From the flat and easy to the tough and rough!

Mid-day Saturday and it was family time along the canal.....

Late afternoon Saturday and it was high in the Pentlands......

Early Sunday and it was back up the Pentlands again!

A varied weekend of mountain biking from the flat and easy riding alongside the Union Canal from Ratho to Winchburgh and back with a wind that contrived to blow in our faces most of the way, how does it manage that? Then a text from Mark with an invitation for a trip up the Pentlands from Carlops and some virgin routes for me, needless to say this didn't take long to be accepted. Only 11 miles but a lot of climbing on narrow wet and greasy tracks, great fun! Sunday morning and the usual 6 am start or daft o'clock as it's known and after Castlelaw Cottages climb, along and down the shelter belt then up Maidens Cleugh we did the reverse loop round to Carlops I'd done the day before. More hard climbing on soft greasy grass, the stuff to build muscles (hopefully anyway!). One of the highlights of the route was a blast back along the A72 with the wind in our backs so that we got home in time for the bacon rolls at 10 am! Out again on my own at night to get enough miles to rack up 150 for the week!