Thursday report

Bob is back and reported on the Thursday ride as follows:

"Jeff’s Magical Mystery Tour

The early arrivals at the Guide Hut had discussed a “Castles” tour via Crathes and Drum, but further arrivals advised that was done last week.  The problem of what to do was ended by Jeff’s suggestion of something new.

We (Jeff, Ian Sh, John L, Chris, Bob) headed off over the shoulder of Scolty (hill 1) and down onto the Strachan road (a route we’ve done in reverse before), then through Strachan.  We then headed up the hill (hill 2) signposted to the Soft Bear Playcentre.  No Soft Bear’s to be seen, but a pleasant loop up and across to just above the Feughside Inn.

The route then took the road into Finzean, off at the junction onto the small road towards Birse and the Finzean Farm Teashop.  We could smell the coffee, but Jeff had other ideas and we continued west on the small road to past the sawmill.  We stopped to check that Jeff was thinking about coffee at Finzean and not the Blackfaced Sheep at Aboyne.  But he had a cunning route up a track up a hill (hill 3) going north and eventually coming down past Finzean House.  This last hill, hill number 3, was quite substantial and there were mutterings about red cards but these were soon forgotten over coffees at Finzean Farm Shop.

The return route was via Strachan and the Mill of Cammie, apart from Chris who took a short cut (?) over by the monument and down to Potarch.

A good outing, and well done to Jeff for finding some new routes to try."

Jeff's Strava stats show the distance covered was 37 kms with 417 m of climbing. Here's the team photo - minus match reporter and photographer Bob:

l-r: Jeff Dickens, Chris Low, John Larkins and Ian Sharp

There was a little confusion over Monday's ride - Hugh, as debutant, was commandeered to prepare the blog report, but wasn't quite sure how to go about it - or was he? I have it on good authority that Hugh, who has "previous" from his days on the squash court and the golf course, created some kind of record by managing to have a fall in the first two metres of his first ever Freewheelers ride. Hugh did eventually send this mini-report/apology:

"Sorry forgot and as didn't know distribution list didn't think Rob serious for my first blog

Missed the one of Dick falling off too down the river bank whilst trying some technically difficult footpath 

No damage though only pride

PS my second fall due to chain coming off and just stopped 

Oops, can only get better"

Rob also reported:

"Hugh's natty lock-in shoes can be blamed for two of them; the first when he fell off just 2 metres, literally, into the start of the ride, a world record! The second when he fell off going 'slowly' up a hill!



I also had a very loud blow-out coming along the Deeside Way, which necessitated re-patriation in the technical back-up car. I'm glad it didn't happen on the high speed descent to Park Bridge from Woodlands of Durris!"

Les, too, recently took a tumble but they all still lie behind record faller Archie, who came off his bike three rides in a row.  I fear, however, that it won't be long before we have a new leader in the Freewheelers Falls stakes.