A Brompton day out

[rualexander]

I had a great day out in the Scottish Borders a week ago with my recently acquired second-hand Brompton.
Rode a couple of miles, folded it up and attached it to my daypack, walked four or five miles on the Southern Upland Way, then cycled 16 mlies back to start point.
Photo slideshow here http://www.flickr.com/photos/rualexander/sets/72157632854801611/show/
Check out the video at the end, of the loch freezing over and how the noise of the ice suddenly stops.

[jags]

WOW 

[triaesthete]

Hi Ru
very innovative. Quite literally bikepacking.

Anto
I'm sure you'll like this video involving Bromptons, walking, inflateable boats and the Shetland isles.

 http://joesheffer.net/?p=780

Those crazy guys.
Ian

[Danneaux]

Simply marvelous, Rual, and as usual for you photos and videos, a real treat for the eyes and senses. The sound of the ice hitting the shoreline was my favorite! Eerrie how it stopped so suddenly...

Many thanks.

All the best,

Dan.

[ianshearin]

Stunning photos, Scotland is a real gem of a place for those that like the outdoors.

[jags]

Hi Ru
very innovative. Quite literally bikepacking.

Anto
I'm sure you'll like this video involving Bromptons, walking, inflateable boats and the Shetland isles.

 http://joesheffer.net/?p=780

Those crazy guys.

Ian

Thanks Ian i did see it before but stil enjoyed it second time around just put it on my facebook page .how did they ever think of doing something like that.

[StuntPilot]

Ru

Great photos of my neck of the woods! Saint Mary's Loch looks stunning on such sunny days.

[rualexander]

Ru

Great photos of my neck of the woods! Saint Mary's Loch looks stunning on such sunny days.

The loch in the photos is the Loch of the Lowes, the other side of Tibbie Shiels from St Mary's Lcoh, but yes the two lochs are great for reflections on a still day.

[John Saxby]

Super fotos, Rual!  Beautiful country & very benign winter weather too; plane looked a bit sinister, though.  Have to admit I'm equal parts puzzled--baffled, really--and locked in admiration of the blue sky. Is this something the Brompton generates?  Or do all of your bikes do this?  Whatever it is, have you thought of selling bottles of the stuff to Scotland's Tourism Authority?

J.

[jags]

Meant to say Rual you must be as strong as a horse and as fit as a fiddle to take on such a walk like that carrying your bike  fair play to you well worth the climbs for the views stunning country.

[rualexander]

Thanks guys.

John, the blue sky and fine weather is not so common here so I make the most of it when it does show up.
It's normally fast jets we see flying up these valleys, so the Hercules was a bit different (and easier to photograph).

Jags, the Brompton is not so heavy, maybe around 12 kg, and there wasn't a lot of actual hill climbing on that day, mostly gradual and level-ish, but my shoulders were feeling the strain after the two hours of walking, I need to rig up a better system with a decent hip-belt to take the weight.
You may be interested in a trip I did a couple of years ago, when I left the bike at home, and walked and kayaked across Scotland for two weeks from Morar to Perth. That time I carried an inflatable kayak plus camping gear on my back with a total weight of 30kg!
I kayaked as many lochs and rivers as were navigable, and walked the bits in between. Photo slideshow of that trip here http://www.flickr.com/photos/rualexander/sets/72157619738223951/show/ and hope to get the videos up on my Vimeo page soon.

[jags]

Wow Just went through the photos stunning, what a trip  but i would not be fit enough for something like that it looked really tough going.
but what a country and not a Bear or Mountain lion  or humam in sight 
look forward to the video.

[John Saxby]

And, here, Rual, I thought from your fotos that all days in the Scottish hills were sunny, 'cept when I was visiting me Mum's ancestral landscape.

I sent the link to this thread to an old friend in Amsterdam, a well-populated outpost of Bromptonia -- both he & his wife are besotted Bromptonistas, in love with this particular Brit-mix of whimsy and excellent engineering.  They were of course mightily impressed with everything.  Seems that even secondhand Bromptons command a high price there--speaks well for the bikes, as the Dutch are knowledgeable about 2-wheelers.

My friend is also a devoted sketcher of landscapes & skyscapes, and as a member of the Clouds Appreciation Society--you know it?--very much liked your photos.

Keep up the good work,

J.