Given a reasonably benign forecast I did a 200km arrow from Edinburgh - Stonehaven yesterday, one of my favourite rides.
I set off just before 7am. Zero traffic on the Forth Rd Bridge is still a novelty but I had to squeeze past the bridge maintenance van on the cycle path as it had stopped to quiz a pedestrian.
The ESE wind was helping and hindering in equal measure and along with New Year levels of fitness, it soon became clear that Id stuggle to finish before dark. It got light not long after Cowdenbeath where I was soon overtaken by a grupetto of 3 riders going at a fair clip. I accelerated to hold their wheels and got a tow at 30kph for half a mile before they turned off. A young lady in Kinross dressed up to the nines almost crossed in front of me without looking. Walk of shame Id wager.
The descent of Glenfarg was cold as ever and I was glad to get out into the hazy daylight and onwards to Perth where I shunned a stop in order to get the steady climb done. I took the lumpier route north of Perth to avoid the A94 as much as possible though 2km is pretty much unavoidable.
The audax hotel standard bus stop in Kinrossie at 80k provided the perfect location for a banana from my back pocket. I had 2 base layers on, as well as arm warmers a long sleeve top and a thin gilet and wasnt overly warm so pushed on before cooling down.
In good conditions I can do a 200 with one stop about 110km but I was flagging a little on the stretch to Coupar Angus and the Bogside Rd became a bit of a slog as I counted down the kms to a lunch stop at McForfar (120km). Here I switched my gilet for a more subbstantial jacket and had a big feed including a cappuccino that tasted heavenly. I got my small digital radio on the go here and hooked up my left earphone to keep up to date with the sport of Radio 5.
The road between Forfar & Montrose is normally a tailwind assisted 30kpm blast but yesterday was hard going. I was glad that my route didnt go all the way into Montrose but instead jinked around the basin clockwise through Bridge of Dun, a route that Alex Pattison showed me a few years ago.
I got a little mixed up at Hillside and added a km and a bit, as ever this involved avoidably going down a long hill and back up it again!
I was back on more familiar roads to Marykirk, passing a house which must have had the same 3 or 4 kids bikes for sale outside it for at least three years. My route to Auchenblae was reasonably direct, avoiding Fettercairn. It was less lumpy than I thought it would be but that might have been helped the block tailwind on this section.
I noticed that the cars were almost all coming towards me with headlights on, and even though I didnt need my front light to see, I switched it on when I joined the B road near Auchenblae.
The steep section in the main street here tested my resolve not to honk, but I just about managed it. Ive ridden the strech from Auchenblae to Stonehaven many times and was ready for its undulations. It got properly dark about 10km from the finish and I stopped to fire up the 2nd and 3rd of my rear lights and pop my radio back in the bag, cheered by Falkirks victory over Greenock Morton
The wind was getting gusty now and sideward blasts kept me on my toes, though some were definitely helping too. Id not reset the trip computer on my GPS so couldnt be sure but I was reasonably certain that my extra dogleg nr Montrose would take me over the 200km. I stopped at the Co-op petrol station and shop to buy a can of deoderant and a bag of tangfastics for the train home.
It was about 1720 and my train wasnt until 1836 so I popped into the Station Hotel to change into the dry layers I had in my saddlebag including a lovely snuggly pack away down jacket. I also had a couple of pints which went down a treat. I positioned myself beside a very warm radiator too and really had to drag myself away from this oasis!
Train home was quiet. I demolished my bag of sweets in no time. I was joined at Montrose by five well oiled Livingston FC fans, who were returning from their away fixture at Brechin. They had come armed with a sizeable carrier bag full of a combination of ice cubes and beer. When it became apparent that there was no way they were going to finish them all, I took them up one the offer of a cold Tennents. Must have been 20 years since Ive had Tennents, here's hoping its another 20 years til my next one (didnt stop me finishing it mind
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We were soon at Haymarket where I declined an invitation to join my new friends in the Dickens Lounge on Dalry Rd (I used to live near it and got slightly apprehensive just walking past it). Feeling slightly lazy I jumped on the tram, two stops to Balgreen and a 1 mile ride home rather than 4 from Haymarket.
First 200 of the year. I had forgotten how riding in the cold makes for slow going, either stops are more frequent / longer / both or speed on the road slows up. With hindsight I really should have stopped at Perth at around 65km to fuel up as I really was getting a bit ragged on the 30km or so to my lunch stop in Forfar.
Anyhows job done, my winter bike (Boardman) is quite comfortable and I may even contemplate using this all year round as all it might need is a change of wheels and possibly a different gear range too.