Another blustery day but not as bad as Sunday, westerly winds once again around 25-30mph! Rain was forecast once again but I wasn't letting it stop me, I actually did a very good job of avoiding it! All I could see was darkness to the south so I headed north...
I didn't really have a plan today, it was just a case of go and hope for the best and amazingly I didn't get wet and ended up with imperial century #20 for the year! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to get a century ride in today, If I managed 70 I would have been happy! I ended up heading over the Forth Road Bridge because the weather made the decision for me, I was a little worried about crosswinds but strangley the wind stayed calm over the crossing!
A few photos of the bridges as always!
I was greeted by sunshine on the bridge, it didn't last long of course!
I enjoyed a nice tailwind for most of the 33 miles until now but after crossing the bridge that was about to change, as soon as I turned west for Rosyth it felt very different battling a 25-30mph headwind at times! I tried my best to find shelter, turning off the main road sure helped as I made my way into Limekilns!
The descent after taking this photo was so much fun, once again the tide was out here...
Then I had the cobbled climb up to Charlestown, where I was met with a sign saying local access only! I wasn't for turning back to join the main road again so I continued in the hope I could get through on the bike, my luck was in as the road workers waved me through! Most of the road was almost complete and I enjoyed lovely new smooth tarmac!
At the end of the road I joined the cycle path to Crombie where the path ends so I was back on the main road again but not for long as I used the footpath soon after! I then made my way to Torryburn on the coast road with little to no traffic, its a very nice road for the bike!
I then passed through the villages of Newmills and Low Valleyfield before arriving in Culross, I was going to use the cycle path here but it was busy with dog walkers and the like!
The view across the Forth with the Grangemouth Oil Refinery across the bay, they stopped processing crude oil at the end of April with the loss of many jobs!
Grangemouth is transitioning to a fuel import terminal and is exploring opportunities for a low carbon future, including potential renewable energy and chemical production.
I continued along the amazing coast road towards Kincardine Bridge!
Earlier a massive flock of geese flew overhead and they made quite a racket, as I neared Kincardine Bridge on the cycle path I spotted them in a field! It may have been a whole different flock of course...
They were spread everywhere, it was impossible to capture the whole flock!
I crossed the bridge and stopped for a couple of photos looking across the Forth towards Grangemouth!
I then headed into Falkirk and passed through Camelon where I stumbled on major roadworks with a big line of cars, thankfully the footpaths were clear so I was able to sneak past all the cars! I was now heading for Bonnybridge where I stopped at the canal for a break and a snack!
From there I made my way through Allandale and Castlecary where I turned south towards Abronhill, I then took the back road past the Fannyside Lochs! The sky was getting dark here and I could feel rain in the air now!
The road was still dry though and it had been resurfaced recently!
At the end of the road I had a choice of heading straight home through Greengairs but I decided to tackle the big climb from Upperton to Longriggend, I took this photo at the top of the climb! As you can see the road was wet here, the rain had stopped though!
From Longriggend I headed to Caldercruix and turned west for home, arriving with 80 miles exactly! It was only 13.35 so I decided to grab my 3rd battery and head back out after doing some chores! I made my way south to Allanton and did a big loop up the back roads, this part was amazing with a lovely tailwind and dry roads!
The descent into Allanton at the end of this road is just amazing and I had the wind helping me, from there I took the back road to Hartwood and tackled the big climb up to Kirk of Shotts! Near the top I turned west for Hareshaw on my favourite back road and despite the strong headwind I was flying along thanks to the road being mostly downhill! From Hareshaw I used the main roads to home as the weather was starting to close in, 15 minutes after I arrived home the rain started to fall! It was my lucky day for sure, some days you get unluckly like last Sunday so I was due a break!
I'm closing in on 6000 miles for the year now, just 153 to go and I only need another 100 to reach 42000 miles on my amazing bike!
