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.

Sunday 8th March 2026 - Strathpeffer Ride on the Ogre with Brian

 After meeting up with Brian on the Saturday near Altnaharra on the motorbikes it was decided with the nice dry but cool weekend weather we would do our best to get out on the bicycles for Sunday.  

I wanted to get out on the newly built Rohloff Ogre and was really pleased Brian was up for it. He hasn't been that well lately with some heart issues limiting how he rides at the moment so we haven't been out much together cycling lately so it would be nice to ride together again. 

I got to Dingwall pretty early and met Brian at Tesco, where sadly I was also meeting up with the lovely gentleman who was buying my Larry Vs Harry Bullitt cargo bike. Very much in two minds about selling it but just haven't been using it since last spring really and it is a huge chunk of family cash sitting there. So it was with a great deal of sadness it went. It was made easier by going to a very nice young man who wanted it for his young family and was super enthused for it. 

After this we parked at Brians so he could get sorted to ride and I unloaded the Ogre. Gave a quick check over while Brian checked the tyres on his titanium On One with its Rohloff, as he said we should make it a Rohloff themed ride. 

We went up the back of Tulloch Castle and then along the north side of the valley on small tracks and farm roads with a vague plan to end up back down in Strathpeffer. Nothing too strenuous for Brians health and we just see how he goes. 

This was a good move and pleased Brian was up for it as the terrain varied from tarmac side road to dirt track, singletrack, before crossing the main road and up the final mile to Strathpeffer on the new trail for bikes and walkers. We came across a few fallen trees which had us hauling over the first lot and then under the second lot. There was also a few really swampy sections on the singletrack sections up the back of the farms. The Ogre handled it all really sweetly. Having been riding many Surly bikes over the last 16 years and with this being my first 29'er so I was still surprised that the Ogre felt so familiar to ride, the handling just felt like my Pugsley, 1X1 etc, very neutral, familiar, predictable. 

While I had a few rides on it since fist out the other week, it also felt really comfortable and again familiar. The Rohloff  worked seamlessly, the BB7's were spot on, the Cambium saddle was very comfortable, on or off road and the Moloko bars were in the perfect spot, stayed comfortable for the whole time, fell easily to hand, on or off road. The Rene Herse tyres were a great setup for this mixed type riding. Rolled nicely on the tarmac too which was a nice surprise. 

After a nice lunch at the station cafe we decided to head back to Dingwall down the Peffery way, a nice all weather trail for walkers and cyclists. Then back to Brians up through the woods for the last mile. 

A great day out and a great afternoons riding with Brian getting used to the Ogre, the Rohloff etc, which I am really liking, it's really slick, and with tonnes of gears there is definitely one for all occasions. The grip shift setup with the Ergon grip worked really well and was again, very comfortable. 

Plans are really just to add a rack front and rear and get it ready to tour. 

Have already changed out the oil in the Rohloff just to be sure and know where I am starting from.

Jamie