2024 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

Today we did a fairly short 25 mile round trip to Armstrong Woods and back. It’s a grove of old growth redwood trees.
IMG_2168.jpeg

Darn those attack rattlesnakes!
IMG_2158.jpeg

This is the big granddaddy!
IMG_2170.jpeg

IMG_2172.jpeg
 
1726148497371.png


The stormy weather finally passed through and today was looking much better, although there was a chilly NW wind blowing and it was only 5C when I departed at 8am! With lots of climbing ahead I wasn't going to feel the cold though, I decided to head out to Lennoxtown and head over the Campsie Hills! I took the back roads down to Cumbernauld and passed over the canal at Auchinstarry!

1726152700632.jpeg

I then turned on to the back road to Kirkintilloch, passing through Twechar where I was hearing some strange noises from my bike! I stopped and found my rear mudguard was falling apart, I had actually messaged the shop I bought them from back in March this year to complain about a crack that had appeared and I'm still waiting for a reply after a week!:rolleyes: It had actually snapped at a different location from the crack so they are obviously useless, so I have bitten the bullet and ordered a set of aluminium ones instead!

Anyway back to the ride, I was nearing Lennoxtown when I had this nice view of the Campsies!

1726153127885.jpeg

A short time later I started the 3 mile climb up the Campsies, stopping part way up for some photos looking down the valley!

1726153255402.jpeg

1726153271527.jpeg

1726153285857.jpeg

I was now looking forward to the descent, this was the beginning of it!

1726153336735.jpeg

The road is pretty much like this all the way down and its thanks to the mild winter we had last year, after it was resurfaced for the 2023 World Champs!

1726153461272.jpeg
1726153476542.jpeg
1726153567938.jpeg

Near the bottom now and ready for the big climb up the other side!

1726153616482.jpeg

I stopped part way up the climb for some photos looking at the road I had just descended!

1726153788527.jpeg

1726156735845.jpeg

The excellent roads and views just continued at this side!

1726157153316.jpeg

1726157178721.jpeg

I then arrived at Carron Valley Reservoir!

1726157210306.jpeg

1726157224572.jpeg

1726157237503.jpeg

1726157250142.jpeg

After all the climbing I now had a lovely 3 mile descent with the wind at my back to salivate over, after I crossed the bridge over the River Carron!

1726157924038.jpeg

I was in cycling heaven all the way down the descent into Denny, but it was time to start climbing once again as I arrived in Bonnybridge! I stopped at the canal for a couple of photos before tackling the big climb up to Falkirk!

1726158174011.jpeg

1726158205108.jpeg

Near the top of the climb I had this cracking view of the Ochil Hills, this is the beauty of the colder weather with no haze!

1726158277515.jpeg

I arrived in Falkirk and turned at Lionthorn to take the big climb close to Shieldhill, a really tough climb this one but the wind was helping a little!

1726158439593.jpeg

At the end of the road I had a choice of turning left for Avonbridge or right for Slamannan, I chose left as there is an awesome descent that way and I managed 42mph down it! I had decided I was going to tackle the climb over Heights next but was thwarted with a road closure, no signs warning of the closure of course until I reached the blockage!:rolleyes: In a way it did me a favour as I got to go back over the rollercoaster road I had just enjoyed, it has big climbs and big descents and it has been resurfaced recently!

So I was now heading towards Limerigg with yet more climbs to take on and it was also into a strengthening wind, I reached Limerigg and took this photo of the Black Loch!

1726159090332.jpeg

The loch was sheltered today due to the NW wind, its normally very choppy on windy days! I was now heading towards Caldercruix but I turned south for Forestfield to take the cycle path which runs alongside the Hillend Loch!

1726159271511.jpeg

The fishermen were having a good laugh about something, I didn't disturb them!;)

1726159336862.jpeg

I continued round the loch and arrived in Caldercruix where I turned west for home with 65 miles covered, arriving home soon after with 70 miles in the bag again! Another great day on the bike, not the perfect ride I gloated about last Sunday but a real fun one nonetheless!:D
 

Attachments

  • trip-220563630-map-full343.png
    trip-220563630-map-full343.png
    515.6 KB · Views: 25
  • elevation_profile343.jpg
    elevation_profile343.jpg
    21 KB · Views: 31
Back From Berlin

Berlin, otherwise a gorgeous and lively city has become a no-go for me. The reason being the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, which replaced both Tegel and Schönefeld, and has become the only commercial aviation airport for the capital city of Germany. Completed 18 years late, the new airport is already old. It is missing a lot of accessibility features such as moving walkways. The security control is in the state of disaster. I was lucky to travel light, as the expected waiting time for your checked baggage is two hours in the high season! BER is described as 'the worst airport of Germany' by the German themselves! (At least the public transportation worked perfectly in Berlin!)

It was a Get In - Work - Get Out day. At least our business meeting was successful. Actually, I hoped to enjoy German bread, and because of bad luck and lack of time all I had was a single Pretzel :)

I was also confronted by two Polish low-lifes by Alexanderplatz train station. Very very sad.

1726201424289.png

Of the German peculiarities: If you want to take S-Bahn (city overground train) between the airport and the city, the ticket is €4.40. If you try buying a regular train ticket for the same route, it is €33. However, if you buy and validate the €4.40 ticket, you are good to go by a regular train! You would have never guessed that if you were not told so by your German co-workers!

1726201852951.png

Or, you are on the train or in the street. At 11:00 sirens are blaring and everybody looks down on the screen of their smartphone! Only it is not sirens: all smartphones emit an alarm sound! :)
 
Last edited:
Back