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Category: Bike Rides 2006
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"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will.
You can waste it or use it for good.
What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.
When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever;
in its place is something that you have left behind...
let it be something good." ~
Ric Kausrud, 1997 After living with HIV for over 20 years, Written a few months before his death from complications from AIDS.

A big "Thank You" to everyone who turned up on Sunday. I hope I managed to leave something good. A wonderful day trip to Cairnpapple Hill, 29 people turned up, 4 people turned around to head home before we reached our goal, 25 people did the entire trip.

A Day not Wasted

Despite the delay a couple of punctures caused, we managed pretty well time wise. Route and stats posted at the end of this page. I will post photographs to the website when I get time. The weather was kind, although not as hot, nor as sunny, as Saturday.

The views from the top of the hill were excellent, although the cairn was a little disappointment, it was still interesting to visit a place still in use 7000 years after Neolithic man built the original Henge there. Today, people still scatter and place ashes on the top of the hill.

The visitor hut provided lots of useful information. Unfortunately, the little coffee machine in the visitor hut broke down due to the large number of coffee request, so if you didn't get a coffee / hot chocolate / tea, sorry.

On the way home, Mark’s bike suddenly started changing gear at the front. Closer examination showed the downtube had snapped in two. You'll be pleased to know Mark got home safely after the frame failure, although there were rail works, so there was only a bus service available, Mark did manage to get his bike on board.

The rest of us carried on home along the canal. Some of us enjoyed some time at the Ratho Inn, while other carried along the Canal to get home about 5.00pm.

Some of you have indicated that it would be nice to meet up before the start to form a Spokes Rides social group to go to St. Andrews, Rather than cycling alone, or hopefully meeting up with some people on day. Those of you who are interested, Angela and I will be going to St. Andrews as well. I will post an email nearer the time, and we can meet before the ride starts. Some of the route goes through the manic Barnton roundabout. To avoid this dangerous junction I was thinking that we could join the cycle path at Craigleith, and rejoin the road at Cramond. Also, rather than taking the road through Dalmeny, we'll take the cycle path straight to S. Queensferry. Same rules as for a Spokes ride, we'll wait for you, help you with mechanical failures and stop for lunch and tea and ice-cream, maybe even a pizza in St. Andrews (if we get there on time!!!).

The next Spokes Ride will be on July 2nd, when we will either go to a beach, or Dawyck Botanic Gardens, but not to Fife, and free you from that urban prison for one day at least. Have a great day, and make it special.

Warm Regards,

Explore, Dream, Discover

"To see a World in a grain of sand and Heaven in a flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand and Eternity in an hour." ~
William Blake

Ride Statistics

Distance:       68.7 km (42.7miles)
Average Speed:  18.3 km/h (11.4 mph)
Total Climbing: 629m (2063ft)
Time:           4 hours 5 minutes
Max. Temp.:     19 deg C (66 deg F) though it was 17 deg. C for most of the day

Route Description

We headed down to Fountainbridge, down Dalry Road, along Murieston Crescent to Russell Rd and on to the cycle path to join National Route 1 at Roseburn. At New Burnshot, up the cycle path from Cramond Brig, we turned off route 1 to follow a minor road to access the Railway Path to Kirkliston. From Kirkliston, we out along the , turning left just after the motorway bridge to take the minor road to Niddry. Jenny and Neil returned home along the canal from here

We turned left on to the B8020 at Niddry, zigzagging through Bings before taking a right on to a minor road, which passes Newbigging Craig, to Ecclesmachan. We turned right then left to connect with another minor road to West Binny, passing Binny Craig along the way. We had excellent views of the Ochil's and the Highlands beyond. At West Binny, we turned right, following another minor road for 800 m to then turn left on to the road that goes through Longmuir plantation, where we saw some Llamas. At North Mains, we turned left, then right at South Mains on to another minor road, then after a couple of miles, we turned left on to the minor road that takes you up to Cairnpapple Hill. We arrived there at 13:05.

The route back was the same to the B8020, where we turned right to Broxburn. In Broxburn, we joined the canal, which we followed back in to Edinburgh, with a stop at Ratho Inn.