first ride of the year

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2746391

No exciting and new picture, I'm afraid. I did take my camera, but discovered after leaving the flat that the battery was dead. This one is from a previous trip round a part of the route.

Started off by going up by Strathmartine Hospital, as I'd not been up that way before. Followed the road round and ended up in Bridgefoot, so carried on up my normal route until I reached the turn for Auchterhouse. At that point I decided to carry on to Tealing out of curiosity.

Once I reached Tealing I saw a sign for the Tealing Dovecot and Earth House - maintained by Historic Scotland, so I thought it would be rude not to have a look. Wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but reasonably interesting all the same. The Dovecot was built in 1595 - an act encouraged by the authorities of the time, until they realised the pigeon population was out of hand. The Earth House is a gallery cut into the ground, dating from the Iron Age. At the time, it would have been covered with a thatched roof and likely used for storing food.

After this, I carried on to the road up ahead that turned out to be the A90 Dundee - Forfar. Not fancying my chances amongst the early-evening traffic, I turned back and headed back to Dundee by the first available turn off (signposted for Kirkton of Auchterhouse, if I remember rightly) and made my way along a fairly long stretch of nondescript road, passing the Strathmartine electricity substation. I'd already passed over an NTS (National Transmission System) pipeline, is there no escape from work?

My favourite bit was probably Emmoch Road, a nice long downhill section with a decent enough gradient to get some speed up. Quite looking forward to that again. The road came out at the edge of Dundee, not too far from home, so just followed the road round.

11.3 miles in total, not too taxing - wasn't particularly tired when I got home. Will probably go out that way again with the camera on a nice day.

Something old about cycling

Got home from work today and decided to go out for a cycle, first time i've been out on the roads this year if i'm not mistaken! Headed out the Strathmartine Rd from my flat, then up through Broadfoot and towards the car park at the bottom of that old quarry in the Sidlaws (help me out please!) and then from there on to Kirkton of Auchterhouse, down onto the main road and back to Dundee via Muirhead & Birkhill, through the Dryburgh Industrial Estate and along Macalpine Road and back to mine. As i came down the hill back to my flat i was almost tempted to go again...I've included a handy link for my route (12 miles!) at the bottom. I took my camera with me, but although it was a beautiful afternoon nothing really caught my eye to photograph. Was going to try and get a few of Dundee off in the distance, but i think a combination of sunlight and distance put paid to that. On the massive plus side, i really felt the benefit of my recent trips to the gym (and weight loss) - managed to keep pedalling on the vast majority of the uphill bits for a start! The last time i tried a shorter version of the route i was pretty knackered after half an hour and had a sore knee. This time my legs felt like they were working but weren't sore in a painful way, and i mostly managed to keep my breath. Fun times! Actually reminded me why it was a good idea to buy a flat so far out of town. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1821703