Pitlochry, Stonehaven,Glen Clova & Ardler - September 2015

Hopefully back up and running, or should that be cycling, with new a MacBook Air after my iMac gave up the ghost.

We have been fortunate with good weather on the Sunday runs  and we have had Tom from Alyth join us along with Chris from Kirrie who had seen the publication of the runs list with the cycling festival prompting him to come along.  Though the addition of the 10 o'clock short runs did not have the desired effect of getting potential new members out there were two well attended runs so not a complete loss.

The new runs list has been published and deliberately kept short to attempt to encourage more people out.

September is generally a good month and we try to put on a couple of longer runs, this year Pitlochry,  glorious day and well attended with six members heading ff in the sun, I turned back to take the short run but as nobody turned up did the route in reverse to meet up with David and Charlie and get n a good 95 miles.  

Stonehaven the following Sunday saw four of us, David, Gus, Charlie and I  head for Brechin, Montrose and the coastal road as far as Inverbervie where we had a wee stop at the catering van before turning inland past the Grassick Gibbon Centre a road on which neither Gus or I had been on before, Charlie led the way along some interesting back roads on the way to Little Brechin, from Careston we got a draft from a JCB, 8 miles at 22 miles an hour was grand the a relaxing run into Forfar.

Glen Clova saw both the long and short group meet at the hotel where we always get a great lunch  I took the short run group up, five of us headed up to Ron and Pat's where Derek headed to the Bthy to meet with Ron and go to the Tav for lunch, Raymond headed for home leaving Norman and I to continue to Clova where we met with the long group who had been round Prosen first and took Chris for his first outing, on the way back a wee group of us were dehydrated so stopped in one of our favorite watering holes - The Drovers  before rolling down the road to Forfar.

The last run of the month was another rendezvous ride to the Tav in Ardler with both groups again meeting for lunch, this time sitting out in the sunshine enjoying free scones and butter courtesy of big Jim's kitchen with good bowls of soup and fine pints of beer before we headed back to Forfar via the Bogside Road with Chris turning up to Kirrie.

ACC Runs List October - December 2015

Angus Cycle Club Runs List
Day	Date	Sunday Run	Pub Run	Notes
Saturday	3rd October			Bothy Drum Up & Club Weekend - Peebles
				AUDAX: Etal-U-Can - 204k Galashiels
Sunday	4th	Impromptu		Club Weekend  - Peebles
				AUDAX: Ride of the Valkyries - 106K Galashiels
Wednesday	7th		Letham
Sunday	11th	Inchture
Wednesday	14th		Glamis
Sunday	18th	AGM & Ardler Rendezvous		NOTE: 9:30am start at clubrooms 12 Noon ish The Tav
Wednesday	21st		Roundyhill
Sunday	25th	Murthly		NOTE: BST Ends 9:00am start Newly opened bar / restaurant
Wednesday	28th		Drovers
Saturday	31st			AUDAX: The Long Dark Teatime Of The Soul - 200K Galashiels
Sunday	1st November	Clatterin Brigg		Note 10:00am statrt from now thru spring 2016
Wednesday	4th		Finavon
Saturday	7th			Bothy Drum Up
Sunday	8th	Tayport
Wednesday	11th		Letham
Sunday	15th	Carnoustie
Wednesday	18th		Glamis
Sunday	22nd	Newtyle Rendezvous Ride		NOTE: Rendezvous  @ The Commercial @ 12:30
Wednesday	25th		Roundyhill
Sunday	29th	Glen Clova
Wednesday	2nd December		Drovers
Saturday	5th			Bothy Drum Up
Sunday	6th	Montrose
Wednesday	9th		Finavon
Sunday	13th	Meikelour
Wednesday	16th		Letham
Sunday	20th	Mince Pie Run - TBC		NOTE: Venue & Date TBC
Wednesday	23rd		Glamis
Sunday	27th	Bothy
Wednesday	30th		Roundyhill

Bothy Pictures - 26th July 2015

With the Bothy flooded out in the Great Alyth Flood of 2015 works have been taking place to dry it out, repair the floor, paint it and raise it up onto higher blocks:

St Cyrus 15/08/15

Apologies first, I have been out of action for a couple of months and suffering computer problems as well but back from time to time now.

