It's mid-day Sunday at the top of Blubberhouses pass in the Dales, with maybe three thousand cycling supporters in the sunshine preparing to cheer on the Tour riders at the top of their first proper climb of the day.
I'm there with pals and am proudly wearing my brand new 3Pistes cycling jersey.
Out of the crowd there emerges this similarly dressed, hairy Scotsman yelling at the top of his (substantial) lungs: "3Pistes, 3Pistes gie'us a wave! 3Pistes, gie'us a wave..." The message gets through the rapidly quietening crowd and another shirt appears on the opposite side of the valley, gives us a cheer and a wave before disapearing back into the mob..
The piper on the crag above strikes up again and everyone goes back about their enthusiastic business.
Thank you Alan, you added a moment of extra colour to an already kaleidescopic day!

Was this hairy Scotsman at the Cote de Cray the previous day by any chance?

i was at blubberhouses and cote du cray day before
not a hairy scotsman and no 3pistes top

but i did tow a 16kg black lab puppy in a kiddy bike trailer for nearly 50km over the 2 days.
nice to have pub lunch with hustler and steelytail after the tour passed at blubberhouses

I was up at the Cote de Grinton Moor on the Saturday. Great atmosphere. Hopefully the Tour will return to Scotland next. Great fun day. Thouroghly recommended.

I was that loud hairy arsed 3 pistes top wearer at Cray and Blubberhouses.

Hustler, we wandered down the hill a bit had lots more banter and started the Hokey Cokey. Did it make it's way up the hill to you?

[youtu.be]

Telemarker- chapeau for being the guy with the big dug. We did share a bit on hillside banter whilst riding. I had my 4 year old daughter on the back.

Here's my views of Cray and Blubberhouses.


[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]

We went to London on Monday... Name atmosphere whatsoever. It was like the cart after The Lord Mayor's Show.

I had no voice on Tuesday.

Awesome weekend.

Oh, my favourite bit of both videos is at the end of each when an ordinary punter cycles up the climb behind the last car. The crowds went wild.

ah - your'e the hokey cokey man, underneath the piper. we were on bank opposite at blubberhouses
nice video clips, i can see us in our sky tops on blubberhouses
yes it seemed there was better banter lower down hill where we were.

did i speak to you going up Cray then?



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.22hrs Wed 16 Jul 14 by telemarker.

Alan, no the dancin' never progressed so far up as where we were at the start of the barriers. But chapeau to you for brightening up the day anyway. Heading east back down the climb to find that crucial pub and meet up with Telemarker, Mrs T and the pup in her chariot was complete chaos, almost an avalanche of cyclists on the closed road!

Sunday 31st May 2015

Entry opens next weekend.

I'll be getting my chit in for that right away.
Can we have a piper and dancing at the Cote de Lecht, please..?
Telemarker, Steelytail, HTH, get yer names down...

Almost 700 entered. Looks like being bigger and better than last year.

+1

Just signed up.

Hello All,

3 Pistes Cycle 2015 is almost full. Yippppeeeee.

So, silly idea time.

I was watching Ski Sunday last week and Graeme Bell took part in the Patrouille Des Glaciers race from Zermatt - Verbier.

[www.pdgnews.ch]

It got me thinking... Could you do a Scottish equivalent from Glenshee or Lecht to Cairngorm? Possibly, but it would have to be at short notice like the curling at Lake of Menteith.

I've been doing a lot of cyclocross racing recently so I then thought... Could you do an off road 3 Pistes Cycle?

Have any of you ever cycled off road from A93 side to Glenmore?

How rideable is the Lairig Ghru?

How rideable is the path from Glen Avon's Faindouran Lodge to Loch Avon?

Here's a possible route... Thoughts please?

www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/616703286

Am I being a sadistic fool?


Thanks in advance Alan.

Blair Atholl to Aviemore.... Glen Tilt, White Bridge, Lairig Ghru, etc.

You couldn't really do the Ghru - I'm not sure how much damage a large bunch of cyclists would do to the boggier bits but it certainly wouldn't go down well in some quarters. I love the idea though.

And yes, Alan, after last year everyone knows you are a sadistic fool, and long may it continue.