Thursday 29 September 2016

Bike packed for Capital Trail Event; What i`m taking...


That`s the Surly Wednesday Fatbike packed ready for this weekends Capital Trail Event,  Only Dave from Skye is riding out the Fatbike gang i rode with last year, but a couple of other guys we road with are going and another couple of Fatbikes are entered so hopefully were similar pace and meet up.
For myself this is the second of 3 big social bike rides of the calender, the first is of course Forth Fat Gathering,  then the third is Global Fatbike Day in  December (Dec 6th this year)  our group ride meets at Gullane again this year,
So as last year were trail riding the Capital Trail event and being self sufficient  carrying some food  etc...
Happy to make a weekend out of it with a probable time of around 30 something hours,(33 hours last year),
Our plan this year is to try to get to Glentress Saturday evening, that`s a big distance off road at around 90 miles on a Fatbike!, be the longest distance i have rode off road in a day if we do it!,

I`m thinking if i`m gonna wake up stiff and tired on Sunday anyway so why not get the big push up Bleak Law over on the Saturday, although it does mean descending Kailzie Hill Drove road in the dark and it`s quite rutted but sure we will survive ok!,
As mentioned like last year were carrying a Saturday evening meal and Sunday morning breakfast.
With the available shops to stop for food we could ride as many do without a stove or carry any meals, but what if say due to a mechanical we don`t make Glentress before the shops etc close?,
Well that is ok as we can heat up our meals and have a coffee,
This year i have packed a lot lighter, Dave is carrying tools, i the stove, i also have lighter food, and clothes.
With night temperatures dropping i have decided to pack the bigger 3 season sleeping bag as i want to get a good nights sleep, makes Sunday`s return to Edinburgh more enjoyable.
So here is what`s on the bike, in my back pack and clothing choice for this year...


Seat Bag; Alpkit `Koala`  
Vango Helium 100  1kg Tent minus poles (there in frame bag,
Wrapped in a 3/4 Thermarest sleeping mat


Bar bag; Alpkit `Airlok Dual 20 Litre`...
10 year old Blacks 3 Season down sleeping bag



Original Epic Designs (now Revelate Designs) Frame bag  made for Mk1 Pugsley...

Lower compartment;
 Spare tube,
Stans sealant,
spare gear cable,
chain links,
Squirt lube,
multi tool,
lightweight lock,

Top compartment;
MSR `Pocket Rocket` stove,
Gas cylinder and tripod with Primus wind shield,
Alpkit Ti Mug with meal,
2 coffees,
Alpkit Ti Spork,
sparker,
Tent poles,
Alpkit headtorch,
2 Magic Shine batteries  (charging when pics taken)...


Handlebar Pouches; Alpkit Stem Cell,  

2 packs ALDI Trail Mix...



Backpack; Alpkit `Gourdon` 20 Litre Waterproof  Backpack,
 Alpkit `Gravitis` lightweight breathable waterproof jacket,
Alpkit `Parallax`  lightweight waterproof trousers,
Alpkit `Filoment` down lightweight Gillet,
Woolie hat,
Instant Porridge,
Pack of Trail Mix,
4 ALDI  Flapjack bars,
Hip Flask,
Wallet,
Phone,


Wearing if not wet/real cold...
Lazer Enduro helmet,  Go Pro Hero Session camera,
Buff,
Howies Merino long sleeve top,
Surly short sleeve Merino top,
Alpkit Merino Boxer shorts with chamois,
Endura 3/4 shorts,
Merino socks,
Shimano spd (TIME pedals) MT81 Gore Tex boots,


So that should be a comfortable ride with everything i need with just water stops to Glentress on Saturday evening if all goes to plan. water is carried on the forks to keep the weight off my back, just light clothes and food in the backpack, so should be more comfortable, only one style on entire route so no problems with the weight on the bike-Unlike The Southern Upland Way!!!, don`t ask!,
Dave and i don`t own a GPS Garmin to map the route and so we will be riding on our memories from last years event, and my local knowledge of nearly all the route that i have rode in sections at some time or other-it`s the little joining tracks  between the major routes north of Peebles where the Garmins of riding friends were needed last year. We can always wait for folk or keep folk in front in sight if were unsure but i think i can remember the route ok, there is a couple of small changes to the route into Edinburgh but we won`t be alone by then or Markus who is sweeper this year with his brother (who is riding my Surly KramPug 29+) will have maybe caught us up by then anyway!,
The return to Edinburgh on the Sunday after a loop of GT on Sunday morning is enjoyable esp after a cooked breakfast at the Weatherspoons `Cross Keys` Hotel in Peebles town before riding north to stop for tea and cake at West Linton Old Toll Cafe, before the push up some of Monks rig in the Pentland Hills and down to Portobello and a well earned Pint!...



 Back on here hopefully next week!



Monday 26 September 2016

Sunride...Sunrise...


No need for many words on this mornings sunrise at 7am...






More soon...

Sunday 25 September 2016

Racing the High Tide...



Out early on the coast this morning to get along to Aberlady before the 4.5 meter high tide at 9.45am...


