Old Bastard

My cool wee new camera.

Last Monday it was my birthday so I took the week off work. HB got me a wee point and shoot camera, a Ricoh PX. Its nowhere as good as my Nikon D80 SLR but its tiny wee, its waterproof, dust proof and shock proof. It takes pretty good photographs too and can shoot HD video. I've spent most of the week out and about with the wee Ricoh in the awesome weather we've been having. Here's my week off in pictures.

When I got up after my nightshift I got HB to drop me off at the foot of the Lammermuirs. I had planned to cycle from here to Carfraemill.

Start of the trail.

Steeper than it looks. Its quite a slog getting to the top of Lammerlaw

At the top of Lammerlaw

At The Lodge, Carfraemill.

HB, Extreme, Other Mike and I went for a cycle round the local trails and a pint in the Winton. 

Other Mike under a bridge.

On the Kinchie Trail.

HB's stoked.

I've had the GS out a few times too. I've not got many photos though because I left the memory card at home! What a fud. The Ricoh has a wee bit internal memory though.

Mark from The Bike Chain sorted me out with a new innertube for the Pugsley.

Aaron, HB and I went for a spin in Aaron's Landy to Tyningham Beach. I chucked the Pugsley in the back so Aaron and HB could try it out on the beach.

Aaron sorting out the Gopro.

Aaron rips it up on the Pug.

Nightmare!

I found a split in the front tyre of the Pugsley. I couldn't afford £85 for a new one.

Luckily for me Gary had a nearly new tyre that he sold me. Sorted!

I chucked the bike rack on HB's car and the Pugsley on the bike rack and went down to North Berwick to ride along to Canty Bay. I nipped in and visited Dave at Law Cycles too.

All this awesome weather coupled with some ace nights out with friends made an awesome week off. Thanks everyone for all the birthday wishes!

The Pugsley's return to the subs.

On Saturday I got out for my first beachride on the Pugsley. It was a cracking day, really warm. I rode over Gosford Bay and met up with Bruce, Jason and Eddie at the old Submarine wrecks at Aberlady Bay. We followed the coast along to North Berwick for a bag of chips. Here's the pics.

I was completely shagged by the time I got home. Jason reckons I rode around 35 miles. Quite a few folk think riding on the beach is easy going and sometimes it is, but the rocky sections can be seriously physical. Its great fun though. Bruce's pics and a wee bit of my Pugsley's history is here http://coastkid.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/saturday-beachride.html

He made a wee film too.

Surly Pugsley.

Some of you might have read about my Surly Pugsley project. Well its finishing. And its fucking awesome.

Here's the spec.

• Mk1 Surly Pugsley frame and fork that I bought off Bruce
• Surly Large Marge rims on Superstar Evo hubs. 9 Speed rear, single speed front.
• Truvativ Howitzer cranks and bottom bracket.
• SLX front mech
• Deore rear mech
• Avid BB7 brakes, superstar disks.
• Superstar Nano pedals
• Sunline VThree riser bars
• Surly Endomorph tyres.
• WTB saddle, seatpost from Bruce.
• Hip flask and cage.
• Paint by Smillie Paint.

I think thats it.

Thanks to Bruce, Faither, Jason, Gary and Paul for helping me get the parts together. Big thanks to Dave for the help building the bike. And of course thanks to HB for putting up with bike parts in every room and now a Pugsley in the hall.
Parts from http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/, http://www.superstarcomponents.com/.
Paintwork By Smillie http://www.smilliepaint.co.uk/
Info from Bruce http://coastkid.blogspot.co.uk/