Distance: 47.5 miles (scroll down for the Strava map)
Less then 48 hours
until the clocks spring forward for the start of Summer Time and I'm
staring out the window, wondering if the snow is sufficiently heavy
for my bike ride to be cancelled. I put the coffee machine on,
decided to wait and see how the weather developed. Half an hour and
two very strong coffees later, I'm on the road, the snow's stopped,
the sun's out but the skies on the horizon are dark and doom-laden.
Nevermind, at least I'm
out. That was probably the hardest part of this ride, breaking that
imaginary barrier, overcoming my meteorological doubts and exiting
the flat. (How much improved as a cyclist would I be had the hours of
weather watching and dithering instead been spent on the bike and
riding?) Anything
can happen now that I'm actually out, on the road and pedaling —
rain, snow, lightning, storm of locusts, zombie invasion — it would only help to embellish the tales I'd tell when safely back in the
flat, returned to staring out the window at the weather.
I headed out through
town, away from the canal, up through Bruntsfield, across the
Meadows, into Holyrood Park and on toward Meadowbank. I was in a
contemplative mood and so paid sufficient attention to realise just
how pretty a city Edinburgh is. In five minutes I was treated to
stunning scenes of the Georgian skyline presided over by the Castle,
the imposing crags of Arthurs Seat, then down the hill passed Parliament
and Palace. I'd have taken some photos but removing my gloves put me
at risk of frostbite and I kept thinking: I see this every day; I'll
take some photos another time.
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| Portie Prom |
Passed Meadowbank with
its stadium and dilapidated Velodrome, I rolled on down toward Portobello (a separate seaside town that's become subsumed by
the city). Rather than battle the traffic through the town I chose to
meander along the prom', dodging joggers and excited dogs, struggling
to resist the aromas of fried food and coffee that leaked from the
many cafés.
