Happy Birthday Pugsley!

i got the Surly Pugsley 2 years ago this week...
heading into its 3rd winter it still inspires me to get out cycling and ride new (unriddden) places and is still going strong despite a hell of alot of exposure to salt water and the odd dunking...and has returned me with around approx 3000 miles of smiles and never let me down...or failed to make me feel life is so good -:)
being the first fatbike in Scotland it has caused alot of interest where ever you go and on Internet forums but slowly folk are realising the fun to be had of these bikes...expect to see a few more over the next year or two...
And its entertaining again tomorrow as im leading another rideout here in East Lothian with around 18-20 friends hopefully turning up and a few would like a wee shot on the beach...great to see that big grin on folks faces as they cycle it across normally unrideable soft sand...a fun grin i still get everytime we go biking...
maybe only 2 years but seems a longtime in cycling hours/miles since i got the pug and made my first film...will never forget rolling down that first big sandune...

First Frost...

First frost here of the approaching winter...a baltic cold Northerly wind blew in yesterday and temperatures plummeted...
Today was alot nicer as clear and we were rewarded with a big blue sky,out of the wind the sun warmed your back...was like a mid winter day yet alot of the trees still haven't turned yet...time for that yet...took some pictures midday...
so glad i work outdoors when the weather gives views like this...




off to the Pentland Hills in the distance tonight for the weekly midweek night ride with friends...love it...

days gone by...old cycling postcards...

bicycles always come to the fore during recession hit times...
it has happenned several times before...



same message nowadays... though the advertising has changed a bit...
some bicycle postcards...was it mostly woman that cycled back then?














i have one of these!...

weekend...

Saturday i had a ride around Glentress with friends...what no pics and film?...
er...no i just wanted to ride and enjoy the moment after a not very enjoyable week at work...colour of the 456 should show we had a good if muddy time...

We had a great ride around the red and black routes combined..was good to see Emma and Tracy and the Hub staff...my friends agreed we take having somewhere like Glentress on our doorstep (an hours drive) for granted...
Sunday i did the opposite and headed for the coast where i always find my own bit of space...sometimes you just need to find that space...which i always can on the pugsley...
Down through Binning Woods...the woodland floor covered in bronze beech leaves...





then down through Tyningham woods and onto peffer sands...


no matter what day or weather i always love being on the coast..waves seem to have some sort of calming on feelings and relax you to enjoy the moment...here you feel free...lots of space you can if you want to avoid everyone and be at peace...
today i needed to do that...i had my ipod on and lost myself in my music and the sea...its waves i find can mesmerise you and everything else pails into insignificance...





leaving the coast i rode through Binning woods again...

going to be doing alot of nightriding around these woods over the next few months to keep up my fitness for a 24 hour race i plan on entering in the new year...
home before sunset its been a good weekend...


whatever next week brings i know there is more to life and the future than what your workplace would like you to believe...
im now seriously thinking about moving or travelling (by bike)...im 40 next year and still single and in a job that dosnt hold any promise`s of going anywhere...
think im heading to the crossroads..time to make a deal with the devil maybe...
heres to the future...-:)

Friends...

Is what this year has been all about for me...
great fun meeting new folk and going biking...
again Wednesday i headed up to the Pentlands for the midweek TBC rideout...
at last some pics came out...




i also got a nice T shirt through the post from America from the Methow Vally Film Festival who over the summer showed some great cycling films...

i feel privileged that a film of my pugsley was included in there top 10 films...


also shown at the film festival was this film...i have posted this before but i think this film is brilliant,so well made and with a serious matter regaurding our planet...



click below for more info on the film festival...

methow vally film festival

have a good weekend -:)

Pentlands Skirmish, 10,10,10

Sundays weather was disappointing for friend Rob`s birthday rideout on the Pentlands..most folk couldnt make it with other stuff on but there was 3 solo`s and Mr & Mrs TJ on the tandem and we had a great days riding...
we headed off from Bonaly for clubbie dean, great wee trail through pines...


i had hoped to bring you all some pics of views but with grey overcast and a wet mist i did however film most of the good trails and descents...let you see how good it is up there and right on the edge of Edinburgh City...
some of Clubbie Dean...



we then headed up to the gate between Harbour Hill and Bells Hill...and first time i noticed this survey mark on a stone on the style...

south up Harbour Hill and this innocent looking descent i haven't ridden before down into the mist...

"theres a wee steep bit" said Rob who headed down to film us...i headed down and it was quite steep,i dabbed the brakes on the wet grass and oh-oh here we go again as wheel locked i took off screaming like a dafty!...as the bike gathered speed Rob captured it on video!,funny thing is he calmly says "is ok just roll"...easier said than done when your arms are locked solid and not dropping the seat i cant get back on the bike, as i plough of the trail into the bracken i waited for the hidden ditch or stone to pitch me over the bars but thankfully stopped without drama...it raised the pulse...but still laughing my head off- that's a sign of fear -:)
Mike got a bit sideways too...



and from the saddle...



rejoing TJ who rode the tandem down and around to Logan Cottage we headed up to climb up Hare Hill towards West Kip where we passed loads of hill runners in a race...



before the climb up West Kip we descended a brilliant trail back down to Loganlea where TJ was waiting...

the descent was very wet but not yet soft...so no damage done but this is a trail that really is unsuitable to ride after prolonged wet weather, glad it rideable after a dry month to get on film...name the tune then!



after a nip and some jelly babies it was downhill on tarmac where TJ`s tandem cleaned up as it took off and around Glencourse up to the Army range...


and that steep little climb up to Castlelaw farm...its steep but the solo`s cleaned it...the climb from Castlelaw on the track is hard usually either when with cold legs from the car park or during a ride but today after yesterdays Wanlockhead ride and 3 evening riding last week my legs were shot...but we all kept going and i felt a kind off second wind as over the climb we were in low cloud and living on the east coast i love it when we get this..here its cloud-on the coast we call it Harr...
freewheeling down the track we took a nice little bit of singletrack around to Caerketton Hill...2 wet burn crossings we dismounted for as dont want to cause unnessecery damage...heres some more film...one of my favourite bands...



no view over Auld Reeky today but more jellybabies and a nip and with tea/coffee and cake at Robs garage soon spirits were good...


i love this descent...we call it Jurrassic..as in summer its shoulder high either side with brackin...you know that bit in jurrassic park when there running through the field and the velosoraptors close in?...watch how long we freewheel for as i tail Mike down...



the tandem wasnt ever that far behind all day...

very well ridden by Mr & Mrs TJ the Cannondale tandem is a MT800 which is very well set up,bomber forks, Hope Big Un`s hubs and 6 pot brakes...this is a serious machine...as specialised as alot of our own bikes...
as promised i made a Tandem film too as we headed down for a bite to eat at Robs garage after another great days biking with friends...



heres Rob`s garmin readout of our days climbing...