Polmont to where?

Does every adventure start from the Minuit you leave home?
                                  By the time I had breakfast sorted the house and garden for leaving it for three weeks completed packing made last minuet emails text social media then had brunch it was after one PM, getting my mate Bryan to take a pic of me and setting off it was nearly 13:30! I peddled away up the street and was out at the petrol station at the end of my small town when I decided nope the tyres defo needed more pressure in them, with the weight of me and the baggage it became very obvious I had not checked the air pressure the portable hand pump doesn’t cut the mustard when your looking for sixty PSI, first setback back to the house and get the big pump out yep the tyres were way to low schoolboy error averted or perhaps the error was that it wasn’t checked sooner. (note to self) check list to be made before the next adventure 

                This time I was off but which way? The final destinations were known westhill Aberdeen then flight to Shetland, I had three days to get to Aberdeen, leaving from Falkirk area meant I could go forth road brig Kincardine bridge or Clackmannan bridge heading toward Dundee, having already done the coast and castles north route via the coast over forth road brig and up the coastline through Kirkcaldy etc  all the way to Leuchars. Ruled that out for me I am always looking for new boxes to tick, it was a consideration to head over Clackmannan to crook of Devon route to Kinross with hindsight this would possibly have been the fastest and easiest, I opted to go Kincardine then attempt to go through Devilla forest and pick up the Alloa to Dunfermline cycle path trying to stay away from cars as much as possible was my thinking,

                This first section wasn’t on my map and that forest was an absolute maze of trails of all sorts sometimes forest floor sometimes gravel land rover thee was even a sandy section. There was plenty steep ups and downs (mostly ups) the fully loaded daunder at the back and zero weight at the front meant the stearing felt uncontrollable at times the path was deciding where the wheels could go the back end also swung at times I could feel it and a rubbing noise that was annoying me which turned out to be the mudguard stays, on one bumpy down section I heard a clunk then felt a rub? It was my new panniers the bolts holding it to the back wheel spindle had both worked loose and it had dropped onto the mudguard SHIT, I had to prop it up against a tree remove everything the screws were lost after a bit of head scratching I had a revelation the new tribars had lots of bolts of differing sizes I stripped one down and used its bolts to re`secure the pannier rack get loaded and head off again, down to one tribar which I would plan trying to use like a narwhal when I got a chance

                It was a sore uphill slog on trail next so bad I got off to push mostly because of zero weight at front meant the pressure on the peddles raised the front wheel sometimes and stearing became crap I was basically wasting energy consistently on the hill of that type, although I’m unsure if pushing didn’t waste just as much again due to poor weight distribution,

                 The next issue was left foot cleat had stuck my boot to the peddle twist as I might it didn’t want to come of? what made it stick on? On inspection one of the screws of the cleat had worked itself right out now missing one and the cleat was able to swing around as I tried to unclip my foot! I’m not blaming the forest trail as it was really good it was probably just exactly what I was looking for to test my new equipment, so far some of which was failing well probably more likely my mechanical skills, but this is how you learn 

             

   The forest was great but I was glad to see the pleasant easy level surfaced cycle path once out the forest, which I followed all the way to Dunfermline stopping a few times to suss out potential new routes on my regular round the bridges cycles, and also adjust the mudguards a few times! Dunfermline was on my map but I feel sure I could have found a better way out of town, I ended up heading up a decent cycle path to a town called kingseat, half way up this hill poor gear choice let to a bike stall due to the cleat clipping itself in on a downstroke I couldn’t get it back out due to missing bolt and bosch down I went! Only thing damaged was my pride the weather was fantastic and I stopped to take in the view, the cycle path died in kingseat, and it was all country road, into Kelty with an exhilarating down hill out of town I had spotted a chip shop open yah beauty brakes on, lockdown must be easing the staff did have face visors on and I had to put my money and collect my change from a tub handled with prongs and gloved fingers but I got fish and chips. I try to follow a plant-based diet but couldn’t resist fish and chips here, I put them on the back rack secured by a bungee and cycled out of town to find a beauty spot to eat them 

                The beauty spot was in the woods below a hill with decent views the fish and chips were good all the faffing around with panniers etc had cost time along with the late set off meant it was after six PM soon I would need to think of where to stop, I had stupidly paused my Garmin watch while eating and worse forgot to restart it when I set off so according to Strava and Garmin that’s where my days ride finished at 28.5 miles which it wasn’t I rode on for at least another two and a half hours possibly three but this again was mostly trail so not that great distance just pleasant traffic free cycling through a nature reserve 

                I had cycled along the shore of loch leven which was a wonderful cycle all over the north side and I am not sure if I should print this but I found a sneaky spot to pitch my bivvy once unpacked and the campsite for the night was set I laid out my book my map and had a beer and dram to study the next days route and read a while as the sun went down absolutely stunning spot and the midges weren’t bad, I did add them to my notebook of things to remember next time midgie net! I did say this wee adventure was all about learning and getting the kit right for the big trip the notebook now had a decent list of stuff I shoulda brought! No complaints I couldn’t be happier well maybe a wee pub along the road a few friends round a fire a hot tub lol,