@gregorsteele
Retired physics teacher and education support officer. Some writing in Scots and English (Mrs Nae Offence is one of mine). Can be found cycling slowly around Lanarkshire and beyond when not doing family stuff. https://walkridecarluke.wordpress.com/
Double delight in the post - hard copies of the Eejit Street comic I contribute to, and a complimentary copy of the 'Favourite Bike Ride' booklet from Spokes that has a route description from me. @spokes.org.uk
Give them my regards!
As someone pitching a book where the cycling happens at an average speed of 11mph, I must agree.
Braw!
I enjoyed that. What's your criteria for when to take the tourer and when to take a mountain bike? I find myself having the same dilemma, especially when there's a long stretch of tarmac to get to a few miles of rough stuff.
Possibly my favourite 'submit your work to an AI and ask for a stinker of a review' piece...
My new hobby - feeding a piece of my writing into an AI and asking it to write a stinker of a review.
It's a marvellous shot, whenever you took it.
First time I've noticed this in Glasgow.
A walk along Glasgow's riverside while the ladies lunched.
Your work on my Major Tam strip in Eejit Street is fantastic - always look forward to seeing it.
Best cycling day of the year so far. I took a trip to Douglas via Poneil and the great new path.
Saw my first lambs of the year but perhaps the best part was riding home around four in the afternoon in full daylight.
Statistics here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/the-latest-c... Very easy to transfer to an automatic - they have footrests for your left foot. Stick your foot there and don't do anything with it.
In Eejit Street 5, someone has changed the past and Major Tam isn't a Spacepolisman any longer. Fortunately, Doctor Loo is there to help him. Full story here: www.scotshooseyaldi.com/.../comics/e...
The Rubbish Patter bins are back! The latest edition of the Eejit Street comic is out: www.scotshooseyaldi.com/wp-content/u...
Pretty well all of my Kirk o Shotts photos have a blue sky. That wasn't going to happen today without the sudden acquisition of extensive photo editing skills, so I'm going for b&w. The weather wasn't as challenging as yesterday. Indeed the only thing to puncture my good mood was a puncture.
This used to be a bright, vibrant community hub full of friendly people who I sincerely believe were making a difference to our town's well-being and sense of self. Now it's a vape shop. Better than nothing, you might argue, and employment for some. Still feel hacked off about it.
Remembering the time I was out cycling and took a selfie, only to be photobombed by a house doing a facetious impersonation of me.
Dunblane to Callander the quiet way, then NCN 7 past the Falls of Leny and Loch Lubnaig. Superb!
The Voe near Torbothie, Shotts. Also know, perhaps whimsically, as Torbothie Beach, at least on Google Maps. Old maps show it as a reservoir with a brickworks on its shore and collieries nearby.
Faint aurora tonight...
Thank you very much for getting back to me. I've written about the route here: walkridecarluke.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/c... My friend @drewburrett.bsky.social will be interested in how this was achieved by the council.
Nobody ever thought of lightening up and going back to this?
The under-helmet balaclava my neighbours gave me is great - though I do feel like a Scooby Doo villain when I take it off...
Loanhead Farm Tearoom - a community initiative - is open again. As before, it's only 11 am to 2 pm, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and Sunday for breakfast. Still well worth a visit.
The low traffic route from Carluke to Carstairs has been much improved due to a relatively small piece of infrastructure: walkridecarluke.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/c...
Asking @southlanarkshire.gov.uk if the council was responsible for the short cycleway from Ryeflats Road end to Carstairs? I would genuinely like to thank whoever was responsible - a small piece of infrastructure improvement can make a big difference.
I asked AI to create a picture of a horse drawn carriage.
The signed cycle route between Carluke and Carstairs has IMO been marred by a short, busyish stretch on the A721. Now there's a cycle path beside it - a fine example of a little infrastructure going a long way. Now so much better for young or inexperienced cyclists. Kudos to whoever made it happen.
Bird sculptures made of gas canisters at Brow Woods near Allanton, North Lanarkshire
Carried out a welfare check on the Brow Woods birds as a winter's sun went down mid afternoon.