Turf Zone – MonktonEscape
The middle of March, a bright warm sunny Saturday, nice in the sunshine, cool in the shade, but not the ideal day to be turfing on a bicycle along Portobello promenade. But if you are into people watching you would be in your element. Note the so-called privileged cyclist who thinks she has right of way and everyone else should get out of her path. Note the family, all of them walking five abreast and not moving an inch for anyone else. Note the attractive young folk in skin tight Lycra running effortlessly along.
Turf Zone – Brunstane
Note the portly middle-aged gent running along with considerable effort, flushed red face and also wearing Lycra, though perhaps he shouldn’t, be wearing Lycra that is. Yes, a busy place Portobello promenade but you get there eventually, you get the zones and think yourself fortunate that you stopped before that runaway child went under your wheels, the sausage dog missed your heel with its sharp teeth and recall the comment overheard, what kind of bike is that says the young lady. It’s a Brompton G Line, replies here partner. Nice.
Again, today, I’m out hunting down another turfer unique, this time by the name of Tiger-SS, mostly located in a long line between Moredun and Duddingston. Last evening there was 12 of them. So far so good. But as I watched Turf Tv the following morning, that figure was down to 5. Not so good. They were vanishing fast. Better get moving then.
It was new bike day, the Brompton G Line and what is beast it is for turfing. Kind of rides like a mini-fat bike, so planted, so stable, so comfortable. The SUV of the Brompton range, perfect for turfing. Perhaps even the Ultimate Turfing Bicycle, if such a thing might even exist. So, down through Bonnyrigg, then Eskbank and Dalkeith, then Whitecraig and finally almost all the way down to Musselburgh but not quite, as I turn off left towards zone FiggateWoods, held by Tiger-SS. However, as I’m taking zone Monktonhall, I see another turfer taking that same zone. It’s that pesky Cruachan again. Oh well, there’s another at zone Duddingston, which I managed to get in time.
Mission accomplished and time to retreat to the coast and find a nice spot for lunch. I do stop first to check Warded for any other turfer uniques that might have appeared but alas, nothing showing. I’m enjoying turfing on the new Brompton G Line, it seems to eat the miles, float over the cobbles and any other rough stuff it encounters. It’s a heavy bike compared to my other bikes, requires that little bit more effort to pedal and I can feel that in my legs, which is probably good for me. But I’ll reserve final judgement until tomorrow morning when I get out of bed!
Turf Zone – MusselShell
It’s been a good day turfing. Okay, only the one turfer unique to bring my tally to 455 but 74 zones taken isn’t too shabby and helps keep me away from the relegation zone in the League. Not that I’m bothered in any way at all. Nice to see a post on the WhatsApp Turf Scotland group about a new zone called DuneWithAView out in the wilds of Aberlady Bay. That was one I suggested via the turf app and I’m most pleased to see it was created. So, keep those suggestions coming. The more zones the merrier!
Turf Zone – HolyCharger
And finally, I was turfing down in Musselburgh the other evening and was pondering the rights and wrongs of cycling along the pavement, which I was actually doing at the time. I’d just come along a footpath from zone LewisWhale and was riding along the pavement to the nearest drop kerb to join the carriageway. Hearing a car behind me, I recall thinking, I hope that’s not a police car! Guess what it was? Yes, a police traffic car. They didn’t even look at me. Sighs of relief. Back soon.
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