Sat/Sun 20th/21st June - Surly Ogre Rack Fitting and test pack for the Badger Divide

 Not a great deal of riding this weekend as had family things on so will try and make it up by commuting this week.  

Though Saturday I did manage to fit my Surly Nice racks from my Long Haul Trucker to the Ogre. I had to buy a different set of brackets for the front one and a pair of longer stays for the rear but they swapped across pretty easily, once I got the rear mudguard adjusted to suite.  Had to take the rear wheel out to do which surprised me how quick and easy despite so much going on with that rear dropout.  

I  'borrowed' them from the Trucker as I have 2 weeks off at the start of July so plan on doing the Badger Way from Inverness to Glasgow off road or Glasgow to Inverness depending on weather and visit family in Glasgow at the same time. They will return to the Trucker as it is my favourite but it makes no sense paying Surly's £160 per rack when I can only use one set at a time, and the Surly brackets only cost me about £20. 

Sunday afternoon had a bit of time so put my tent up to make sure all was still good and everything there before a quick dummy load up to see where to put things.  Had my tent and sleeping mat on the front rack, so while a bit bulky on the front, there is very little weight and sleeping bag in a pannier, may even use my smaller front roller Ortliebs on the back instead of my Back rollers if I can get a weeks gear in them. All was good and rode well though it was just up the road around home but nothing noticeable to worry about.

I wanted to get everything semi sorted as with limited time off work and being away next weekend I wanted to have the basics sorted so if the weather looks good for the week when I get home I can just pack and go, if it's for the week after I will load it and go to Glasgow and ride home. 

At this stage that's the plan and if all else fails I have another fortnight off in August, but that is a busy couple of weeks. 

If anybody reads these posts leave a message and let me know. It has a really high visitor count lately but not sure whether it's human or BOT.  

Jamie 

   

Saturday 30th May 2026 - Jack Taylor Super Tourist - Afternoon local ride

 Well we don't seem to be getting the sunshine this week that others are getting down south. It's not been too bad and temps are up but we seem to be windy and overcast for the most with rain forecast for this afternoon and pretty much all day tomorrow.

So plan was to get a couple of things sorted here this morning and I had a few things to do in town so thought if I get away just on lunch I should be fine to ride to town, do all the errands and maybe meander back home the slow way, hopefully before the rain.
Was certainly nice enough and warm enough as well so I checked the tyres on the Super Tourist as with both bags on I had enough capacity without having to fit the panniers. Made a beeline for town, got done what I had to, then ended up at the Old St Peters Kirk as thought to get a photo for the bikes and churches section as it's a nice old church and while a ruin it still has solid walls and worthy of restoration, with sections of even the viking additions still solid and straight. Anyway it is normally closed with the gate locked but I rode past and it was open so went in and spent a while chatting to the volunteers about the restoration. It was open as there was a cruise ship in Scrabster so it was open for visitors. Paid a visit to the The Bike Shop seen as I was in town and chatted for while. I then went out along the harbour and round the front to get a coffee before heading back out of town and Thurso east on the farm and dirt tracks trying to get through the old walking trail. Unfortunately it is now cut off due to the Americans putting a 'listening' post over the hill. It's meant to be a secret! So don't tell anyone 
Anyway I then headed back towards town and along the shore track before turning back on the main road towards home. Thankfully I wasn't on it for long and used my usual back roads home. Had a few showers but nothing much but it started in earnest about 20 minutes after I got in and hasn't stopped since. All in all a very relaxed and social afternoon for a change. Super Tourist handled all in it's stride and was a pleasure as always. Though the one thing that has caught me out a few times is that it is nowhere near as stable without a load, especially at the front as the Super Clubman. Once there is a bit of weight at the front, even just putting heavier items in the rando bag makes it much better. It is only in certain situations and better to be this way with a bike that is built to be loaded than the other way round. It's nothing dangerous or even that noticeable, just a shimmy of the front or a lightness through the steering but as soon as it's loaded then all is super stable. 

Still learning this one but loving it more each time out.  

Jamie

Overlooking the Island of Hoy

Saturday 9th May - Mercian King of Mercia - Service and local evening ride

 Out for an evening ride after dinner on the King of Mercia Mercian.

First time out this year for the Mercian and so it was a quick service this afternoon between jobs. Not much needed really as I tend to keep it always ready to go back out but after not being used since about November from memory I thought I better clean and grease everything ready for what we hope will be a great summer. 
Was a bit breezy but sunny and with the forecast looking rubbish for up here tomorrow I needed to get a ride in even if it was just a couple of hours meandering. Mercian rode sweetly as usual, a real stable and comfortable ride but never feels sluggish or unresponsive. 

Looking forward to maybe getting a bit further afield again this year and loading the tourers up and getting a couple of longer tours in. Last couple of years work has meant that time off was for shorter periods which meant with other things weekend tours were the longest I could manage. This year, fingers crossed for a few longer trips. 

