Sunday 29 November 2015

Winter weekender continues...



Winter has arrived indeed!, temperatures have dropped and who know`s what weather the next week will bring, maybe snow?
I managed to get out yesterday at Gullane before the fore casted wet weather arrived, then this morning around 10am the heavens opened with an unreal downpour!, then it turned to wet snow but it would not lie for long...


Around 1pm the rain eased and the sun popped out!, i layered up with thermal running leggings, Merino tops and waterproofs for the amount of water that had fallen and headed out for a couple of hours cycling...




By road to Scoughall (pronounce `Skol` as in the Scottish lager) to watch a round of the winter series Motocross and they packed in and were de marking the course!, so much for all weather motorcyclist`s lol...


Another storm was on it`s way but i reckoned i had an hour or so...

Some water running!...


Onto the coast, and first thing to notice is the amount of erosion from the recent high tides...


And amount of seaweed washed up!...




Sand is blown in and forms dunes, then the highest tides of the year wash it away, this repeats over and over...


Regular bikes Nil - Fatbikes Easy...


Peffer Burn deeper than usual...


Next strange thing was because of the mornings weather the beach was devoid of footprints...


And people!...


Had the place to myself...



Along the secret trail...


And still no folks...  had there been an Apocalypse?...



No as there was a couple of cars just arrived at the car park when i rode for home via Binning Woods...


Was real muddy in places here as expected...



No shortage of water now...


Today was a good test for my new winter walking boots i recently bought,  Scottish company Anatom V3 these i bought for walking and winter cycling with flat pedals and am pleased to report my feet were warm and dry and the soles grip well on flat pedals...





Stove Update;
Winter is certainly here, and i am glad to have the back boiler stove installed, just the hearth and surrounds to finish and the vinyl floor to be lay ed and we is all done!...


Miss calculating the required size stove seen me order an 11kw stove instead of a 8kw!,  but it runs just fine...


The larger than stock water tank and big stove produce unreal amounts of hot water!, combined with the house`s 1969 NHS huge bath i can have a full bath and still have the radiators boiling!...


Average house temperature is a warm and cosy 23 Celsius...


My log shed is nearly full, half of the 8 meter deep shed is for next year, Ash, Willow, Hazel, and some Cherry wood seasoning for next winter,  the other half is dead standing Scots Pine and anything else that comes to hand to get through the first winter as i was starting with no seasoned wood...

I have some Ash to split, here is about half of it done, another stack for next winter, And have a Silver Birch tree to go saw up, Only my time and chainsaw oil and petrol to pay for, but slowly the stove is starting to pay for itself, will take a couple of years to cover the outlay of purchase and plumber labour costs...


So whatever weather comes this winter i will be tucked up warm and cosy...  
Natures TV...:)

More soon...

Saturday 28 November 2015

Saturday Sandstorm Beachride...



Saturday,  And weekend on at work seen a real cold but clear sky up on Whitekirk Hill...

Saturday`s forecast did not look good with gales and heavy rain coming in at around 2pm...
Undeterred to make the most of the day i met Craig in Gullane and we headed up to Gullane Hill and into a crazy gale, but with no heavy rain yet to arrive we rode down and out to the WW2 Midget sub wrecks in Aberlady Bay after winching across the blowing sands in a surreal environment as we caught by gusts topping 50 mph (according to the BBC weather forecast!)...



Starfish taking a breather from the weather...


Good to see the westerly and best of the two sub wrecks sitting more out of the sand than as late...


We took pics, i shot some film on the Go Pro then we freewheeled across the Bay tail wind assisted...



Stopping to film and take some pics my bike was quickly being buried in the blowing sand...



Photo Dump by Craig;


























It is an amazing feeling freewheeling down a beach with knee high drifting sand travelling at the same speed....
Here is a wee film i shot on the go Pro camera...
Song is `Owls and Vultures` by Luke Vangela from the album `Midnight Door` (2007)

Surly Pugsleys; Sandstorm Beachride; Aberlady Bay Nov; 15 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.