So. It’s a new year (happy new year by the way!), a new season of biking is looming and my thoughts are turning to what I want to achieve in 2012. I don’t suppose you need to have a new year to have these thoughts but it seems as good a time as any to start planning the next adventures! In an “I’ll-show-you-mine-if-you-show-me-yours” kinda way, here’s a few of my ideas …….
- Explore more of Scotland and get in some epic rides, ride more in England too (Lakes, Peak & the Dales)
- Improve my biking skills – on the bike and off the bike (eg. maintenance of bike & trails, first aid, map reading etc)
- A few more amazing club weekends away would be great – like the one in Granton, top quality riding and company made it the success it was! [NB: the Balmaha HooHaa (or Balmahoohaa??) trip is looming.]
- A few events perhaps – usual suspects being 10UTB, Selkirk Mtn Marathon. Might investigate Tweedlove this year.
- Funds depending: investigate this CX/curly bar malarkey and riding the bike somewhere abroad
So, what about yourself? Any vague ideas? Any specific plans? Any rides you want to do? Share it with us and you may find a few like-minded types at GMBC to join you and make it happen!
Plans / wish-list for 2012,
– Following the ‘law on number of bikes any one really needs’ (one more than the number you currently have) I would like a fat tyre bike (Surley Pugsley w Rolhoff hub gear) to try some beach riding or coastal paths. It could be useful in Mugdock just now, with the soft conditions.
– Coast to coast, with bivy tent and minimalist kit.
– Learn how to bunny hop correctly !
Steve
following Chris and Al’s coast to coast the other year this is on my wishlist – probably hostelling though coz I’m a wimp!
The last time I did a c2c it was Culrain to Ullapool and we stayed o/n in the YH – the worst night I have ever spent in a hostel. Too many old guys zzzzz the night away. There is a good campsite in Ullapool or wild camp in the hills above the town. It is a definite maybe!
I’d seen this one in a guide book and hoped to fit it in after a cycle tour of the Western Isles last Spring but that idea never worked out. Doesn’t look too technical – would it suit the CX-ers in the club too? Wonder if you could do it there and back in a (big) day? Doing it west to east you’d have the overnight stay in Carbisdale. Hmmm.
It would be fine for cx bikes, B road and land rover tracks for most of the way although the middle section is moorland singletrack. It would be a really big day if you actually went to the coast but there is a loop that could be taken (approx 2/3 of the way across) if you tackle it E to W. Good Luck : ]
My wish list:
1) West Highland Way. I know I said I’d do it last year, but it’s still on the list.
2) Have a bit of a bike explore. Graham once mentioned a ride near Selkirk taking in the three brethren – time to put those map reading skills to the test.
3) Complete my set of Seven Stanes – need to do Glentrool, Dalbeattie and Newcastleton. Kirroughtree black would be nice too.
4) Organise a North Lakes trip – I know of a nice bunkhouse in Keswick.
5) Enter my first race/event? Probably as part of a team.
6) Ride Red Pike in the Lakes (I doubt I have the bottle for this).
7) Explore Assynt in the Highlands – might be one to do on foot.
8) A Munro by bike?
I’m sure there’s more, but I won’t manage all of these anyway. Anyone fancy trying any of them?
#1 – if you fancy doing it in a day then speak to Gerry!!
#2 – once the weather and light is a bit better the Selkirk route will be back on the cards – ideally a sunny Spring/early summer ride.
#3 – sounds like we need another weekend away in the south west sometime!
#4 – where do I sign up??! 😉
#5 – 10 Under is great for a team event, plenty of socialising required. I’m mulling a trio this year.
Good post Graham,
1. Ok, up for the Westie again in a day. Stay in Fort William the night before, ride North to South, picking up tarmac between Tyndrum and Inveruglas area, ferry to Inversnaid – not willing to compromise on this. Due to the distance and practicalities, I reckon a max group size of 4 is the way to go. If more folk want to do it then great. We could split into more smaller groups, or different people talking to each other to arrange over different weekends that suit them. Would prefer to go in June.
2. Local(ish) Saturday ride on Old Kilpatrick Hills loop – so I can stuff my face in the Crown Carvery at Milton for £3.69. Must be done on a Saturday as don’t want to pay double for the carvey on a Sunday. I reckon there will be a few Erskinites up for that one, say 21st Jan 2011, 10AM start at Overton House (G82 2SH)?
3. Also, a big ride in the Cairngorms with a bothy stay – not sure exactly what yet.
4. Would be keen to explore Lakes – pressure now on Grant to pull it off.
5. Get the local mtb climbs in as much as possible in the better weather on Tuesday nights. Knockie Buckle and surrounding stuff. Unfortunately, cannot do Wednesdays as got other stuff on.
6. On the dark side, Audax at Rosewell (200km) – early March – I think, Bealach na Ba (weekend in Applecross – not racing) – possibly late April?, 5 ferry’s, trip to the Pyrenees to ride Tourmalet, Aspin etc – Sept.
7. GMBC road train on Thursday nights in Spring – pressure on Simon to keep it going.
Keep talking folks and lets get lots of stuff done this year.
Westie in a day sounds great and happy to take your advice on the road detour.
I’ll get working on the Keswick bunkhouse soon.
Use the bike to explore new places first and foremost.
Haute route from Chamonix to Zermatt in the summer.
Ring of Steal – it just has to be done. The potential is too great to resist.
