It’s been a while since the last time, but Bobinson, Craig and I set up an evening Kilpatricks run/ride and got Ange to come along on her too-clean new bike.
I sat in the sun all ready to ride as Phil pulled in with his truck, with Craig in the passenger seat somewhat casually attired. They adjusted themselves to trail-spec and Ange appeared soon after.
The new bike was as clean as feared, but with her kit transferred into a wee pack, we were on the move in a trice.
We took the riverside trail while Craig hoofed it up the tarmac. The trail was dry after a weekend of sunshine and a cool breeze kept it all very pleasant until we hit the climb through Old Kilpatrick and up towards Loch Humphrey. None of us rode to the top, but Phil got the furthest. We caught up with Craig too and he held the gates open which meant I didn’t get to stop and rest as I lifted the bike over. Bugger.
We were soon on the trails through the forest keeping a regular pace as Ange dialled into the rough terrain, which she did with increasing confidence. When we got to the downhill run to Overtoun House the four of us picked up the pace and with the trail great condition we breezed down in the fading light with wide grins and cold hands. It might be sunny, but it’s still bloody cold under that clear sky when the sun slips down.
It was a glorious sunset, and a lingering one too. I don’t know if it was something to do with the volcanic activity in Iceland or if it’s too soon for that to be a factor yet, but if this is what we’ re getting without the ash in the atmosphere it’s going to be eyewatering when it does get here.
We pulled into the BP garage for cuppas, and it was supper I suppose. A jolly time indeed, and some entertainment was provided by the bloke who’d filled his motor with fuel but had no money on him and was being held hostage inside as he phoned friends and relatives to come and bale him out. Which they did with some heckling from us.
So what did we learn today? Craig enjoyed being back on the trail and will be there again soon, Phil is getting further up the hill and is looking good for his event training, Ange got her bike dirty and handled the steep and tricky stuff increasingly well as the evening went on and well be tearing up the trails now. Me? I like my bike again after a long period where we didn’t speak and I lost my sunglasses. Humph.
Magic, more please.
A quick word about kit, one person at supper was dressed for the weather at that time of night. Three were dressed for the sunny weather for earlier in the day… It was freezin’.
I liked those Lizard shorts though.
I must get out more on my bike this year, better get the roof rack attached…
It’s nice to have a change of pace now and again. I always think the familiar looks different from saddle and foot.
There’s a bike camp on the agenda too, so I need to get my hand back in!
Ah it was a great night – thanks to you all for taking me on my first mountain bike adventure. I’m glad you forgot about mentioning the strange noises though!!
my post might go on a bit longer than this… I had a crazy adventure before and after in my vehicle of doom :o)
Ach, I forgot about “Spooky the Cube”.
Ange’s bike sounds just like a Theremin…
aw that’s no fair!… But it does sound awfy like it :o)
Aye, I don’t think you should fix it, I’d learn to play it :o)
Spooky the musical Cube! Kaching!! I can see a children’s book….
Hey by the way people we didn’t all phone each other beforehand to be all colour coordinated, that was a happy coincidence. :o)
Sounds great – I must get back on the bike again, not least for the daily commute.
I must get to see some of those Lizard shorts too, and see if they’re a rival to my stretchy Mountain Hardwear Fusion shorts that I’ve been using for a good few years now.
Btw, is that a Gregory Iso or similar in the last pic?
The colours do work well Ange, I think Phil’s beige shorts are some sort of “statement” though…
Matt, the shorts were good, nicely stretchy but didn’t catch on the saddle, and good puddle repelling properties too!
Ange’s pack is a Gregory Reactor, which I believe met with approval?
Aye the beige shorts are a statement. Was too cold for me to wear shorts though. Look at me slouching my back too… I need to sort my posture out. Legs are fine today, but when i sat on that spin bike tonight – ouch! Was ok after a while though. I must be fitter than I think.
Yes that pack was very comfortable from the off. In fact I can’t remember that much about it so for me that is a brilliant sign. All I do know is (and i was thinking about this today) that i still can’t reach the side pockets to get the bottle out. Now is that because the mesh is so big and holds the bottle really securely I had to take the pack off and move the mesh a wee bit to get at the bottle OR.. is it because I have wee short arms and can’t reach comfortably without contorting my hand into a weird position (this is a common problem for me on my own Osprey Talon pack)… hhmmm not sure. But yes it was a great wee pack, held everything I needed (once i’d decommissioned half the stuff form 33L down to it’s size!), and was so comfortable I hardly noticed it on my back. That’s probably how they should be eh. It’s worth noting I don’t have another to compare it with but big Thumbs up!