But the tide waits for no one and i had to detour above the coast at the usual Point Gary, Marine Villa, and after riding the `Bake Bean Trail` rode up to Gullane Hill...


Descending  `Maggies Loup` the coast was cut off below the cliffs so i continued to Gullane point passing this great piece of driftwood that would make a great garden table!...




Through the Reserve to Gala Hill (Quarry corner) and the JMW back to Gullane village and then descend to the Black rocks west of Freshwaterhaven...





Nice to get out and enjoy a quiet coastline with just a few early doors dog walkers....

Here is a short film of the ride to Gullane Hill...
Song is `Buckie High` (edited)  by Boards of Canada...


Surly Wednesday; Coastride to Gullane Sept 16 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

More soon...

Friday 23 September 2016

7 Days to Capital Trail 2016... Still spaces available!!!

237km/147miles  6100meters/20,013 feet climbing over two days...

Markus says there is still entries available for this years event, it`s free!, it`s fun, and you will discover a bit more about yourself and your abilities and  if your put off by the distance don`t be as you will surprise yourself how far you can actually ride off road in a day, esp with other people, and guarantee you will come away from the event tired but with a great feeling of achievement and will have met some new friends and bonded more with old friends...
Come ride the event with myself and my good friend Dave S from Skye. were trail riding it and carrying the Sat evening meal and 1st breakfast (2nd is in Peebles at Cross Keys Hotel) along with hip flasks etc to do the ride in proper Bike  Packing style, oh and we laugh a lot and don`t take it serious at all!

Enter 2016 Capital Trail Here...

Facebook link  Here...

My film from last year, go on enter you know you want to...


Capital Trail 2015 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

This year i`m riding the event on my Surly Wednesday Fatbike, yep with full fat 4" tyres!!!
 As my KramPug is on loan to a Lady rider, looking forward to the extra challange, though in many places will be an advantage!


More soon...

Thursday 22 September 2016

Around the world... Single Speed, in 10 minutes with Markus



I was friends with Markus Stitz via Facebook before we met in person at Forth Fat 2015,
Markus wrote 1000 words on Forth Fat that you can read on his website Here...

This year Markus did not make Forth Fat as he was cycling around the world, on his single speed Surly, yeah single speed!,
I really enjoyed following his near daily updates of highs and lows on Facebook, been great that via Internet you can wish people good vibes and encouragement,
So at the end of August, nearly a month ago Markus returned to Edinburgh and i rode to Portobello to meet Markus arriving having rode the last leg of his trip from Glasgow with friends who were joined by more who arrived at the pub to congratulate him, after a swim in the sea the least i could do was buy Markus a pint of Scottish Ale to celebrate!,...

Some pics as i rode west and followed the coast into Edinburgh...
Port Seaton...


Prestonpans...


Ash Lagoons Mussleburgh...




Joppa...


Portobello...



Welcome back!!!

You can watch the short update firms that Markus made during his trip here on YouTube
I was waiting for a roundup summery film of the whole trip and here is a 10 minute film with Markus...



Be good to ride some of the Capital Trail in a weeks time with Markus!, details of event in next post...

More soon..

Tuesday 20 September 2016

David Stirling, SAS Memorial...


`UPHOLDING THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE`

I`m constantly reading WW2 books, esp anything Scottish related, and i have read a lot about the Special Air Service. The SAS were founded in 1941 by Scotsman David Stirling after his Commando Unit was disbanded...

This film on YouTube has a few sound glitches but all uploads of this film seem to have the same issue,
This the only ever film interview with Stirling and some of the SAS Originals...



Ordinary men who do extraordinary things...
I met a man who lives here in East Lothian one day at Tyninghame car park, he knew who i was as did his wife. He said he worked with my late father at John Muir Country park as a park ranger. I remember they visited the house  when we were kids, real nice man who became a friend of my father,
When i said hello to my father from him that afternoon in the Nursing home Dad said to me "do you remember what i told you what he did before coming to work with me?"
Then i remembered Dad had told me he was a former member of the SAS, Could not meet a nicer man, but he was tough as old boots and i think he would have been serving around the time of the Iranian siege in London in 1980. which was the first  time ever the SAS were shown in action on TV...

Until Sunday i never knew there was a memorial to David Stirling and the SAS members and driving home from Callender we de toured via Doune village behind Brian who led us to the hill top....









It`s an impressive monument to brave men...


David Stirling Memorial from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

More soon...

Daytrip to the Central belt; Callender to Killin cycle route...


Craig offered to drive on Sunday and we headed up the M9 past Stirling to the scenic village of Callander to meet the guys from Leslie Bikes to ride the cycle route to Killin,
I only took two pictures as did some filming with the Go Pro while Craig snapped away at the scenery, and what scenery!, as always the central belt and highlands always delivers whatever the weather...
Craig`s pics from the day...

























Here is a wee film, Jamie playing on the rocks at Killin at the end
Song is `Forever` by Phomtaine...


Callander to Killin Cycle path, Sept 16 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.