Jamie 

Sunday 3rd May 2026 Jack Taylor Super Tourist - Service then local ride Olrig

 Weather forecast was good again for this afternoon so this morning I pulled the Super Tourist out of hibernation and gave it a good check over and service where needed as it hasn't been out over winter. A few adjustments and a bit of clean and lube and it was good to go. I normally run these Michelin World Tour tyres at about 50psi but both were bang on 37! I must admit I love the small details on this tourer, from the beautiful lugwork, both execution and painting, nicely hidden wiring front and rear, the fact the frame number is stamped onto not just the front and rear rack but the lowrider front section as well. Even after all this time I still spot something from a different angle and it makes me smile still. I do realise I am very fortunate and grateful to own this beauty. 

Anyway I had a few hours this afternoon so again just went out meandering locally through the backroads enjoying the sunshine. Bike was rolling along lovely, sun was out so it couldn't be anything but a good ride.

 I eventually found myself over the back of Olrig parish, not far from home, just a mile or so  over the hill, so very local when I thought I better stop at what is left of the ancient old St Trothens church and graveyard to pay respects to the Selkie grave . It is hidden in the ancient section and the dates are long worn away in a section that is from medieval times. Nearly all engravings and marking are gone and many lie in ruins as is the church itself, which dates from around 1633 in this guise but was a place of worship for a long time before this, and has been in ruin for several centuries or more, rarely visited even as a cemetery as there is a modern cemetery nearby. The hollow on top of the Selkie womens grave is said to never dry out and for a place that looks long abandoned other than the grass being cut now and again, and this being hidden away and unmarked, there were a good few offering left for her. Plants, flowers, shells, seaweed and various items. Nothing on anything else at all. She clearly still holds a place in peoples thoughts, local stories that have been passed down for many years. Like all Selkie stories she came from the sea, shed her skin, fell in love with a man who hid her skin so she couldn't return to the sea and so was stuck on land. She was shunned by the church as a witch and died in childbirth. Buried there in secret by the locals. I stop there when passing, have never seen another person as it is well out the way but there is always items left for her. As I did too.

A very good ride back out on the Super Tourist, great weather, very leisurely afternoon.  Hopefully will manage to get her loaded up and further afield this year.  

Jamie

Here's a link to information about the place and the Selkie lady that I found.

https://www.robbiemactours.co.uk/legend-of-the-selkie/

Sunday 26th April 2026 - Jack Taylor Super Clubman Coastal Ride - Caithness

 A bit late but  a couple from last Sundays ride.

I better post these now as hopefully weather will be better tomorrow and I will be back out. Now that it seems the weather has turned the corner and time for longer nicer rides I thought I better service some of my usual rides so they are ready to roll when needed or when the unexpected day off arrives or someone calls and says 'you fancy heading here or there.'
So while doing various chores on Sunday I had the Jack Taylor Super Clubman out for a clean and lube, while it is my go to classic it does see a bit of use in the winter so just wanted to check it over, lube and also check the rust spots that I try to keep at bay. So a fresh coat of wax as well.
I really like the way this Super Clubman rides and handles, the nicest of all I think, it is so relaxed and comfortable whether road or dirt, is super stable but quick enough with it. If I get another frame made then I would copy the dimensions of this frame to the millimeter.
Anyway, I had a couple of hours spare in the afternoon so just went out for a ride just for the sake of going for a ride. Got to the end of my road, left or right? and decided left, to head towards Dunnet and then see how far I could get back riding on the tracks around the coast. Just meandering.
I got out and then back to Castlehill and then turned onto the dirt tracks round the last bit of coast but the track seemed to go down onto the rocky slab coastal edge after a few miles and I didn't fancy carrying the bike over. Still it was good while it lasted and always good to ride the Super Clubman. I headed back up a dirt path and eventually came out on the main road about a mile from home. 

Good to be out. 

Jamie

25th April 2026 - Ogre Day ride - Loch More, Altnabreac out towards Forsinard in the flow country. North Scotland.

 Well from myself, it wasn't today but today last week when the weather was a bit better.

I had been fiddling with the Ogre during the week and still trying to figure what racks etc to put on it but decided to take it out on a run I had planned to Loch More, Altnabreac and towards Forsinard across the flow country. Was going to take the Trucker but seeing as I have a few longer off road rides coming up for the Ogre, I thought I better make sure it works on all surfaces. More so the fit and comfort.
Managed out early Sat afternoon, first off went south from the west side of Loch More but have a long haul on the straight roads before getting anywhere decent and with the weather looking rubbish I decided to turn and head north west and out past Altnabreac and then west towards Forsinard.
A lot of logging around Loch More meant a good few miles on some big gravel before smoothing out onto a mix of embedded gravel before the nice dirt west of Altnabreac. With no rack I put my Surly frame bag on and relocated my water bottle to the front forks and this along with my handlebar bag meant I had more than enough room for stuff (snacks). All was good.
I am happy with the Ogre as the setup and position was great and with rack on back and a couple of anycages on the front it will have more than enough carry capacity. The Rohloff works great, I really like it and it made no difference whether it was dirt, gravel, tarmac. The shifting was nice, always smooth and deliberate, no misses.  The wheels I built were still round at the end which is always a bonus. No rattles, bangs or bumps at all.
Here's a couple of photos.