East Calder Saturday ride report

Neil Greer sends in this report about the weekend's run out of East Calder:

After all the bad weather in January the EC Social Group finally managed to gather for the 1st ride of 2010. 5 of us met up at the Sports Centre (myself plus Neil Lovett, Grant Craven, Steve ( a colleague of Grant's ) and new Clarion member Ian Robertson from Mid Calder), After some discussion we decided to join up with Ken Ord and 4 of his work colleagues who were meeting at Hermiston (5 miles East) for their 1st day's training for a team from Sky who are entered into the Etape du Tour. As none of us had done any serious riding for several weeks a "gentle leg spin" was the agreed order for the day...

Shortly after 9 we therefore set off into the mist and headed via the back lanes to Ratho and over the climb towards Wilkieston (1st Puncture for Ian...) then through Newbridge to Wynchburgh where we headed West towards Linlithgow along the TT route. Banter was good, the pace steady and the group stayed together well. Stopped after 22 miles for the "compulsory cake stop" at the Park Bistro at c 10.30.

10 hot chocolates later we decided to head back toward Bridgend then go up Kingscavil; this was the 1st time for me, so took the opportunity to get up a good head of steam on the downhill approach - only to puncture right on the bridge! Was someone trying to tell me something? We then headed West towards the Knock only for Ian to puncture for the second time after just a few miles.....Undeterred and repaired we resumed the approach to the Knock where visibility deteriorated but road surfaces - grit aside - were still safe (if you avoided the potholes, of course...).

After the descent into Bathgate we then headed towards Livingston where, despite all the roundabouts, managed to ride chain-gang style for a few miles, upping the pace. Peeled off towards Pumpherston then at Mid Calder some of the group headed home while the rest either returned to East Calder or Hermiston. All in all about 40 miles at about 14 mph; thoroughly enjoyable, but a "gentle leg spin" over those climbs - don't think so....! "

All our rides information can be found here: www.westlothianclarion.co.uk/clubruns