This is a weather permitting trundle from Glen Isla to Killiecrankio (go on sing it) round the Tenandry loop and back to Escape Routes for a small refreshment. The return will be up the other road to the distillery. Then back to faint into my car.
Kick off at 08:30
No David today Some feeble excuse about working from 05.30 so just Sylvia & Andrew. Sylvia text he was running late but turned up on time. Must have rallied his new car down the glen. No sedate drivingš
Clothing dilemma! Arm warmers on arm warmers off gilet on gilet in back pocket then we could leave.
Sunny rollout and off up necessity brae to get us warmed up. Off out to Dunning and Sylvia claims the 30. Now for Dunning Glen and we climb but still chatting away and not the type of cheat where one of utters a sentence of one word at a time with 100m between the words. We had both forgotten the climb details and the downhill came after a wooded section we had both forgotten. More wild campers.
Now some off heatmap roads for me, then as we near Rumbling Bridge Sylvia talks about the deer in the field I look across don’t spot the 30 and Sylvia edges ahead and claims the prize!!! Ggrrrrrr!,
Our pace is good and we ping along the road to Cleish and Kinross before coffee in Milnathort. Heaven Scent for coffee and nice warm scone while sitting outside. A cycle friendly place with bike racks. Point to note, it’s also in the middle of. Strata segment and gave me an avg speed of 1.5 mph ! Sylvia’s dog even got a treat of a couple of doggie treats from Heaven Scent.
Caught napping again. Milnathort is a 20 zone and Sylvia spies the change to 30 and gets the prize!! gggrrrr!
Glad we hadn’t planned on stopping at Loch Leven Larder as it was mobbed.
Sylvia has been learning from Other David and Despicable behaviour came out on the road to Strathmiglo who thought there were 20’s and also 30’s to be had there. Gggrrrrr.
Now it’s Glentarkie. A great climb. Longer then I had remembered. (A common theme today) onwards and upward to the cottage with great views behind us. The chat has slowed a bit but still not got to the stage of 1 word grunt every 100m. Then its Weeeeee down to Glenfoot.
Now I know I did sneak 1 30 today but a CRAFT moment prevents me remembering where!
I introduced Sylvia to the Wilson Street Burst. I think he’ll be back,
Cracking day of hills rolling pace chat scones more chat sunshine fun and despicable behaviour. All ingredients of a great time.
Now that the bike is fixed I can propose a route.
8.30 Perth Start then following part of the Kinross Sportive Red Route it will be Dunning Yetts O’Muckart Rumbling Bridge, Cleish & Kinross then after a coffee stop diverting home via Strathmiglo Glentarkie Bridge of Earn
Try as I might, to place the Dr Hook Classic of Sylvia’s Mother in Simon’s head as an earworm – I think I failed.
Simon greeted me with the wrong name, he the did the same to David and then Alan too – I then called him Sylvia. Why Sylvia, honestly I have no idea where it came from… starts with an S, he had set the “Plath” we were to follow.
Any way we three set out from Escape Routes and over the appropriately named Bridge Road in Pitlochry. The Bridge goes over the Tay. Then it was up the first of many inclines. Some might say too many inclines. We skirted along past Fonab and joined the road to the south of the Tummel River. I had done this road before, admittedly in the other direction, so i had a fair idea what was coming. We saw many many wild campers – too many? Probably. And probably less wild. More, domesticated, with their dome tents and BBQs. We did ask one camper if the breakfast was for us… they looked blankly back. The mood was good, and the pace surprising.
Oh what fresh hell is this, a ramp, not just any ramp, a gradually increasing one. You know the type, it sucks all your momentum away, and then presents the biggie (probably not much more than 15%) big enough for gears to get crunched and ground. Yes I went super granny.Ā Super granny is the smallest ring on the front to the one with the most teeth (unlike grannies) on the back.Ā Its a wake up call for what is ahead.
Lick
8 miles in I allow myself a wee celebration. Ton up for the week. We are in the general area called Foss now. The road just undulates, but it is really climbing. Before we hit the climb most feared, Sylvia, announces we had already done 300m of climbing.
At the junction with the Schiehallion road there is a teeny tiny brown sign, with an arrow and a picture of a bike… its down the way, I try to persuade Sylvia that is the way to go… to no avail. We start to climb, it is relentless, it is not overly steep. Yes, it has steeper sections and flatter too. We keep going.Ā I am not in super-granny, which is strange, maybe I have been going to the “easiest” gear too soon all this time.Ā Anyway, “just round the next corner”… aye right!… “next corner” gets called a fair few times.Ā Then into view comes the appropriately named “viewpoint”. We stop and regroup… read the lime-kiln stuff. Seriously, who in their right mind puts a lime-kiln at the top of a hill.
We are heading down, down towards Loch Rannoch.
The wind is in our faces, it actually feels cold on this slightly overcast Summers day. Its not all down hill you know! Again i have done this road in the opposite direction, it looks nothing like I remember – maybe its the lack of trees.Ā Descending now at pace, and using my fair share of the road, I have a little half crown tanner moment, as a Golf coming the other way is using its fair share of the road. (if this was a venn diagram, the overlap would not leave much outside). NO worries, we both move, carry on our way.
Some might call it Karma(n), i call it another Golf, who shot past at speed and quite close – Golf Telepathy? … Nah, just a poor driver in a hurry.Ā The descent to Rannoch is on at full speed NiatnuoM eht fo gniK Etape Cally the other way. Its the sort of descent you just live for.
