Easy Sunday Cycling

This week is just a simple old fashioned cycling post, with a little attempt at new ideas. I got on the Surly Long Haul Trucker on Sunday morning and set off for an easy pedal.

There was a cold north westerly blowing but there is a spring like warmth in the sun when I found a sheltered place to stop.

More hints of spring as the fields are ploughed for what will eventually be the summer harvest.

The new idea this week is cold brewed coffee. I've been working on this for the last month or so. Basically, I made up a cafetiere with decent ground coffee and cold water, then left it for eleven hours. In the morning I pressed it, then poured it into a flask and took it with me on the bike.

On the old road to the Cannongate by Spott, there is a little bench which was the ideal place to stop and drum up. Once I was out of the wind I soon warmed up and sat back in the spring sunshine and fired up my very well worn Coleman stove.  I was given it as a gift about eighteen years ago and I was certainly not grateful enough at the time. I can't count how many hot drinks, meals and comfort, this wee stove has provided over the years. As for the coffee, I'm not totally sold on cold brewed. It seems a little sweeter to me, and I prefer my coffee very black and bitter. I'll keep trying different brews.

 Badger midden for those who are interested.

 At the bridge at I stopped to try to get a picture of a Dipper. I've seen the bird feeding here for years but normally only catch a flash of white from the birds chest as it disappears, but today I was willing to sit quietly in the sun and wait.

It's still not a great pic; it was at the full extent of the zoom. But I'm pleased to have captured it and it was good for the soul to sit quietly awaiting the chance of a pic. An easy Sunday morning.

Mid Week Cycle 10 July

After the big miles of the last couple of weekends I went for a shorter cycle this evening. Out around town and then up hill to Spott. It has also been a bit cooler today which was a relief after a sweltering couple of days at work.

The hills on this route aren't too hard, but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself climbing strongly with a reasonable heart rate. The hours on the bike certainly seem to be making a difference to my overall fitness.

Lovely empty roads in the evening sun.

All around the hedges were full of finches, while above was the trilling of skylarks.

Then after all the climbing there is the pleasure of the fast descent home.

Mid Week Cycle 1 August

As soon as I got home from work the rain started. I'm getting used to it this summer. There was a clear spell around 18:30 so I grabbed the chance and got out on the old Falcon.

With the weather being so changeable I didn't want to go too far so went for hills instead. Out around Dunbar then the climb up past Bowerhouse and on up to Little Spott. The sun was shining between the clouds and the fields are finally starting to turn golden.

Daniel's Brae was a fast drop down through the tunnel of dripping trees and on through the thankfully shallow ford. 

No point in trying 1980's caliper brakes after they've been in the water. We all know what the result will be.

The climb back up to Spott passes this memorial. There was a lot of witch burning in the Dunbar Parish during the 17th Centuary.  James VI suspected  plots by the Bothwells to usurp the crown. This was probably true but rather than trying to prove treasonous behaviour he had various poor souls accused of witchcraft. Records suggest that over 100 folks were executed during these dark hysterical times. Mostly probably due to falling out between neighbours.

The last burning of a witch in the south of Scotland was at the site of this stone in 1698. Marion Lillie was known as the Ringwoody Witch (the skinny or boney witch). Apparently she was accused of frightening pregnant women.

I cycled on to the bustling metropolis of Spott. They're not going to win Britain in Bloom with that wee tub.

At last the final descent back home and it didn't rain whilst I was out.

Only 9 miles but I had to work a bit harder than normal. 18 degrees, cloudy F2 Southerly.