A day out to Rosslyn Chapel

As the perfect antidote to a hot, stuffy office this morning, I decided to enjoy the rest of the sunny day on my bike. My toes are still a bit sore after all my running, so an hour on my bike seemed like the right thing to do.

So off I went, decided to head down to Roslin via the University buildings at the Bush Estate. As I cycled along, I realised that it was not that I was in the wrong gear (regular occurrence - not very good at the gears) but that I was cycling into a gale force wind. Where on earth was that coming from? The trees were not even moving - where was the wind coming from?????

Anyway, turned down into Roslin and decided to have a rest and a wee snack at Rosslyn Chapel. The road down to the chapel is all lined with hedgerows and wild flowers - being summer (????) they are very full and high, which really made it feel like you were really out in the country. As I cycled down a huge tour bus drove past me and then proceeded to try and turn in the smallest space ever. Good point to stop and have a wee seat. Found a seat outside the chapel and watched the bus driver getting hot under the collar trying to fit into the car park. Eventually he managed it and then off the bus came a whole posse of Japanese tourists complete with cameras (and I am not stereotyping they really all did have cameras). They then spent ten minutes photographing the chapel from every angle with me sitting on a wee bench eating my biscuit in my cycling gear. It made me think that we take the chapel for granted as it is always there on our doorstep. There was a bit of interest when the Davinci Code was in the flicks but otherwise it is just a big building on the route of a walk/run that is regularly taken. But for these people it was a day out on their holiday itinerary and they will go back for their dinner and share photographs and stories about their great day out. We really do take for granted what is in and around our lovely city.

Anyway, as I was sitting the lovely sunny afternoon took a darker turn! The clouds rolled over, those dark blue clouds that signify a downpour! And it was still warm which would suggest thunder! So I hopped back on my bike and rode as fast as I could back to Penicuik. The rain was chasing me up the road and for some bizarre reason the wind was still in my face - can that scientifically be possible? By the time I was home and putting my bike back in the garage there were huge splats of rain on the ground. It was literately chasing me up the path into the house. Now I am sitting with it bouncing of the roof in the conservatory.

Nice 12 miles on the bike :)

don't worry, be happy :)