It was the club’s Boxing Day run which coincides with my Birthday. The official run was called off after a stormy few days and overnight freeze.
A good number still turned up though. The route was hastily revised though to go out by main roads.
Coming back though was almost ideal but given the forecasted start I had put 4 layers on (base, Jersey, jacket and gilet) and on the climb up Saline Hill I recorded my 4th highest HR of the year (97% of Max HR). On a hot day that would have tipped me over the edge but today my RPE was just below it.
It was supposed to be a recovery ride (Totten Key) but TBH it was a little too cold for that especially with my poor circulation and I rode most of it at a tempo HR but even then it was a bit too cold on the final descent. I should have done the ride anti clockwise so I would have had a little climb to town. Lol, it took a while before my hands felt dextrous enough to wipe the chain down.
Similar to the other day, I went along the coast through Toryburn , Valleyfield and Culross (the fictional Cranesmuir, Welcome to Fife : Outlander filming locations in Fife) to Kincardine and over the border into Bandit County (Clackmannanshire) but given it was a nice day I went a little further to Tulibody near the Stirlingshire border and Wallace Monument before coming back over Saline Hill.
Another snow storm brought us 10cm/4in fresh snow overnight, so many routes were too soft for my narrow 2.25 tyres today. Managed to find 90 minutes worth of rideable bike path, though. Temperature was only 4 to 5 degrees C below zero, but the 20 kmh wind made it feel much colder.
Lol, I hadn’t done the Sunday Club Ride for a while and when asked about the road’s, assuming they’d go along the coast, I replied they’d be fine, it hadn’t frozen overnight. I’d forgotten the route went straight over Knockhill. When we stopped at Redcraigs, it had dropped to just below freezing and my suggestion we didnt go down the north side was immediately accepted and we descended into Saline and to the https://www.muircot-farmshop.co.uk/ just outside Coalsnaughton. The Cafe has a great view of the Ochil Hills
After the cafe as forecasted the temperature had risen to 3-5deg but vary of their previous sights of ice, it was decided to comeback via Kennet and the coast to the Cairneyhill roundabout where we took a group shot before parting ways.
