Back on my local roads today after a few days of crazy weather, quite a few floods around but I picked my route wisely to avoid them! I set off at 5.45am to avoid the morning traffic once again, even at that time some of the roads were fairly busy but I didn't have any problems! It was a very hilly ride as usual but my legs were feeling strong after Thursdays big ride and my awesome bike sure helps in that regard! It was such a beautiful clear morning, a bit crisp but I don't mind that and with roads like this to enjoy what's not to like?
A couple of views of the Tinto Hills from Kilncadzow!
I love this little house and garden just as you leave Kilncadzow!
The road from here to Carstairs is one of my favourites, rising and falling all the way and today I had the 15mph wind at my back so it was even more fun!
![Big Grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I as I approached Carstairs there were signs saying the road was closed, I decided to chance it and it paid off! The main road through the village had been dug up almost right across the width of the road but no problem for the bike!
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I passed through Carstairs and was now heading for the eastern side of Lanark, I picked this route to avoid the busy town centre!
I love this view across the fields just before arriving in Lanark, especially in the morning sun!
As soon as I approached Lanark I took the road down to Hyndford Bridge and joined the main A73 towards Symington, another awesome road to ride and the views are pretty nice also!
I passed through Symington and was now heading for Biggar where I would turn north towards Elsrickle, its always a tough decision which road to take here as the road direct to Carnwath is so much fun also! I chose Elsrickle though as it meant I had the wind at my back for the big descent before the climb up to Elsrickle!
Another view of the Tinto hills in the distance before reaching Elsrickle!
Nice views from Elsrickle also, one of the road I just descended at 40.5mph!
From Elsrickle it was time to turn west into the wind towards Carnwath, another very nice road to ride and luckily it was quiet! Just before I took this picture the road twists and turns and just drops away and is in really nice condition, it just makes you smile riding roads like these! This is the straight part which is actually a really nice descent going in this direction!
Soon it would be time to climb again though, up past the tiny village of Kaimend where I stopped for more photos! This is part way up the climb looking back at the Tinto hills once again!
I finished the climb up to Carnwath and enjoyed the descent down into the town before heading due north up the big climb to Braehead, one last photo taken part way up the climb!
After the big climb up to Braehead its straight into another lovely descent down into the valley before the yet another climb up to Forth where I decided to take the back road up to Climpy which is yet another big climb, I'm a glutton for punishment!
![Face with tears of joy :joy: 😂](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/7.0/png/unicode/64/1f602.png)
Soon after the top of the climb the road drops away once again down towards the main A71 which I would join and follow west into Allanton before taking the biggest climb of the day up to Shotts! I didn't go all the way up the climb though as there is a nice quiet back road which has been resurfaced recently and although it was directly into the wind it was truly sublime with the lovely smooth tarmac!
I was only a few miles from home now and enjoyed the back roads to Newhouse and not content with all the climbing I had already done, I picked the back road which passes under the M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh! Yet another big climb ensued which was taken in assist level 4 as my legs were starting to feel it!
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
This road leads me directly to my home town passing my old high school which I attended from 1970 to 1974, it was brand new in 1970! What a brilliant ride that was, I just picked the perfect route today and arrived home with a huge smile on my face!
![Beaming face with smiling eyes :grin: 😁](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/7.0/png/unicode/64/1f601.png)