Six of us gathered, but we were all a little uncertain as to whether John McW would also be along - everyone thought he had got his "formers" and "latters" transposed in his e-mail and would join us for a local ride, but after a few minutes waiting, it was clear he wasn't coming.
Les was keen to try the Finzean Farm Shop scones again so we headed off in that direction - past Les' house and out to Bogendreip for the first team photo of the day:
The lesson learned here is to ensure the team is the focal point and not to let autofocus pick some other object - like the bridge wall the camera is propped up on.
I couldn't believe how overgrown the next off-road section of the route was - it was almost impassable in places with the path barely discernible - so different from the last time I'd cycled this way a few weeks ago.
Fruit scones with cream and jam were the order of the day when we got to the Farm Shop at Finzean, after which we tried for another team photo, sitting on the kids' wooden toadstools:
Les, Ian and Dick then led us all upward from there with the intention of going "over the top" and back round Scolty. The rest of us trudged up the hill after them to the first crossroads, by which time both Robin and Scott started muttering about not fancying any further climbing, preferring to head back down the hill to Banchory. Les, Ian and Dick were already out of sight - we called, but no response - so I, too, had little option but to go back with Scott and Robin - probably a wise decision for me anyway.
It was a very pleasant return trip, and still a decent run, with my Strava showing a distance of 38kms (https://www.strava.com/activities/357191443), which was just 1 km less than Les' and Dick's Strava stats at the end of the day - albeit their climb was 500 feet more than ours at 1,700 feet.
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