Cyclists Ride and Chickens Run

"I have spread my dreams beneath your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." - W.B. Yeats

A trip that started off looking really good, but persistant rain curtailed the ride. A complete opposite to the May Ride, it still provided some interesting experiences..

Morning fine, Rainy Afternoon, and Chickens

Thank you to everyone who turned up on Sunday. It was very nice to see you, and experience off road cycling along the old railway. It was a shame that the rain turned out to more persistant than forecast, so the ride was shorter than usual.

Thanks to the 23 people came along on a morning which promised so much. Saturday had been warm, and Sunday started bright. We headed off to Musselburgh with the aim of heading out to Penicuik. The mood was very cheerful. As we headed eastwards the clouds slowly came in and the wind began to pick up. At Whitecraig, it got considerably cooler, and by the time we got to Dalkeith, spots of rain were appearing.

At the Dalkeith end of the Whitecraig - Dalkeith railway path, there are lots of Lupins, which always brighten the mood. We also had lunch in Dalkeith Country Park, which is a good piece of green space.

While we had lunch, the rain started in earnest, but this didn't deter the chickens who run about the yard, and provided some entertainment before we headed back in to Edinburgh in the rain. We had some shelter from the rain from the picnic table umbrellas. The chickens didn't make use of the barn, perfering to run around the square in the rain.

After lunch, I took the decision to head back in to town as there was sign of the rain was to be more persistant than forecast. This is because no-one really likes riding in the rain. Thanks to Neil for leading us back in to town.

Warm Regards,

Explore, Dream, Discover

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Ride Statistics

Distance:       42.8km (26.6 miles)
Average Speed:  16.3km (10.1 mph) Max 40.5 km/h
Total Climbing: 232m (761ft)
Time on bike:   2 hours 37 minutes
Max. Temp.:     17 deg C (63 deg F)

Interactive Route Map

The map belows shows the route that we took on the June 2008 Spokes Ride.