sunday snowride-pure bliss....

my legs felt pretty shot on sunday after around 40miles on satuarday but i had to get out again sunday..especially after more snow had fallen overnight...
we may get more snow here in southeast scotland this winter but it may not be as good
i drove up to the small village of garvald and rode up the hillroad into the lammermuir hills which has a long climb with 2 brutal steep parts (esp on a 35 lbs pugsley) and although the roads to garvald were icy there was a bit of a thaw and alot of water on the road,once up to castle moffat pumpstation i was greeted with a very diffrent snow,the snowplough had stopped at the houses there and i was greeted with this...

2-3" of powder dry snow on top of frozen hardpack...it was perfect to ride on...

there was only 2 sets of 4x4 tracks..,from the only hill farm on the road at johnscleugh and pugsley rolled along real easy on the hardpack,i would reckon better than some tarmac...,i forgot about my tierd legs as was loving this..despite the big climb ahead...

i just spun up the hill on the granny ring in 2nd or 3rd to the top for a breather and soak up the view over the plain of east lothian...

over the hill and a long downhill pugsley was flying!!,the front end felt a bit twitchy if coming out the ruts but as the pug always seems to do it washed out a bit but dosnt throw you off as often as most bikes...

this was great..my own prepared snowtrail..no cars either,i sped on towards the whiteadder...

at the junction with the main road to whiteadder resovoir it was just as bad but more tracked and it wasnt quite as good to cycle as was a bit rutted...

looking south towards whiteadder...

and north to mayshiel,redstone rig and back to gifford...

it was 1pm now and a cold wind was getting up..,i feasted on choc chip cookies and hot chocolate from the flask which today i just put in the frame bag as had the room,i cant imagine not having a frame bag now on the pugsley...
the 6 mile return back to garvald would do me fine for the day,and i filmed on the return to make a film for youtube,i just left the camera running and moved it about as i rode along,makes for a quick to edit film..,
i had done alot yesterday...it had got thinking though..
its a pity there isnt a bothy up here in the lammermuirs as a 2 day trip with a bothy stopover would be perfect,bothys for those abroad are (usually) small stone huts with a stove,range or open fire..,firewood is often dropped off by landowners/volunteers,a few bunks table chairs etc..all you need to get a heat,eat and sleep,there mostly up north in the highlands and perthshire but theres a few in the scottish borders,oh there mostly free too,just leave them as you find them,preferbly with some chopped firewood for the next visitors...
heres the bothy at corrour (pic pinched off flickr)...

in this weather you could proberly bet to have a bothy up here to yourselve(s).
this weekends proberly been one of the best weekends winter cycling ive done-though last newyear on the beach was good...(hip flask emptied)
pugsley never had a glitch both days,no frozen mechs-possibly cause i airline my bikes dry when washed.. gets all the moisture out moving parts on mechs etc.. and the chain stayed lubed with the castrol motorcycle chainwax as did the control cables that were all coppergreased before fitting...i love this bike...

so i did a short film with me yapping on the way up which you can watch by clicking the thumbnail...



heres the youtube film...