With a change in the weather the snow has almost disappeared here in East Lothian in the last 4 days.
Only the Lammermuirs remain coated. I hoped it would be cold enough to not start thawing yet up there and invited friend Jason a loan of my pug as he is awaiting for return of his new frame from the powder coaters.
A fatbiker with no fatbike is like a bear with a sore head... so happy to help out with some `fat therapy` ...
We drove up to Gifford and on towards Longyester where we found a parking space on a bend in the road which a snow plough had run wide on....
Could not believe how deep it was here. 2 - 3 feet with deeper drifts in places...
Hike a bike to the gate...
Not today though...
Back down to Longyester...
That's deep drifts!...
Some film...
click on the cog icon to view in HD
Song is `Mississippi Two Tone` by Phontaine...
The nights are slowly drawing out a little bit and i got out for an hour after work before dark for a snow ride along the Garleton Hill Ridge Road - this track was once the main thoroughfare to Edinburgh,
long before the present A1, travellers stuck to ridges and dry ground away from likely areas of bogging and the chance of ambush by robbers...
The Ridgeway...
Looking South East to Traprain Law...
Past the ruins of the Vaults - once a fortified roadhouse some fork lift tracks firmed up the going though made an interesting rumble!...
Once the climb up to the Transmitters on Barney Hill began the deep snow had me off pushing. fatbikes are not invincible!, but still way easier here in deep dry snow than a regular MTB. soon all footprints stopped and the only tracks were left from a pair of XC skies ...
Five bar gate at the top shows how deep the snow was...
Was some deep drifts too...
Managed to roll down the east side of Barney Hill ok...
I rode down through the plantains woods , along the old A1 then up to Barney Mains farm again to avoid the deep snow then enjoyed the blast back down past the vaults as it got dark...
Soon be a year since i got my Surly Moonlander fatbike.
On the 3rd February 2012 it was Touchdown for a bicycle i pre ordered and waited 7 months for to arrive here in the UK.
For myself the most anticipated bicycle since the arrival of the Surly Pugsley, a bicycle that itself has over the last 5 years amazed me with where it can be ridden here on the coastline where often a regular MTB struggles and is not a lot of fun to ride without a lot of effort.
The new Surly Moonlander promised to push the envelope and go that bit further with its wider 4.7" tyres on 100mm single wall machine drilled rims.
It has proved to be amazing to ride on the coast here in East Lothian SE Scotland and the Northumberland Coastline of NE England.
Anywhere that has really soft sand, slick rocks, loose shingle, pebbles etc.
Places i have ridden with my pugsley but in places still a bit of a struggle the Moonlander romps over. It is for me the ultimate coast riding bike.
The Moonlander is not as good as the pugsley on regular trails or road. For instance i would not like to ride around the Island of Harris but it is not what i bought the bike for...
I have already blogged a Surly Moonlander Review and since buying the bike i have only upgraded the rear hub and BB to Hope components along with a spare Hope headset, and having swapped the bars out for carbon risers, swapped them again out for 750 wide risers, 3 chains, Michelin Desert motorcycle 21"x3.00 tubes and after a tartan seat fitted since new i recently fitted a 1960s Brooks Professional saddle friend Dave gave me, the same type as fitted to the pugsley, as they are amazingly comfortable and narrow enough to get off over the back of the bike. Apart from that the bike is pretty stock...
So here is some film from the last year riding the big Moonie ...
Click on the cog icon to view in HD
While the UK is getting this cold snap and the news if full of misery and moaning because of a few inches bringing airports and road delays, some folk actually make the most of it and get out and enjoy it -:)
Saturday;
After Fridays heavy snowfall it was a bit disappointing to see a thaw here near the coast as i rode to the beach and met fellow Moonlander friend Barry, we rode down around Tyninghame in a bitter cold wind blowing in from the sea...
I always find it strange to see snow on the coast, the temperature added to the winter scene...
Around to Moss Point and no one around...
My Moonlander is now also sporting another 1960s Brooks Professional saddle the same as fitted to the pugsley, more comfortable than the tartan Gusset saddles previously fitted...
Was fun listening to the Moonlanders crunching through the snow...
Thinking we need to get a UK Moonlander meet organised!
Sunday;
Jason was free Sunday so i lent him my pugsley as his is being painted and we drove up into the Lammermuir Hills in search of dry snow, as we guessed is was indeed dry and deep up there. parked up we rode an out and back along the Pylon Maintenance road to a new wind farm under construction...
Up here when it snows always reminds me of the end of the film Troll Hunter out on the plateau...
Troll! -:)
Was deep in places but bone dry powder snow...
Too deep in fact to cycle in places esp when uphill where drifts covered the road...
The Moonlanders wider rims and 4.7" Larry tyres were an advantage here in forward momentum, how ever the Surly Nates on the pug seemed to track straight on the front,
So fitting the Nates to the Moonlander would probably be ideal for most UK snow conditions that usually are not as dry as up here today...
We rode up to the gate to where the new wine turbines are being built. I can see these from my work and they are indeed massive!
You can see the size of them compared to the cranes and trucks parked up...
Riding back down hill was easier though there was still a couple of comedy moments and dismounts as under neath the hard gravel road seems to have raised centre, probably from all the trucks using it...
Back to the car well before dark and although overcast and poor light the views were great...
Who needs a lifestyle vehicle?, the wee Fiesta gets about ok -:)
I live in East Lothian, S.E. Scotland.
I fill my time with my hobbies, interests and passions. Often cycling along the coast here. I ride steel bikes with big wheels, I like to enjoy all interests of the coast, Its scenery, wildlife, local history, with my other interests in art and music when out and about...
I was diagnosed with Relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis in August 2018, it`s early days but i plan to continue to live my life as i have and show that having a medical condition like MS does not mean you need to stop enjoying your life,
Please excuse the bad grammar, i am working on it!
