day27

off to a gig in glasgow tonight straight from work, so up early and onto the rollers. one hour and fifteen seconds on tired legs, yawns and rapidly awakening bowel. just made it.

weather for tomorrow and saturday looks grim, so i'd better look out some dvds. hopefully round off 30from30 in the great non-indoors on sunday.

day26

buff be gone. the unwelcome return of rain to the south fife coast tonight after a couple of pretty dry weeks. paths returning to mush as i type. pish.

off along the coastal path to have a wee scout round downans plantation by aberdour. bit disappointing, no sign of anything particularly interesting and a bit mangled by recent tree thinning work.

heading out towards braefoot and i catch a bit of movement just on the edge of my headlight. a commotion off to my right and a blur as a red deer hind passes about six feet in front of me. more crashing about to my right - there's more in the bushes. close my eyes and hope for the best. fortunately the others decide not to follow through me.

wobble on to the point to watch a tanker pull up to the terminal and a gentle pootle round. then home into a cold, rainy headwind.

day25

a classic west edinburgh ride with jac and chris this evening. stoorie brae-edge of the hood-river almond-cammo-edge of the hood-davie mains park-hairy bumskins.

trails are in amazing condition for march - positively buff / barely any mud - just like summer, but with a lack of stingy and buzzy things. the river was in top-top shape - super smooth and fastfastfast all the way to the bridge at the end of the runway.

buttered ginger loaf as a post ride treat. magic.

day24

cracking ride today showing city slickers round some local trails. up the binn and along via the haughs to braefoot for a play. sun, wind and bit of snow.

realised that i've spent nearly a day and half in the saddle so far during 30from30. neat-o.

day23

trail pruning trip along the heughs today. maybe more gardening than riding, but brambles and most of the obstructions cleared all the way along to the lookoutlog. need to head back with a bowsaw and clear some fallen trees - a project for spring.

the brambles get their own back and i find that my slow puncture has speeded up a little. just about get to the front door before rim hits tarmac. receive a warm welcome from purdey, who is clearly pleased to see me home.

day22

rollers of convenience today. just me, the hum of the rollers, the
fighting talk podcast and the gentle drip of sweat on topcap.

off to edinburgh too see the ansel adams exhibition and mebbe a film.

day21

a figure of eight route today to mark eight consecutive days of mtbing. up out of town on the road and on to kirkcaldy by the drinkbetween track. back along to kinghorn by the coastal path. up through the golf course and a long drag and a push up the binn.

most of the ride had been fairly sheltered, but it was blowing hoolie up on the binn. riding it e>w means you get a nice steep descent off the top, but it was just unrideable today - even pushing down was tricky with the wind trying to drag the bike off into the forth...

home, shower, lunch.

the clown and the wolfman

day20

se7en mtb rides in a row, didn't figure on that when we started this...

coastal path and the heughs to aberdour and on to braefoot. wheens of wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beasties* scattering in front of my wheels on the heuch, no known victims.

riding like a fanny. still dog tired after last weekend. jumping at the flapping of (equally) startled birds and trapped plastic bags. scared by the shadows cast by the braefoot buildings.

a lie in and rollaz tomorrow.



* big shout out to all of the heughs massif - this one is for youse.

To a Mouse by Rabbie Burns

Wee sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an chase thee,
Wi murdering pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion.
An fellow mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve:
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma request;
I'll get a blessin wi the lave,
An never miss't!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
Its silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An naething, now, to big a new ane,
O foggage green!
An bleak December's win's ensuin.
Baith snell an keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an waste,
An weary winter comin fast.
An cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro thy cell.

That wee bit heap o leaves an stibble,
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble.
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o mice an men
Gang aft agley,
An lea'e us nought but grief an pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects drear!
An forward, tho I canna see,
I guess an fear!

day19

not quite as planned (left work late, phantom's cleugh sodden, puncture), but gotta love a ride which includes a tear down poet's glen.

6 days of mtbing on the trot. braw.