Grinning like idiots all the way in to Rannoch now.
We stop for a warming drink and a scone or Borders tart or both at The Riverview Cafe in Kinloch Rannoch. we chat idly to some other cyclist who likeĀ us arrived just as the cafe was opening.
Fed and watered we headed out towards Tummel, Passing a couple on mountain bikes. The Calvine/Trinafour turn off comes and we go up there. Now, in my head we are going to Calvine BA etc. In Sylvia’s head we are only going up to come down the other road to Tummel Bridge. We follow Sylvia’s route. Getting to the bottom of the hill we again meet the same couple that had left Kinloch Rannoch ahead of us. They are going for Lunch at StrathTummel Inn.Ā We are on a bit of a mission now, Queens View is the target.
Stopping short of QV, as David has a pseudo mechanical, well its sort of a mechanical, but its intermittent.Ā Bike checked over and given the thumbs up, we set off.
Sylvia has put the suggestionĀ of Tenandry as an added loop to make up the miles. No, just no. I have done this road before, not doing it again.
Back in Pitlochry, we stop again at Escape Route for some welcome sustenance before heading home.
In writing this wee synopsis of today’s run, I have ignored the 30’s (Sylvia got them all with no skulduggery) and the chatter we have like the substitution of Foss into strained phraises… where did that even come from! Delirious perhaps?
Where to this week that wont have headwinds and heavy rain like last week?
How about 8.30 Ferry Road Car Park Pitlochry then Trinafour, Tummel Bridge, B846 (Foss Road?) Weem, & Logierait.
Coffee may be ER at the end unless there is anywhere suitable en route!
Cycling is like going out for the evening, just what to wear. Chamois padded ā definitely, but what length legā¦ Long, mid calf, mid thigh or Tri? It was a shorts day. Top halfā¦ Boil in the bag, long sleeve, short sleeve or some other kind of top? I opted for full on boil in the bag, the others didnāt.
We rolled out on to the roads, and were struck by the bloody head wind. The wind never really abated. The approach to the Methven 30s, the rain was blowing through. Simon was winding up for the first 30 of the day āRIGHTā We turn off less than 50m from the line. Stopping under a tree for David to sort out his wardrobe.
We ride on, it is uneventful through Glenalmond and Buchanty. In to the Sma Glen now and Simon has a call of nature. It’s down hill (apparently) so David and I keep going. It is also further to Gilmerton than I remember. I am enjoying the down hill, although it is into the wind. I had assumed David was right behind me. I glance round, nobodyā¦ Oh well, I press on. At the Gilmerton 30s I cross first with the now relieved Simon half a bike length behindā¦Thwarted!
We are approaching Crieff now, and the murmuring of Red Squirrel Cafe can be heard. Then CAR, I press the pedals a bit harder as does Simon.. We are on a 30s approachā¦ I hear David sniggerā¦ I sit up. Simon takes the flag.
The Red Squirrel Cafe is closed.
Out of Crieff now on the South Crieff Road, it rolls gently but determinedly in to the wind. We saw a runner or two, one of whom distracted us from the headwind. Approaching the Comrie 30s, I thought the other two were asleep or more likely still distractedā¦ A gave a wee burst and claimed my second (and last) 30 for the day.
Refreshments had in Comrie, the wardrobe master has another change. But as we start from Hansen’s KItchen and out on to the Cultybraggan Road the rain starts. David, being the master of the quick change stops, I roll on and spy the national speed limit signs. I keep going, then decide (honest) that we are putting too much distance between the group members. I just go through the limits and do a u-turn. 30 claimed, Simon is spitting feathers, he planned this move too.
We are heading for Braco, it is properly raining and blowing a hoolie. It climbs quite steadily for miles. It feels a lot further in the rain and the head/cross wind.
On the descent, there are a couple of sharpish corners. I swear a bit as I ride the gravel road edge to get round. David has hung back to judge the corner better that Simon and I.
The wind feels like it is still against us.
On the run into Gleneagles now, the road widens and there are streetlamps in the woods.. Simon is stretching out in front. I realise what he is up to, and donāt care. The odd thing here is the town limit is so far in, despite the street lights.
Auchterarder comes and goes, and the climb out of Kinkell Bridge is as bad as I remember from probably a decade before. Going through St Davids now and finally, itās not raining, David requests a stop for another costume change. The rain starts, we don’t stop. On the Tibbermore Road now, and the wind is finally FINALLY on our backs. It is a breeze to Perth.
You would think that that would be the endā¦ But no. Not one dipstick, but two between B&Q and the wee roundabout that goes to West Mains.
Back at the cars. The mood is good – humour has returned. Simon has some tech issues that David is going to sort. I leave for home.
Strava’s loaded, I literally went the extra mile…who knew!
Anyone for a pedal? Yes it looks very similar to last weeks post but there are differences.
Still got lurgy & blooming arthritis giving left foot issues but what the heck what are drugs for. (Thats me got my excuses in early for lack of whatever on the day). So thinking of Glenalmond Crieff Comrie, Braco, Gleneagles Auchterarder. Then either Kinkell Bridge or Dunning. Plenty of 30’s š
8.30 Perth Start. If not sure where exactly then text me
Despicable behaviour encouraged!
Coffee Stop suggestions – Red Squirrel Crieff, Braco Coffee Braco, or Hansen Kitchen Comrie
