FIRST EVER CYCLE TOUR commemoration run

Aulyin

Here's hoping that in 2012 we can celebrate the FIRST EVER CYCLE TOUR which Kirkpatrick McMillan (born in 1812) made in SW Scotland 170 years ago from Keir Mill to Glasgow along the A76.
It took him two days to travel the 62 miles (100KM).
(Dunlop, up the road at Darvel, had still not produced the FIRST PNEUMATIC TYRE so it was a rough ride.)

Surely we must commemorate the anniversary of this event?

The true bicycle is reputed to have been invented by Kirkpatrick McMillan at Keir Mill, next to the A76, in Dumfriesshire. In 2009, on the 170th anniversary of his invention, the A76 was not included in Stage 3 of the Tour of Britain (surprising?).
Can we at least celebrate this A76 invention?

The Burns Corridor (A76) has numerous connections with Robert Burns who:
died in Dumfries, had a farm (Elisland) along this road which follows the Nith river (Burns Poem; Banks of Nith) and crosses the Afton water (Burns Song; Flow Gently Sweet Afton), goes through Mauchline (Burns House), and Kilmarnock (Burns First Edition of Poetry in the Scottish Dialect published).

It passes Drumlanrig Estate, which holds the bicycle museum.
http://wetalkhablamos.wordpress.com/200 ... ig-castle/

Please VOTE

spen666

what is special about the 170th annivarsary rather than the 169th or 171st


175 maybe, 200 more likely, but why 170, it seems to be a number without any general significance

Aulyin

I only recently found out about Kirkpatrick MacMillan and thought that he should have been mentioned in this year of Homecoming Scotland when we have been told to celebrate our innovators.

Commemorating the 68 mile tour seems like a great opportunity to promote the bike and perhaps even some new innovation. If I'd known about MacMillan 20 years ago then I would have proposed to have a 150th then. Start organising and doing it now, and perhaps by June 2012 it will become a serious event.

Just an idea.

Cheers, Aulyin

spen666

Aulyin wrote:

I only recently found out about Kirkpatrick MacMillan and thought that he should have been mentioned in this year of Homecoming Scotland when we have been told to celebrate our innovators.

Commemorating the 68 mile tour seems like a great opportunity to promote the bike and perhaps even some new innovation. If I'd known about MacMillan 20 years ago then I would have proposed to have a 150th then. Start organising and doing it now, and perhaps by June 2012 it will become a serious event.

Just an idea.

Cheers, Aulyin

June 2012 will not be remembered for the 170th anniversary of a bike ride. I think it might be remembered for some other sporting event that summer in Britain.

I think the clash with that event and the fact 170th is an insignificant number [- try 175 instead] you are fighting an uphill battle

Aulyin

This year is the 170th anniversary of the 1842 invention. Nothing.
If I had said let's celebrate the 166th anniversary with a run, what would the reaction have been? Why 166, why not 200. OK let's wait until 2042.

We need to get people excited about cycling NOW!!
By all means, start an annual race now, with a grand one in 2012, we need the practice.

Would visiting cyclists not enjoy a wee warm-up in early or late June before the 2012 Olympic Games in London ?

Olympic Games - 27 July-12 Aug 2012.
Paralympic Games. 29 Aug-9 Sept 2012.

I bet there are loads of other ideas out there, so let's hear them. :idea: :idea: :idea:

Cheers, Aulyin

Tourist Tony

There have already been commemorative events around Dumfries for K-M; the CTC birthday rides were used for that.

Aulyin

TT

There have already been commemorative events around Dumfries for K-M; the CTC birthday rides were used for that.

The thing is, I live quite near Dumfries and heard nothing about "CTC birthday rides" so what chance have I of attending the event?
This happens all the time :roll:, we don't advertise, or advertise within a ten mile radius, and then complain that not enough people turn up at the event. It's our fault if it's a non- event.

How do we expect to get people interested in cycling if we are a "Cleek", a closed society?

Drumlanrig should be the cyclists Mecca. An 'advertised' fun ride from or to there would promote interest in cycling.
There are hundreds of ordinary people out there who only need a wee nudge to get on their bikes.

Brag about KM, he gave the world (not just Dumfriesshire) the true bicycle, .

Get on yer bikes!

Cheers, Aulyin

Aulyin

Would this not be the perfect Sportive????

For those who may not know what a cycle sportive is:

A cyclosportive falls between a traditional road race and a non-competitive randonnée or Audax event. Riders normally carry a number and the time they take to complete the course is recorded. There is usually an upper time limit within which the course must be completed (unlike many randonnée events, there is no lower limit preventing riders from completing the course quickly). The already lengthy course will traditionally include climbs and difficult riding conditions, adding to the merit of the event (e.g. the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix).

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclosportive

Aulyin

Just found out from Robyn that there's a Kirkpatrick MacMillan bicycle trail running from Dumfries to Drumlanrig Castle and Country Park, home to the Museum of Cycling. The route was opened in 1990 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the pedal bicycle. The route crosses the River Nith, goes through Newbridge, Throughgate and Keir Mill, the birthplace of the first bicycle.

