A sunny day at last, and lots of miles too. After crossing the Erskine Bridge, I followed the cycle path. It was nice, but as it wound carefully through quiet residential streets, I couldn’t help but feel it was a fairly slow way to get along. Great for a weekend stroll, mildly frustrating during a LEJOG ride. Still, as advertised, it did get me up to Balloch.
I then struggled to find the start of the next cyclepath to avoid via A82. Couldn’t find it. Ended up doing the first few miles on the road, turning off at some holiday place, duck world or something like that. Passing a hotel and a wedding, i found myself at the lochside, but no path to cycle on. As i retraced my steps, checking all other possible routes, I realised that the cycle path was literally just the pavement by the side of the A82! I wasn’t very impressed! Still, better than being actually on the road. The path improved a bit later on, using parts of the old lochside A82 tarmac. Still, it took a long time to do the 15 miles up to Tarbet.
Wierdest moment of the day came after heading west for 2 miles to the hotel in Arrochar. I came to the junction and met . . . the sea! Well, a sea loch anyway. An unmistakable smell of salt water, after a day spent next to a fresh water loch. Really striking.
Tomorrow is, in the Rumsfeld ontology, a known unknown. Rannoch Moor, Glencoe and Fort William. Never done it on a bike before though!
Day: May 22, 2009
Sustrans FTW
Woo, cycle paths all the rest of the way it seems. 🙂
Erskine Bridge
Hard to find a pretty view of the Erskine Bridge! This was my best shot. Sure beats swimming across the Clyde though.
Howwood
Awesome wood table outside the Howwood Inn. The big 30mph run down the hill into town was fun too. The sudden and massive ruts and piles of gravel on the road just as you reach town at 30mph were less fun! I’ve been suprised how many times i’ve had to call on glentress skills on this trip (ie. That chopped up right hander on spooky wood where everyone brakes was a dead ringer for the entrance to Howwood).
Next i have to find a place called Houston. Hopefully, there will be no problems to report from there.
Ayrshire
North of Dunlop. The sun is out, the wind is behind me, I’m well fed and heading for Loch Lomond. A pretty fine cycling day, I think.