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Category: Bike Rides 2005
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 have already planned the July ride ;-), no rain this time. 11 people braved the weather ("Fools!" I can hear Neil say) when we went to Penicuik on the May ride. Not our original destination, but an April shower decided that it liked May better!!! The rainfall radar shown after the event (heading north after giving us a soaking. It must have moved fast because it looks pretty big on the radar!!!! So a wetsuit would have been more appropriate gear than cycle shorts. Our original destination was Carlops!

It started out rather dreich, but optimistic. We couldn't use Whitehouse Loan, as that is currently closed to all traffic. So we went through the Meadows, Marchmont Rd, and Kilgraston Road, along Oswald Road up to Blackford Pond. Blackford hill looked a little menacing, so we skirted around it going up along Midmar Avenue and Drive, then along Hermitage Drive to join Comiston road at Greenbank. Yes we did go up Comiston road (total altitude now over 600ft, and not even out of Edinburgh yet). So we followed the Biggar Road, turning off on to the Seafield Moor Road. We turned in to Seafield Moor Road, turning in to Myrtle Crescent, where some cyclists stopped. I went back to investigate, and found several people missing, so I headed back to the edge of Bilston.

Outside Bilston, a male ride seemed to have a puncture, and ever the gentleman, was leaving it to a woman to help fix it.. I went to pump air in to the back wheel, unfortunately the valve blew, so the tube had to be replaced. That tube got a puncture!!! So I scarpered, leaving three of them to fix the mess I left them with :). But I did shorten the ride, we were now heading for the Craigiebield Hotel in Penicuik. It was also getting rather dark, even thooug it was mid-day. The rest of us carried on through Bilston, along Main Street go through Roslin. It had started to rain, so I put my rather fetching Goretex helmet cover on. "You'll not need that" commented several people. After Roslin, we took a mminor road to head to Auchendinny, then rain was getting heavier, and was starting to seep through my shower-proof trousers.

At Auchendinny, the rain started in earnest. I say rain, it was more like somebody attacking you with a pressure washer. So I decided to forego the picturesque route by the River North Esk, and take the shortest route to the hotel. Unfortunately this did involve going down Harper's Brae, and up Eskmill Road and Kirkmill Road.By the time we got to Penicuik High Street, you could tell who had coats with waterproofing intact and who did not. So we headed along the High Street, along West Street and the appropriately named Bog Road to the hotel. We got there a bit early (no wonder).

Fortuneately they let us in. And a couple of conveniently placed radiator soon became covered with sodden gloves, hats, coats, and even socks were soon steaming away. At that point I stopped looking, and concentrated on ordering a rather large Spanish Omelette and CHIPS!!! (plus a pudding, but it did have fruit in, so it was healthy). Unfortunately, three people didn't arrive, which was a surprise, as their route was considerably shorter. They eventually turned up as wetter than the rest of us.

After lunch, the rain had stopped, so we headed back out of Penicuik along the Edinburgh Road. We were nearly out of Penicuik, when someone mentioned the temporary traffic lights. So that meant we had to forego the army barracks, and headed out along eastfield Drive, to return to Eskmill Road and Harper's Brae. We then headed back through Auchendinny and back to Roslin.

We had talked about the Da Vinci code during lunch, and someone mentioned they were going to the Chapel, so I decided, seeing as it was now sunny and dry, to take us all there, and at £6 to get in, look at it from the outside!!! Marvellous views across Roslin Glen. After 20 minutes we headed back in to Roslin, turn right in to Manse Road. This takes you to the Bilston Glen bridge. However, someone else decided to get a puncture (I think it was Chris this time). After waiting for a few minutes, three of us decided to go and wait on the bridge, an old railway bridge that provides a shortcut from Roslin to Loanhead for cyclists willing to brave the old quarry and kids on their dirt bikes. On the bridge, there was a small demonstration of Thai kick boxing , so don't mess with her, you'd lose!!!

Eventually everyone else caught up eventually, so we headed through Loanhead, past Ikea, along Pentland Road back to the Biggar Road and Comiston Road and from there home.

Thanks to everyone who turned up and got wet with me. See you in July.

Explore, Dream, Discover

"I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete"
(Keane, Somewhere Only We Know)

Ride Stats

Distance:         45.4km (28.21 miles)
Average Speed:    16.3 km/h (10.13 mph)
Total climbing:  686m (2250 feet)
Time cycling:      2 hours 48 mins
Max Temperature:  17 degC (62.6 deg F) starting from about 10 OC at the Usher Hall, and cooling off to 9 degC in the "shower"