A Fine Piece Of Wood.

 

     This Sunday found me cycling up the Loch, (Loch Lomond), a lovely part of the country. The weather forecast wasn't quite what I understood it to be, early cloud clearing, brightening up in the afternoon. In fact it was drizzle and rain most of the way to Tarbet, but it did clear up on the way back down the Loch. Still a wonderful place to be with a bike.

     The last time I cycled up the Loch I took a photograph of the Tarbet Hotel, and comrade Loam at arrezafe commented on the wooden table outside the restaurant, Saying he had an interest in carpentry, and he had not seen table legs put on that way.

      So to feed his interest in carpentry, I thought I would post this picture of the wooden seat across the road from the hotel, just up from the shore of the Loch. As you can see from the bike, it is a large chunk of wood.

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Nature's Finite Bounty.

       The weather is not really being kind to us here in Glasgow. We get a good day then a couple of crap days, what happened to that long, hot, balmy summer? Despite the weather, I have managed out a couple of times since my wee jaunt up the Loch on Tuesday. I know there are those young Titans who go out in all weathers, but for me those days are over, needs necessitate that I pick and choose my days carefully. 

      Both trips found me in familiar territory, round the Campsie area but just one photo, as I decided to forego the obligatory plate of lentil soup, and didn't bother stopping on the second run. 

Nature's finite bounty to humanity, clean water.

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Singing In The Rain.

      Once again I was visited by the evil of the computer world, my computer decided to crash and leave me with a black screen. After a day of typing in gibberish, and getting "unknown command", I gave up and popped it into your friendly computer repair shop. I got it back working, but lots of stuff gone, so I've been trying to get it back to where it was before the dreaded black death. Hence my ranting mind being clamped in the sound of silence for the last week. Where would we be without the internet.

View of the Campsie Hills at Campsie Glen, before you start the walk.

     So today, in spite of the rain, I decided to escape on the dream machine, and head for familiar territory, the Campsies. It was dull and overcast with drizzle when I left, and raining steadily on the way back. However, I didn't suffer too much at all, despite the dampness, and thoroughly enjoyed the outing.

The view as you start the glen walk, too rough for my delicate bike.

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Pleasure In The Drizzle.

               Well today, Sunday, wasn't my kind of cycling day, dull, cool, a bit of a wind and drizzle, all the factors that play havoc with my wee bronchial tubes. However ever the optimist I decided to have a short run up to Clachan of Campsie.  I coughed and spluttered a bit, but no real problems, and I thoroughly enjoyed the outing. While having my obligatory plate of lentil soup, I had the added pleasure of my partner, Stasia arriving by car and joined me in the eating routine. So, all in all, a great afternoon.

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The Unexpected Horror In The Midst Of Beauty.

        Well, well, well, another beautiful day, 17 degrees, a light wind and blue sky, what more could a cyclist ask for. Decided to make today my first run this year up the Loch, (To the uninitiated, that refers to Loch Lomond.) All went very well, purring along at a nice pace until I approached Tarbet when I came to a long snake of stopped cars. I cycled along on the inside and soon discovered why the long queue of vehicles. A motorcyclist had smashed into the back of a car and it looked like a terrible disaster, with several police cars and police all over the place, just as I arrived, two ambulances took off towards Glasgow. The police stopped me from going any further, after a while it was suggested that I could continue on the pavement on the other side of the road. I went off thinking of the young man on the motorbike, his family, and the people who were in the car, a horror visiting so many people.

Looking towards Duck Bay, Loch Lomond.

        As far as I am aware, this pavement on the other side of the road, is part of the official cycle track up the Loch, I never use it, I cycle the road. The surface was atrocious, extremely uneven, pot holed and crack. On a slight descent nearer Tarbet, I encounter a number of potholes, but failed to navigate them without mishap. I went down on my side, slowly regained my feet, bleeding knee, bruised calf, and brake lever moved slightly to the side.

The Tarbet Hotel, Tarbet, Loch Lomond.

       With no other damage I continued to the tearoom at Tarbet, not the much grander Tarbet Hotel, and had that obligatory plate of lentil soup. The events of the run put a damper on the pleasure of the day. With my knee hurting, I was a bit apprehensive about cycling back from Tarbet, but decided to just have a go. Pleased to say, the rest of the run was uneventful, home with an aching knee.

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Familiar Territory.

       Another fine day on Sunday, though, surprisingly not many bikes on the road. Perhaps I had missed something, big match, concert or something, or they were all off in a different direction. Well those who didn't get out missed a nice cycling day, not much of a wind, fair amount of sun, though the wind was northerly and a bit on the cold side on the way home. It was around familiar territory for me, the Campsie area. It was the usual plate of lentil soup, coffee and cake, in the usual coffee shop at Campsie Glen. Always a pleasant place to stop.

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Eco-Friendly Transport.

      Wednesday was a nice day, though the wind was a wee bit on the cold side. So I took the opportunity to have my first run out on my dream machine since coming back from my holiday in the sun. It was invigorating to say the least, I had just passed that symbol of state oppression, Low Moss prison when I couldn't resist stopping to take a photo of two forms of eco-friendly transport side by side. One for road travel, and one for sedate cross-country.

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Oh What A Beautiful Day.

        Best day of the year so far. What a beautiful day, not a cloud to be seen, though the wind was light 8mph it was an easterly and very cold. It is quite a while since I trundled along the Aberfoyle road, really enjoyed it, still longing for some heat in the air, but it is a beautiful country.

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Cold, But Magic.

         As I have said before, I'm a fair weather cyclist, when the weather is cold and/or damp, it plays havoc with my wee bronchial tubes. However, on Sunday the sun was shining, and the cabin fever was driving we daft, I had to make a dash for freedom. So I took my trusty steed, the dream machine, and headed out. Gee, it was cold, then it clouded over and the temperature seem to take a distinctive dip. Thankfully I didn't suffer too badly and really enjoyed my escape. It wasn't much of a run, but the pedals were spinning and the wheels were whirring and their magic filled the air. Come on summer, all us old fogey's are anxiously waiting.

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Disaster,---Tearoom Closed!!!

       Well the month of September proved to be a wonderful month for an old wrinkly fair weather cyclist. Pity about the rest of the year. Up round the Campsie area again, sadly my favourite wee tearoom was closed when I got there. So it was just a matter of carrying on, and then heading home for that plate of soup. I thought I was taking a very picturesque little scene, but sadly the photo didn't turn out quite like I expected. Never the less here it is, it still marks a delightful run.

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Two Lochs, Two Beauty Spots.

        What a wonderful climate we have in this country, I know, I have an excellent short term memory, it's the other half isn't so good. A beautiful day for the bike, not much wind, lots of sunshine, and no rain, Yee-ha. It was up the Loch again, and on round to Arrochar on Loch Long. Let's hope there are many more days like this still to come.

 You can never grow weary of a view of Loch Lomond, and there are millions.

 

Looking down Loch Long just across from the Arrochar Hotel

Same spot, looking up the Loch.

 

Same spot, looking across at the jaggy peaks of the Cobbler.

 

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