Sunshine cycles

Rob reports from today's Deeside rides:

"Ian, today 10 of us set off in fine style, with Platform 22 in mind. All went well until Johnny Meaden (I think) had a puncture on the approach to the Inchmarlo driving range. I was well in the lead at this stage so missed all the action; or lack of it. Eventually Les, Ken, Chris and Dick joined me and we decided to form the 'A' team and forge ahead. Our route took us around the South of Torphins and up the sideroad/track to Pitmurchie House; Les awarded me a yellow card for this section. Coming down from Pitmurchie at speed, I very, very nearly hit a roe deer that jumped out of a bush; I don't know who was the most frightened! In those situations where you brake instinctively, I think that disc-brakes would have put me over the top but my trusty analogue brakes just slowed me enough to avoid a gruesome collision. There have been enough nasty spills lately.

Onto P22 for coffee and an historic carrot cake; meeting up with the 'B' team. We then split again, with A taking a direct route back to the filling station and the B's adding a golf-course loop.

Great day out. Stats on Strava were 21 miles and 1300'"

The photobombed group shot came from Mike:

l-r: Rob Pollard, Scott Hunter, Ian Sharp, Ken Page, Dick Taylor, Mike Reilly, Les Gray, (Emma photobombing), John Perry, Chris Low & John Meaden

Ian supplied the photos from the puncture:

That was the 61st Freewheelers ride on this year's database, but there have been endless solo rides as well - 205 to date. It's becoming a task recording all of this latter group, but I'll keep it going until at least our Xmas lunch and then review it after that.

Mike Reilly has 54 "other" rides recorded on Strava, whilst John Meaden has 32. Les Gray has 29 on Strava, mostly from the Algarve and I have 25, the last two of which have been here in Oregon this week. Temperatures have been unseasonably high here for early June - 4 days in a row over 100 F in old money - but they cooled down a bit yesterday allowing me to go out exploring. One road I went up had warnings like this on virtually every front lot:

Much more friendly here: