Galston loop

Infra red image of Loudoun Kirk

Still quite warm today, so I thought the coolest activity would be a bike ride, taking a few photos on route.
For some time I've fancied getting a pinhole photo of Laigh Kirk in Kilmarnock my old hometown so I thought starting the cycle run from Dean Park would give me a chance to get the picture I fancied.
There is a nice loop for the mountain bike out to Galston and back via Hurlford, not too long and with some photo opportunities on the way, that's where we headed after my photo stop at Laigh Kirk and a bit of mid morning coffee.
It was a delightful cycle run just right for the weather and for length, loved it.

View some photos below

Goldenberry and Fairlie moor

Video above of yesterdays short MTB outing between the showers and evening rain.

Today Anne and I had a walk up into the quarry on Kaim hill to admire the views and PM I did a bit of a 'training' run over Fairlie moor, surprisingly I found it quite easy, must have been the wind assistance again.

The Falkirk Wheel

The Falkirk Wheel

Anne and I played at tourists yesterday and visited the Falkirk Wheel, not by bike although there were lots of cyclists around, we did it the lazy way by car.
Quite a contraption and a piece of original engineering I did think though it is getting a bit tatty and in need of a bit of TLC. We parted with £7.50 each and took the short gondola trip up to the top through the tunnel and back. The day was clear so we got the best of the views. See some photos below.

Today I managed a day of cycling but in three parts, AM my cycling pal Tom and I had a short cycle on an Eglinton Dalgarven loop. He had visitors coming PM so had to be back sharp.
Then Anne and I had a Hunterston Peninsula circuit starting down the beach track, through Thirdpart and looping to make a very pleasant figure of eight.
The sun was shining, it was cool and clear, just lovely for a cycle.
When we got back I had a little bite to eat and set off on the road bike over Fairlie moor. I've been doing it a few times recently to try and get a bit of fitness back into my legs. I think its working, today felt a lot easier, although that may just have been the wind direction.

Altogether a rather good days cycling.

Gently enjoying the warm weather

Power and sky

Haven't been doing a lot on the bikes recently, an ascent and decent of Kaim hill a while back, a bit of short stuff over Goldenberry hill and a very pleasant loop at Lunderston Bay last week but nothing demanding.
The past few days have been too warm for me to think about the mountain bike but I have been out a few times on the road bike. That way I can keep reasonably cool and still get a good outing.
Yesterday Anne and I put the bikes on the car and went over to Dundonald, parking below the castle. We did a couple of hours along some lovely quiet lanes to Barnweil monument which commemorates the burning by William Wallace of the English garrison billeted in the barns of Ayr.

The past few months I've been taking lots of photographs mainly of the pinhole type. One great thing about pinhole cameras is you can make them youself to your own specification.
I've made myself various pinhole cameras to do all sorts different things and generally had a great time making and using them.
View a recent set below or use the sidebar to see my photo stream on Flickr.

Kaim - dry and sunny

Blue Iris
Frittered the dull morning away making an 'underwater' camera box but the sun finally decided to come out and so did I, over to the downhill route on Kaim hill. I thought I'd give it a go before the forecast rain turns it to mud.
I was hard work though, the grass is growing making it quite tough, enjoyed it just the same and the downhill was wonderful. See a short video here.




Later PM went off down to Portencross to do some 'underwater' photos in the pools where there is lots of light hoping to get half below and half above, worked out OK for a first try. View the photos below.

Dunoon and Glen Massan

Ben More house (outdoor centre)

'Tis my birthday today Katy and Graig let the old codger take them mountain biking across at Dunoon. Originally we were going to do the Loch Eck circuit but somewhere along the way a time constraint got in the way so instead we did the Glen Massan route over the new forest track which ain't shown on the maps, but can be seen on Google earth.
We stopped off twice at Ben More Gardens cafe although its a little detour/repeat on the way back.
I had a nice birthday outing and the youngsters learned a little about the joys of Dunoon mountain biking.

Video here.

Rob - I have published a route for Dailly on my web site although its in a bit of a mess just now due to Yahoo suspending their free geocities sites. The route can be linked in with the windfarm from Girvan or the Dailly Barr road, could be done from Straiton if you fancy and epic day.

Bright & breezy by the River Ayr

Barkimming cottage
Graham phoned looking for a bit of MTBing today with hopefully a visit to Carrick Cycles in Ayr along the way so I figured it'd be good doing a not so little route from Fularton to Ayr and then to Barskimming returning on a similar but shorter trail. Its an extension of this route, by adding on this route giving a total distance, according to grahams GPS, of 34miles.
It was... ideal... lovely... glorious... perfect, just what I needed to get my head out of photo stuff and back into good old mountain biking.

I'll just go into my Yahoo videos and see if I've got something from that route, I'm sure I will..........5 minute search.......yes here's something but it ain't summer.

Yahoo are closing down geocities free web space so my MTB site will be no more unless I decide to pay up, they've done this sort of thing before with their free stuff and messed me about so I don't feel inclined to pay them money even though its the easy option, but mustn't say never, Amen.