The problem with going off to Aberdeen to talk about cycling and listen to the stories of way more adventurous cyclists than me, is that it then seems a bit feeble to have almost reached the end of February and not even managed my one modest adventuring ambition for the month. But fortunately Back on my Bike & I had a spare* morning before our train home, and we both had bikes, so, although her idea of an adventure is also much more adventurous than mine (frankly, everyone’s idea of an adventure is more adventurous than mine) she humoured me in my suggestion that we do a little routefinding of our own today.
Without an Ordnance Survey map, we chose a route that only we could manage to get lost on – the Deeside way (despite the sign, turning left did not get you to Peterculter…).
That slight hiccup aside, it was all very pleasant, and the weather was kind.
It’s rare to see other modes asked to dismount …
I’m beginning to gain the erroneous impression that it’s always sunny in Aberdeen. Don’t disillusion me.
The only fly in the ointment was that nobody had turned one of the many little stations still dotted along the route into a cafe serving coffee and cake. Honestly, what were they thinking?
Also the end of the path seems to be being turned into the Aberdeen bypass, so we never did reach Peterculter, wherever or whatever Peterculter is. We could have followed the diversion, but by this time the lack of coffee shops was beginning to tell so we headed back for the station where Aberdeen almost passed the ‘can Sally and Suzanne navigate its cycle routes by following the signs’ test – foiled only by the fact that the cycle route to the station meant going through a door into the multi storey car park. I’ve seen all sorts of barriers on cycle routes before, but a door is a new one on me (apart from the lift to the Tay Bridge, I suppose).
You know your coffee is large when it requires both hands to lift it…
After extensively recaffienating (yes, I know, Costa; we would have visited a lovely independent coffee shop had one obligingly presented itself along the way but it didn’t) it was time to get back on the train
And ignore some of the loveliest views from a train window as we caught up with all the things we should have been doing instead of gadding about on our bikes.
So that’s January and February done – just got to find time and pick a route for March…
* As in there were a billion things we could both productively be doing instead but we had examined our schedules and our consciences and decided that as long as we both worked solidly 24 hours a day for the next two months, we could spare a couple of hours to go for a bike ride.
