ThePrivateer
Marin Fan
Just took my rolling parts bin out at my new work place the other day.
And I could not resist taking this picture
And I could not resist taking this picture
Today's Ride
- Thread starter FairfaxPat
- Start date
Yesterday saw me travel from Ardgay to Ullapool, mainly off-road....
And what a day out it was, almost bit off more than I could chew though, was proper hard going!
After leaving Argay at 1100 it was a 9.5 mile cycle out to the first point of interest, Croick Church, which has messages from those involved in the Clearances in 1845 scratched into the glass of the windows.
Here's a link from the official website:
https://www.croickchurch.com/clearances.htm
From there it was on to the first gate of many I would encounter....
The track was good going to start with, the terrain changing dramatically over the 30 mile route.
The weather was amazing, had my jacket off by the time I'd got to the church and it stayed off for the day. Butterflies, Bumble Bees, Red Kites, Buzzards and a Golden Eagle were all passers-by on my journey!
By this point I really started to feel I was in the middle of nowhere, while I also noticed I'd used two of the four bars of battery.... oh bugger....
And what a day out it was, almost bit off more than I could chew though, was proper hard going!
After leaving Argay at 1100 it was a 9.5 mile cycle out to the first point of interest, Croick Church, which has messages from those involved in the Clearances in 1845 scratched into the glass of the windows.
Here's a link from the official website:
https://www.croickchurch.com/clearances.htm
From there it was on to the first gate of many I would encounter....
The track was good going to start with, the terrain changing dramatically over the 30 mile route.
The weather was amazing, had my jacket off by the time I'd got to the church and it stayed off for the day. Butterflies, Bumble Bees, Red Kites, Buzzards and a Golden Eagle were all passers-by on my journey!
By this point I really started to feel I was in the middle of nowhere, while I also noticed I'd used two of the four bars of battery.... oh bugger....
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The ground was getting boggy and wet, frogs and frog spawn in every puddle!
Stopped at the estate gate for my banana, but enjoying the isolation and scenery.
It was around this point that I started to question my own sanity, no matter in which direction I looked there was no sign of civilisation, just my own shadow for company!
By now I was down to one bar of battery, and no real concept of just how far I had to go!
But, I just had to get on with it as the Mrs was meeting me in Ullapool with the car and didn't want to be responsible for keeping her waiting!
Now the trail started getting serious, a water crossing and then a very wet section that led past the School House bothy to Knockdamph.
Stopped at the estate gate for my banana, but enjoying the isolation and scenery.
It was around this point that I started to question my own sanity, no matter in which direction I looked there was no sign of civilisation, just my own shadow for company!
By now I was down to one bar of battery, and no real concept of just how far I had to go!
But, I just had to get on with it as the Mrs was meeting me in Ullapool with the car and didn't want to be responsible for keeping her waiting!
Now the trail started getting serious, a water crossing and then a very wet section that led past the School House bothy to Knockdamph.
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And of course, to add insult to injury, this is when both I and the bike ran out of battery!!
But onward I went, slowly but surely eating up the miles back to Ullapool, walking certain sections just to give my legs a rest from pedalling, the track improving again towards the end.... thankfully!
Almost there now....
But onward I went, slowly but surely eating up the miles back to Ullapool, walking certain sections just to give my legs a rest from pedalling, the track improving again towards the end.... thankfully!
Almost there now....
Was an awesome day out, even of I did go to bed at 8 last night!
I was done in, no doubt too long a day without the fitness required!
Took me five and a half hours even on the E-Mtb, wet feet, covered in mud, and absolutely knackered.... but glad I went!
Cracking view of the Loch Seaforth coming into Ullapool as we left for home, and a last one of the hills.
I was done in, no doubt too long a day without the fitness required!
Took me five and a half hours even on the E-Mtb, wet feet, covered in mud, and absolutely knackered.... but glad I went!
Cracking view of the Loch Seaforth coming into Ullapool as we left for home, and a last one of the hills.
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highlandsflyer
Retro Wizard
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Epic!Was an awesome day out, even of I did go to bed at 8 last night!
I was done in, no doubt too long a day without the fitness required!
Took me five and a half hours even on the E-Mtb, wet feet, covered in mud, and absolutely knackered.... but glad I went!
Cracking view of the Loch Seaforth coming into Ullapool as we left for home, and a last one of the hills.
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27motorhead
Old School Grand Master
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Absolutely stunning! Thanks for the lovely pics. When the weathers on your side, just keep riding even if the battery has died! 
moonlite
Kona Fan
Finally . . . first proper ride today after breaking my ankle in December. Truth is, the doc cleared me for riding some weeks ago but found myself a little nervous of climbing into the saddle again.
Maybe you develop a kind of sixth sense around an injured part while it's healing, but every time I hopped on a bike to test the brakes or gears or somesuch, I just seemed to be reminded of how often you stab your foot down, especially when starting and stopping and manoeuvring at slow speed. That's how it got broken in the first place.
Anyway, today is nice and sunny after a couple of drizzly, dull ones, and -- crucially -- the missus is away and therefore not on hand to prognosticate my imminent doom, so took a bit of a slow ride up the hill behind town and back down again.
No fireworks -- in fact, the whole exercise served to show how unfit you can get in four months, but on the plus side it was lovely to be out, nothing broke, and I've got past those vague phobic feelings about the ankle. Onwards and upwards!
Maybe you develop a kind of sixth sense around an injured part while it's healing, but every time I hopped on a bike to test the brakes or gears or somesuch, I just seemed to be reminded of how often you stab your foot down, especially when starting and stopping and manoeuvring at slow speed. That's how it got broken in the first place.
Anyway, today is nice and sunny after a couple of drizzly, dull ones, and -- crucially -- the missus is away and therefore not on hand to prognosticate my imminent doom, so took a bit of a slow ride up the hill behind town and back down again.
No fireworks -- in fact, the whole exercise served to show how unfit you can get in four months, but on the plus side it was lovely to be out, nothing broke, and I've got past those vague phobic feelings about the ankle. Onwards and upwards!
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