#audux

When riding early in the morning, I particularly enjoy the approving nods of curmudgeonly old men walking their matted old dogs. At 7:00 in the morning they see a healthy young man indulging in a worthy past time. However, past 10:30 and their disproving glances see me for the slacker (post) art student that I really am.

After the fierce climb up Kinnoul Hill and the bib-filling descent to Glencarse, I thoroughly enjoyed the 20km~ of flat riding through wheat fields that skirt the increasingly wide Tay estuary. Arriving in Dundee, I demolished a smoothie, crossed the Tay Bridge and was in Tentsmuir within an hour. I elected to deviate from my planned route and take the more circuitous track that skirted the coastal fringe of the forest. The riding was absolutely superb on a just-ironically-gravel-enough surface which encouraged reckless bunnyhops over potholes and sweet sandy skids. The forest on the whole really reminded me of Culbin Forest and I could see myself enjoying a longer day there.

Leaving the forest, I began heading West through the heart of Fife. The rolling hills on the 'high' plateau in the centre of Fife were absolutely stunning and I was left surprised by quite how lovely the whole place was.

A particular highlight was the Dura Den. This tight, sandstone walled gorge has been shut to cars for a number of years now after some pretty intense flooding left the road mostly missing. See some slightly grim snaps here. Speeding past the inexplicably depressing Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, I joined the Fife Coastal path which took me the whole way to the bridge. The path is wholly rideable on a cross bike with a very well maintained surface, but there are a few sets of steps which require dramatic portage, much to the bemusement of onlookers.

Arriving in the Tesco on the south side of the bridge I was desperate for some cheap hot food. Never before have I been happier to eat a dehydrated, flaky macaroni pie. It was just salty enough and satisfied my instinctual Scottish need for trans-fats. In the past I've made the mistake of relying on calorie rich but sweet foods like Nakd Bars and Danish pastries. Although fine for shorter rides, I've found the emotional value of sitting down and eating something hot on a longer ride far outweighs the inevitably weird feeling stomach. The ride through to Glasgow was something like my sixth time on the NCN 75. People slag this route off as it passes through some really depressing places and can be pretty indirect at times, but it's a really well paved, traffic free route with the occasional tight corner which you can get totally rowdy on. It always gets the thumbs up from me.

Leaving the Monkland Canal to join the A8 into Glasgow, I arrived at Gregor's for around 10pm with 250km~ under my belt. Feeling very good, Gregor plied coffee and pasta onto me and I was back out the door for 10:45. Things started going wrong as I entered Kelvingrove park which has no fucking lights. I hate to sound like the country boy that's gone to the big city, but there's something really disconcerting about pitch-black parks with loads of criss crossing paths and bushes. My fears were to prove well founded as I approached the Western exit of the Kelvin path at Ford Road. As I sped along the path, my headtorch caught a glimmer of blue up ahead. I disregarded this until a couple who were vigorously exchanging tubeless sealant came into the full, glaring view of my torch. This sort of thing is to be expected in such a place at such a time, but it would have made me feel way less uncomfortable if they'd like, stopped.

A mere 20 seconds later, I discovered the path along the rest of the Kelvin to the Maryhill locks was shut. I promptly got lost, found what I thought was the Forth and Clyde canal, took a wrong turn and ended up back in the centre of Glasgow 20 minutes and a whole lot of scary Maryhill later.

With the prospect of a 2/3:00am finish looking likely, I decided it best to call it a day and get the train home to Dunblane. I'm not particularly gutted as this was still hands down the best ride I've ever been on and at 262km, is also the longest.