It was almost like the old days...

...remember?  When you could go out for the scenery, to catch up, and a sit down with some decent food.  It wasn't too bad weather either. The clouds were being chased by the sun across the sky,  there was a light breeze but not too cold for this time of year.

I met my mate who'd dropped in from working in Algeria.  She's not done much cycling this year so we decided on a sub 30 miler, taking it easy along the line.  We got to the end of the Deeside Line and after a short discussion on the merits of soup during cycling we decided on going into one of the 'Lifestyle Emporiums' within driving distance of Aberdeen.  They're actually supposed to be Gardening Centres but where I come from (Weegieland) Gardening Centres consist of 6 sickly looking tomato plants and secateurs for a pound.  Here (the 'deen) they're full of Hunter Wellies (Cheapest pair £120), Yankee Candles (£30!  You are literally burning money) Barbour Jackets (I didn't even look - too scary and they make you look like a land owner that let the Irish starve during the Potato Famine) and  with a greenhouse with giant banana tree and a michelin starred tea shop.  I had the soup of athletes,  (Cullen Skink) and my mate had delectable sandwiches with another Aberdeen phenomena - a slice of orange on her side salad.

The loop round the castle was done before the soup and we managed to see some deer in a field.  It looked like a youngish buck with a doe.  There is a lot of deer in Scotland (even in Glasgow if you're lucky you'll see elusive Roe deer in the Necropolis) to the end they are becoming an issue for some.  When snowboarding in Glenshee last year the lower glen was covered with a herd of about 200.  They are destructive stripping alot of saplings from the land but I  always get a bit giddy when I see them.  It's like seeing the last of the wild animals - which they kind of are.

It was a good idea to do the loop before settling down to do our soup as I doubt very much we'd be bothered after.  Then it was back along the line again and home.  I am still forging forward with my hardest gear on the hills, and my legs have been sore today so they must be getting stronger.
  Out again tomorrow on some hills so will show results for that too.

The stats for today:

Distance:	27.1 mi
Elevation:	+ 877 / - 855 ft
Max Grade	6.7 %
Avg. Grade	0.1 %
Total Duration:	03:22:28
Moving Time:	02:12:48
Stopped Time:	01:09:40
Max Speed:	27.1 mph
Avg. Speed:	12.2 mph
Pace:	00:07:28
Moving Pace:	00:04:54
Max Cadence:	110 rpm
Min Cadence:	20 rpm
Avg. Cadence:	50.8 rpm

Average speed is up a wee bit -  not quite where it needs to be but taking wins where I need too.



 Mx