Author: Ian McIntosh

This will be the shortest run report ever as yesterday's ride can be summed up simply as great roads, scenery, weather and company. The end. Ok, maybe I should elaborate a bit more on our day out predominantly in Perthshire. It started for me by meeting Kona at Muthill petrol station where she'd just filled up her very unloved Tracer. It had barely turned a wheel since she and Patrick had been galavanting in Spain enjoying their new property (form an orderly queue for Spanish riding trips!). Any lack of riding cobwebs were very soon blown away as we made our way together at a nice pace over to the starting point at Kinross Services. Here we met the rest of the gang which seemed to have grown somewhat from…

I've been promising myself all year that I'd get up really early and go do a full days ride somewhere up north. Well yesterday was as close as it's got so far. Not quite the crack of dawn (7am on a Sunday still feels like the middle of the night to me) nor was it up north (I suppose Dumfries and Galloway could be if you were starting from England) or a full all dayer (back indoors to the surprise of my wife at 5.15pm. Didn't get in to trouble for being late for once). A quick stop for fuel at Muthill and was on my way to the start point 75miles away at Abington Service Station. Traffic was light being early on a Sunday morning and I could have…

As I'm lucky enough to get my biking fill on the quieter weekdays I don't tend to ride so much at the weekends. However, when Ian put his run up , I was tempted by the route, was familiar with the proposed cafe lunch stop, and - clearly he knew something we didn't when he considered the run - Saturday was the only day of the weekend that the forecast was looking good! As the weekend grew closer so did the length of attendees. Not always a good sign in my book as, with big groups of riders, things can become, let's just say, difficult to manage. However, come the day, The Crieff Visitor Centre car park / local motorcycle Mecca started to fill with many familiar and a few…

3 - 6 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 3 - 2 - 1 So before I’d even left home I had a WhatsApp from Grant saying he was stuck on a closed in both directions M9. With it likely that this would affect at least a couple of others coming up to Crieff, apart from the warm and sunny morning, things were not looking great for the start of the run. Sure enough, with only our leader and run organiser Kona, myself and run videographer, Ian Ness at the Visitor Centre start point we decided we would make a start after waiting a little while past start time. I left a further WhatsApp for Grant and Facebook message on the club page suggesting a meet up at Ballachulish…

Up at the crack of a Saturday dawn to make my way to Ian Ness’ run start at Kinross services. Fortunately made the right decision in wearing another layer as the temperature had only just made it into the low teens on leaving Crieff. First stop was a fill up at Muthill to see me and the bike through today’s ride and the first highlight of the day. After paying and coming back out to my bike, a car had pulled in behind and, not being the biggest of forecourts and me being ever so courteous (!) I wheeled my bike to the side of the forecourt, about 30ft away. The guy was ever so grateful and, as well as the obvious thanks, he proceeded while getting out of his…

Email drops with the rarest of things - a run to the seldom visited south west corner of Scotland! Not only that but it’s a first time lead for our Troon based Ben Pointer. Too good to miss and with forecast for the day looking fair, I cancel swimming and set my alarm for the middle of the night (7am) as it will need an early start to make the rendezvous in Kilmarnock for a 10.15 kick-off. Being the beginning of August I dress appropriately in full textiles and puffa inner jacket and brave the 14C of the early morning. As I pushed my bike out of the garage I was surprised by just how light it was before 9am. Not quite as surprised as my dog walking neighbour though…