"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy..." (post work midweek rides)

Really enjoying the early starts at work, fantastic sunrises over the North Sea when clear skies this week....

Now finished mid afternoon and often out on the bike for a detour home and still home before most people have finished, definitely worth getting up at 5am for.
"Miss the morning and you miss the day" my Dad always says, and he`s right, i am getting so much more done once home. We work through our lunch break and so get away at 2.30pm, i go for a detour home on the bike or to see my Dad and i am still home before 5pm and have all evening - though i go to bed far earlier now.
The morale of everyone at work is better too. Along with the promising future about to kick off soon...
There is also the incentive to crack on and get everything finished and we all love getting the half day Friday at 12pm for working the 4 days at 8 1/2 hours. Were now also out the way for the Friday afternoon Golf...
Friday at work is final preparation for the weekend, and finally we are now going home with work satisfaction with where were going and the good times ahead...

I am busier as work this year with the big push to up the standards, but i also have more free time to myself with the early starts to enjoy myself out and about, that you cannot put a price on...

Thanks Eddie for the pressie of this lovely cider, 2 pints is all you need of this stuff!,
FatBiking is thirsty work -:)

Summer is coming, were looking on the bright side...

Songs are `Brite Side`  &  `The Tide Is High`  by Blondie
click on the cog icon to view in HD (uploading again in HD!)

AN EVEREST OF ALLERMUIRS... 3rd - 5th May 2013

My big sisters partner Ian is doing a hill running event to raise money for Prostrate Cancer UK by running up his favourite Pentland Hill, Allermuir, 29 times which will be the equivalent  height of Everest at 29,029ft...

I have already been up Allermuir Hill in the Pentland Hills on my bike with Ian running 2 years ago on a great Saturday bike and run...

On the early May weekend of Friday 3 - Sunday 5 May  i again will be up on the hill with my bike giving support to Ian who will also have some friends from his running club `THE WORLD FAMOUS HUNTERS BOG TROTTERS`  alongside for encouragement ...
Quite a feat, running 29 times up Allermuir...
Ian in June 2012...

Come along on bike or foot and say hi over the weekend that starts on the Thursday evening at 7pm for the prologue hill sprint race; ` The Allermuir Gallop`.
walk, run or carry your bike up for the amazing view of Edinburgh from the summit...

Details of Ian`s challenge  Here




EVEREST; on top of the world...

In 1852  Scientists recognised a Himalayan Mountain then known as peak 15 to be the highest in the world at 29,026ft

Everest History linked to East Lothian...
In April 1933 the first aeroplane to fly over the summit was co-piloted by Douglas Douglas Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton here in East Lothian, he would later become an RAF squadron leader during WW2...

60 years ago On the 29th May 1953 New Zealander  Edmund Hillary and Nepali   Tenzing Norgay became the first humans to set foot on the summit....

We humans can achieve amazing feats when we put our minds to it...

Using footage of the original ninth expedition led by John Hunt, a music film has been edited by British band PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE

Ace song and film of an amazing event... this is deft my favourite new song of this year so far, i will use this song for a film of the weekend of Ian`s achievement... wish Ian luck...

Day Trip to Carnoustie...

Sunday i was back on the east coast but a 100 mile drive north i rolled into the car park at Carnoustie near the rail station at 9,30 to meet local fat biker Steven on his pugsley. We were joined by Stu from Stirling who had bought a black pugsley from friend Si. It rained all the way up the road, and was a bit overcast when i parked up...

But as forecast the day dried up and the sky cleared to blue with big fluffy clouds, perfect for pictures.

I have wanted to visit the coast for a days ride here for a while, and looked across to here from a day trip to St Andrews and Tentsmuir Last Year...
Carnoustie is another Scottish East Coast seaside town that has a history of sea fishing, historic Golf Courses and Victorian Hotels and Holiday houses so popular in the Victorian era...
The Golf courses are very famous and Golf has been played here since the 1500s and the present course was designed in 1850 by Alan Robertson of St Andrews. The famous Tom Morris extended the course 20 years later then the famous architect James Braid redesigned the course in 1937 to what it basically is today. There are now 3 courses here on the links today.
Many young men from Carnoustie did the same as the many others from Scottish Links Golf Courses on the east coast and took their Golf and club making skills abroad. Many stayed here and some fine hickory clubs were produced, hand made and  fitted to the customer. I have an old hickory club made in the town, and it is a work of art, here it is...

So we were rolling east along the coast and what better to be guided by local Steven who lives near the town and would give us great days coastal riding and we saw a lot of interesting stuff,

Roll the pics...

This is the Towns Water tank! how impressive is that!

Amazing Urbex find, an old List D school, check out the stone work and carvings....

Another amazing building, an old church....

Look at the carving detail...

BMX track, fun time...

Then some amazing singletrack through woods...

Happy...

Then along a cliff top trail...

And across the shoreline...

To an amazing arch...

Then a cave once used by gold smugglers, men disguised as woman would carry the gold in bras... true!

These two in Bras? -:) ...

Pitch black and no torch inside, i turned around  and in the camera flash seen this and nearly peeded myself with laughter! Stu with a false nose,tash and glasses! lol...

Push back up onto the cliff top trail...

Amazing coastal scenery...

Visible offshore is the Bell Rock Lighthouse...

Classic East Coast Fishing Town streets...

 You can get Smokies here,,,

We got regular Haddock and chips...

Washed down with Irn Bru...

Across the Park and model Railway...

North Berwick take note- every seaside town should have a miniature railway...

Several miles of brilliant Sandy singletrack above the coastline...

And past the famous Links...

Tired legs need some sugar...

WW2 Coastal defence Anti Invasion Tank blocks here have the same domed tops as at Tentsmuir...

Fishermans Croft...

More brilliant woodland singletrack...

Time to go into the dunes to the west of Carnoustie...

Open to public, that's a Dutch army vehicle!...

Are we being watched?...

 Cool...

Big Sky...

And back to the cars at the sea front...

Great day out. Thanks Stu for great company and to Steven for organising and guiding the ride which was a great mix of coast and trails with local history. I will deft be back up here as still loads more to go ride and explore...