Annie's Adventures

A

Ameriscot

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I was going to start this diary once we were on our next trip (US), but decided to start with this local one. Adventure can be anywhere, right?

My bike was not cheap, but I get such an incredible amount of pleasure out of it, it was well worth every penny/pence. Because this bike has a powerful electric battery, the rides are more pleasure than work. I'm never really breathless riding up even the steepest of hills, although I can get sweaty on the steeper hills.

There are so many beautiful places to ride a bike here! It is a totally mindful endeavor to ride almost effortlessly through rolling hills, along a coast, through very green countryside, past forests. A truly stress-free experience, sometimes even blissful.
 

Yesterday we had a gorgeous, sunny day with temps into the 70's (low 20s C). We decided to ride on the bike trail into Glasgow. This involved driving to town, leaving the car there and taking the bikes on the ferry. The bike trail starts very soon after we get off the ferry. I'd guess at least 85% of our ride was on a bike trail (tarred, wide enough for two bikes). Our plans were to ride into Glasgow and take the train back, as we did last time. However, while having a very late lunch in the city husband asked me which train I wanted to catch, or did I want to ride back. Silly me said ride back.

Our round trip ride was 66 miles (on bike's odometer). A lot of it is hilly, and we've decided more than 50 miles is too much.

I didn't take a lot of photos this time but I've already posted a lot of them from previous rides in the photography section. We finally found the William Wallace memorial in Elderslie, the town where he was supposed to have been born in 13th century.

Husband jumping for joy. :D

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The house where William Wallace was supposed to have been born.

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The Roman soldiers on the bike trail which I'd posted about before.

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We've had such a lousy summer (worst on record I believe) that everybody seemed to be outside yesterday as the day was perfect. The bike trail was very busy in some areas - cyclists, runners, families, from babies to elderly people walking with canes. Glasgow city centre was mobbed with people enjoying the sun. We stopped for tea and scones late morning and sat outside, and on the way home we stopped at a pub next to the trail for a pint.

Next ride will probably be to the island where our Ugandan daughter works.
 
Comments, questions, discussions are welcome. :)
 

Very interesting photos Ameriscot, love the one of your hubby too! :) I admire your vibrant lifestyle, to bike ride such long distances with your loving husband, and in such beautiful country...invigorating I'm sure. Good way to keep young there, keep it up...and thanks for posting about your adventures! :cool:
 
SeaBreeze said:
Very interesting photos Ameriscot, love the one of your hubby too! :) I admire your vibrant lifestyle, to bike ride such long distances with your loving husband, and in such beautiful country...invigorating I'm sure. Good way to keep young there, keep it up...and thanks for posting about your adventures! :cool:
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Thanks SB. We've both decided that 66 miles is too far! We'll be keeping it to 50, or about 40 when very hilly.
 
The weather was so nice today - 70 and sunny - that I went on a bike ride this afternoon. My road turns into a single track not far from my house and is a fairly quiet road depending on the time of day. It goes through a small village but is otherwise forests, fields, farms, and mountains. A lot of the road has 20% gradient hills. A lot of work even with my battery. Fun on the way back down though! Husband was cutting the grass so I went on my own. I went 7.7 miles to a pub/restaurant/hotel before turning around. I was hoping it would be open so I could sit outdoors and have a half pint of beer, but closed on Monday. So the ride was 15.5 miles in total.

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This pub/restaurant is 17th century with some parts from the 15th. I was hoping to quench my thirst with something other than my water.

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Such beautiful countryside, thanks for the great pictures.

I envy you for your interesting lifestyle and all the exercise you get!
How wonderful to have good health and be able to be so active. Keep it up
Ameriscot, you must have lots of strength and strong muscles. I used to love to bike
before my back started giving me problems.

You go girl!

:coolpics:
 
Thanks, Raven. :) We are going to keep active and do a lot of traveling while we are both still very healthy and fit. I never take my good health for granted as there are certainly no guarantees.
 
Next adventure...spent a lovely day in Glasgow city centre as people come out of the woodwork when we have a gorgeous day. So the city was crowded with many sitting outdoors at pubs, cafes, coffee shops.

Spending the night in the centre with early flight tomorrow to Amsterdam then Detroit.

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Oh I didn't know Glasgow had a John Lewis now...is that Buchanan street? is it in a mall?


ETA I just saw that it is in Buchanan street...so no need to reply to that.. Have a safe flight Annie
 
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Thanks all. On my way to airport now and just got a message saying my flight from Amsterdam is delayed. So now instead of 3 hours to wait I've got 5!!! Arghh.

Holly, there's been a John Lewis there since I've lived here.
 
OH no 5 hours !!! nightmare!!

I've just googled JL arrived in Glasgow.. in 1999...to me of course that's 5 minutes ago...and 25 years after I left.

Scotland were very late getting JL's stores and I believe now they only have 2 the other one in Aberdeen
 
Very nice photos, ..Annie .. It's great to see other other parts of the world ..it's funny you ,mentioning Weather in fahrenheit we grew up learning pounds shilling and pence ...a pound of this or that ( foods) .. And of course weather in Fahrenheit .. It all changed in 1966 to decimal as you are more than likely to be aware Annie of because you have family in Aus
 
hollydolly said:
OH no 5 hours !!! nightmare!!

I've just googled JL arrived in Glasgow.. in 1999...to me of course that's 5 minutes ago...and 25 years after I left.

Scotland were very late getting JL's stores and I believe now they only have 2 the other one in Aberdeen
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I like JL for certain things, but others I find expensive. I prefer Debenham.

Was going to try to behave as I still want to lose 5 lbs but here I am having pizza and beer for lunch at Schiphol.
 
Kadee46 said:
Very nice photos, ..Annie .. It's great to see other other parts of the world ..it's funny you ,mentioning Weather in fahrenheit we grew up learning pounds shilling and pence ...a pound of this or that ( foods) .. And of course weather in Fahrenheit .. It all changed in 1966 to decimal as you are more than likely to be aware Annie of because you have family in Aus
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I use both F and C but of course more comfortable with F. I use F here like Holly does since a majority here are American.

When I talk to Aussie sis in law about diets we have trouble as she only uses kg and I have to convert.

Thankfully have only dealt with pounds for money here.
 
OOh Annie I'm sorry you're still there, it's so easy to just eat and drink when you're bored at the airport, I do it too...hopefully you'll be out of there soon.


Yes Kadee Annie is right with regard Fahrenheit...we use Celsius here now, although we used F when I was growing up so I use both in every day life, but to save confusion I use Fahrenheit on SF so as not to confuse the American posters.

We also grew up using pounds and ounces but we're supposed to use KG's and grams now..but I usually just revert to the old way. ...anyway my weight in stones and pounds sounds so much better than it does in Kilo's LOL :D

8 stone 4lbs = 52.62 kg!! ...and for the Americans...that's 116 pounds .. sounds even worse... ;):playful:
 
Thanks April. The flight took too long but I'm here with granddaughters so all is fine.

Waterpark tomorrow.
 
AprilT said:
Good to know, thank you for updating us. I know you'll have a fun filled day tomorrow; give the grands an extra hug from me. :)
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Will do.

Great couple of days at waterpark, especially with the fearless ten year old!
 

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