:
- Almost missed the outgoing ferry - made it just in time. Didn't take into account the weight of the 4 bottles of water and the 4000 kcal of food!
- Ferry full of cars meant I was out of the ferry at 0806 and a bit and by the time I found a spot for the bag of food I was around 3 mins down to start with! 
- Very variable wind conditions today that didn't help. At times there was Northerly winds - I might have been better doing it anti-clockwise?
- First lap done with 5mins behind schedule (plan was to finish fist lap at 1050)...ferry was right there and was contemplating chunking it. Refuelled with supplies and I was 10mins behind schedule by then. A quick clac and I estimated that I would just miss the ferry if I went for the double and so opted for plan B via Ross road. 
- Oh Ross road! the grind up that thing (with 39x25 was not easy) and then the technical decent didn't save me much time. I did make up 7 mins but I was still 3mins down on schedule. 
- I lost another 2 mins (making it 5min in total) - some of it due to paying for the effort on the Ross and some on getting a cramp up Lochranza and peddling with one leg while trying to shake the other out of the cramp!
-   Top of Lochranza climb took a Gel and buried myself to reach just in time around 1351 for the 1355 ferry!
Don't think I want to see Arran for a while now... 

Was running a bit late this morning (surprise surprise) due to a dodgy stomach, but I got to the clubrooms at 8.02 to find Charlie & Galeb and no one else so was a but unsure how the day would go (expected a smashfest lol!!) but was pleased to see the number of bodies waiting at the bridge which means a good shared workload and a well disciplined bunch.  We scooped up/met Michael at Arrochar so had ten riders out on this run.  What a throroughly enjoyable ride through the military road to the Rest, with a short cafe stop at the van at the top.  We headed through Hells Glen (my first time doing that section - was awesome with amazing views over Loch Fyne to Inverary.)  A brief stop in Strachur to refuel and then it was the long stretch to the ferry.  Not much waiting around for it thankfully we timed it quite well!  Headwind home but still great weather and a great day on the bike.  Cheers guys!!
Some cracking photos taken, I really like this one (taken by Charlie)...

 

XxxCANCELLEDxxx  now having a lie in and going out later in the day  
 
9am clubrooms, in the general direction of Troon, 50/60 miles.

David B, David C and myself returned to Galashiels for another Audax, this one was the last one we needed to qualify for PBP. David B had decided not to go to Paris and was just doing this for the craic.  Davie Borland was planning on riding straigh through the night so he could meet his wife for stake and chips about 1pm the next day, the pace he set of at it seemed he would! he was flying and lead the field throughout the day, as this was 3 out and back legs we got to wave a couple of times. He sensible decided to stop after the second leg rest up and meet the wife. David C and my self had a more relaxed plan and after the first leg 230km we were feeling good, We then headed of into the night for the second leg towards Gretna and rode with a Friend of Campbells called Neil. He was stopping at lockerbie at the first passing, but we decided to continue on hoping to complete the 2nd leg without stopping, but our pace had dropped in the darkness and as we hit Gretna it was fairly cold. When we got back to lockerbie about 380km in we were very tired and the usual pains we each had were back. We decided to stop at lockerbie truck stop(from and Irvine Welsh novel) and sleep for 3 hours and head back over the climbs in daylight. 
When we woke we both agreed to head back to Galahsiels and call it, it was a tough call but by this stage we had difficult sitting down and our pace was abysmal. I suppose training for these events are a good thing! and the qualifiers did there job, and weeded out the chancers trying to do the bare minimum to get to Paris! any way we got back to Galashiels after 460Km and plenty of time to do the 140km left, but of to McDonalds and home we went! Thanks to David C and Davie B for the company on this adventure! one my buttocks will never forget!
Salut! 

