Midweek cycle; Pugsley commute, Soaking up the summer rays!...

Last few days have seen everything really dry up,  the crazy gales of Saturday fried the greens at work and been real busy getting extra water on them along with everything else this week,
With the Capital Trail this weekend i`m saving the legs so no evening big rides and instead riding a variety of bikes to work and taking a wee detour home-nothing much, just bimbling along...

First silage harvested...

And baled by home time...

Any cloud early mornings has soon burned away and the temperatures have risen above 15 Celsius ...

The grass is slowing down as we go into drought mode - after the dry April and cold May there will now be no `crazy growth` period we usually have in May-early June...

Good job too with all the old machines on their last legs, but here  news now public since last week- Things are starting, this time next year this view will be a bit different!... :)

Monday 8th June, and the first works on the re development of Whitekirk Golf and Country Club has begun :)

Big changes soon, and going to be a busy time!, been a long wait but be worth waiting to see...
In the meantime keeping mowing and watering is the main priority under a big blue sky and burning  sun...

End of last week a lunch break was given up to mow Becky`s Strip Byway, first cut of the season...

Still grass growing despite these conditions...

Nice rough mower...

On demo for a few days...

 Meanwhile on two wheels...

 Rode the old Pugsley into work today...

Busy day doing other jobs while doing more watering...

Look at that blue... :)

Soon be home time and time to head down to these woods...

After a day frying in the sun it was nice and cool in the woods...

Nice and quite with just bird song...

Back into the heat and it was over 20 Celsius  in my garden when i got home...

Packing all done- time to chill...

With the Surly ECR bags packed for this weekend it was cooler by 9pm so lit the chimenea....

More soon...

Becky`s Strip Byway... A year on since resurfacing proposals...

It`s over  a year already since i wrote this letter about the proposed surfacing of Becky`s Strip Byway to the East Lothian Courier; Majority of local Cyclists are against proposed surfacing of Becky`s Strip Byway...

It`s a year on now since this Proposed Surfacing kicked off..After local word of mouth and online awareness on Facebook and other local forums a Public Meeting was called and i think it was the response of the local people to leave the route as it was due to the lack of local regional council  maintenance previously that the Resurface plans were abandoned...

Becky`s Strip Byway;
Is an ancient Byway, and all that remains in un metalled condition a Historic Pilgrims route from Lindesfarne to North Berwick...

You can read previous blog posts on the Byway here by clicking on the label;  Becky`s Strip Byway

Lets look at what has happened since the resurfacing proposal was cancelled...
Just where is this Quoted 2 Million a year revenue from cyclists using the North Sea Cycle Route? lol
We saw from work overlooking the Byway 1 or 2 cyclists a day in the summer, and next to none by Autumn.
And as predicted East Lothian Council has never been near the route to maintain it.
It was mowed 3 times (By myself) and apart from a local resident who walks it daily with his Collies and litter picks it there is no `ongoing maintenance` at all of the route, which is by the way easily ride able on a normal bicycle this week in November after 2 weeks heavy rain ;)

If you think it would have been better being surfaced then that is your choice and we all have the right to our own opinion.  I think the costs involved for the proposed surfacing could have been put to better use on a maintenance plan for the existing John Muir Way Path, or on Cycle lanes around the nearby towns and villages of Dunbar, East Linton, WhiteKirk to North Berwick Coast road, and around North Berwick town...

In the meantime  keep enjoying this historic old road in it`s unmaintained natural condition...

Film from a month ago...




More soon...

Midweek Cycle- detour commute over Becky`s Strip Byway

Been a real busy week and not much cycling, just commuting with the odd detour home.
Francis broke here collar bone 2 weekend`s ago, so been helping out and not on the PC that much,
The 6th Fatbike Gathering in Norfolk is this weekend, i had planned to go down, but change of circumstances see`s Francis in for surgery tomorrow to get her broke bone pinned, so priority,
Will still have a long weekend off work as booked and get out for a short daytime rides around the back door trails.
I`m lucky to get to cycle off road while commuting and general riding from A-B...

Little house on the Prairie... :)

Real dusty on trails and farm tracks...
Low plains drifter..

Been over Becky`s Strip a lot this week, on some detours on the way home from work...

Becky`s Strip Byway;
I don`t think i have ever made a point to point film of the entire mile long Byway before, so here you go!
click on the cog icon thingy to view in HD
Song is `In a beautiful place out in the country` by Boards of Canada




Or watch on Vimeo straight to HD with no pop up advert!...


Be back next week...