View attachment 195228
I spotted an opportunity to get a long ride in today but it would need to be an early start as the rain was set to hit around 3pm! The easterly winds had returned so I decided to head up the east coast and enjoy a nice tailwind on the way back! I thought about going over the Forth bridge but the wind was very blustery so I erred on the side of caution and chose to go over the Kincardine bridge and use the coast road! I set off at 6.25am and it was really mild for such an early hour, the temp was around 12C! I used the cycle path which runs alongside Hillend loch and the sun was in a bit of an awkward position for decent photos, this was the best of the bunch!
View attachment 195230
I decided not to go crazy with photos or I would have been struggling to get back before the rain arrived, my next photo was actually taken at Limekilns with 35 miles now covered!
View attachment 195232
I then had a steep climb to tackle to get to the main road which leads to Rosyth, I stopped for this photo looking out over the River Forth at the top of the climb!
View attachment 195233
My first battery was depleting quickly due to the strong easterly, I managed to get 42 miles out of it and changed it just before the 16% climb at Aberdour! I grabbed these 2 photos just before reaching Aberdour!
View attachment 195234
View attachment 195235
More photos after the big climb, I had a nice view of the bridges from here!
View attachment 195236
View attachment 195237
View attachment 195238
I then passed through Burntisland and stopped at Pettycur Bay for this photo of the spectacular beach!
View attachment 195239
A few miles later I arrived in Kirkcaldy and headed for the esplanade to get some photos!
View attachment 195240
View attachment 195241
View attachment 195242
I then tackled the big climb out of Kirkcaldy and made the decision to turn west and enjoy the strong tailwind, I ended up turning into a housing estate and got a little lost...
Eventually I found my way out and saw a signpost for Lochgelly, at this point I made a really stupid mistake and ended up on the main A92 which is a very fast dual carriageway! It was actually a case of deja vu as I had made the same mistake many years ago and told myself I would never make that mistake again...
I won't make it a hattrick, it was damn scary and I had to endure it for 2 miles before finally reaching the exit for Lochgelly! The really annoying thing is there are no warning signs saying no bicycles, the only saving grace was a very narrow shoulder which was covered in debris and I was terrified I might get a puncture!
Drama over and back on safer roads as I headed north for a few miles and then turned west again passing Loch Leven and back on familair roads!
View attachment 195244
View attachment 195246
I passed through the village of Cleish and joined the narrow back road that leads to Knockhill Racing Circuit, a much more enjoyable road!
View attachment 195249
View attachment 195250
I had a nice view of the Ochil Hills here also!
View attachment 195251
View attachment 195252
I reached the end of the narrow road and turned left to head up towards Knockhill but I wasn't going past the circuit today, I just had to take the awesome back road down into Saline!
View attachment 195258
I changed to my third battery here at just 77 miles, only getting 35 miles from my second battery which was only charged to 82%! My last battery had a 95% charge which was more than enough to get me home with the awesome tailwind pushing me on! At Saline I joined the back road towards Forestmill and turned off a few miles down the road, taking the little back road I discovered only recently! It really is a brilliant road, very narrow with lots of twisty parts and a huge descent! Eventually it joins the main A907 road which is a big downhill and I had the wind right at my back, I was flying along! Next port of call was Kincardine where I passed over the bridge again and joined the cycle path towards Grangemouth!
I usually take the road through Carronshore here but decided to keep going as I had the wind at my back again, passing through Stenhousemuir and Larbert and then joining the main road at Camelon near Falkirk! As I was riding along here I remembered there was a cycle path that leads directly to the Falkirk Wheel so I decided to go and check it out again! I wasn't lucky enough to see it in action this time but its a pretty impressive piece of machinery! It carries the narrowboats from the Union Canal to the Forth and Clyde Canal, I have actually only seen it in action once and was really impressed!
View attachment 195261
I then spotted this family heading straight for me, the cygnets were so fluffy!
View attachment 195262
View attachment 195264
View attachment 195265
I then decided to use the canal path to Bonnybridge and the 100 miles appeared on my gps! The path is in great condition, I usually avoid these paths but it was quiet today!
View attachment 195263
At Bonnybridge I made my way up the big cimb to Falkirk and got lucky part way up the climb when I spotted a huge heard of deer in their pen, they had a good ogle at me!
View attachment 195267
View attachment 195268
From Falkirk I took my usual back roads to home, 120 miles appeared as I reached my home town and I was pretty spent now but only had a mile to go thankfully! There was no sign of the threatened rain and 4 hours later it still hasn't hit, I'm not complaining! What a day, the scary dual carriageway the only low point and I will make sure it doesn't happen again!
I'm in SKM (Fast Urban Train) heading to a Mazovian Gravel event. 
