Cycling Success

Ciaran and I went out on the bikes on Wednesday. We did a simple run along National Cycle Route 7 from Troon into Eglinton Park. Nothing too dramatic, its something we do regularly - easy cycle paths and as its coastal is all pretty flat.
On the way back we did try to hook up with NCR 73 which ends in Kilmarnock, about 7 miles northeast of Troon.
Interestingly, but not enough for a visit, route 73 passes Dreghorn, where John Dunlop, inventor of the pneumatic tyre, and then founder the Irish company Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co. Ltd, was born.

Sadly our attempt to get onto Route 73 failed. Although these cycle routes are great - the surface tends to be high quality and they are car free, but they are signposted quite poorly. Compounded with local footpaths and you can get quite confused, especially when the signs are only 3 inches square in some cases.
The line in red is my log from my Garmin. The blue line going diagonally through the middle is what we were looking for.
We were on it at the start until the bridge. I then had the great idea that if we didn't cross that bridge and continued south we would come across another path which would join with our usual route 7. We didn't cross the bridge, continued south and actually found the path, but its still under construction, so we turned around and headed back tot he bridge and crossed. We then headed south again on the path. Easy. Until we missed a marker saying sharp left choosing to stay on the good condition path. As we looped back and passed under the very distinctive bridge we had just passed we accepted we missed the turn and would have a look at the map once we go home. Continuing north, past the bridge we thought we could rejoin the path but unless we headed into Irvine main street we couldn't. So turn around again and back to the bridge and cross again heading south. Via not too busy streets back onto the cycle path.
Once we got home and looked at the maps we could see the mistake and remembered the junction.

Today we decided to give it another go. Fiona is away "Going Ape" so its boys on their own.
Started out not too bad until about 3 miles in when I heard a metallic boong coming form behind. I stop and see Ciaran picking himself up from the ground having failed to see the second bollard. It hit his handlebar throwing him off. Luckily we were not going too fast as it was a sharp turn onto the path, and he fell onto grass, but he was a bit surprised.
Apart from that it was a great cycle. We ended up doing 35 miles in 3.25 hours, ending up in Dean Castle park.

Well done to Ciaran! A tumble and away from his xbox! And no complaints.