It`s `Surly` gonna be a fine summer...

Not been riding the 2 Surly bikes for a couple of weeks as both have been getting some new parts fitted,

The Karate Monkey 29er is 2 years old now and still rides real smooth,
the 07 LX shifters and mechs are great- a nice solid gear change and the mech is still solid with no play, Being still on the original drive chain and 3rd chain it was all getting a bit old, so its been fitted with Shimano XT (steel)chainrings,
Shimano LX (34t) cassette and XTR chain,
i use the LX cassettes as although heavier than XT they last a lot longer.
The XTR chains i like as they dont rust..


I fitted new Superstar Flat pedals,
Superstar if you believe what folk write on MTB Forums (a lot write a lot of clueless rubbish) have had a lot of bad press in there early days, i have been buying there sintered brake pads for a while and at £24 for 4 pairs (£15-£18 a pair for O.E pads) there a bargain and there sintered pads work great. i just fitted 2 of there Brake Discs at £9 each to the pugsley as well as there pedals and its good value and a few friends are buying there parts with same positive view...think `Tesco Honey nut flakes cereal`...same factory's as originals in different packaging...

Also fitted a white graphic kit as only £12 and looks a lot better than black graphics on the Chum Red colour (color if your reading from USA)...


And a 2nd Jandd frame bag like on the Pugsley,these are ace for tube,pump,tools and food and a camera and more...


As you may know off road cyclists are always on about chain lubes and which one to use for which conditions etc..
I am a big fan of Squirt Chain lube for all year round use and especially for beachriding, on a rust proof chain its excellent and there is no build up of grime and muck or wet or dry sand,
I have had a few free things via writing my blog and films and posting on forums which has been really nice of folk and last Autumn i received some degreaser and bike cleaner from Carl Hutchings of the UK Squirt Lubes Distributor IN2Dust to try out..


Carl is a former competitor and record holder of the Alaskan Iditarod Winter snow race and a good friend of the builder of my pugsley Jake Law, who has built all my wheel builds since building my Pugsley. If you want an offset pugsley wheel built give Jake a buzz as he has done several offset wheels now...
Most folk if they get something free write all about it being an excellent product even if it is not,
i would if i thought something was rubbish say so...
how ever Squirt lubes chain degreaser and bike cleaner is really good, i used the chain degreaser on both new XTR chains before applying Squirt lube and its good,
also its bio degradable so no worries about it going down the drain which is a good thing,
And there bike cleaner (which is a watered down version of there degreaser) is good,
leaves your bike clean with out white streaks and it has a citrus scent which is nice if you hang your bike in the Kitchen like i often do!.
With my oldest most comfy brooks saddle refitted the 29er is ready for long summer days out and about...

It has been a busy last week in the Man Cave most evenings...
with an approx 4000 miles of mostly beach riding its time for another refit for the pugsley and it has been in Dry Dock for 2 weeks...
The Pugsley rear wheel was stripped to have friend Jake replace the damaged Alfine Gear Hub with the Hope pro 2 rear hub which was originally on the bike,
i still had the XT shifters,XT rear mech and XTR front mech so i bought a 36 Tooth 9 spd cassette for nice low gearing, also bought a steel hope free hub as i destroyed the alloy original which had a corroded alloy XT cassette `salt welded` onto it, now i can coppergrease it to prevent this again...


I stripped the frame and fork then `raw ed it to the bare metal using a brass wire brush on the Angle grinder which removed all the surface rust around cable guides etc, stripped of paint you can see how well Surly frames are made, very neat welds...


Then it got 2 coats of Industrial `Craig & Rose` Red Oxide Paint, it`s what the Forth Road Bridge is painted with so good enough for the Pug...
a light sand before a spray with a can of PJ1 paint...
New SKS bearings fitted to the Phil Wood BB,
New XT gear and brake cables, Hope Headset,Superstar pedals,new tubes,stainless allen bolts, and lots of grease and copper grease,
Just waiting on replacement stickers and all done,

What colour is the pug now?

Weekend Warrior...

Saturday we went down to Glentress Trail Centre in the Tweed Vally in the Scottish Borders, An hours drive and once a regular haunt of mine,
Regarded as the biggest and most popular trail Centre in Scotland it was very busy in the car parks with the continuing clear weather and it was warm.
wearing knee and elbow armour for the first time in a while felt weird but worth it just in case as i have not rode much here for a while,
It was too windy for getting some film at the dirt jumps at the freeride Park,
I had brought the camera as i always mean to take some pics of the trails for the blog but again we were too busy having fun!, There are miles of trails here,
I did take a pic up at the top of the Red Route before Spooky Woods Descent!...


