In little over 90 days, it will be no good complaining about the short days and cold weather when the Posse Ecosse are faced with 800km and 49000 ft of undulations!
After an expedition to Glasgow yesterday to experience the festive season, Bigman was keen to return to the saddle.
A quick text to the posse to check availability last night brought a mixed response. The Fit One was going Christmas shopping. The Ironman is falling to bits!
With his groin strain from last week still in recovery, his back returning to its normal twist degree, he now has an infection in his chest and on painkillers. The heart said 'get on out there' and the head said otherwise. After an appropriate amount of consideration he decided the most sensible thing was to focus on recovery or to put it another 'he is a man of a certain age'.
And so Bigman was solo posse member as he headed out in the bleak midwinter scene. It could have been a pleasant winter scene and that was the aspiration. On the Col du Cleish the scene was a little different.
Icy, snow covered road with blizzard conditions on the summit meant the Christmas Card scene envisaged was anything but. Even the riderless horses were asking why any nutcase on a bike would come out in this weather.
And the reason, is the peacefulness you experience on a crisp winters afternoon. In the shelter of the trees, there is an eerie silence as the nobbly tyres of the bike crunch through the fresh snow.It also provides an opportunity for balance development as the ice under the snow seeks to dismount you in some sort of rodeo style antics. Concentration is key.
Several cars had previously attempted the climb and found themselves in the ditch with the side of the verge impossible to distinguish from the single track road.
At one point a Landrover pulled into a passing place to let The Bigman pass. As he tried to move back to the road he was well and truly stuck in the ditch. Bigman wrapped a chain around the Trek 6500 and with the nobblies digging deep into the snow and a low gear selected ,the muscles built in the Alps in the summer slowly, inch by inch, cranked the pedals and the Landrover was freed.
It was indeed a relief to return to the black surface of the main road and blast down to Dunfermline. At the Museum Bus Sprint, Bigman stayed ahead of his Shadow as he pushed for the line.
Having kept his feet out of the cleats whilst riding the snow and ice, the cleats had now frozen up and refused to allow his feet to clip in.
Scotland is a brilliant country in which to cycle. All the variety of scenery and seasons make it a joy to be part of the Ecosse Posse.
No comments:
Post a Comment