Tour of East Lothian - 15th February 2009.

[Rig of Jarkness]

In truth today wasn't quite as 'character building' as usual.  First Mr Organiser decided to reroute it to avoid the Rigg, I'm not sure whether this was down to the possibility of ice & snow or some other reason, then the weather gods decided to give us an exceptionally nice day   We had absolutely glorious views all round, the temperatures were positively tropical, (as high as 9 degrees I'm told), and even the slog into the headwind on the way back wasn't that bad !

[Ariadne]

Sorry I never got to ride with many of you today but I was helping my friend round his first audax and longest ever cycle.

To his credit he managed to make it round within the time limit, however, we picked up the lantern rouge award (7h 40mins!). 

Well done to him! He seemed a nice man. Do you think he'll do another one?

I have to confess to being quite surprised at seeing you in Dunbar - I've never in my life seen you after the start of an audax!

[Ariadne]

And I meant to say - it was a really really good day out. I was relieved about the change of route. I did 82 miles in total, with the ride there and back, and that's the longest I've done since... (goes off to check)...

Wow. I've done two 40 mile rides this year, I did a 45 in November and other than that there's nothing above 20 miles since I did 75 miles in Forfar at the end of august. I suddenly feel doubly pleased with myself! And slightly ashamed at the same time - time to get back in training!

[Captain Zep]

What a nice day.  Weather was great - the headwind home wasn't fun, but a big guy caught me up and I hid behind him all the way home from Seaton Sands.    He said he didn't mind, because it spurred him on.

Sorry to not get to ride with so many of you today - I just wasn't fast enough to keep up with the Pingu/Valkyrie/Cyclops/The Cormerant peleton.     But it did mean I got to chat to some people I hadn't met before.

What happened to neilmc?  Was he very fast or had he had as much as I had to eat over the winter?

A day's cycling wouldn't be a day's cycling for me without some driver shouting and swearing at me.  Oh well. I try to be zen, but when I mutter, "zen, zen, zen" after someone behaves like a fool, they hear, "Come and have a go at me then".  I'll have to say it in my head instead.  He decided to go elsewhere when I turned in at the control in Dunbar and saw that I was joining 30 other cyclists there.  One death threat from a driver was enough for this week. 

RJMcB

[Captain Zep]

And I meant to say - it was a really really good day out. I was relieved about the change of route. I did 82 miles in total, with the ride there and back, and that's the longest I've done since... (goes off to check)...

Wow. I've done two 40 mile rides this year, I did a 45 in November and other than that there's nothing above 20 miles since I did 75 miles in Forfar at the end of august. I suddenly feel doubly pleased with myself! And slightly ashamed at the same time - time to get back in training!

I don't intend insult your past performance Ariadne, but you were pretty fast today.  You turned up at every control just after me, and were ahead of more experienced riders.  Chapeau  SR series this year then? 

[Knotty Fifer]

where are your tales of grovelling and endeavour ?

My only problem was getting myself a late start time and then having to keep up with the fast boys cause I didn't know the changed route.   :(
Drafting on the flat my heart rate was higher than the last time I did my local climb out of Dunning (the steep way).
Maybe I'll learn my lesson this time.
Soon as I got on to the bit I knew I let them go and enjoyed the rest.
Weather brilliant compared to recent days, could even feel some heat from the sun.

Since the Rigg was off today Cyclops said he'd let me go up it on the Saltire!!!!
Who need friends eh.

[MercuryKev]

What happened to neilmc?  Was he very fast or had he had as much as I had to eat over the winter?

Neil was nearer the back because he got a work call he had to deal with.  He got into Dunbar around the same time as me but he left before me.

[neilmc]

What a nice day.  Weather was great - the headwind home wasn't fun, but a big guy caught me up and I hid behind him all the way home from Seaton Sands.    He said he didn't mind, because it spurred him on.

Sorry to not get to ride with so many of you today - I just wasn't fast enough to keep up with the Pingu/Valkyrie/Cyclops/The Cormerant peleton.     But it did mean I got to chat to some people I hadn't met before.

What happened to neilmc?  Was he very fast or had he had as much as I had to eat over the winter?

A day's cycling wouldn't be a day's cycling for me without some driver shouting and swearing at me.  Oh well. I try to be zen, but when I mutter, "zen, zen, zen" after someone behaves like a fool, they hear, "Come and have a go at me then".  I'll have to say it in my head instead.  He decided to go elsewhere when I turned in at the control in Dunbar and saw that I was joining 30 other cyclists there.  One death threat from a driver was enough for this week. 

RJMcB

Hi Ryan, I left the Haddington control with Valkyrie and managed to hold his back wheel(just) back to Musselburgh.  I always have to much to eat over winter.
nielmc.

[Ariadne]

And I meant to say - it was a really really good day out. I was relieved about the change of route. I did 82 miles in total, with the ride there and back, and that's the longest I've done since... (goes off to check)...

Wow. I've done two 40 mile rides this year, I did a 45 in November and other than that there's nothing above 20 miles since I did 75 miles in Forfar at the end of august. I suddenly feel doubly pleased with myself! And slightly ashamed at the same time - time to get back in training!

I don't intend insult your past performance Ariadne, but you were pretty fast today.  You turned up at every control just after me, and were ahead of more experienced riders.  Chapeau  SR series this year then? 