The sun was shining for once down at the leisure centre for the third in our Angus Cycle Festival of runs, each week we are running a short run at 10:00am and a long run at 9:00am from the Lochside Leisure Centre

Five of us left for St Cyrus heading up to Hornycross where Brian turned back to lead the shot run, from Hornycross we turned right and wound our way to Little Brechin, then through the Golf Course past Bill Stephen Motors.  From the Golf Course we headed for Marykirk via Gallery.  In Marykirk we turned right up to the school and up the long drag of Kirktonhill regrouping at the junction of the B9120 where Tom headed to Stonehaven and a long loop back to home in Alyth.  Charlie David & I headed down through St Cyrus the round the cycle route to the Leisure Centre in Montrose where we had lunch.
After lunch we headed for Inverkeilor crossed the main road and headed to Leysmill, Idvies House Lour and along the high road into Forfar giving us a good circular route of 71 miles - The route is here if you would like to try it.

Prosen & Clova - 17/05/15

For the third week in a row, the rain was on at 9:00am but it was only a shower and it certainly looked a bit brighter up the glens as six of us headed towards Kirrie via the Bogside Rd.  Ron was going on holiday later that day so stopped in Kirrie leaving 5 of us to head for the hills.

This route has four climbs in the first 16 miles gradually getting steeper

which make the rest seem easy, worth having a granny gear or compact with large back ring, sounds painful but the views are well worth it

We had a couple of showers and it was a bit chilly at times but overall a pleasant morning, we stopped at the Glen Clova Hotel for lunch, perfect timing for soup and a pint, and with the wind at our backs we headed down the glen with Norman and I taking an extra loop to stop at the Drovers for some extra rehydration. 

A good day with over 50 miles and plenty of climbing

Angus Coastal Path - 10/5/15

For the second week in a row it was a miserable Sunday in Forfar and nobody was keen on a whole day in the rain and the Fife loop.

Six of us headed over towards Carrot Hill with the intention of going to the Tay Bridge, Ron was the first to turn followed shortly after by Gus who was off to a birthday party leaving four of us to grind up the hill.

It was looking brighter to the north so we headed for Monifieth and Route 1 to Arbroath, Keith was heading straight home leaving three of us to go to the Meddowbank Inn for lunch, we timed it just right as the tables filled up fast.

Heading out it was starting to drizzle and it looked pretty dull to the south and inland so we headed for Inverkielor where the sun came out briefly twice for less than a minute.  Form Inverkeilor we headed home through Gardyne,  Letham and over Dunnichen Hill and the gentle downhill through Burnside to the golf course and home.

Next week we head inland to Prosen and Clova with the hope of good weather!

The Tav - 3/05/15

Cometh the hour cometh only one eejit, or so I thought!  9:05am and not a soul to be seen at the leisure centre on a perfect day for a bike ride, strongish wind and heavy rain!

With the Tav booked as a Rendezvous ride it was a big decision, home with a news paper and a mug of tea, toast and marmalade or 3 & 1/2 hours round Angus - well I was wet anyway so off to Carrot Hill, Kellas and, Dronley, and up to Auchterhouse a left to Lundie a wrong turn and back to Tealing with a decision to make - 40 more minutes or home!  It looked like it was brightening up so of to Laughing Horse Hill and an extera wee loop Ardler begining to get a bit worried when passing three others going in the opposite direction including big Stuart from Blair, that had me thinking the Tav was shut and it would be 18 miles home on my own in the wind!

I arrived to find David's bike there, he had a puncture and had followed me round ten minutes behind but gone straight from Tealing to Ardler and the pub had been open since 12  Ron had gone out by car abd we were also joined by Donald from Meigle!!

  Big Jim had a soup and sandwich deal for a fiver and a fine pint of Thrapledouser to wash them down while things dried out in front of the fire.  After an hour or so it was time to return, with the rain even harder than ever but some company even though it was into the wind the miles passed fairly quickly - 62 miles done and completely soaked.

Next week, Sunday 10th May,  is the Newburgh loop round Perth or a shorter run to Tayport and the Harbour Cafe.