I took the Go Pro camera to try out here, leaving no music i thought it might increase the feeling of speed on the descents,funny how we chat/shout to each other on the way down but you only here my voice with the wind noise, a one way conversation...the thumping noise is my heartbeat!,
Chasing Gary down Spooky Woods descent- a 1.5km-long singletrack descent with twelve 180-degree bermed bends, 18 jumps and 17 tabletops to keep the adrenaline flowing,
Excuse the swear word but the really dry conditions meant we nearly got caught out on some berms, i tend to swear more when excited than angry!...



Before descending further we went and rode an unmapped old school descent called `Brown Trout`, the camera was over exposed here and with the shadows the quality is not very good, need to use a narrower setting in this brightness in the future...



Back to rejoin the Red Route and below Spooky Woods Descent is the second of four continuous descents on the Red Route, named Super G...



Then straight after that is Hit Squad Hill, off the brakes until the wee wooden bridge normally but today it was rolling so fast we were getting two wheel slides on corners...



Then it was flat out over the roots of `The Pie Run` descent, not as fast or steep but tight between the tree`s and ok today as the exposed roots are dry,its tricky in the wet,more so at night...


We headed back to the `Buzzards Nest` Car park up on the hill by cutting onto 3 trails on the Blue Route, first up is `Motorway trail`, watch for the sign!, then onto one of my favourite trails at GT `Blue Velvet` a lovely flowy trail...


A new addition recently opened is `Berm Baby Berm` which descends to the Buzzards Nest Car Park, this is sweet!, lovely swoopy berms, freewheel and pump the berms or pedal and smooth dab of brakes before the berm, take your choice...



From the Car Park and another 2 blue Trails down to the Cafe and lower car parks, first is Electric Blue, get enough speed up and you can jump the bridge near the end...



Onto Falla Brae shared with the Red & Black Route`s then it is down a great blue trail called `Good Game`, it has lovely jumps after the start, Gary wore my Go Pro so for once i can get filmed!, angle is a bit low but from now on i will turn the camera upside down, we rode down the fire road and at the Red Squirral car Park rejoined the Red Route, totally flat out through here, i was buzzing after!...


And after all that starving too so we headed for food at the Hub Cafe,
a great day out with friends...

Sunday was different types of Warriors, it was `WW2 Experience Day` here at East Fortune`s National museum of Flight...you can read more here over on the other blog;
No Through Road...

It was right up my street...

Go Pro Hero 1080 HD sports camera, So far so good...

I have been on a filming frenzy with the new Go Pro camera when out cycling nearly every day in the last week`s dry weather, it is an impressive bit of kit...


I have been trying out various settings on the Go Pro Camera using the chest mount,
I plan to add this to cycling films but last week films have all been done mostly just with the chest cam view, once i work out the resolution that looks best for locations- open ground/woods etc.. then it will be mixed in with compact video views and picture`s.
First film was on the Pugsley around the sandy coastal trails at Gullane,
sometimes it was over exposed in the sunshine reflecting in the Sea Harr (fog) we have been getting here on the coast when cool sea air meets warmer air on land,
This film was using the default resolution setting (r4) which is a fish eye 170 degrees, it looks a bit warped and not so good out in the open as distance views are lost...


-
I do a lot of regular (inland!) mountainbiking too but dont post it much on here as i like to keep this blog coastal related but did some films on my MTB,
Next evening i rode trails around Seacliff and Tyninghame on the old Cannondale Super V suspension bike...


Adding a few takes using the seat post/ handlebar mount,
quality was smoother still with the suspension and in the woods the quality looked better while still on the r4 default setting.
I hope this gives a more involving view of on the bike,
opinions from those readers who don't ride mountain bikes would be welcome!
do you like it?- or feel sick watching this?...felt great riding it -:)



And returning home some more film through Binning Woods...


-

Last Friday evening i rode around Butterdean Woods with friends, again i filmed but switched to the r3 Resolution setting, but although quality looked improved it was a kind of `looking through a letter box view` with no view ahead of the trail or other riders and the camera angle was too low for this setting, to raise the angle the camera can be swapped upside down then you switch the film around,
I will have another go at this setting later, a bit cheesed as a fantastic evening riding a very dry Butterdean, a fantastic mix of rooty twisting trails, even though i jumped off the North Shore being too close to gary before the sea saw!,
fellow cyclists will like these trails!


