A rare Sunday with decent weather so I just had to get out, with rain forecast for the afternoon I went for an early one! I set off at 6.45am with very light winds but a rather chilly 10C for this time of year, not that I was complaining as I love the cold!
I headed NE and used the local cycle paths from Plains to Caldercruix, some of the locals looked like they had a rough Saturday night...
Hillend Loch was very calm at this time of the morning and the geese were enjoying it!
After departing the cycle path I turned north towards Limerigg and down the big descent into Slamannan, then out to Shiedhill where I hurtled down the big descent into Glenn Village at high speed!
42.6mph down the final descent, imagine how fast I would go down this if they fixed the road...
After passing through the village I enjoyed the final descent down into Falkirk, almost 38mph and the speed limit is 30 oops!
At this early hour on a Sunday it was deserted... I then turned east passing through Laurieston and Polmont and on towards Linlithgow, stopping for this photo before arriving in the town!
It can be a very busy town but early on a Sunday it was very quiet, just the way I like it! I continued east all the way out to Threemiletown where I turned north through Old Philpstoun and then east through Newton! Just after Newton I stopped for this photo of the bridges over the Forth!
For once the western path over the bridge was open so I got some decent photos of the new bridge!
After crossing I stopped for photos from down below the bridge!
I was just about to set off when I spotted an Aircraft Carrier berthed near the Rosyth docks!
Then it was time to turn west to head for home through Rosyth where I stopped for this photo, its pretty industrial around here but this little stream always looks immaculate!
As I left Rosyth I decided to head down into Limekilns on the coast road to see if I could get a side view of the carrier! It was a little far away for my phone cmaera but still...
All the boats were left high and dry at this time of the day!
I then headed along the coast into Charlestown where I came across a short sharp cobbled climb, it felt like I was in Belgium for a short time!
The road then heads inland and joins the main road into Crombie, I stopped for this photo with the oil refinery at Grangemouth way in the distance!
I then passed through Crombie and joined the coast road again at Torryburn, passing through all the quaint villages on my way to the Kincardine Bridge! Its such a great road for the bike!
At the end of the road I joined the cycle path that leads to the Kincardine Bridge, as I joined the bridge I felt a big gust of wind in my face! The forecast was showing the wind strengthening as the day progressed and they weren't wrong, it was brutal at times and I was straight into the headwind pretty much all the way home! I was very glad I got 52 miles from my first battery so I had plenty juice left for the remaining 34 miles! With a good amount of it being uphill I was counting my blessings!
From the bridge I used the cycle path towards Skinflats and Grangemouth but I turned west to go through Carronshore in the hope of seeing the young Clydesdale horse I have pictured a couple of times now! Sadly there was no sign of it today, possbly moved to another pasture! From Carronshore I headed south towards Camelon where I turned west for Bonnybridge and passed over the canal in the centre of town!
My plan was to take the back road up to Falkirk which would be a big climb but I would have the wind at my back for a few miles at the top of the climb, it was a great decision and gave me a nice break from that wind! Its also a great road for the bike!
The view to the north with the Ochil Hills in the background, no sun lighting them up today! It was actually pretty overcast all day but not a drop of rain so no complaints from me!
Once in Falkirk I knew I had more big climbs coming but I would have some shelter from the wind up the climbs thankfully! I then enjoyed the descent down into Slamannan and headed for the back road to Longriggend, its a very narrow road but with little to no traffic it has always been a favourite of mine! The downside was the wind though, its treelined for a good part but it was acting like a wind tunnel today!
In the distance I could see some cyclists and I was catching them quickly, as I turned on to the road to Longriggend they were just in front of me but not for long as I zoomed past! There were around 10 of them, half of them lady riders and they were struggling into that wind!
The road is flattish at first but starts to rise sharply around a tight bend and as soon as you round the corner it was like riding into a gale, I bet they were cursing me when they hit that wall of wind!
I was cruising along in level 2 assist, have I said I love this bike before?
At Longriggend I decided to head down the descent into Upperton to avoid the crosswind down the road to Caldercruix, its a fun descent and a good part of it is protected from the wind! I then joined the main road into Greengairs with just over 80 miles covered and turned south for home over the back roads! I had a crosswind at times but it wasn't too bad, a short time later I arrived home and although I was very tired I was buzzing after another excellent day on the bike!
This was ride no 49 of the year, it doesn't sound like much but my average is over 77 miles!
I didn't have time for photos this time...
