Since the visitor centre has just reopened we brought lunch with the knowledge that we could get hot drinks if needed. By the time we left Troon it had just started to rain, but since it had been bright all morning we figured it would blow through, and it did.
It was near one by the time we actually started to cycle. I think I prefer starting from the spine road - you don't have the ski jump start from the visitor centre to turbine 40 and you don't have to end with that climb back up. It was quite windy but with the sun out it didn't seem so cold.
By the time we got tot he steep fast descent between 71 and 87 Ciaran was in good form and headed down the hill at good speed, with me behind him. At the bottom its gets quite rough with large fist sized rocks across the path. The plan is to go through it at a fast enough pace that you don't fall, keeping a light grip on the handle bars, and bouncing through the rough. As I watched, Ciaran bum left the seat and the bike left the ground. He headed left while the bike went right. Before I could call out all had come back together and landed and continued up the other side. I came along side and asked how he was "terrified but good fun".
We continued on our was from 88 to 29 which I think is the bleakest, most exposed bit of the trip. Sure enough it began to spit rain the droplets like ball bearings pushed by the wind. Luckily, that didn't last long - it turned into hail and we had to shelter. of course there was nowhere to shelter so Ciaran simply huddles in front of me while my back took the brunt of the showers.
Once we started off again Ciaran said that it was a bit too cold for him and could we just head back to the visitor centre. Of course we were exactly at the halfway point of our normal route so we simply agreed to head back to the car and not further into the windfarm. The trip down the spine road was difficult with the wind as strong as it was but at least it didn't rain (or hail) again.
Sadly our final run up the hill towards the visitor centre was spoiled for Ciaran by pedestrians - despite the good surface he couldn't get enough speed to get him far enough up the other side and had to walk the final little bit - he still needs to figure out how his gears work and how to best manage them.
All in all a great day with me very proud of his ability.
As we were packing the car to go home we bumped into Fiona's brother, his wife and daughter just heading out for their cycle - lets hope they didn't get any hail.
We also saw this rather odd trike. The guy got it down from the car and set it up. He seemed to steer by leaning and I couldn't see how he would pedal it, until he took a pair of huskies out of the car and tethered them into the harness.
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