There comes a time in the life of
old men when they long to recapture the energies and abandon of their youth. So
it is with Early Ooters from time to time. To this end we decide that today’s
outing would be by bikes, pedal bikes, and we would ride them fast. (Well one
of us decided to ride fast, one who shall remain nameless but for the sake of identification
we will call ‘Wee Rab’) But where would we ride? And who would be the riders? (Some
of our members have tender backsides and prefer not to sit on such narrow structures
as bike saddles and would rather have a walk.)
The ‘where’ was answered when Johnny
mentioned his legendary chilli stovies; we would walk and cycle from and back
to his place in Irvine. The ‘who’ was answered by the number who turned up in
Irvine wearing shorts. (Our renowned shorts wearer, Davie Mc, excepted for his dislike
of wheeled outings is just as well known as his tanned legs.) In the end we
divided into two groups – six cyclists and seven walkers.
The
Cycle
Already Rex and Paul had some miles
in, having cycled from Troon to Johnny’s and were raring to go. But we were
only half-way through our bacon rolls and coffee so they had to content
themselves and join us for Johnny’s hospitality. We left somewhere after ten.
Jimmy
knew where he was going. He even asked a woman in the street to confirm this
knowledge. Yet it didn’t come as a too much of a surprise when we had to turn
back to find the right path to the bridge over the bypass into Eglinton Park. ‘Wee
Rab’, who had listened more carefully to woman in the street, was waiting at
the foot of the bridge. Over the footbridge and everybody knew where they were
going.
The path was narrow, hemmed in by
scrubby willows and hazel and we were reduced to a ‘crocodile’ following Rex.
And it was wet, last night’s rain still lying in deep puddles in the hollows. There
was a childish delight in dodging branches and splashing through puddles on
this section. But it was also here that those wearing white socks regretted it
as those following splashed through the dirty greyish water churned up by the
leader. The overhanging grasses and weeds were still wet from the rain and
added their moisture to damp legs. Still, we were running free and easy and
ignored the dampness.
It
was on this section that Wee Rab’s chain slipped for the first time but not the
last time today. Our line had been drawing out out and coming together as the
path undulated and it was on a short snap that Wee Rab’s chain gave way very
nearly causing a collision as he came suddenly to a stop, Ronnie and Jimmy at
the rear cursing him as they were caught in the wrong gear for pulling away
again. But all survived and the wee path brought us on to a broader way, one on
which we could run as a group.
This
broad way took us directly to the visitor centre of Eglinton Country Park.
Ronnie, in his wisdom, decided that he should have a look at the map on the far
side of the road and turn sharply right forgetting Jimmy was on that side.
There was a clutching at brakes followed by the exclamation ‘I say old boy,
haven’t you got a method of indicating your intention?’ (These weren’t the
exact words but this was the gist.)
The
map showed that we were still on course and showed us the next part of our
route. We came out of the park and into Kilwinning where we picked up the cycle
track to Ardrossan. Now came Wee Rab’s shot at glory. Once he got into the lead
on the Byrehill Road there was no holing him back. There were no hills for his
gear to slip or for his wee legs to give out. He kept the pace high and we
followed some distance behind. Then, at Ardeer, we left the public road as the
cycleway made its way into Stevenson across Ardeer Park. The now dropped
steadily for a few hundred metres and Wee Rab fairly took off down the slope.
We
all enjoyed the speed of the drop but Rab was well into his stride now. And he
was joined by Jimmy. The pair kept the speed going through Stevenston, over the
railway crossing, along the side of the railway, past Sandylands Caravan Park,
along the concrete road where the TV news programmes delight in showing the sea
during stormy weather, and on to the promenade at Saltcoats. Phew! At the end
of the South beach of Ardrossan they drew to a halt for coffee. We joined them
a few minutes later.
Ian
has a word of advice for folk having coffee on sea front benches. Before
sitting down on a wet bench check the area for wet seagull sh*t. Poor Ian
forgot this and by the time he remembered, the wet, gooey mass was sliding down
his back, his front and his bag. We gave him the usual sympathy before moving
off again.
The
two miles to our destination, the Ardrossan Marina, were taken at a more leisurely
pace for the day was still early and we had time to kill before stovies. Our
destination proved to be Cecchini's Restaurant where coffee was taken. A few
bikes needed a few adjustments and Jimmy’s and Ronnie’s collection of tools were
utilised to this end. It was suggested that if they were to leave half their
tools at home their bikes would be a stone or so lighter but it was only by
dint of these tools that the bikes were properly adjusted. (All bikes except
Wee Rab’s that is. There’s no hope for his sprocket set and the poor thing
should be put out of its misery.)
Wee
Rab, OK it was Robert, set the pace on the way back, at least as far as the slope
up from Ardeer Park to the Dubbs road. He says that it he was frightened that
his gears would slip if he put pressure on the pedals, but we suspect that it
was his wee legs giving out. Anyway poor old Robert was left behind for a
while. But, compassionate as we are, we waited for him in Kilwinning.
We
decided to take the Irvine Moor route back to the town rather than go back
through Eglinton and turned down the road by Garnock Floods Nature Reserve.
Half way over the Moor we came across a scruffy-looking bunch of walkers with a
dug. At least the dug was pleased to see us. It was Holly and the walkers were
the rest of the Ooters. It says something about this group that when we road
past, Holly decided to come with us rather than stay with her master and the
rest. Eventually we had to take pity on the poor dug for her tongue was lolling
out with exhaustion. We waited for Davie to arrive and put her on a lead before
moving off again.
We
came back to Johnny’s place every man for himself and some even taking
different routes. The walkers were only some twenty minutes behind us and we
all enjoyed a convivial afternoon devouring Johnny’s stovies and drinking his
beer.
A
good day for the cyclists and we await the report of the Walkers with interest.
The Walk
: Allan, Andy, Davie, Davie, Johnny, Malcolm, Peter and Holly
On an
overcast but warm morning we set out from Johnny’s and followed the route of
the cyclists (although we didn’t get lost) through the housing estate, over the
footbridge and along the somewhat muddy path to Eglinton. Here we doubled back
and headed for the standing stones which Johnny assured us had been dug up when
the last of the coal mine had been opencasted probably in the eighties.
Anyway the
spot provided us with good views of the surrounding landscape before we
continued on our way back towards the remains of the castle and the visitors
centre. We took the path that skirted behind the wee loch and by this time the
light rain jackets had been discarded and shirt sleeves were the order of the
day. Some of us had brought our own snacks whilst others bought refreshments
from the café. A very pleasant twenty minutes or so were soon over and we were
off again making our way out of the park and down towards the Dirrans. It was
on this part of the walk that Davie Mc met a former teaching colleague. After a
wee blether we continued on with the two colleagues still trying to put names
to faces. Anyway, at the Dirrans we crossed the main road and followed the
cycle path back towards Irvine moor where we rendezvoused with our cycling
chums.
Almost a three
and a half hour walk in what turned out to be pleasant, sultry conditions saw
us back at Bank Street and the legendary stovies.
Well done, Johnny!
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