alanhendry

Group 2 dodgy riders here I come🤣

Group 2 dodgy riders here I come🤣

The Jim Daly or Largs 30

Alan. Glad you found it hard too. Just seen that we shared the Erskine KOM so that's the fastest bogs bunch through there for a while and into headwind too.

MTFU
Gun it and drop Charlie simple 

Solo Double Arran attempt today - defeated.
- Again 3mins down to start with...cant seem to be able to get out of ferry earlier than 8.07/06 these days (then plus 1min or so to put the bag of food on its spot). Its a bit of a damper to start like that...
- Weather cold in the morning then it would be short sleeve second lap. Decided to go for long sleeve underlayer and keep it on...bought extra water to drink at pit stop as knew I will be sweating more second lap.
-  Anti-clockwise today with mainly northerly winds. First time doing it this way...on first lap went up the string road by mistake so lost another 3-4mins!
- Bad start...nevertheless marched on thinking I should give it a go anyway. First lap done, I go to find that my food bag has disappeared! I look down the road and its on the side of the pavement 100m away. Turned out a hungry thief has been through it!! Took my bananas, jelly babies, flapjacks, energy bar, some nuts and most importantly my spare store bought bottle of water and gels! Only left me with my bike rack water bottles and pork pies! Thought at least I have my two bottles of water, took them and the pies and just marched on again. Buy now I was 9-10mins down.
- 30 miles before finish I knew I wasn't going to make it - was feeling dehydrated, half a bottle left, but thought I might as well finish what I came here to do (and decided not to take the Ross road shortcut). 
Finished around 12mins down...missed it this time!...Still not sure though if all the mishaps didn't happen, would have I been able to make it...?
By the way 56+50 strava link here: https://www.strava.com/activities/2505466988
 

I happened to be looking at the Hall of Fame, as you do, and noticed that 2015 was a truly vintage year with 7 new entrants to the SA Club. One never to be beaten you might think. I think otherwise.....
I reckon 2019 could beat that as we have 3 new entries already in April. So, to all the Officer Candidates out there, don't be shy on the training front, get a few good high tempo 60 milers under your belt and voila!  the annual inductee record to the Hall of Fame can be beaten   
You know you want to. You know it will be the best thing you ever do on a bike. You know this is you purpose in life and you will forever glow in the memory. Your mission on earth will be complete. Next slot probably mid May  

Utterly brilliant day on Arran and 3 new members of the SA Hall of Fame. Fantastic, and many congrats to SA Rookies Sam McGrath, Colin Sales and Alan Hendry, who were joined by seasoned SA vets Jan McTavish, Mark Kelly, Andy Gumley and myself. So 7 started as a team and 7 finished as a team. Also took all the rankings from 2nd to 6th or something on the Strava segment.
This was a rarer anti clockwise assault due to the predicted wind, however there was near zero wind all day. Very smooth paceline with much encouragement in evidence. Lots of resurfaced roads helped and I reckon this could be a year for records. Still some pretty grisly bits mind you.
Weather was probably the best I have ever seen on Arran and I have been there a lot! Truly heaven on earth.
So now you have a taste guys, set your sights on the Grand Daddy of them all - the DA in August. As I may have said somewhere before, this is a monumental and life changing experience that you will regale your grandchildren with, you will have it engraved on your gravestone, you will forever remember the single biggest day of your life. You will feel immortal.
To round it all off me and Jan rode over the Ross to meet my two girls at the Velo café, then clung on to their wheels to get back for the 1.55pm ferry as we were both tank empty status. 86 miles and 2,000m of ascent made for a fantastic day out.

 
 
 
 

I dropped off the bunch a couple of times last night but I was doing constant spells and not sitting in (well, that's my excuse ), so I'm going to give tomorrow a go but head home on the ferry after rather than going back to Lagg.  What's the bottle strategy for you fast boys... one bottle or two?  Was thinking two (one water & one energy)...?

Was a good run tonight. Bit messy on Georgetown road to the finish. Who's idea was to go through the inside rather than outside . Made sense with the wind direction but it seems bunch didnt get it. 
Managed to run over big hole on way home with bunch and got a puncture. Got new tube in and it seems it had a hole in it before hand. Good thing I had a patch kit that sorted it out. Last thing you want when your sweaty and its starting to get cold.

We were fortunate to witness one of the great comebacks in sporting history tonight......with Charlie getting some points in the sprint after a week in Augusta giving Tiger Woods some golfing tips. Decent return from Ross too.
KOM
Sam-  5
Galeb - 4
Me - 3
Alan Mcl - 2
Colin - 1 (may be Paul im just going off strava flyby)
 
Finish
Me - 6
Paul Mcd- 4
Alan H - 3
Andy - 2
Charlie - 1
 
I dont have decent internet at the moment so will post full results when BT get round to sorting my broadband.
 
 

Usual place. Hopefully as smooth and as #pro as last week
 
Who is in?

Ok, swap Greg for Marc. 
If only Greg could do the same with the times.....

Great turn out with 14 riders on a pleasant spring evening - although one that wouldnt have been so pleasant with the tough headwind on the return leg!
 
Joseph M - 18.58
James Ross - 21.13    (couple of mechanicals)
Jamie Thomson - 18.40
Alan Hendry - 18.53   (first TT)
Dave Watson - 20.32
Alan T - 18.45
Greg Balden - 19.15
Colin Sales - 19.09
Sam McGrath - 18.21
Stuart Tennant - 17.42
Jesse - 18.48
Ian A - 16.15
Marc  - 17.19
 
Guest:
Julie Fitzpatrick - 20.22

That's what club cycling is all about guys, no need to burn all your matches on the front and end up spat out the back. Great wee chain gang and the dash for the 30 was magic to watch (just wish i could have competed)
 

About an hour later I felt better so went out and headed for Largs in the hope of meeting the bunch at the TOP of the Haylie but of course it had to be the bottom when we met lol 
Thought the spelling through into the wind on the way back was some of the best disciplined riding I've ever witnessed.  Also Cheers for the pint in Amaretto Alan, that's one I owe you

Thanks Alan, long story short - I did use etube and called helplines etc. Etube saw no fault and registered gear 1 when it was actually in gear 2 etc. Ultimately Dooleys put the diagnostic kit on and the rear mech has been diagnosed with alzhiemers. New one fitted. Old one 10 days left on 2 year warranty so that might be a stroke of luck. Unbelievably I have gone through 2 rear mechs in 3 years. Other than that Di2 is brilliant in my view.
 

 

Can't manage this week but up for this.

Its back...if you would like something a bit punchier and shorter than the fast/long bunch ride then this is it 
Non-stop 45 miles around the coast. Departing 9.30am from BoW lights (the ones closer to Kilmacolm).
Post if you would like to join.

Sounds good...could also add the 10 worst surfaced roads in the area and find some pave too for the authentic experience 
 
Drygate are showing it on a big screen too i think

Was certainly an eye opener for me! Enjoyable in retrospect lol. 

That was brutal , my own fault rather than wait on the bunch I just decided to go hopefully not for long on my own , 19 miles latter the bunch caught me 3 miles latter the bunch dropped me , soloed to Largs , Scrounged a coffe and Cake of Alan then went over the Healy with Paul totally knackered 

Good to be out on a very cold and windy morning. Tough into the wind but it kept the group together. Decided   to sit up on the Cloch drag and ride back up Spango via Loch Thom and Amaretto with Colin. I was ok until the the cross tail but the increase in pace was just a bit too much.