Year Round Commuter, Cyclist and Adventure Seeker.

The 'Tak Ma Doon' is 1 of my favourite hills to climb, esp from the Kilsyth End - Read this blog for more detail on the Road itself. http://www.owenphilipson.com/blog/2011/03/04/scottish-climb-tak-me-doon-road/ Tak Ma Doon Road A firm favourite, yesterday was my 1st climb this year, icey in patches but a cloudy nippy day in Feb made for some decent views, esp as far as the Forth Road Bridge. Forth Rail Bridge from Summit of the Tak At the Top I bumped into no other than Brian Sutton, amazing who you randomly meet when out and about. Mr Brian Sutton ! Took in a decent of the Crow Road as well another hill know to most around the Glasgow Area - Just outside Lennoxtown. Very cautious decent - Awaiting long Summer nights like this - Another good day, finished with some West End Hills with WCV. Me about to decent the Crow 60.4m / 4,304ft Climbing https://www.strava.com/activities/502213732#kudos Week Total 222.7 miles / 10,669ft

Just around 36 miles north of Glasgow is Loch Katrine. Situated 11 miles north of Aberfoyle, this circular provides a fantastic cycle, where given good weather a 30 mile loop can be taken in starting and finishing in Aberfoyle. Loch Katrine Loop West Coast Velo (WCV) did this route on Tuesday 23rd February 2016, from Glasgow, a 80 mile route starting from the Botanic Gardens. This route is 1 of my favourites as you head north east along the side of the Loch on a private, pretty car free road, and then climb the back of the Dukes Pass, back into Aberfoyle. There is a great place to have lunch called 'The Pier Cafe' at Stronachlachar, right at the end of Loch Katrine, wich was in fact our starting point. Meeting at 10am, 8 of us made our way directly up the A81 to Aberfoyle. This road can be very busy, but with the cold and chance of ice, was advisable to stay to the main road. Quick shop stop, then the 11 Miles to Stronachlachar provides some...

Great going this Week +300 for Feb, not bad. Finished 5/7 days with Tinky James and Sandy for a Wet South Ayrshire Social. Nice coffee stop in Stewarton. - Also found a new strava plug in that gives an indication as where you are YTD compared to 2015. This excites me ! So a bit ahead YTD ! This link for the plug in - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stravistix-for-strava/dhiaggccakkgdfcadnklkbljcgicpckn?hl=en

Today was supposed to be Double Arran - but a fellow cycling buddy texted me to tell me the 7am ferry was cancelled. So I was already in a bad mood. Woke up this morning at 7am. Absolutely pouring down. Weekend off and looked like I was in bother again. I had toyed with idea of a coast to coast as there was quite a westerly wind.  So I got ready. Jumped in car went and parked up in Ayr. Was still torrential.  Sat in car for 15 mins and then there was a brief lull in the rain and thought fuckit I am going to try this.  Headed out of Ayr via Troon over Dundonald Hill and over into Kilmarnock.  I've done the C2C a few times and had an idea of what way to go, but decided just to keep on the A71.  The tail wind was proving quite handy as in no time I was in Stonehouse. Quick break then on the bike again, and the rain kept coming.  Got to Edinburgh at 1pm, having left Ayr just after 8am.  Went down to Leith Docks an...

This year I have set myself a challenge - That's to cover 10,000 + Miles on the Road on my bike, including as many ton's as possible along side the YCC - A strava challenge based on the number of ton rides on it 1 year. My progress has been steady since I took up the bike in 2012. In 2013 we cycled length of Scotland, 2014, I did LEJOG (if you go to May in the archive of that year you will see my blog on it), 2015 it was an end to end of Ireland, and in 2016 - Well here is what we are doing. West Coast Velo, takes up allot of my time, and over the last year, since the meet up group was founded, from the demise of the old GRCM site, the pedals have been frequent, and I appear to be taking people along a journey with me. In April 7 of us are doing a tour of Mull and Skye, which for me will easily be a 500 mile week, the Fred Whitton again, x11 of us on it from WCV (staggering !) - and then the biggy - the North Coast 500. 5days 500 miles for x10 of us, and then not only con...

Got some inspiration from some 1 else today, and think I reignite this 6 year old blog ! Got some exciting events and challenges coming up, and these need documented ! ;) More follows