Thanks! I did comment on how odd it was to turn up at controls while there were still lots of people there, rather than at the last minute! We did it in 6 hours 36 mins - not bad.

(I have to go off and look up what an SR series is!)

[TheBagie]

Great day out, glad the snow went.  And thanks to the various groups who I wheel-hugged to get me round.  Only through LIDL cheap beer and paracetemol am I avoiding further bouts of cramp!

Organiser said to me that the snowploughs had dug up the tar a bit on the rigg so surface wouldn't have been pleasant. 

Coming into Dunbar a bunch of us were approached nay attacked by a leg flailing out-his-face nutter who ran into the bunch and thankfully didn't take anyone with him.  It was rather worrying, especially as he had those eyes that said "I have issues"  I think he might have been a performance artist - any clues from those that enjoyed his company?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Dunbar? Probably one of my mum's family. Sorry. 

[Pingu]

Is it sad that I was really disappointed that Redstone Rig wasn't included this year?  (I wasn't so bothered at the end of the ride, though  )

RJMCB said

I just wasn't fast enough to keep up with the Pingu/Valkyrie/Cyclops/The Cormerant peleton

Neither was I between Dunbar & Haddington  Fortunately, they seemed to relent a bit on the last leg. Gonna have to get me some Irn Bru, though 

[Chris (was scych)]

Well I survived. Mostly because of the muffins, bacon rolls and coffee at the two cafes. First half was most enjoyable with the following wind. 2nd half was less so. Thanks must go to GlasgowDave, Gary and Valkyrie for letting me sit on their back wheels for that little bit (40 odd km).

[Melrose]

I enjoyed yesterday, given how my legs feel today I am glad Charterhall we were on the tandem, I know I would have been slower on my own bike. The views were grand with the snowy hills in the back ground.

The only bit I didn't like was the coast on the way back when we were doing the same speed into the wind as we had been with the wind behind on the way out!

Shame I did not get to chat to more of you - hopefully next time.

[valkyrie]

Hello Melrose! Having sheltered behing you on the dual carriageway going back towards Musselburgh I introduced myself to Charterhall but didn't manage to properly say hello to you  Apologies for being so rude. Anyway, hope to see you both on the road many more times this year.

Neil

[GlasgowDave]

Thanks must go to GlasgowDave, Gary and Valkyrie for letting me sit on their back wheels for that little bit (40 odd km).

You did well, and I seem to remember being on your back wheel too

for a few hundred metres

GD

[Noodley]

Seems to be a lot of back wheel following.  Was anyone ever at the front? 

[Pingu]

Seems to be a lot of back wheel following.  Was anyone ever at the front? 

Yes, we could've done with the Angus contingent 

[Melrose]

Hello Melrose! Having sheltered behing you on the dual carriageway going back towards Musselburgh I introduced myself to Charterhall but didn't manage to properly say hello to you  Apologies for being so rude. Anyway, hope to see you both on the road many more times this year.

Neil

No worries about not introducing yourself. Hopefully I will get out on a couple of more 100ks and Charterhall may do some 200s (I would like to do longer events but circumstances beyond my control mean 100s may be as much as I can do this year)

[valkyrie]

Seems to be a lot of back wheel following.  Was anyone ever at the front? 

Nope - everyone stayed behind everyone else at all times, specially going into the wind. While I did start off with great gusto (or poor judgment) I opted out of the Cyclops train at Dunbar. After an enjoyable second lunch I finished the ride in a leisurely manner, some way behind RJMcB and alongside NeilMc. Neil will be the man to watch this season - while that was the first proper run of the year for most of us, he's been braving the ice and snow and getting 100k rides in every weekend. Even did one the day before this ride! Taking his LEL training way too seriously

[Wolfie]

I enjoyed it as well, although it did feel an awfully long way. I actually got to Gifford before NeilMc, which I thought unusual, and even got to Dunbar before him. (This was only due to his mobile phone commitments though.)
Spent the last week doing nice short rides in Fife which was great.

See you in Ballachulish
W

[Captain Zep]

I rode for a while with a nice chap I've met at least once before (Pitlochry 150 last year), is he on here?  A tall guy who rides a Sunday Silk Road - not too many of those about.

 If you're here, say hello.  If anyone knows who he is, could you let me know his name, It's embarassing to meet someone for the thord or fourth time and have no idea of their name (although not an uncommon experience for me - I have a terrible memory for both names and faces - I do remember peoples saddlebags and rear mudguards though) 

[innesh]

Paul Roberts rides a Sunday, but I think it's a Sunday September.  He does audax though.

[Captain Zep]

Paul Roberts rides a Sunday, but I think it's a Sunday September.  He does audax though.

Eck has supplied a photo, and it is indeed Paul Roberts - thanks Applebag. Thanks Eck 

It's a Silk Road btw. 

RJMcB

[alanmc]

It's a Silk Road btw. 

I was talking to him (briefly) at the finish - asking him about the bike. Its labelled as a Silk Road, but has the braze-ons and clearances more like a September as far as I could see !! very nice looking bike though.

I had a really enjoyable day. Just short of 100 miles for me with cycling to and from home, so a bit knackered by the time I got home. Saw a few of you here and there, but I was mainly riding with a non YACF mate. He was on his nice new Giant road bike, compared to the 30+ lb mountain bike he first did it on 2 years ago, so we did a much improved time this year 

Maybe see some of you at Dalmeny in March - I'll not be at the Dave Harris