Thursday Glentanar

Lots of info for this week's trip to Glentanar. First up was John P with this match report:

"After some hesitation from some members of the Freewheelers about the icy conditions in early April, four intrepid souls (Scott, Ian S, Archie and John P) gathered at the Guide Hut with bike carriers and the prospect of a jolly good bash up Glen Tanar. Bikes were loaded and John had agreed to pick Jeff up from Strachan, so with Archie, set off towards Strachan, whilst Scott and Ian went straight to GT. All arrived, bikes off and we were trail blazing by about 9:40. Under wheel conditions were largely dry and good apart from the odd puddle in a pot hole. It is a fair old slog from the entrance of Glen Tanar all the way to the foot of the path up Mount Keen near the Shiel of Glen Tanar (another bit of geography learnt). A dusting of snow prevailed as we gained height, but nothing to concern us. There was a little hesitation about going the last 500m right to the old lodge at the Shiel, but eventually all set off up the by now deep rutted track. Interestingly, the ruts were deep enough to derail some of us as pedals hit the banks.

Unfortunately, it is pretty much a reciprocal route back, but it is nicely down hill and pretty quick. We turned right at the bridge and looped to Glen Tanar church. Then it happened. A blood curdling scream and groan cam from the pelleton as Archie’s wheels slid from under him and he hit the deck hard and at speed. He was obviously in big pain and and we were worried he had broken a collar bone, but slowly he un-scrambled himself and got upright, determined to ride back to the cars. Jeff made sure he was seeing only one of everything and we gingerly headed off, acutely aware of the distress Archie was in. I am not sure of the final diagnosis, but by the time we had returned Archie to home, he was struggling with a seizing-up body. Our best wishes to him.

As you can gather, coffee was cancelled and there wasn’t a lot of bravado as we headed home, though the Perry’s and Dicken’s did manage a table of four at the Falls of Feugh for lunch with our long-suffering spouses."

The Jeff supplied the following brief narrative, photos and map:

"To add to reporting...

Here's a route map, profile and stats in decimal currency:  28.5km and 535 metres. Absent Strava, may be the best view we have.

Also my pictures from today:

0) Ian saying; "Rob - it wisnae so cold!" as he gets doon tae his wee troos.

1) The boys milling about trying to take a photo....and

2) Mount Keen view"

Then John came in again with the usual route overview:

Finally, Ian supplied the evidence of snow:

Apologies about the sideways photos!