3rd January 2026 - New Year ride on Pugsley.

 Happy New Year! 

I was hoping to get a ride out on the 1st or 2nd day of the New Year but with rain and gale force winds it just wasn't happening. 

After getting some snow on the afternoon of the 3rd and the wind abating a bit I decided to get the Pugsley out and head down the local trails to the beach and coastal tracks.  While the wind was still fairly strong I thought the lower beach track and hedges may offer some respite from it. It was also a full moon so tried to capture it on my way home but a bit too dark for my phone and struggled to hold still in the 50mph winds. 

Not much snow but in the following four days there has been quite a bit with these trails now being covered by about 6 inches in the fields with the track being about a foot deep due to the drifts. Unfortunately I am back at work and unable to get out on the Pugsley, but hopefully this weekend. 

A slightly later start but it's always good to start the year riding. 

Jamie 

End of 2025 Rides - Boxing day 26th and also 28th December Local Rides

 Despite the awful weather we have had to finish the year off, there were a few calm breaks that allowed me to get out between Christmas and New Year. 

Neither were long rides, more just to keep the legs turning away from commuting or errand type rides.  

It was boxing day first off and after a lovely Christmas with family I needed to pick up a couple of things in town and also drop off some keys for work, before they were needed on the 29th. It was well after lunch and while I was aware I only had a couple of hours of daylight left I made sure my lights were charged and headed off on the Bullitt cargo bike. A nice ride into town and out the other side to work first, then back into town, pick up a couple of things from the supermarket, stop and take a look at the Christmas lights which might soon be gone and then, with lights on, take a few of the back roads home. All this while trying to dodge a few lite showers.  Good to be out and stretch the legs. 

 

 

The 28th of December seen a break in the rain again and I managed to get out for a few hours for a ride around the coast. Nowhere in particular to be or a planned route so just took one of my regular routes with a few side tracks mixed in.  Again not a long one but just enough to feel like a nice ride and keep the legs turning over. This time I took out the Long Haul Trucker as it is my go to ride when I just want to ride without  having to think about the bike. It is just such a comfortable ride, handles great, fit's like a glove, never lets me down. 

Jamie 

Sat 6th December 2025 - Global FatBike Day 2025 - Strathpeffer

 Having realised I haven't posted to the blog for a while I thought I better bring it slightly up to date with some of the rides done lately. 

Saturday 6th December seen Global Fatbike day roll around once again. We haven't missed a ride out for many years as it is always a good excuse to get out with friends and enjoy a sociable ride on our Fatbikes, which is what it was always intended to do. 

We were a bit worried the week before as Brian had not been well recently and we had our fingers crossed he would be fit for the ride, especially as I have done most of the GFBD rides with Brian, this combined with the constant rain and flooding meant picking a route was a bit of a juggling act. As it turned out Brian was good to ride but could only take it relatively easy due to some ongoing health issues so it meant finding an easyish flat course for the ride. Had to keep his heart rate well in check. We decided on a simple route from Dingwall to Strathpeffer for lunch taking the long winding route there and a straightforward route back. 

So it was just myself on my Pugsley, Caleb, my son, on his Karate Monkey and Brian on his Pugsley. 

We were very lucky with the weather as Caleb and I drove the couple of hours south in very heavy rain, only easing/stopping just before we arrived at Brians. It stayed relatively dry, just the odd spots here and there before reverting back to heavy rain once we left Brians.  

It was good to be out on the Pugsley and while it was a very sedate ride just riding along easy tracks and pathways it was good to be out with Brian and Caleb. We were both pleased to have Brian join us and knew it was an effort for him so we just enjoyed rolling along, thankful and enjoying being out and in each others company. 

Jamie