Next Spokes Ride

Sunday 3rd July 2022. Meet at 10:00 outside the Usher Hall, Lothian Rd.

Destination to be decided on Wednesday. Distance will be around 70km (42 miles). Lunch in a café.
 
Please check your bike before the ride, i.e. tyre pressure, chain and brakes. Bring some money for emergencies and café stops and/or post ride refreshments. Don't forget snacks to keep your energy levels up and a drink to consume en-route.
 
Don't forget to bring a small toolkit to fit your bike and a spare inner tube in case you get a puncture. It is much easier to replace the tube than to repair a tube, especially if you have a slow puncture.
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Weather

This weather forecast is generated by the Met Office Weather Widget

 

"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, January 18, 1896, Scientific American Magazine

The meal was a great success, 19 people turned to the Annpurna Vegetarian restaurant on April 7th. Thanks to all who turned up. Admittedly, the weather wasn't that good last Sunday, it was dark, misty, so a short ride. A downpour at 9:45 put a few off (perhaps you were stuck by the mass of people running the 10k). There were seven of us on Sunday (one was delayed by the rain, changing in to wet gear at a bus-stop, then got held up on Princes Street by the runners, but I knew another person would turn up).

Misty Magical Soggy Trip to Penicuik

Welcome to Veronica, who joined us fresh from TryCycling, and despite the atrocious weather conditions, for Sunday's Ride. We went to Penicuik. It wasn't bad, a little cool, misty and drizzly rather than raining. We had a long lunch, arriving early, leaving late. Eventually the weather cleared a little. As this made the afternoon riding a little more inviting, that we managed to get out of our seats and back on the bikes!!! We were back in Edinburgh for 3:45pm.

A couple of notices.

Firstly, the Third Sunday CTC ride has changed. Anne Carter has reduced the distance to 12 miles; you will be back at about 12:30pm. They meet at the Commonwealth Pool at about 10am. I understand they no longer leave at 10am sharp, so it should be Ok to be a couple of minutes late. The shortened distance is to encourage people new to cycling, Speed is slightly slower than Spokes' Rides, faster than TryCycling and have the aim of being social events. Bring a snack; you should be home for lunch.

Mike Lewis has promised to resurrect the Saturday ride through the Summer. I'll pass on details when I get them. These rides are slowish and social too. It is a pleasure that we can get on a bicycle and explore the wonderful countryside around us. Free yourself of the self-made urban prison, moving from one box to another box, via a box on four wheels. Whizz down a hill with your feet off the pedals, take a net and go catch tadpoles in a pond, have a picnic, forget your worries. We can cycle in groups if we are feeling social, ride alone if we are not. Even the silence gained when climbing a hill can be put to good use. Listen to the hum of the wheels, bird song, and wind in the trees, think even. Put a smile back on your face. Why shouldn't you recapture that youthful freedom? Be young.

During this Summer, I hope to go to St. Andrews, visit Cairnpapple Hill, go to a beach, visit a Botanic Garden and sit on a high hill. Some destinations may require you to pack a picnic; one destination has a small entrance fee. Keep your eyes on your email inbox. I hope you can join me on the next ride on Sunday June 4th.

Warm Regards,

Explore, Dream, Discover

"Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There's something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym." ~ Bill Nye, the Science Guy

Ride Statistics

Distance:       46.2 km (28.7miles)
Average Speed:  17.8 km/h (11 mph)
Total Climbing: 561m (1840ft)
Time:           2 hours 42 minutes
Max. Temp.:     8 deg C (46 deg F) rising to 12 deg C (53 deg F) in the afternoon.

Route Description

Lothian Road, Early Grey St. Home St., Leven St., Barclay Pl, left on to Whitehouse Loan, right on to Newbattle Terr, Canaan Lane, left in to Wood Place and Woodburn Terrace. We climbed up Braid Ave., turning right on to Hermitage Dr. / Braidburn Terr. crossing Braid Rd. We turned left on to Comiston Rd. at Greenbank Church.

We waited rested at The Pavilion Tusitala, m above sea level. We then carried along our way, crossing over Fairmilehead crossroad on to Biggar Road. Just past Hillend, we turned on to the A703, Seafield Moor Road. We left on to Seafield Road, which goes to Bilston. We took the 5th Right along here, then left to access the A701. Here we turned right, then left to head for Roslin. In Roslin, we followed Main St. then Penicuik Rd. before turning on to a minor Road. This took us to The Brae, Auchendinny. We went down, through Auchendinny, we did not turn off at the old works, we carried along the road, and up, before turning right on to Harper's Brae, Eskmills Road, then Kirkhill Road in Penicuik.At the end of Kirkhill Road, we turned left on to Penicuik High St. and turned right up Bog Road. As it was only 11:35, we carried on past the Craigiebield Hotel, to turn left up Carlops Rd. We followed this road for about 1.2 km, before turning around and retracing our steps back to the Hotel.

After a prolonged lunch, we took the following route back in to Edinburgh. We left the hotel, turning left on to Bog Road, right on Carlops Rd, left on to John St. We accidentally turn right in to Tesco's, so we rejoined John St. to turn right on to Eastfield Dr. At the end of this road, we turned left on to Eskmills Rd.

From here, we took the same route back as far as Roslin, where we turned right on to Chapel Loan, to admire views across Roslin Glen at Rosslynn Chapel. We did a 180, heading back up Chapel Loan, turning right on to Manse Road. Then, a surprise. The path to the Bilston Glen bridge is in the process of being tarmac'd. At the bridge, we waited for horses to cross the bridge, before we crossed. We navigated the loose stones to access a dirt track. We had to carry our bikes up a small steep slope, some of us more successful at the challenge than others. We continued to follow the track.

At the end of the track, we joined Park Ave in Loanhead. Then we down Dryden Terr., Pentland Road, passing Costco and Ikea. We went straight across the A701, following Pentland Road to the end with the junction with Biggar Road. We turned right here, to take the A702 back in to Edinburgh, along Biggar Road and Comiston Road. Back in Edinburgh for 3:45pm.

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