Why the frog I hear you, say… read on.
The purple clad of the St Chris were out in force round the roads of Argyll at the weekend, participating in the Club’s Sunday run round the 3-ferries. Ten bleary-eyed individuals arrived at the Car Park on the Clyde Coast early and eager to start the day’s adventure. In classic T de F style the first crash of the day occurred early on, in the Car Park. Simon went down hard, seconds after getting out of his car – let’s put it down to sheer exhaustion with the long drive and early start!
The bunch set off up the road to the first ferry, creating a ‘purple haze’ in their wake. Such was the early pace set we got the 9 am ferry over to Dunoon – then the fun began.
The bunch were together setting a good pace up Loch Eck, with only a slight drizzle in their face – I think it was actually the sweat from Colin G’s brow as he tried to hold in the first of his frequent toilet stops (old age catching up). It was not long before the lone-attacks started with Colin M doing his usual breakaways. This was the start of what was to become a game of cat and mouse, with the rest of us acting as the mouse – teasing Colin to chase, an especially interesting game played by Jim.
Just after Strachur, the bunch split, with Dave and Robert heading down Glendaruel to catch the earlier ferry over to Bute – all this so they could get first choice of the extremely large cakes on offer at the café stop (their cunning plan worked).
The bunch split again on the road to Otter Ferry, with the fast pace set by Colin M, whilst weak bladder-boy Colin G’s stops were becoming even more frequent. Eventually, the bunch regrouped just as we started to head back inland over the first and only major climb of the day – up and over the 1,000 feet climb of the Cruach na Tarbh (locally known as road to the frog).
The climb started in the usual manor, Colin M and Simon setting the initial pace, with Mandy and Andy bring up the rear. Andy did the gentlemanly thing, and eventually dropped Mandy as she continued over the climb and into her own fairy tale… In most such tales, the princess kisses the frog, but not our quiet, clean-mouthed Mandy. As a frog lay sunning itself by the side of the road, Mandy hit the poor thing with the ‘Boak’ – yep you heard right.
The bunch was together again, on the way to Colintraive, Jim was now in his element playing cat and mouse again. However, the game was brought to an abrupt end with Colin G heading off with a mile to go.
With the bunch heading over to the café in Bute, the lure of cakes was just too much for some, and the field was split again, chasing down those trying to get some early training for the club’s downhill event.
After the lunch stop, the bunch split with six heading round the Island on a 20 mile run to the ferry and the rest heading back to Rothesay, bow-legged and full bellied. The headwind picked-up on the road from Kingarth to Rothesay and the six were split in to groups of two ‘the sprinter and his lead-out man’. The last sprint of the day came between Andy, Jim, and three wee kids on their BMX’s. Jim feeling brave took them on just as we pulled round Bogany Point; it looked closer than Cav at the finish line. Jim using his head like any good lead-out man (Renshaw came to my mind, but plastic came to theirs) was determined to win. Unfortunately, there was no photo finish… but Jim’s up in court on Friday!
Why the frog I hear you, say… read on.
The purple clad of the St Chris were out in force round the roads of Argyll at the weekend, participating in the Club’s Sunday run round the 3-ferries. Ten bleary-eyed individuals arrived at the Car Park on the Clyde Coast early and eager to start the day’s adventure. In classic T de F style the first crash of the day occurred early on, in the Car Park. Simon went down hard, seconds after getting out of his car – let’s put it down to sheer exhaustion with the long drive and early start!
The bunch set off up the road to the first ferry, creating a ‘purple haze’ in their wake. Such was the early pace set we got the 9 am ferry over to Dunoon – then the fun began.
The bunch were together setting a good pace up Loch Eck, with only a slight drizzle in their face – I think it was actually the sweat from Colin G’s brow as he tried to hold in the first of his frequent toilet stops (old age catching up). It was not long before the lone-attacks started with Colin M doing his usual breakaways. This was the start of what was to become a game of cat and mouse, with the rest of us acting as the mouse – teasing Colin to chase, an especially interesting game played by Jim.
Just after Strachur, the bunch split, with Dave and Robert heading down Glendaruel to catch the earlier ferry over to Bute – all this so they could get first choice of the extremely large cakes on offer at the café stop (their cunning plan worked).
The bunch split again on the road to Otter Ferry, with the fast pace set by Colin M, whilst weak bladder-boy Colin G’s stops were becoming even more frequent. Eventually, the bunch regrouped just as we started to head back inland over the first and only major climb of the day – up and over the 1,000 feet climb of the Cruach na Tarbh (locally known as road to the frog).
The climb started in the usual manor, Colin M and Simon setting the initial pace, with Mandy and Andy bring up the rear. Andy did the gentlemanly thing, and eventually dropped Mandy as she continued over the climb and into her own fairy tale… In most such tales, the princess kisses the frog, but not our quiet, clean-mouthed Mandy. As a frog lay sunning itself by the side of the road, Mandy hit the poor thing with the ‘Boak’ – yep you heard right.
The bunch was together again, on the way to Colintraive, Jim was now in his element playing cat and mouse again. However, the game was brought to an abrupt end with Colin G heading off with a mile to go.
With the bunch heading over to the café in Bute, the lure of cakes was just too much for some, and the field was split again, chasing down those trying to get some early training for the club’s downhill event.
After the lunch stop, the bunch split with six heading round the Island on a 20 mile run to the ferry and the rest heading back to Rothesay, bow-legged and full bellied. The headwind picked-up on the road from Kingarth to Rothesay and the six were split in to groups of two ‘the sprinter and his lead-out man’. The last sprint of the day came between Andy, Jim, and three wee kids on their BMX’s. Jim feeling brave took them on just as we pulled round Bogany Point; it looked closer than Cav at the finish line. Jim using his head like any good lead-out man (Renshaw came to my mind, but plastic came to theirs) was determined to win. Unfortunately, there was no photo finish… but Jim’s up in court on Friday!