Chasing the Sunset

The week started off ok but with me having a bit of a scratchy throat.  I never bothered as i'm not one for getting ill really.  I needed a tent for a weekend camping expedition (to someone's back garden - more in another post) and there was only one person i knew who may be able to help.  After much deliberation i finally plucked up the courage to ask PTC for a loan of a tent to which her replied "Come on get one, and bring your bike".

Wednesday was the night and a fine night it was too.  I set off from work early again along the usual route but no sooner had i left work when i met a diversion and (horror of horrors) lots of police and a white tent in the middle of the road just at McDonalds drive-thru in Stirling.  This didn't look good.  I later discovered a man had been knocked down and killed by a lorry not 15 minutes before i got there.  Shame.  Makes you realise how short life is...

Anyway i made my was to meet up point and i was surprisingly early but Phil wasn't far behind me.  We got the bikes ready and then I went to collect a tent.  They decided i should take the Vango F10 Nitro 200.  I'd heard about this one before - hhmmm!!  I was assured it was would be fine and that although small it was in no way coffin-like.  In front of my eyes in the gear emporium was all manner of things.  But I was more distracted by the machines and various equipment and tools that lined shelves on the walls.  In so many ways it reminded of my Pappy's hut in Law.  Was there a lathe in there PTC?  Anyway after a bit of chatter we were soon on our way.

Headed the usual route with a few secret diversions thrown in before we headed up the hill.  The first bit of road is always good but tiring at the same time.  My legs were ok but by Wednesday my sore throat had gotten worse and a cough was developing.  We made a leisurely pace up the hill but the evening was nice.  The sun was still out, the rain that had threatened earlier in the day never appeared and i seem to get lucky when i go on this bike ride.  I took a few pics of the view as i never tire of it.  After pushing the bikes we got up to a gate on a steep section and there was more chat.  The custom is me getting grilled about various things!  A guy came pedalling up behind us.  It looked he hadn't stopped pedalling from the bottom all the way up which is some feat.  However he stopped and chatted for a wee while.

After about 10, well maybe 15 minutes (this was a relaxed mtb ride) we set off again up more gravelly section but we were on the bikes again.  I of course was lagging behind but going at my steady pace got me up to the guys at the next gate.  Then it was downhill.  Round the corner and across a grassy section, which was also boggy and i got covered.  Although it only seemed to cover my left shoe.  The muck was all over my bike.  I thought to myself that i'd keep this muck seeing as EVERYONE seems to slag me off about how clean it is, hehe.  We were into the forest section now and I was pretty good i have to say.  Hardly any stopping.  But by now you could see a lovely pinky orange colour through the trees and I knew we had to get out of the woods to see this magnificent sunset go down.  I remember thinking i always go on about chasing sunsets (much like people chase Twisters) but i was litterally pedalling and chasing a sunset that night.  If only you could have seen to face i was making, gritted teeth and a smile.  It was great.  We made it out just in time and although not it's best lightshow it was still awesome...

Next was the grassy track section (Would you guys say this was single-track?).  Anyway it was the last big downhill push.  "Are we stopping or going to the bottom?"  "To the bottom" i said (brave!).  And we did.  Only one stop in the middle after a wee tricksy drop bit.  It was quite hairy at times but I done well.  I think I'm getting my MTB mojo one bit at a time.  And i like it.  Once we were at the gate at Overtoun House we turned left and flew down the road and into the BP garage.

Tea, coffee, custard slices (not for me!) and chat.  Was a great nights biking.  I'd forgotten my lights... OK I haven't got lights yet so i was directed to the middle whilst i got blinded from behind by Phil's lights that looked as strong as car lights.  No matter, I always feel looked after when out with these people.  I drove home and decided to go over the Erskine Bridge for the first time since the back roads would be quite dark now.  I was home in an hour happy, muddy and thoroughly tired.  Good job.

Thank you again for another good night on the bikes.

Ange xx

More on the tent in a later post, i'll link to later on.

My Two Dads (Loch Humphrey part II)

A text came in and it announced "bikes, Monday night, you fancy it?" or something along those lines.  Yes but I'm away to buy body armour after my recent fall was my response.  I packed up my stuff and shoved the bike in the back of the car and set off to work on Monday 21st June - Midsummers day, the longest day of the year. I was a bit worried about my wrist by now as it hadn't got any better over the weekend, in fact it was only on Saturday that the bruising started to appear and this was worrying.  I contemplated going to hospital but frankly I didn't want to waste their time if it was only bruised.  So a little after 4.15pm I set off along the Gargunnock Road again heading towards Bowling.  It was quite quiet but again i stopped off at McDonalds in Balloch to use the rest room (I'd been guzzling down my water that day).

I arrived to meet Petesy and Phil at the usual place.  We got the stuff ready but not before I got grilled on various matters and vairous people(!) and not before we eventually found a pack to fit me (sorta).  I can't remember which pack i had this time, maybe the OMM one?  Anyway we set off along a path then headed across the road and along the canal again, nearly the same route as the last time.  Back across the main road and then headed up the track gaining height.  It was hot and the midgies were out in full force.  A few Police cars and vans passed us on their was down the track, I hoped they weren't up there findng bodies!

About haflway up the really rough gravelly section we stopped and Petesy suggested we go through a gate and head up the grass.  Oh no I thought but it was ok.  It meant we had to get off and push the bikes a lot but it was fine.  I think he feels guilty for dragging us that quicker way...






The views were great so a few quick snaps were taken by me before the midges really took hold and we set off again.  Onwards and upwards.  This was turning out to be the first bit of hillwalking i'd done in quite a while.  We eventually got to a cairn where a well deserved rest was had, with some more photies being taken.





I could see the track we took the last time and was told we were heading that way but not before some tricksy manouvering down quite a steep grassy section.  By now my wrist was kinda throbbing and each time I took my glove off and could hardly get it back on.  But we were now heading onto ground that looked familiar from my last time up here with these guys.

Next we headed into the forrest area where more photies were taken.  I think Petesy kept the best ones for himself cos the ones he took on my camera are blurry!  Or maybe i was just going to fast...



Through the dark section of the forrest was really difficult for me as i didn't want to risk it and I my wrist was painful so whilst they hopped and skipped their way down through big ruts and massive tree roots i decided to get off the bike and shove it down.  Aah much safer for the moment.  The next seciton was downhill mostly on grass with a few bumps and ruts along the way.  It was good and there was a wee sectin at the bottom near the gate where i almost lost the back end of the bike but managed to recover in a expert way - yay me!!  We headed down past an old house (I will remember the names of these places instead of forrest, old house, up a track...), anyway past the old houe and down a gritty road and into Dumbarton? through some streets and down the the waters edge.  Having safely negotiated the various items that had been dumped by folks the waters edge was quiet and peaceful and the views were good.  The sun was just nearly going down in the midsummer sky casting an orangey glow on everything around.  Lovely. 





It was time for something to eat (I hadn't had any dinner!) so we headed back along another path and into the BP garage at Milton.  Tea and sandwiches for me, coffe and cake for those two.  Another great night out with good company.  I do enjoy these bike rides.  And they never left me once to get lost!  The midgies were really taking hold now so we headed back to the cars and packed up.



I headed back along the road to Stirling with a wonderful light show happening in the sky.  It was awesome, so much so that I stopped a few times to take pictures. 



Once again thanks Petesy and Phil for taking me out, for not riding away and leaving me on my own, for the kit and the chat.  Loved it.

Ange x