September week 1

The first full week of September brought 3 group rides, the first of which last Monday is reported on by Chris:

"The group of non-golfers gathered for Monday afternoon’s ride included Rufus, Bob, John P, Jeff, Mike and Chris. Bob had checked the forecast and told us that since the BBC were guaranteeing no rain that afternoon he had turned up with no waterproof even though dark clouds were gathering overhead. Since Chris needed to be back for 4pm, and Jeff also needed to get back early, a request was made to “go west” to enable either or both to peel off at some point. After the usual route discussions we set off through Burnett park and along the old railway line to a few mumbles of complaint from the back (Mike!) about the bumpy terrain. Things improved after reaching the tarmac by Brathens but the going later deteriorated on the stony stretch up to Easter Beltie. Platform 22 was the destination for coffee and scones and certainly didn’t disappoint in the quality of their offering.

For the return trip the group split into 2 at the junction to Craiglash on the Torphins to Kinker road. Jeff and John decided to take the longer route via the Potarch and Shooting Greens whilst Chris, Mike, Rufus and Bob opted for the shorter route home down the hill past the quarry and via Inchmarlo Home Farm. 

The BBC forecast proved to be accurate so everyone was happy to get home dry.

My Strava measured 28km and 256m of climb so a gentle start to the week but Jeff and John managed 35km and 400m climb via Potarch."

Mike Reilly, Rufus de Silva, Bob Elder, John Perry, Jeff Dickens & Chris Low

Three of us who were golfing at Boat of Garten on Monday - Les, Hugh and I - and couldn't make the above cycle decided to go out on Tuesday instead - and we were joined by Johns McWhinnie and Morton on a gloriously warm, sunny morning. As with the Monday Freewheelers, we headed for Torphins for what was alliteratively billed as the Tuesday Ten o'clock Torphins Trundle.

Emma was a little surprised to see a group of Freewheelers for the second day in a row, but, as ever, the service and the goodies were excellent:

Les Gray, Ian Stewart, John Morton, Hugh Riches & John McWhinnie

There has been no report, attendance list or photos from Thursday's Freewheelers' ride, but I've been able to deduce from Strava that John Perry, Jeff Dickens, Les Gray and Iain Wright were on the ride to Finzean and I understand that Ian Sharp, Ken Page, Hugh Riches, Scott Hunter, Robin Brodie and newbie Justin Greenwood were also present - making a party size of 10. If anyone else was there, please let me know - I would hate for anyone to miss out on a vital attendance point. Conversely, I hope I haven't over-credited anyone who wasn't really there?

That was officially Freewheelers' group ride number 97 on this year's database, so we may hit the century mark this week. Justin Greenwood became the 35th person to register a group ride this year.

Of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg - Strava tells me that 16 Freewheelers have been on as many as 364 solo/overseas rides this year - Mike Reilly having completed 107 of them - and I'm sure there are many other such rides from non-Strava users. Cycling really has become a national epidemic.