Surly `KramPug` 29+ offroad commuting; Crazy gale force winds!

Time to get the old Surly Pugsley back to a 29+ Utility build as it was last summer,  It was good to have it kitted out for winter with chunky Surly Nate 4" tyres and fat wheels and full mudguards but i have missed it as a 29+  `KramPug` for commuting offroad on trails.
With a change in job an opportunity to ride the John Muir Way via North Berwick to work and so it was a wheel swap and light mudguards. The Jones bars and Alfine hub and clipless TIME pedals make for an ideal and comfortable commuter with the big frame bag ideal for taking some shopping.

I had the bike set up like this last harvest where it proved ideal...

I already wrote here on the blog how i have had several regular 29er bikes  and 700c drop bar dual; purpose bikes and have sold them all along with 29+ specific bikes and have settled for my two Surly Pugsley Fatbikes with 29+ wheel options- one with derailer gears, one with an Alfine 8 speed Internal gear hub (IGH) for trail and off road detour commutes as my favourite set up.
There cheaper in value than most of the latest Fatbikes to build with regular 135mm hubs, 1 1/8th headset and 27.2mm seat posts,  and with the 29 x 5) wheels and the higher BB height make for an ideal big rolling ride with good pedal clearance for overgrown summer trails, esp with the IGH drive chain set up. You can re read that post Here...


So on with an interesting ride to work!, with the crazy windy gale that would see some funny angles of bike lean as well as tree leaning as i left the house at 6.15 for an easy hours ride to work, don`t want to arrive at work melting with sweat!. From the fun trail through Craig wood i took the lakeside to Balgone to avoid a head wind and it was a crazy side wind down to the Law car park and the Exmoor ponies...

6.27am sunrise and now 6.50am and the sun would soon be up above the cloud base out to the east in the North Sea...

Cable laying ship `Pharos` sitting offshore in the Forth looked steady despite the crazy wind!, it felt like the 45mph blasts that was forecasted as i struggled to keep the camera still!...

JMW to Yellowcraig then up into the Estate....

Started mowing grass today, first cut of the season, i was picking up behind Drew,
Mowing again but in a better place now :D

Home time and down to NB to see Craig at his cafe and i hardly peddled with the crazy tailwind!...

Scots Pine trees at Yellowcraig, contorted  with the onshore east coast salt air...

29+ wheels and the Alfine hub gear with no derailer to catch the long grass are ideal for the sandy single track trails above the coast alongside the West Links into NB...

Sea Buckthorn clearance is ongoing here...

Though removing Buckthorn could also make the dunes more fragile...

Sand whipped along the coast, above i was having to brake with the force of the tail wind! lol...

Stuart turned up at Craig`s cafe with a new Fatbike!, a Trek Farley, looks nice, clean lines and real light!...

27.5 x 4.50 Fat wheels!...

I had a spin around the block and it`s real easy to pedal, then it was `Craig Approved ` too!...

Home in the dark on the JMW after a stop to make use of the big frame bag with some apple juice...

More soon...