RabH
Well-Known Member
Yesterday my bike was 6 years old, 31146 miles later its still going strong and thankfully so am I...
Another really nice Sunday and once again next week is looking dismal so I had to make the most of today, it was a frosty start at 7am but such a beautiful day! With an easterly wind blowing it was the ideal day to head down to Ayrshire, I made my way out to Strathaven and across to East Kilbride where I headed for Eaglesham to tackle the big climb up over the moors!The start of the climb!
Well the climbing actually started 15 miles earlier at Hamilton but at least I had the wind pushing me on! This is part way up the climb looking back down, its such a great road for cycling and there were many cyclists enjoying it today!
The Picketlaw Reservoir which is used as a fishery!
A little further up the climb, looking back down once again!
Then I was back into the seemingly never ending climb!
Eventually I reached the summit and had this awesome descent to enjoy!
At the end of the road it joins the main A77 which is very quiet now thanks to the M77 motorway that runs alongside it! After just a couple of miles I turned south for Galston, this is one of my favourite roads to ride and the main reason I chose this route!
Its a proper rollercoaster, rising and falling for miles and very twisty, the final descent down into Galston is just sublime! From Galston I took the road to Sorn, which is climb after climb and I was now heading into a strengthening headwind! I stopped near the top of this climb, to have a snack and a break!
Just as I was about to set off up the remainder of the climb 2 roadies appeared from the side road and they were very interested in my bike! They told me they had actually passed me earlier when they were in their car and noticed I was really flying up one of the climbs!
I told them I was only using level 2 assist and had 5 levels to choose from, I have a feeling they might be in the market for e bikes soon! 
We all set off up the climb at the same time and I shot past them immediately, I said see you on the flat soon and I was right as they then shot past me! This continued for miles until I reached Sorn and stopped in the village, I thought they had passed me while I was taking this photo on the bridge!There's a monster climb coming out of Sorn and I was watching for them as I was flying up the climb but I didn't see them at all and wondered if they had gone in another direction! A few miles on I stopped for this photo and they appeared again, they had actually stopped for a break themselves!
At the end of the road I turned left and they turned right, I was still fighting the headwind and they were now enjoying the tailwind! I was nearing Muirkirk now which I visited on March 11th, my plan was to get out of that wind which would mean a lot of climbing but it was way better than that 25mph chilly headwind! Eventually I got to enjoy a descent again, this is looking back up the road I came down and it was so much fun!
The clouds were starting to build a bit but the sun was still winning!
Time for another climb, most of the road is in really good condition having been resurfaced last year!
Glengavel Reservoir soon came into view, more photo opportunities!
I was now heading for Strathaven which I passed through at the start of the day but my plan was to head for the Clyde Valley now and although I was battling the headwind again it was mostly downhill, the downside was the traffic was getting heavier though but you can't have it all...I reached the Clyde Valley and the garden centres were crazy busy! I was glad to stop for photos along the way to avoid the traffic for a bit!
I arrived in Crossford and it was time to turn north on to a much quieter road, I decided to pick the easier climb out of the valley today as I was beginning to tire form all the climbing and the headwinds! I got to the top of the climb and enjoyed some flat roads for a few miles and it helped me regain some strength before the big climb up to Carluke! From there I took the back roads to Morningside and then on to Allanton where I was feeling strong enough to take on the big climb up to Kirk of Shotts despite having 97 miles in my legs at this point! I started up the climb and thought it would be a good idea to have a snack before the steep parts, so I stopped at Hartwood and noticed I hadn't zipped my rack bag up properly! Imagine my shock when I found my phone wasn't in my bag and to make matters worse my bank card was in the phone case also!
My heart sank and I thought I would be heading home to try to cancel my bank card before somebody managed to gain access to it and to arrange a replacement phone! Then I remembered hitting a hole in the road passing through Allanton and decided to head back down in the hope I was right! To my utter amazement I approached the roundabout in Allanton and saw my phone lying on the road and by pure luck it had landed on the chevrons where cars aren't allowed to drive! Then I thought it would have been damaged from the fall but there wasn't a mark on it, the case had done its job! What a piece of luck that was, I'm so glad I stopped before the climb for a snack or I wouldn't have noticed it! I better go buy a lottery ticket tomorrow now...
After that I decided not to go back up the climb and headed for Bonkle instead where I would have another climb but a much easier one, then up through Hareshaw and down to Newhouse and a straight road home from there! What a day that was, amazing roads and sunshine!
What a bike, 6 years of pure brilliance!
I have it booked in at my LBS on Friday to get them to fix the kickstand, I will let the experts tackle it as I don't want to end up damaging the frame trying to remove the siezed screws!