Add to my tally of munros ridden. Plan is to knock out the Eastern Munros first but then see what the West has to offer. Ben Lui, Cruachan, Ime, South Glen Shiel Ridge, and many more are on the explore list.
Ride the Ventoux.
Ride from Ambleside to Keswick off road via Scaffel. It will be a big day but I know it can be done with an awful lot of fine singletrack to be taken in along the way.
Get lots of days riding in with Ginger and the wee one.
Head back to Mallorca for a couple of weeks. Never really explored south of Soller so that is one to aim for.
Get my backside in gear and sort out the stainless steel custom cross frame I’ve been designing in my head for the last year and a half.
Ride with my mates more.
Doh! I forgot to add my Three Lochs Way ride I had planned for last year – mostly off road with the Cobbler and a ferry ride thrown into the mix.
Ride Bynack Mor over onto Cairngorm as well as riding from Aviemore over to Braemar and back via Glen Geldie as a day ride.
Find and ride the singletrack off Sgorr Gaoth whi I failed to find in the cloud last year.
Phew! That’s not bad for starters.
some good suggestions here – looks like the 2012 calendar could write itself!
oooohhhh, why do I have to go to work? Count me in for any epic rides. I am hoping to do the sxc series (if they find a sponsor), selkirk merida, muckmedden (look it up, looks ace) and something called The Celtman in June which will see me out on skinny tyres A LOT between now and then. Got a wee mtb trip to Portugal planned and also a 4 day lakeland epic (let me know if anyone is interested*). I am keen for the Selkirk ride Grant mentioned (and also Ben Chonzie – easy Munro to bike apparently) and always wanting to go to Kirroughtree, my favourite stane.
so, umm, a fair bit of biking going on. Looking forward to seeing you all out there!
Gerry – a 21st Jan kilpatricks loop sounds good to me.
*contains nuts
Liz if you’re saying it’s nuts – then I’m scared! Although, the Lakes has much potential for a long club weekend away – especially for the GMBC Macclesfield division (Paivi & Dave)
“contains nuts” – a new club tagline perhaps?
My plan for this year is simply trying to find more time to ride my bike. Less work travel/more fun. We got below trips planned for this year and happy to help to organise wkend away trips to Lakes, Yorkshire and Peaks.
March 23rd-25th – North Wales – GMC Hut at Deniolen
June bank holiday weekend, our place in Brereton. Riding from Hayfield to Jacob’s ladder, Hope Cross, Cut gate way or something similar plus BBQ and beers. Delamere/Cannock/Macc Forest,3 Shires
June 30-July 1 – Peaks place to be confirmed
Nov 30th – Dec 2nd – Hathersage, Peaks.
New Year – Corran bunkhouse ( 7 days)
if you like to join us in any of the trips mentioned above, let me know.
Still keen to do WHW with Gerry and Co in June.
Paivi
Graham just pointed out that Brereton is in May bank holiday not in June… got space for few indoors and space for couple of tents outside… will send a separate email on this though… Paivi
Well looks like I made a good start to the list. Marky Mark and I headed up Ben Chonzie today. Lots of snow up top and some seriously strong wind to contend with. The bikes became like unwieldy sails the higher we got meaning that we had to head east off the summit to Glen Turret instead of retracing our steps. I reckon it would make for a terrific first bike Munro in the Spring as the descent to Carn Choiscwould be easy to follow. Most of the climb is on Land Rover track and the starting point is pretty high. There are several singletrack paths accros the plateau so the going would be relatively easy.
Cheers
Sanny
Ben Lomond down the Ptarmigan path, Al (no helmet) reckons it is possible with some hikey bikey
John Muir Way(East Lothian Coast) The Fife Coastal path is a great day out, I wonder if the JMW is as good, does anyone know?
Bothy weekend, note to self, less gear than Culra, what about Skye or Torridon for a figure of 8 and 2days riding?
WHW/midsummer madness: up on last train, big pasta meal and beer(optional) then head south – overnight – good weather permitting
Tour de Mont Blanc
Trans Nepal or Yak attack ok you did say wish list!
Ptarmigan path sounds good!
I’m interested to see what the JMW is like and how it rides, maybe a Sunday jaunt when the weather improves a bit? CoastKid (blogger) rates it highly and regularly posts on it plus the E Lothian beach trails.
When did you ride the Fife Coastal Path and how much of it is ‘doable’ in a day?
S
I did the FCP in 2008 and started at Kircaldy and finished in St Andrews. A long day particularly the end when you see St Andrews in the distance but it seems to take ages and there are some hikey bikey sections around here but everything else is rideable and dry!
In sort-of-chronological order (a. has to be first I suppose)
a) Get my finger out
b) Fix my bike….
c) Make singlespeed/ride singlespeed
d) Bike show sportive (15th of April)
e) Glentress 7 (2nd June) solo
f) 10@ Kirroughtree (7th July) solo
g) Go more weekend rides (work permitting)
h) Fall off less
i) Take less than 2 hours to actually get ready for going riding
j) Be more ‘rad’ (or whatever the current term is for being less feeble)
k) Get more skillz
Also, if anyone fancies doing 10 under the Ben as part of a group let me know.
skillz – man, you’re SO street! Yeah, 10 Under, there’s usually a contingent that go, maybe need to get ourselves organised for that – could use a post of it’s own I think.
Any body selling a good sturdy rear wheel hope pro 2 hub with mavic rim xm 721 ,Dtswiss 5.1D etc in good condition ??