[47p2]

Been getting some longer journeys in in preparation for the 100+ miles I'm doing soon. Last weekend I left home and cycled to Torrance, Lennoxtown, Crow Road over the Campsie Hills to Fintry, Kippen then onto Stirling where I met up with a mate for lunch, then home via Denny, Kilsyth, Kirkintilloch, Springburn and back to Glasgow. A total of 74.56 miles and elevation gain of 4114.

Today I decided that I needed to MTFU and do a real route so cycled out to Kilsyth and took a left onto the famous Tak-Ma-Doon Road, a brute of a climb out of Kilsyth heading towards Fintry. Once over the top and rattling down the other side at around 38mph and in the distance I saw what I thought was some water at the bottom where the road starts on the incline again.

Do I need to slow down? (I'm doing 38mph and don't want to)
It's only some runoff from the fields, I'll keep the speed up and get up the other side a darned sight quicker and easier
Sheet...that doesn't look quite right maybe I should be applying the braaaaaakkkkeeeesss

I decided at the last minute to slam on the anchors as something looked wrong with this water crossing the road, just as well as it was a ford made up with all sorts of cobbles and stones and was so uneven and sippery I almost went on my neck walking over it. I can just imagine the damage that would have caused if I had hit it at 40+mph

Just short of reaching Fintry I turned left and headed over the Campsie Hills towards Glasgow again, by now I was cycling in the clouds and getting rather wet. A stop at Big Al's at Wheelcraft for a coffee and a quick visit at my mother-in-laws at Milngavie then back to the house via the city centre. Shame it started pouring down when I reached the Clydeside and by the time I made it home I was a little soggy.

Today's total was 56.2 miles with an elevation gain of 3743 feet