:o)
Ran that route in reverse last Friday, with a wee detour over the Slacks. Great fun. Chucked my (possibly?) last snowball of the winter into Loch Humphrey.
Ange, “padded bike shorts”, you’ll like them trust me.
Phil can’y use bottle pockets either, he’s got paddlers arm…
Del, I saw one bit of snow over the Black Linn and that was it. Kinda sorry to see it go, but also it’s nice to be out with less kit.
We’ll bump into each other up there one day!
Aye i’ll look into those padded bike shorts. I’ve started my post but will finish it off tomorrow night, I didn’t get that many photos though – booo! The iPhone pics are pretty cool though. AND i got a 3G signal when i ventured back into Stirling Council territory :o)
Great wee night though, enjoyed it a lot. And the bike looks like new again now, all clean.
That first pic of Craig is brilliant eh. (forgot to do my usual comment on the pics in your posts).
Ach, you cleaned the bike? It looked good a bit muddy too :o)
Mine’s needing a strip and clean too, I haven’t done it in ages. It’s actually good fun, I like the smells of the degreasers and lubes!
The camera set to “sunset” does make it all look a bit Sci-Fi, but I like it. Craigs calves are actually that size, it’s not just the wide angle lens!
I like it clean!
I got 2 good pics on sunset mode and other good iPhone photies plus I found a cool App that you can make the photies look old, spacey, fisheye and other settings, it’s pretty cool. I’m gonna finish my post and sort the photies… but first dinner!!
:o)
Dinner here too, working late and then hanging about on the Erskine Bridge with the camera!
I’m on holiday this week and am going out on the bike again but I’ve been hunting all around today for a pack for my bike. Can’t find one that’s fairly cheap. In fact there are no cheap ones to be had! And i refuse to pay more than £55. So I came back here to see the name of that one i used on this bike ride cos it was pretty good and very comfy. Can’t find the Gregory Reactor but found this… http://www.hike-lite.co.uk/Rucksacks/5+Litres+to+20+Litres/Wasatch+12L.html
In the Silver grey. It looks ok eh? what do you think?
Those Camelbak ones I seen all over the place today were either too big or too wee – the big ones were very bulky? And I would like another Osprey pack but £90 for an 8L with built-in hydration thing is far too expensive.
I don’t think the Reactor is in the Gregory range any more (why, oh, why do ranges have to be ‘updated’ relentlessly year on year when the existing products are already bloody good?), but the Wasatch looks like a pretty direct replacement, and also looks very like the little brother of my 20 litre Gregory Iso which is brilliant but also now gone from their range. As long as you’re happy that 12 litres is the capacity you need my advice would be to go for it. (If you might want a bit more capacity any time I see Hike Lite are actually selling off their remaining Iso packs for slightly less than the Wasatch, and it has enough compression options to snug down when it isn’t full.)
Cheers Matt. I think the 12L would be enough – or would it? I mean PTC knows i take EVERYTHING when i go out walking or on the bike. But i’d need to learn to limit my stash. …..In fact I’ve just had another look and there’s an 18L one?! Oh too many decisions.
And I looked on Ellis Brighams site and they have 20% off in June so the Osprey might be an option… Oh I don’t know!
I have a small upper body (I’m only wee) and that Gregory pack fitted me quite well. It was very comfortable and i hardly noticed it was there. I think that’s a good thing.
Any other suggestions?… anyone?… :o)
That Wasach looks good. Gregory’s multi-sport packs are much underrated.
Ange, I’ll be limited to the Kilpatricks by work for the next few weeks, so if you want to come out again I’ll let you try a few more things before you spend.
Ah cool, thank you!
Well I can do any night apart from Thursdays (spin) so just let me know. I really enjoyed that last jaunt. We’re heading out to Mugdock tomorrow daytime again and hopefully I won’t fall off this time! yikes.
Good lad!
good LAD!!?? I hope you meant good lass and only wrote lad because it was nearing midnight and your old eyes aren’t what they used to be! :o)
Mugdock was great today. Fell off again, into a nettle bush – f*ck! my arms and legs are now stinging but my new Endura shorts were great.
Eatables and chat sitting in Milngavie high street finished off a good wee day out. I love my bike!
Aye, it’s the eyes…
Good job, I haven’t fallen in a big bunch of nettles for many years, but I can still feel your discomfort from here!