• Majorca 2010 and all that ash!

There was only the three of us this year Brian Sproul, Phil Morris and me Ali.
For the first time we moved up the coast from Alcudia and stayed at The Uyal Hotel located on the sea front in the resort of Puerto de Pollensa. The beach runs all the way along the front of Puerto de Pollensa. The famous ‘Toulas’ Café, If you’re a cyclist, and the town centre are both just a short walk away. And it felt like there was a SPAR supermarket every 100 yards.

Etape Hibernia, County Clare, Ireland. 22.8.10.
1300m climbing over 82 miles.
Cycling on traffic-free roads on the beautiful West Coast of Ireland in County Clare was excellent.

Flight from Edinburgh to Shannon Airport. Friday 20.8.10.
The biggest worry with travel to these events is the bike. You spend the whole time praying please Ryanair take care of my very precious bike, but then you arrive all safe and sound at Shannon Airport.

Carcassonne 2009
Please see some pics in the gallery.

This was an early season trip organised by Steve Donnelly for the Dundee Wheelers. I’d chosen to go along as I couldn’t make the Thistle Majorca trip and was glad I did. Along on the trip was Steve Donnelley, Joe McFagan, Frazer Millar, Brian Wilson, and me Ali Chisholm.

The roads surrounding are excellent cycling, a mix of very rural and tiny villages. And as usual the French are just more patient when they come across cyclists.

In which the author does battle with hills, rain, church bells, hills, midges, sheep, pies, wind and more hills as he rides from Lands End in South West Englandshire to John O Groats in Bonnie Scotland.

The day started with some fine drizzle first thing but this soon lifted to leave a terrific sunny Sunday. And it was a great day which everyone seems to have enjoyed but this will be a fairly brief report as I was dropped by Aylth so missed all the action.

It was one of those events, like all the best ones, that you sign up for without really thinking about what was involved.

A hardy group of thistle riders headed for Wales and the
Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge the toughest sportive EVER!

Four members of our club along with one from the Dundee Wheelers and four others from the Team CMC (Perth) headed for a ten day cycling holiday to Majorca. Basing ourselves in Alcudia here are some of the runs we partook whilst over there.

All present a correct at the clubhouse for a 9am start (except for me who couldn't quite find all my cycling gear in the right place and cursed myself for not doing it the night before, and finding my bike rack wouldn't fit for some unknown reason, luckily everyone waited as I rushed in at 10 past).

In all it was Brian Sproul, Phil Morris, Andrew from Fife (Fifer!!), Billy Warden and Myself. Brian's pickup proved to be a great help again and easily took all our bikes and bags (I think the record is 7 bikes in the pickup and 2 on the towbar).

A sunday run round Schiehallion from loch tummel side stopping at Aberfeldy with profile and map

2005 fort william weekender report to come (With stats provided by phils fancy ciclosport bike brain)