Chimay.

Mud, wind, sun, rain...

...three new roads (ok, two and a track), new Rapha overshoes, haggis neeps and tatties, can of coke, what more could you ask for.

For The Love (part two).

Ok this has nothing whatsoever to do with cycling but its coming up to the festive season and i couldn't resist.

Tri.

Reproduction of my Tweedsmuir road shot way too flat for my liking but its big and its up nonetheless. Oh yeah and they've also got some nice clobber. www.thetricentre.com

Winter Training.

Although not the stereotypical Scotsman when it comes to the art of getting bladdered, the pull of this new establishment in the vicinity of Leith Walk may be hard to resist. Combined with the 'New Winter Cake Run' this could prove disastrous for what remain of my diminishing climbing abilities. Full review to follow.

Robert Millar.

"From 1984 until 1990, Millar was in the top ten in one of the major Tours - Spain, Italy and France - every season." !!!

Quoted from Roule Britannia by William Fotheringham.

Cold...

...but not fleece headband while climbing cold.

New Winter Cake Run.

Meadowbank Project, Wood Triptych.

Back at ye.

Nibbler.

Munchety crunchety.

For the love.

No, unfortunately i didn't shoot this one.

Edinburgh Skatepark (a slight digression).

For the past eight or so years i've been living my life on two wheels but the majority of my formative years were spent immersed in the lifestyle of four. I'm still not quite sure if what i saw taking shape this morning in Saughton Park is really there.

When its windy...

...head to the hills. For some reason it bothers me less on a mountain bike. Must take some cash and a rucksack next time for that free range lamb.

Edvald Boasson Hagen, Tour of Britain.

Easy now, not that i'm personally a fan of the genre of cyclist that is the sprinter, but you can't really argue with four stage wins.

Edvald Boasson Hagen photographed pre-race stage three Tour of Britain, Peebles, Scotland.

Collision, Stan's Finger.

collision /ke'liz(e)n/ n. 1 a violent impact of a moving body, esp a vehicle or ship, with another or with a fixed object. 2 the clashing of opposed interests or considerations. 3 Physics the action of particles striking or coming together.

Oh the irony, a momentary lapse in concentration while chain cleaning in the apparent safety of the homestead leads to calamitous cog collision. Recover with haste buddy, there are many new paths to be discovered.

Colour image courtesy of Stan's phone.

Tour of Britain, Malcolm Elliott.

If you're only going to get one decent colour portrait from a day of dull photography you couldn't ask for a better subject to represent the Tour of Britain than Malcolm Elliott. A former British road race champion, grand tour stage winner and still going strong aged forty eight, The Lion of Britain. Old fashioned monochrome images may follow.

Malcolm Elliott photographed pre-race stage three Tour of Britain, Peebles, Scotland.

Glentress

Ah the Scottish weather, always full of surprises, glorious day in the valley of Tweed.

Autumnal Scottish Tan Lines

Meadowbank Project, Attention To Detail.

Only 2 hours of intermittent rain, great weekend.

Meadowbank Project, Leftovers (in colour).

Great Wee Road Climbs of Midlothian (part one).

Mark Cavendish on Racism

"For sure I’m going to get arsy at some riders, because, you know, I’m an asshole," said Cavendish. "But it’s irrelevant their nationality, and irrelevant what they look like, or where they come from. Because, like I said, I’m an asshole."

Quoted from an article on Cyclingnews By Richard Moore.

Monsieur Duffield

Although David Duffield has always let it be known that of the three grand tours, the Giro is the one for which he reserves a special place in his heart, the lack of his commentary on this years Tour has left me with an empty space in mine. No talk of speciality sausages, regional cheeses and fine wines, no comments on passing chateau, reminiscing on the importation of BMX products nor waving of union jack underpants. Monsieur Duffield, it's just not the same without you.

David Duffield photographed at The Tour of Britain 2006, Glasgow, and very accommodating he was too.

Eddleston via Shiplaw

Apparently known by Edinburgh's professional peloton as 'Shiplaw Lamancha' when approached in the opposite direction (something which one should avoid at all costs in the heat of summer when the prevailing wind is northwesterly), this section of road gave to me what i think Jean Bobet meant by la volupte. Nothing amazingly special in itself, a short steep climb then questionably surfaced and undulating before a sweeping descent, it was the tranquility, the steaming piles of snow in the forest and the sun peaking out as i descended on a lonely winter spin that sunk this piece of tarmac into my heart. So to me, Eddleston via Shiplaw it is.