Sunday 11th Jan The Bothy

With this being the camping weekend there was nobody at the leisure centre for the 10:00am run, the weather was miserable - cold and damp with heavy grey sky.  Heading for the bothy it got colder the higher the altitude but the roads were not to bad, just one big patch of ice on the step bend before Peel Farm.

Just at Peel farm a car containing Keith passed in the opposite direction, arriving at the bothy only Charlie was there, he had left at 9:15 but that meant that the teapot was ready and the fire was on, Charlie confirmed that Norman Gus and David were likely to have been in the car as well.

There was beer left over for pudding!

Unfortunately we had to pour our own the beer was from Kirrie Ales - Fruity Wee Blonde and Eden Ales Clockbrew - both very tasty.

There was snow falling as we left so it was straight home to Forfar and the two of set a good pace especially with the wind behind us getting back into Forfar before dark.

Sunday 4th Jan

The first Sunday run of the year was blessed with a bright sunny day with a gentle breeze but very cold, nine headed out of the leisure centre for the Brechin Castle Garden Centre.

With the icy weather we decided to stick on the main roads for the early part of the run and had a nice gentle run to Froikheim and then turned towards Brechin, we had made good steady progress and as the weather was fair we took a right and headed towards Bridge of Dunn.  This meant 5 miles off the main road so we had to ease back and take care on some icy spots.

After the climb back onto the main Montrose Brechin rd we had a slight headwind as we rolled into the town up the wee brae to the cross and out to the garden centre where Brian turned for home.  It's always busy with shoppers but we managed to get a table and some warm food and drinks.

The weather was still fair when we left and headed towards Careston with wee Jimmy setting the pace into the wind, not bad for 82, at the junction Norman and I headed for Noranside and the Drovers at Memus for some fluid replacement leaving the rest of the group for an early finish.

Glen Isla 7/12/14

Another bright sunny Sunday, all be it cold and breezy welcomed us to the Forfar Leisure Centre for  the run up the hill to the Glen Isla Hotel.

Six of us headed off, Brian being the first casualty off the day coming off on some black ice  in the car park, thankfully both Brian and his bike were OK and after dusting himself down we headed on the main road to Kirriemuir.  We had our first flurry of snow in Kirrie just as we turned left for Glen Isla at Viewfield.  We were into the wind virtually all the way, the flurry of snow disappeared then came back with vengeance as we climbed the brae at Purgavie and was pretty heavy by the Sawmill, by that time we all had stopped to dawn full water proof body cover with the President and Secretary bloused out at Dykend to go to Peel Farm leaving just David, Gus, Ron & for the remaining seven miles or so to Glen Isla.

By the time we arrived the roads were white and it it was showing no signs of easing off, thankfullt there was a roaring fire to warm us up and we had a cracking bowl of soup, it was good to see the place fully booked with the new owners making a big effort to squeeze us in.

The first seven miles backdown to the lower levels at intrathen were slow, the tyre tracks in the snow were turning to ice making conditions slippery and we saw a few cars getting caught out with the conditions.  We all made it with no falls and the rest of the way was just slush and with the wind behind us we made good progress sticking to the main raod all the way back into Forfar.

Next Sunday is the Mince Pie Run to Tom & Mary's, with the group leaving from the Leisure center at 10 with a rendezvous time of 12:30ish.

Newtyle - The Commercial Hotel Rendezvous Ride 30/11/14

Six of us set out from the Leisure Centre with two and a half hours to get to Newtyle just 10 miles along the road.  It was a beautiful day, cold but no wind and sunshine.

The original plan had be to head towards Auchterhouse which was to involve a 400m stint on the A90 but the sun was so low and bright it would have been dangerous on the bend so we opted for the Bogside Road and a a trip to Alyth where we had a brief stop for David to get some supplies.

From Alyth we headed for Tullyfergus and the Hill of St. Fink, we hadn't been up that way for a couple of years and we had all forgotten quite how long it was, steep only at the beginning but a bit of a drag, the view from the top was worth it though, we could see virtually the whole of the Strathmore Valley.  The long slow descent took us into Rattray where we headed left and took the direct route to Newtyle via Ardler with only a brief stop for Charlie to put some air in his tyre.

We arrived spot on 12:30 where we were reunited with Ron & Derrick who had spit off for coffee before Alyth along with big Stewart who had come through from Blairgowrie.