-

Easter Weekend and Saturday was overcast with light rain showers and a biting cold wind, Problem with this time of year is when warm it is very warm out the wind in the sun, if the wind comes out the East off the North Sea and its damp its bitter cold, winter or summer cycling clothes?... a bit of both!
Had a great beachride with friend Jason on the Pugsleys down to North Berwick Harbour which was very quiet due to the weather...





A very relaxing days ride...


-

Now the not so good news is the time to Edit, hopefully this will get better as i get the hang of using the Pinnacle Studio HD 15 software i had to buy to upload the HD film, My PC needs more power to upload and work the editing quickly, and i think the Pinnacle is far to complicated-for me anyway, but it is a professional editing software capable of TV standard editing...
For now i am uploading all Go Pro film clips and publishing it (to my public films on windows) then editing using Windows Movie Maker, i only use fade in/out to black or white and mix clips by dragging over which Pinnacle cant do without going into a huge library of effects, why is there not a quick to access basic effects folder?,
I like to make a quick film most of the time, hour tops most for a cycling film,
So hopefully this camera can add a more `on board` view in my cycling films...

lastly, after a mellow beachride film i went out last night riding the local Garlton Hills, bone dry singletrack trails, Springtime is full on now, leaves are out on the trees, The Gorse bushes-called Whin`s here are in there yellow flower and the County is a patchwork of bright Yellow Oilseed rape fields,Green Winter Barley fields and brown freshly sown fields still to reveal there crop...




As well as the Ancient Ridge road which crosses the Garltons there are a lot of trails created by cattle which when dry make for good high speed fun,
mixed with some paths and a crazy ride down the north side of Skid Hill it was a fun couple of hours riding from the doorstep...
Old school trails, old school bike, old school tunes...

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

There seems to be some upload issues with Youtube re HD films too which a few folk have, but there is help at hand, i just have not had time to look through all the editing and filming tips for these cameras`s yet,
but there is a lot of good info on these forums/sites;

Go Pro User free forum

Eye of Mine upgrade site

Lots to learn yet...here is what can be done with these cameras...

April sun...Berwickshire Coastline...

Another weekend of warm weather,a bonus for cycling,
After a long time pondering over it and some saved spare money i bought a Go Pro Hero 1080 HD sports camera, since these cams were released they really have moved the goal posts on film quality, TV quality in fact, i bought some extra mounts, and on Saturday tried it out on the chest mount riding sandy trails around Gullane on the Pugsley...




Good job its waterproof as i was sweating buckets, last week i was overdressed with a winter soft shell jacket, Saturday a merino long sleeve and T shirt were too warm out of the wind!


I cant upload and edit the film i shot until i get the HD editing software i ordered,
but i`m looking forward to improved editing and picture quality,
The Tachyon camera`s have been good and reliable and I'm selling one cheap to a friend and keeping one as a 2nd camera/stunt camera -:),

Sundays forecast was to be warm so time for the first Epic day ride of the year...
Our county of East Lothian is as often referred to as `The Garden of Scotland`
And if so then our Neighbouring county Berwickshire to the east must be `the hidden gem`...
The A1 London to Edinburgh east coast road cuts right through the county but many who zoom by will be unaware of its scenic countryside,coastline and history,from castles and ruins to WW2 artifacts and less known Cold War sites,bunkers and buildings,

I wasn`t going to post anything on Berwickshire as it is for me a kind of last resort...somewhere you go out for the day and seldom meet anyone...
There are lots of trails and ancient old routes, i reckon there is about 3 times as many trails in Berwickshire compared to East Lothian, my old OS Landranger map is criss crossed with pink highlighter,and these are just the old roads and Rights of Way, i`m keeping the where abouts of most of the trails to myself but happy to post some film and pics to share,
Just over the County Border is Cove which i have posted before on here with its lovely Harbour,

Parking here early i headed east for the coastline in the background...


From Pease Bay its a short steep climb up onto the road over Coldingham Moor where a long climb of over a mile soon has you warmed up!...


A narrow road leads to Dowlaw Farm, past an old lookout post from WW2...


Good views for those that were on lookout!...


You can see the change in coastal scenery here as to the west the low white beaches of East Lothian give way to the highest cliffs on Eastern Scotland...


