Fastest time to the mast yet!

The new bike was brought home today and hastily got ready for a trip to Glentress. There was only Clive and me, and we set off from the bottom at about 7pm with no great intentions but after we'd reached about halfway up the black route we realised that a fast time might be on. With the last climb to come Clive set off in pursuit of the record time and reached the mast in 1 hour 4 minutes and 43 seconds and I managed a new "old codgers" record of 1 hour 8 minutes and 35 seconds!

The new bike seems to have done the trick and apart from an annoying squeak from the front brake felt really good. Tomorrow night that squeak will be investigated, I couldn't stand that too long!

Me and the new bike!

Proof of the new record!

Proof of the new "old codger" new record!

That new record feeling!

The Giant VT bows out with style

Today was the last roundup for my GiantVT and it performed admirably with another climb to the top of the black route at Glentress in 1 hour 15 minutes yet again! It's going south to Cardiff to make a new life for itself in Wales, I'm sure there's a good few years in it yet. In its place there's a new bike coming (of course), a Trek Fuel Ex 8 which had better perform as well as its predecessor, or else!! This has still to be revealed to "her indoors" and as I'm getting it on Thursday the day of reckoning is fast approaching!

Today was as dry as its been for at least a year, what a difference, and the highlights were (1) our attempts to cycle up a particularly steep section of Redemption, unsuccessfully I might add, and (2), Baz's over the handlebars as he demonstrated to Clive and me a bit of dirt jumping! The sight of him disappearing over a heap of gravel head first will be remembered for some time, we refuse to accept it as a "technical dismount"!

A valiant attempt but destined to fail!

The Giant VT's final day at Glentress

Polton Brae twice in one week!

The agony that is cycling up Polton Brae has been experienced twice this week as the build up to Ten under the Ben continues! The narrow road twists down from Lasswade into Polton village and then goes back up for half a mile to Loanhead getting progressively steeper as you turn every bend. Twice this week I've done it now ,once with Clive and the second time with Clive and Baz as well. If we're not fit for this event at the end of May it's not for the want of training!

The training continues for Ten under the Ben

Today we did a road session of around 32 miles as we continue our run up to Ten under the Ben at the end of May. We did the usual route, along to Roslin, then on to Penicuik, then climb all the way to Gladhouse reservoir, back by Rosebury reservoir to Carrington followed by Rosewell and finally Roslin again before home. Baz's bike developed an alarming creak but on inspection at night all that was needed was a bit of grease in the rear hub and all seems to be well again. Clive's pink work bike somehow got air in the front hydraulic brake system after he'd changed the pads but with a bit of ingenious use of equipment meant for another brake system we managed to cure that as well...... don't ask me how, but it worked!

A banana a day keeps the cramp away

The parish church in Carrington

Carrington High Street on a busy Sunday morning!

World record for 3 and a 1/2 year old?!!

The innocent little chappie on the left, all of 3 and a 1/2 years old, has, I am reliably informed by my son in Cardiff, just completed a journey of 7.8 miles on his small green bike which he is now riding minus the stabilisers! The return leg of the trip was interupted with a visit to Macdonalds and he did at one stage near the end express a desire to lie down on the road and have a sleep!

Big brother was there as well by the way!

And they say they dont make them like they used to..................................!!!!

Training begins for "Ten under the Ben"

Tonight Baz and I began the training in earnest for "Ten under the Ben" which we've entered as a two man team at the end of May. We went down to Glentress tonight and started off with gusto, needless to say gusto was soon far ahead of us, however our time of one hour eighteen minutes to the mast wasn't bad going considering I'd done nothing for a week having been away last weekend.
The rather amusing thing about our team effort is we qualify with our joint ages in the senior veterans, just and no more!
Anyway that's a start, if we want to put up a good show the training will have to be stepped up.

Two nights on the trot at Glentress

First it was Wednesday night at Glentress for Baz and me. The picture taken near the top of the black route shows the full moon which must have had something to do with us going back again on Thursday night for more punishment! Clive joined us on Thursday and I think there was a plot between him and Baz to try and kill me off as we went up the climbs like three bats out of hell, the one at the back (me) looking decidedly hellish!

On the Wednesday night there had been a creaking and occasional crack coming from Baz's transmission and before we set sail on Thursday we investigated and discovered his freewheel hub was the cause. A quick clean out with some brake cleaner and a re-lube and it was as good as new. The rebuild was a bit chaotic, a case of "more haste, less speed" but eventually we got it all back together and everything seems fine, (fingers crossed).

Spot the full moon!!

All on my ownio

As Baz and Clive my two usual biking compadres were both on holiday I was forced(?) to do a ride on my own this morning. The slicks were still on the wheels so I kept on the tarmac and did a 32 miler up and around the villages of Carrington and Temple and the numerous reservoirs that are up in the hills of Midlothian. I've been fascinated by Temple's name and the photo shows the ruin of an old church alongside a newer one on the edge of the village. Could this be the origin of its name or is there something else in the distant past...............

Did this old ruin give the village of Temple its name?