The second run worked well and The Commercial had excellent soup at a good price with friendly fast service, we stayed for quite a while and split up into different groups for the journey home, the temperature had dropped and the wind had picked up a little and blew us gently towards Forfar all except Stewart who was heading in the opposite direction with thoughts of also going up the Hill of St. Fink on the way home.

Stracathro 9/11/14

Eight met on a bright crisp remembrance sunday for the clubs first rendezvous run to the new Pavilion Cafe at Stracathro Hospital.

We headed for Memus  and with the sun on our backs took the high road towards Edzell.

Angela & Brian turned right down to Careston to do the 30 mile loop leaving six of us to head up Glen Lethnot, the climb from the south is not nearly as bad and what a view from the top with hardly a cloud in the sky to the north. 

It was a very pleasant run through to Edzell where we too a right through the village and headed straight for Stracathro arriving spot on 12:30. 

We were all a wee bit deflated as we had expected to meet at least two or three others but we had the cafe pretty much all to ourselves apart from some staff.  The food was good, coffee excellent and prices low so certainly one to keep on the winter runs list.

We hung about till just after one in the thought that someone may turn up but it was not to be and we headed out to find the sun had disappeared and the temperature had dropped.

The route back was through Careston with the thought of a pint in the Drovers to try the new Kirriemuir Brewery beer but when we arrived they were closed for refurbishment so it was home to Forfar thirsty!

This weeks mid week run is to Glamis at 7:30 and next Sunday the run is to the Bridge of Cally Hotel via the Black Lunnans.

ACC AGM Run - 19-10-2014

A total of nine bikes made their way, in wet windy conditions, from various locations out to Ardler for lunch at the Tav after  the annual AGM.  The cyclists were joined by a couple of car loads as well which made for a good lunchtime get together.

A good lunch was had with most people going for the substantial soup and a variety of sandwiches and toasties washed down with plenty Orkney and Inveralmond ales!

The run home was much the same with groups heading in a range of directions most with a fair breeze behind them.

ACC Runs List Nov 2014 - End Jan 2015

Angus Cycle Club Runs List
Day	Date	Sunday Run	Pub / Saturday Run	Notes
Wednesday	29th Oct		Finavon
Saturday	1st Nov		Bothy Drum Up
Sunday	2nd Nov	Inchture
Wednesday	5th Nov		Letham
Sunday	9th Nov	Stracathro		Rendezvous Run Hospital Cafe 12:30
Wednesday	12th Nov		Glamis
Sunday	16th Nov	Bridge of Cally		Via Black Lunans
Wednesday	19th Nov		Roundyhill
Sunday	23rd Nov	Clova
Wednesday	26th Nov		Drovers
Sunday	30th Nov	Newtyle		Rendezvous Run - Commercial Hotel 12:30
Wednesday	3rd Dec		Finavon
Saturday	6th Dec		Bothy Drum Up	200K Audax - Galashiels
Sunday	7th Dec	Glen Isla Hotel
Wednesday	10th Dec		Letham
Sunday	14th Dec	Mince Pie Run		Tom & Mary's for 12:30
Wednesday	17th Sept		Glamis
Sunday	21st Dec	Meikelour
Sunday	28th Dec	Ardler		Rendezvous Run the Tav
Saturday	3rd Jan		Bothy Drum Up
Sunday	4th Jan	Brechin		Garden Centre
Wednesday	7th Jan		Roundyhill
Saturday	10th Jan	Bothy Weekend		Camping Night
Sunday	11th Jan	Bothy Weekend
Wednesday	14th Jan		Drovers
Sunday	18th Jan	Montrose		Rendezvous Duncans 12 - 12:30
Wednesday	21st Jan		Finavon
Sunday	25th Jan	ACC Lunch		The Drovers 12:30 for 1:00pm sit down
Wednesday	28th Jan		Letham
Bothy Drum Up - First Sat in the month , Bothy open from 10 till 1.00 ± all welcome , tea / coffee provided,  for more info contact Jim D.                                                                                                                                                                    Sunday runs start 10:00am from the leisure centre, Rendezvous Runs - make your own way there for lunch 12:30                                                                                                             Wednesday night runs start 7:00pm from the club rooms.                                                                                                         For more info contact Ian Matheson on 07799 714008