Biking in Scotland

While we were talking to the archeologists they asked what my plans were while Nancy was going to be taking sessions.  I told them my plans were to do some bike riding.  The Cathedral archeologist was an avid biker, so he gave me some advice about biking in Scotland.  He said it is scary on busy roads.  He said lots of people bike, and drivers are not typically angry with bikers, but he said there are no shoulders, and you have to get used to cars squeezing past on narrow roads.  He pointed me to a bike shop he liked, that was in walking distance from our hotel.

The shop did not open first thing, so I woke with Beloved Nancy ate a hearty Scottish breakfast (YUK), kissed her, patted her but off to class, then went back to sleep until the shop opened.  There is something about going back to sleep that is one of my favorite things.  I took the mobile phone so Nancy could call if she needed me and (in theory) I could call the hotel if I needed to leave her a message.

After napping, I walked through the park up to the shop and talked to the clerk about hiring the bike.  My plan was to bike all day.  My back up plan was to bike until I got tired.     

Clarification of Firths - Sea Lochs:

In Scotland they call all lakes lochs, but not all lochs are lakes.  In Scotland you have fresh water Lochs like Loch Ness and Sea Lochs.

In Scotland they call estuaries either Sea Lochs or Firths.  Sometimes you can find seals and dolphins in these bodies of waters but they said you never find sharks.  Yet even though it was 60 degrees and cloudy I did not see anyone swimming in these bodies of water, ... very suspicious.  

• A Sea Loch is an open body of water that connects to the ocean and a river.  Depending on tide it is either flowing inland or out to sea.  
• A Firth is an open body of water that connects to the ocean and a river.  Depending on tide it is either flowing inland or out to sea.  

I asked the clerk at the store if he had any route suggestions and he said Loch Lommand.  I asked him if you could go swimming in Loch Lommand and he looked at me like I was from a foreign country.   I went to an information shop and found a bicycle route map from Glasgow to Lake Lommond.  There was a 25 mile bike path away from traffic that followed the River Clyde trail to a canal trail.  Perfect!!

For those following along at home: Click this google link

Getting to the bike trail I had to ride through the center of town.  Traffic on the left not right, but then you had one way roads, double layer busses, and pedestrians to avoid, piece of cake (never say easy as pie in Scotland because the pies are filled with meat).

While in Glasgow the trail took me past the abandoned industrial sections next to the river.  The path was easy to follow but every once in a while I would get lost.  I owned the trail this day.  After about 5 miles the industrial waste ended and I was now riding on a tree covered canal trail.

There was a pull of to a wildlife sanctuary so I desided to take it.

Bridge over the river Clyde

First thing I saw at this wildlife refuge was the bride over the river Clyde.

I was happy to ride on this river trail as it was a nice change from the tree covered view-less canal trail.  As I rented a mt. bike/hybrid the dirt/mud path was no issue.   After a couple miles the river got wider and I had no option except to get back on the canal trail. 

Example of uniform houses

The canal trail started winding past some residential areas.  The picture I meant to take was of a street of identical white houses each with a car parked out in front.  The symmetry of the street caught my eye but did not translate as well to the camera.

I jumped on the Loch lommand canal trail and started heading north.  This trail took me past a famous fish and chips shop, and past many sports parks.  I stopped for a couple minutes to watch a cricket match.  I linked a utube video in case you have never seen cricket.

I have never seen a cricket match from start to finish.  Then again I have never driven a rail road spike through my head either. 

In Aulstralia I learned about the Cricket world cup.  The match can last 5+ days and still end in a tie.  Indians are typically the best cricketers in the world, but Aulstralians are the best fans.  In Aulstralia to keep from going mad people drink heavy and run naked across the field from time to time.

In this match I witnessed something I had never seen before.  A bowler got a batter out.

I made it to the lake.  There was no great place for changing so I decided to take off my necklace wallet and shirt and go for a swim in my bike shorts.  The water was excellent.  It was clear, brownish fresh water and no one else was swimming to get in my way.  I learned that the brown in the water may be coming from the peat soil.

I had brought my towel so I could dry off and put my shirt back on. 

I saw this church from across the canal and decided to ride home with traffic instead of along the trail.  I figured if I kept going south eventually I would come across the Clyde River trail.  What could go wrong.

I

This is a picture of a cemetery.  Beloved Nancy Davis likes pictures of cemeteries.  I guess I like cemeteries as well, they are typcially very quiet open spaces.

I made it to the end of the Canal Trail and started heading back.  I got to the fish and Chips shop and figured I would get something to eat.  I ordered my food and went for my necklace wallet where I kept my money and my bank card.

OOPS it wan't there.  I had forgotten to put it back on after the swim.  Luckily I am a squirrel so I had enough coins to pay for my meal but no longer had a bank card to take out money.   In the words of Fog Horn-Leg Horn "Luckily I keep my feathers number for just such an emergency".  I have lost my wallet on other vacations so I keep my bank card separate from my credit card and I keep my passport separate from my driving license. 

I had thought about heading back to the Loch Lommand, but It was 12 miles behind me.  Adding 24 miles onto a 50 mile bike ride would have gotten me back to the shop after closing.   Plus I had left my necklace wallet out in the open where everyone but myself couldn't miss it.

The only thing else that happened on the ride home was two kids stopped me to ask for the directions.  All I had to say was "Howdy" and they recognized they were asking an American Idiot for directions.  Then again I was not lost.

Made it back to the shop with an hour to spare and made it back to the room only a couple minutes ahead of Beloved Nancy Davis.  After a day of Archeology conference her brain looked tired.

She looked at me and I said "The good news is I did not lose my passport".  She gave me a semi-frightened what's the bad news face.