A Dreich Day by the Canal — Fan Of… #135 and Lens-Artists #175

by Photos by Jez, posted in Challenges

Hi all 😁 Feel free to join in this weekly challenge whenever you find yourself thinking “I’m a fan of…” (see below for how-to).

This week’s Fan Of… is a dreich day by the canal. Probably not everyone’s idea of a day to be out on the bikes, but we’ve decided we’re not just fair-weather cyclists.

Being out on our bikes exploring is our version of bliss for my wife & me, & so this is also my entry for this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge, hosted this week by Lindy Low LeCoq: Follow Your Bliss.

We don’t have a car & since we got our bikes earlier in the year, we have clocked up over 700km & have seen many local attractions & a plethora of nature that we would never have otherwise come across. We use the Forth & Clyde Canal a lot to get around & I have been able to capture many images that have featured extensively in my Fan Of… & Water Water Everywhere Challenges, as well as in many other photographic challenges.

A soggy Susan & the bikes at Auchinstarry Marina
A soggy Susan & the bikes at Auchinstarry Marina

There’s a bit more to it than just going out for a ride. It’s recommended with our e-bikes to run the batteries right down to zero charge, to train the battery to know its full capacity. Susan had run her battery down earlier in the week, & I wanted to get mine fully depleted before some forecast icy weather arrives. It was quite mild, about 10℃, windy & rainy so we did our usual & headed to the canal. We took a slightly different (less hilly) route to the canal so that I could keep my battery charge for the hills to be climbed on the way back.

We arrived at the canal at Auchinstarry Marina, before heading east along the canal & back up to Cumbernauld from Lock 20. I got a few shots of the Marina & the canal further along, as well as another visit from the family of swans before the rain forced me to put Snappy away & we headed home.

How To Join In

  1. Create a Fan Of… Photo Post.
  2. Add a link to your Fan of… blog post in my comment box or create a pingback by linking to my post.
    1. Title your post Fan Of… or add Fan Of… tag.Te

Have a great week 😁

Published by Photos by Jez

I'm a Royal Navy Veteran from Scotland and love to get out and about with my wife, susantbraithwaite.com, on our Kalkhoff e-bikes. My faithful camera, Snappy, and the ever-present Lensy (lensball) are always along for the ride to capture the beauty of Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. Join me as I share photos from our travels, how Lensy views the world & pretty much anything shiny ✨

30 thoughts on “A Dreich Day by the Canal — Fan Of… #135 and Lens-Artists #175”

    1. Thanks, Leya 😊 I think e-bikes are so good because they get people into (or back into in our case) cycling who otherwise might not. We also have a trailer that we can hook up that allows us to do all our shopping on the bikes as well; no need for a car 😃

      Reply

  6. It’s clear you are both enjoying yourself, even in the rain and overcast skies, and the trail by the canal looks like a great place to bicycle. I especially like the shot of the canal with cattail in the foreground and birds (geese?) flying in the sky, and the swans are lovely. Thanks for joining in the fun!

    Reply
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  9. Hi, Jez. You are true bikers…out in all kinds of weather! Kudos to you both. I enjoyed your gallery of images and your experiences on the e-bike. I haven’t tried one yet, but it’s very tempting.

    Reply

    1. I highly recommend it, Patti 😃 We hadn’t cycled for a long time & e-bikes seemed the perfect way to get back in the saddle. Cumbernauld is built on a hill, so the motors do take the sting out of the return journey quite a bit. Our bikes are pedal-assist bikes & cannot be used on motor alone; the motor gives us that little boost when we need it 😃

      Reply

  10. Kudos to you and your wife for braving the elements on the bikes Jez. We got such a kick out of the name Firth of Forth when we were in Scotland a few years back – and I can see why it would be a source of bliss for sure!

    Reply
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