The Ivor Ride

This is looking towards the Beauly Firth from the event hq this afternoon as across some very soggy fields.
We rode up the southerly bank of the river Beauly to just past the confluence with the Farrar...then back along the North bank.
Over eighty riders took part, about twenty doing the shorter ride like us. We got left behind quite quickly, but we were being followed by  the Broom Wagon..so no worries!!
Further east down the Beauly Firth towards the sea the A9 heads north from Inverness across its mouth over the Kessoch Bridge.

Back home now. Tired after the ride and all the driving....but it was a beautiful ride in the sun and light breeze (for a change!) and raised money for a good cause while remembering a great person.

Inverness

 Our hotel room view

 The town house on high street

 Room view at nightfall

We had a good clear drive up here, just over 200 miles, five hours including a good lunch stop and slow driving through roadworks.
At the highest there was snow from the verges up to the mountain tops, but no snow falling, just a little rain and hail at one point.
Who knows what it will bring overnight! We are on the edge of the yellow warning area for storm Jorge, so hopefully the bike ride will go ahead in the morning.
We are doing the shorter 26 mile ride, not the 44 mile hilly ride.
These are organised in memory of our great friend Ivor Reid...and raise money to help young riders.

Ambush...

The weather is trying to tempt us out, looking all bright and sunny...then roars in with rain and sleet showers.
Pirate is getting frustrated, we need time out on the bike..we have a memorial ride coming up on Sunday starting at Kirkhill just outside Inverness...we are only doing the short ride of 26 miles. We know the route, its just going the reverse way round this year, which should be easier, and there is a nice tailwind forecast for the run in from the far end!
It is in memory of Ivor Reid, a massive loss to Scottish Cycling...a generous person and good track rider over many years. 57 was too young..  The rides raise money to assist young up and coming Scots riders.

Meanwhile we are working on cleaning and tidying the house, doing some decluttering...things that got lost in the rush of going away last November!
It would be easier to do if the weather was kind...but if it was we would be out on our bikes...or doing something with the garden...but even that isn't possible as it is absolutely sodden, despite being at the top of the hill!!

We did get a walk around our village perimeter walk yesterday...it was damping seriously, not quite raining during the hour we were out.
The highlight was seeing a goldcrest....but have you ever tried catching an image of one?!!

Ivor's Ride

One hundred and seventy four riders gathered to ride in honour of Ivor...many others sent apologies for not being able to be there.

We were sent off in groups most taking the hard and hilly 40 mile route.  We opted for the 20 mile easier route and set off in the last group of twenty riders...within two miles I was off the back after the first hill, and Pirate waited for me. We rode up the Beauly river valley for nearly ten miles then across and back down a smaller road on the other bank.
It reminded us very much of the river road by the Whanganui river...just on a slightly smaller scale.

Despite being much hillier roads than I'd normally choose, I actually went a bit faster than usual!

After the ride, there were vats of soup, tea,coffee and cake...and a display of Ivor's medals, race numbers, racing vests and photographs...a mammoth task undertaken by his widow.

We left at 4.30, with a few hours to drive...a good break at Pitlochry  after 100 miles, and the arrival of an invite to stay over with another friend...only another 70 instead of another 130 miles!!

We went to watch and help at a cyclocross on the sunday...one of the Scottish cyclocross series.
These have increased in popularity over the past few years to the extent that over all the races, from the under 12s up to the 60+ groups, and separate womens' race (of about 40 riders) there are regularly between 500 and 600 riders...well over 100 in the main race...

Home before dark,just...tired but glad to have achieved much.