In our goal to qualify for Paris Brest Paris Myself, Davie B and David C headed down to Galashiels for the 400(420)km out and back to Barnards Castle. We stuck together until the Barnard Castle the half way mark and then Davie B continued at a faster pace with a couple of guys we had met and  David C and I started the dusk Wet Climb over some Moss hill.
Through the damp night we rode but! it was a balmy 12 degrees so it was not too bad. We did encounter few kms of road with 100s of frogs on it which passed the time trying not to squash any, which we managed! Until I heard David shout! -1 frog bless his soul, a few minutes later a Huge Rat ran into David's wheel but he managed to stay upright, I used to have a Rat her name was "Otago" David loves my patter. It was about then 3am? that Davids Knee started to hurt and our energy levels were very low, luckly we passed through lockerbie and had only 20km to a 24 hour with a service stop, I'm not a big fan of McDonalds but I was tonight. After about 5mins cycling David convinced me that the service station was here?? "Look" he said and pointed towards a BP sign behind some trees, But we stil had had 20km to go? I wasnt going to argue with him or his shiney new Wahoo gps, a few minutes later we got to a Service stop only to find it was the wrong one and nothing was open(Hammock Award Contender), a few swears were jokingly exchange and we rode on to McDonalds. Once we got there David went for a Sleep and I changed out of my wet clothes. I tried to sleep but people were intent on talking to me even though my eyes were closed, but best McDonalds I ever had, I even ate David's leftovers once he fell asleep. 
Back on the bike and back into the rain, With Davids Knee and my development of what I can only describe as "the worse butt pain in the world ever®" we took a nice steady pace back the last 100km.. the sun came out near the end and we were greeted by fried egg and bacon sandwiches by the organisers. A quick shower and off back up the road, I told David I would stay awake on the journey home as he was driving, I think I lasted abut 5mins.
Started at 9:00am finished next day at 10:17am 
Distance : 419.91km    Time pedaling 18:48:33     Elevation 3,922m
Avg Speed    22.3km/h    Elapsed Time    25:17:05
Anyhow only a 600km to do to qualify, To be honest i thought these would be easier than they are... yes they are physically draining but it really is all in the mind. Thanks for the company Lads

Camped last night, family has got a cottage in port Ellen so staying there tonight, camping again in Tayvallich 

First of all, Thank you Darryl for suggesting/organising this Sportive & all the Wheelers & friends for another very memorable day indeed on the bike!
I wouldn't have thought about doing this if it wasn't for Darryl's idea, since all I do these days are flat & cobblily :-) ............. but I'm glad I did this even though as everyone have said - it's brutal  !
It's been a long time since I've done a "local sportive", probably have to go back to 2012 now, so it was a great reminder that there are still some brilliant events to be ridden without crossing the Channel.
It might not have the glitz & glamour of bigger, more internationally recognised foreign events, but what it lacks is made up for by the warm reception (everyone I met, locals/marshalls helpers etc all had a smile on their faces) friendly atmosphere ........ & less riders to elbow out the way at feed stations 
In my opinion, this was an extremely well organised event with some lovely scenery & some of the hardest climbs I've ever done 
I've lost count of the times 20/21% gradient reading shown on my Garmin & these were always at the end of some long constant 10,12, 14, 16% slopes. Every time I ask Darryl, how many more climbs, he just said "........... only 1 more"  ........ I know full well that it was not true ........ but somehow want it to be so!
What also pleasantly surprised me was the conditions of the roads we drove & rode on, it was actually quite good without too much pot holes or broken surfaces, that was very welcome indeed, especially the brilliant & long but fairly technical descents. Which was great because after everyone climbs, the long down hills would munch away the km's, bringing us closer back to the finish!
It goes without saying that I had a great time - thanks also to Gerard for pick-up & drop off & to my travel companions .............
P.S We were lucky with the weather, because I dare to think what it would be like if it was windy & wet 
Cheers

Made it to the end of the Georgetown and lost it! Fastest 3 miles I’ve ever done!  Is that a record for the quickest person to be dropped   

Good to see everyone again... was a struggle though. Burst

Great bunch ride to get back into the swing of things. Weather, coffee stop, hills and pace all spot on. Hope my BB didn’t spoil the day for anyone!