Saturday 13 July 2013

Saturday coast ride - one ride - two bikes...

I planned to do a ride to Gullane Point - the sub wrecks - North Berwick - visit my dad - return to Gullane stopping for a pint at Dirleton Games then along for an ice cream at Gullane,  but a change in weather and a bike mechanical made for a changed route today.
The forecast for the next week is still for no rain. The county is gonna fry, dodging irrigation sprinklers on route to the coast...



Was 15 Celsius today, this would have been heat wave temps last summer!, but nice and cool in the easterly breeze as i neared the coast...

Full summer riding attire now!

Out across Aberlady Nature Reserve to the Point,  view east...


South...


West...


North...


West it was across the sands and past the WW2 XT (training class) midget sub wrecks...


I have been reading a book by Patrick Bishop i got on loan from friend Colin (Nobby) about the missions during WW2 to destroy the German flagship Tirpitz. The X class subs and `Operation Source` was one of many attempts which cost many lives to sink this threat to the Atlantic convoys...


The book has quotes of surviving mariners experiences of training and the operation and is a chilling insight to the bravery of the men that went into these tiny ships and under took something that is quite hard to imagine. They must have had nerves of steel...




This warm weather mid summer produces a lime green algae on things on the coast like wrecks and rocks and is almost fluorescent in colour...




A fat bike rider appeared and rode east along the beach. who ever it was did not seem to want to  come over for a chat. Suited me as i was listening to Cosby, Stills, Nash, and Young greatest hits on the ipod and the suitable wooden ships as i stopped at the old wreck -:) ...


Quite a few jelly fish have washed ashore, first of the summer...

On eastwards to Gullane...






And the excellent  trails through the rocks to Freshwaterhaven...




Low enough tide for the gate way through to Eyebroughty island to be rideable...




The view behind...



Amazing colours on the rocks here...


Most of the pebble beach near Marine Villa has been covered with sand recently. Again the coast changes from week to week/month to month...


Across the rocks at Marine Villa...


And as i ride around the old WW2 Searchlight there was a loud crack from the rear of my bike, and a vague `free movement` from the back end (the bike not me!) a rear wheel bearing had collapsed...


Only 4 miles from home i left the bike in one gear and peddled smoothly for home, it will be ok and new bearings are in stock back home. Good job i was not away far from home, i would not have risked continuing riding...


Still not to worry, a quick wash down of the bike and into the man cave and back out with Pugsley senior!, the show must go on...


Overcast skies now as a sea harr blew in on an increasingly strenghtening easterly wind...


Through the old WW2 firing range...


The Barley here is the most golden i have seen in East Lothian...


As is the West Links,  it is toast!, as expected the greens are still vibrant green...


I headed to visit my dad at the nursing home... he was in good fettle and chuckled at my breakdown/quick bike swap...



Then i popped down to the harbour. Brian `Mando` is an old school friend of my big brother. Days work finished and was heading to park up for the day...


Harbour was quiet with day visitors being overcast... it was 5pm so the crowds had left by now...


Sailing club were all still out...

First time today i have rode my Pugsley and then straight away rode my other Pugsley - The KramPug with its 29+ 3" wheel set, not much cope on soft sand but way better on trails and roads. This bike will be getting an Alfine hub on it to make it more versatile, though i do like the single speed so will buy another SURLY Rabbit Hole Rim and keep the SS wheel as an option...


 I brought my courier bag so could stop in at the Cider Centre for a couple of bottles...


And headed home taking in some non regular trails created for a recent horse event...


The Pugsley wheel bearing change can wait until tomorrow, time to finish a book and relax... -:)


1 comment:

  1. Arrr ye landlubber, you moor a boat for the night, not `park` it. Seriously though, great post and I hope the back hub is ok.

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