A path from here leads to quite an amazing castle ruin...Fast Castle...




As the sign says, steep cliffs ahead!...


Don`t look down here, about 300 feet drop...


Accessed by a 3 foot wide path with near vertical cliffs either side its quite intimidating to walk out onto...


It is unknown exactly who built the cliff top castle but it is believed to have been inhabited by wreckers, who would using lanterns at night fool ships into thinking it was a harbour of safe haven in stormy sea`s only to have there ships smashed on the rocks then looted by the robbers...




With no hand rails around the ruins you feel a little bit exposed to the drop of several hundred feet to the sea below...






Who in there right mind would ride a bike down there?... -:)



Onwards and er.. upwards but i only retraced back up so far before shouldering the bike up a steep grass field to cut across inland to get onto an old ancient track...


The old track now a grassy way was once a road to Lumsdaine...


Beside the track is an old decaying thresher- the pre runner to todays combine harvester...did you know it was invented in East Lothian? by Andrew Meikle (1719-1811) from Houston Mill, near Dunbar...
This one has lost its manufacture plate which would have gave its age...




A modern bridge twins the original arch stone bridge...


And we join part of the Berwickshire Coastal path here...


Spring Lambs...


Along the cliff top trail and stunning scenery...






The coastline along here from Cove has work by a local artist...and i don`t know who!...


On the map is shown a measured mile, here is one of the markers, i imagine it was once used for shipping...


Ahead is the highest point of the cliffs. Heathery Carr, believed to be named as Sea Eagles once nested there...


Down to below the cliff and above a waterfall i sat and ate lunch,
you dont get views like this in a cafe...






Nearby was an Orchid...


On my hands and knees i crawled to the cliff edge and stuck my arms out over the edge for a pic...despite being under a huge cliff face it was a long way down from here...


Surrounded by thousands of Kittiwakes nesting, April is the best month to see bird life here as they nest on the cliffs, i could have sat here for hours...



It was a hard climb carrying the bike up the path and over Heathery Carr in the midday heat, better than rain and cloud though... up top was good views...






And now mostly a downhill run with a few gates to St Abbs Nature Reserve...






At st Abbs Head it was great looking back west along the coastline i had travelled...been hard going in the heat and i was out of water now...


Using the zoom lense i could see Wheat Stack, the sea stack near Fast Castle from where we came...


Along the coast you can see where the rock has been put under pressure from volcanic activity and lines run each way and in wave patterns...




Up on top is St Abbs Lighthouse, the original prism glass is still intact that once shone the light 20 miles out to sea, i see the light on dark winter mornings from Whitekirk Hill, i`m a bit closer today...below is the fog horn...the first to be powered by diesel engine produced air power...


Below the cliffs and rocks are packed with sea birds...





It was real busy up here today with visitors, unsuprising with the weather so i left the coastal trail and bombed down the road as was out of water and needed a refill fast so i headed into the village of St Abbs, where a friendly resident in there garden happily filled my bottles, you just have to ask and give a big smile!,
half an hour off the bike in the shade with an ice cream sitting above the harbour...


Was a very hard 5 miles in the heat and concentration was needed along exposed cliffs, wouldn`t fancy riding there if the ground was wet near those edges...
i did some helmet camera filming as i went along with views on the compact,
here is some film of an amazing bit of coastline...
good to feel a bit fear at times when you let go of the brakes and take off!...
Out to sea i could see for miles and miles and miles...



Refreshed and time to head for some woodland trails, this here is the Creel road leaving Coldingham...


And there are a lot of old unmaintained roads with these signs all around Berwickshire...




And Beech tree and Hawthorn hedged old throughfare trails...




A taster of some of the trails just around Coldingham...



With it being lambing season i did not go to photo some places riding home by crossing farmland that i hoped to visit but can revisit later this summer...
There is of course Drone Hill on Coldingham Moor,now a caravan park/campsite which was part of the Chain Radar Early Warning during WW2...


Then less known is this place, Crosslaw,


Now a private (extended) bungalow is was during the cold war `RAF Crosslaw` the bungalow wasnt a house but a gaurd room, below is a RSG (Regional Seat Goverment) Nucleur Bunker, see the big rotor dish behind...


I respect the private drive of the folks house...but will go a wander nearby in the future... as there is a ROC monitering bunker nearby too... lots to visit...

heading back to the car and the last trail, an estimated 50 miles today with all the road work..knackered, slight sun burn (in April) and very happy -:)