A Weekend of retro fatbike riding...

This weekend was a bit of an old school fatbiking weekend here on the coast. I have not been out to the WW2 XT class sub wrecks in Aberlady Bay since July. And i have not been out to the sub wrecks on my first Pugsley frame (The grey one) since i got the purple frame set in July 2011.
It was April 2011 the old grey Pugsley was last out there.
So with the bike back to near stock except for the frame colour that will be returned to grey soon, i was out on the old bike Saturday and early Sunday, which saw me out doing what i have been doing since owning a fatbike and starting my blog.
It never gets boring riding here on the coast with the changing seasons, weather conditions and swells that bring different movements of sand which expose rocks and can also cover rocks, changing the riding in places often.
Winter is definitely the best time of year for riding on the coast.   A cold clear day with a low sun casting long shadows on near empty beaches, and creating amazing reflections on the sea and wet sand is always magical. Weather conditions like this weekend is as as good as it gets to enjoy our coast in winter.

Saturday dawned cold and clearing skies, a real bitter wind picked up as i rode to Gullane and met friend Jason and we rode out across the sands of Aberlady Bay...

I met up with Jason at Gullane Smiddy and we peddled out to Aberlady Bay.
Just like old times, been a while since we did this ride together. Onto the sands and we rode across from Aberlady Point heading for the wrecks exposed on the sand bar at low tide.
The remains of the old car chassis half way out is exposed more than usual...

A lot of wood on the chassis, amazing the tyres are still on it and not perished from two tides a day since it came to be here...

Throttle pedal still on it!..

Time to ride across to the subs...

The sand moves all the time around these wrecks, but usually they remain the same height out of the sand...

Amazing what those 4 brave young men did, crammed into these 52 foot long ships...

The easterly sub is breaking up now...

Left to rot after being towed here and anchored in 1946 for a live fire experimental Trial of armour piercing rounds by a Supermarine Seafire and De Haviland Mosquito aircraft they remain as monuments to the men who undertook some of the most courageous operations of WW2...

You can read about the subs coming here and Operation Source which these subs were used as training ships for those crews on a a previous post ; XT Class Submarine Wrecks

Time to ride east and follow the low tide line...

We met friend Peter who was running east on the coast to meet Mary around Aberlady Point, then returning to North Berwick. We said we would prob be stopped for some food and hoped to catch up and see some coast with them later...

Peter was just on the end of the dunes here...

Happy boys! ... -)

And 8 miles of coast to ride...

Jason also fitted an original Surly `Endomorph` 3.7" rear tyre, after i was on about how fast they roll on firm surfaces after having only used the chunky Surly `Nate` tyres for the last year. Now i had got used to these tyres and have said often i don`t know much difference to drag on the road and hard surfaces with them... well i didn't until i stuck these tyres on the other Pugsley!, and they do fly!, good job this Pugsley has a big 44t ring as been flying on the road with tail winds!.
Maybe Jason did not want to miss out on the lack of grip on rocks too compared  to the newer Surly `Larry` 3.8" tyre!, yep they do roll well but the Larry is deft way better for grip on rocks...

A previous unseen line for a film sometime...

Onwards...

Leaving a quiet Gullane sands...

Time to share some malt loaf...

Peter and Mary came along so we all rode and ran east...

Slip streaming...

Despite a bit of cloud the light on the water was nice...

Treasure Island...

Over the rainbow...

These are Hoka shoes, floatation like our bikes!...

Chilling... it ain't a race on the coast...

Broadsands...

Peter and Mary ran ahead as we chatted to a family about the fatbikes...

Some chips then into The Ship Inn for a couple of refreshing pints...

Jason rode for home, i to visit dad at Fidra. Mum was there too.  more tea and cake too!
Then home on the John Muir Way as the sun set and temperatures dropped.
Wash down the pug, get the fire on, and warm up ...

And enjoy a couple of ciders.
I have been spending Saturdays often like this for over 5 years now and will never get bored of our coastline, Anyway, only boring people get bored!
Riding on the coast is so much more than just riding a bike. Seeing the changing seasons, wildlife, beach combing, amazing light on the sea and sand,  and sharing this with friends, and chatting with people we meet also out enjoying the coast. Then the satisfaction of getting home from a great days ride like today on a cold clear day, and then relaxing very contented and cosy in front of the fire...

Sunday Dawn Cycle - Peffersands...


-3 Celsius and a hard frost as i got up at 7am and seeing the clear star lit sky stuffed down some cereal grabbed the old Pugsley again and rode to the coast...

Along un gritted roads were covered in a white rye frost...

Sun popped up over the eastern Lammermuir hills...

As i spun along on the big ring. Despite its weight, this fatbike seems to roll nice on the tarmac...

Whitekirk Church, seat of the oldest church in Scotland...

Today is Remembrance Sunday.
Today the church here, and churches all over the UK will hold a service to remember the fallen in war.
We owe so much to their bravery, and so we can live our lives today in freedom.
You have one life... live it..

I left Whitekirk with my own thoughts and rode to the coast....

And then rode Peffersands beach from the western WW2 Coastal Defence road block to the eastern WW2 road block...

Fantastic light...

Just a half hour riding on the coast this morning, alone with my thoughts, theni headed home to head to Stirling for the day to spend family time with my brother and sister... hope you enjoyed your weekend too..