So a bit of progression with this build since the last post. Driven in equal measure by growing enthusiasm as the build progress's and also by the desire on both mine and Calebs to get it set up and back to Aultbea before the winter takes hold. This worry becoming a reality after the weather of the lasts few weeks.
Last week I managed to get most of the week off so I could spend some time at home with Caleb during the holidays. We swapped a few things around and while I managed to get it bolted together we cabled it all up together so he understood how each part worked and how everything worked together.A mixture of parts but they all work well together and he is comfortable with them and enjoys riding it, drop bars and downtube shifters included, indexed at the rear 7 speed freewheel. Still some improvements to go like changing out the 700c x 30mm Jackie Brown tyres for a slightly smaller 28mm size as there is very little clearance under the brake bridge and this will give that little bit more and enough then to fit some Bluemels mudguards.
I managed a quick ride up and down the road on the Friday evening in the freshly starting rain to make sure it all worked and was safe before handing it off to Caleb. Lucky the rain was only light as it took me a while to get him in and off the bike. Initial thoughts were very happy and enthused for how nice it rode and how light it was etc.
The first real ride out and initial shakedown would come in the morning as the weather forecast said that Saturday would be a bit showery but with sunshine coming though here and there with the wind not too bad until the late afternoon. This was to be the best of the week so far with a storm hitting Saturday night through to Sunday/Monday.
So bikes loaded in the van ready for a 6 am drive to Dingwall, pick up Brian and then the three of us would drive back north to Aultbea, get a a decent ride in and then visit the Arctic Convoy Museum with lunch somewhere in there. The schedule would be determined by the weather, re rain. It was good to be on a mission to get Caleb and his Wester Ross back home for a visit to Aultbea, here on the north west coast of Scotland, where it was built 42 years ago.
The building it was built in is now the Arctic Convoy Museum, which is doubly fitting as Calebs great grandfather took part in many of the convoys during the Second World War. Of which he got more information about in the museum. A great museum and well worth the visit even without a connection.
It wasn't a huge ride out but a good few miles through town and then along the quieter coast road round the side of Loch Ewe. A great ride though and with the Wester Ross riding lovely you could see Caleb being quite proud of it and enjoying it so much. We were very lucky with the weather as we got a couple of light spots of rain on our way back to where we left the van but the ride before the museum and up to the museum was dry and even afterwards it was only right at the end when packing up that we had to hurry. It was dry for the time in the museum as well which must have been an hour or two. So considering the rain we had on the drive to and from Aultbea we were quite lucky as we even had sunshine throughout.
We had a late lunch at a local B&B before heading back north and across to Dingwall.
A great day out and certainly worth the drive and ride out in the wind and rain. Thanks again to Brian for joining us as it meant a lot to both of us you could come as always a great friend to us both and make him laugh so much but also a great source of encouragement to Caleb.
Jamie