Cheers, Aulyin

Aulyin

So 83% of voters so far think it's a good perhaps great idea.

Will the idea be taken on by the powers that be though?

Or do the 17% pull the strings?

Cheers, Aulyin

spen666

Aulyin wrote:

So 83% of voters so far think it's a good perhaps great idea.

Will the idea be taken on by the powers that be though?

Or do the 17% pull the strings?

Cheers, Aulyin

Alternatively, 5 people out of 60+million in Britain think its a good idea.

Will that be taken on by the powers that by or do those 5 people think its a good idea.

Auylin, their is a deceased equine type creature and a length of rope down near it.

you may wwant to try flogging that instead

Aulyin

5 people out of 60+million in Britain think its a good idea.
(Spen666)

If 5 people talk it over with 3 friends each and decide to "Do it, just to say we have." then we have the nucleus of a Kirkpatrick MacMillan Commemoration Tour.

60+million would be far to many anyway, they can watch it on the internet.

With the help of BikeRader it would be easy.

Cheers, DeadHorseFlogger

spen666

Aulyin wrote:

5 people out of 60+million in Britain think its a good idea.
(Spen666)

If 5 people talk it over with 3 friends each and decide to "Do it, just to say we have." then we have the nucleus of a Kirkpatrick MacMillan Commemoration Tour.

60+million would be far to many anyway, they can watch it on the internet.

With the help of BikeRader it would be easy.

Cheers, DeadHorseFlogger

Have you not noticed the lack of interest from people on here

you are trying to promote a ride no one appears interested in to commerate an insignifcant aniversary of an event no one appears interested in.

Aulyin

That's 6 out of 6,000,000 now.
Now that's encouraging. :shock:

I think I felt a pulse

Cheers, Aulyin

spen666

Aulyin wrote:

That's 6 out of 6,000,000 now.
Now that's encouraging. :shock:

I think I felt a pulse

Cheers, Aulyin

6,000,000?

What about the other 54,000,000 in Britain

volvicspar

Spen666 is talking sense :shock: It might make sense for the 200th ann ;-)

Still, why not organise a ride just for the sake of riding, that makes more sense. 45miles winter ride

Aulyin

volvicspar

Spen666 is talking sense It might make sense for the 200th ann.

Still, why not organise a ride just for the sake of riding, that makes more sense. 45miles winter ride

That would do nicely.

A "One small step" moment.
Dead Horse Flagger

Cheers, Aulyin

colintrav

Interesting ...


I reckon you would get more riders if it were raising money for Soldier's injured in Afghanistan / erskine hospital

Aulyin

Interesting ...
I reckon you would get more riders if it were raising money for Soldier's injured in Afghanistan / erskine hospital.

colintrav

This is an idea open to everyone. A sponsored run for the Erskine Hospital is one possibility, so why not take it forward?

It could get a lot of publicity if handled correctly Colintrav.

Cheers, Aulyin

Aulyin

So how do we commemorate the event?

Cheers, Aulyin


http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/rob ... rport.html

spen666

Aulyin wrote:

So how do we commemorate the event?

Cheers, Aulyin


http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/rob ... rport.html

We don't - no one seems interested in this "event".

OldSkoolKona

Perhaps post this in the Rides thread rather than the Campaign thread, might get more interest there (and less bile directed at you :roll: )

Aulyin

Thanks for the advice OldSkoolKona. 2,419 hits and only ten votes.
The pedal bike, pneumatic tyre and macadamised roads were all born in the south west of Scotland, if we are to believe the experts, so I thought it would be only right to have some fun at the same time as saying "cheers" to MacMillan, Dunlop and MacAdam.

At least they'll use part of the route. http://www.drumlanrigchallenge.btik.com/

Cheers, Aulyin

Aulyin

How much could be raised with "The KM 200"?


Kirkpatrick MacMillan pedaled his new contraption from Keir Mill in Dumfriesshire to Glasgow: 62 miles in two days.
62 miles converts to 99.78 KM (call it 100KM).KM: http://www.squidoo.com/kirkpatrickmacmillan

Aulyin

Kirkpatrick MacMillan pedaled his new contraption from Keir Mill in Dumfriesshire to Glasgow: 62 miles in two days.
62 miles converts to 99.78 KM (call it 100KM).

Kirkpatrick Macmillan was born near Dumfries, Scotland, in 1812.
An annual cycling rally following his route from Drumlanrig to Glasgow beginning in June 2012 to commemorate the feat and raise money for charity would be great.

If we could find out the exact route MacMillan took we could arrange with villages and towns along it to hold cycle orientated events, raising more money for charity.

Kirkconnel in Dumfriesshire pays a small fortune to have a large section of the A76 closed down and a diversion put in place. This would be a good time to have the rally and it's in June.

KM: http://www.squidoo.com/kirkpatrickmacmillan

Aulyin

Scotland WILL be involved in the 2011 Tour of Britain.
http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_news ... ews_id=117
In 2012, we MUST have the A76 involved to commemorate Kirkpatrick MacMillan.