ToB The Scottish Bit

Aulyin
Aulyin Posts: 39
edited December 2009 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Here's hoping that in 2012 we can celebrate the FIRST EVER CYCLE TOUR which Kirkpatrick McMillan made 170 years ago from Keir Mill to Glasgow along the A76. It took him two days.
(Dunlop, up the road at Darvel, had still not produced the FIRST PNEUMATIC TYRE so it was a rough ride.)

The true bicycle is reputed to have been invented by Kirkpatrick McMillan at Keir Mill, next to the A76, in Dumfriesshire, many were disappointed, in 2009, on the 170th anniversary of his invention, that the A76 was not included in Stage 3 of the Tour of Britain?

The Burns Corridor (A76) is celebrating the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns birth 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/


Cheers, Aulyin


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

Comments

  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    ISTR that Kirkpatrick McMillan's ride had to go crosscountry for a good part, though I could well be wrong.

    Does anyone know the exact route he took? I'd quite like to do it, if it's on road, just to say that I have.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    I think there may be lots of other riders who would like to do it just to say they had.

    There were stagecoaches carrying passengers and post on the same road/track which he took, along what is now the A76 from Dumfries to Cumnock, after that I'm not sure which route he took, perhaps the now A70 to Lanark and then A721 to Glasgow.

    The ToB did Glasgow to Dumfries via Muirkirk, Cumnock, Drumlanrig a few years ago, so it is viable.

    Cheers, Aulyin

    Please VOTE !

    FIRST EVER CYCLE TOUR Commemoration Run poll:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12651714
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    edited September 2009
    History of Scottish bit of:

    Tour of Britain 2005 Stage 1 of 6
    Glasgow to Castle Douglas

    Tour of Britain 2006 Stage 1 of 6
    Glasgow to Castle Douglas

    Tour of Britain 2007 Stage 6 of 6
    Dumfries to Glasgow via Drumlanrig
    Glasgow was waiting to find out if it would be chosen as the host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

    Tour of Britain 2008 Stage 7 of 8
    Glasgow to Drumlanrig

    Tour of Britain 2009 Stage 3 of 8
    Peebles to Gretna Green

    http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_history/

    Cheers, Aulyin

    (Edited after being corrected by DM)
  • DaveMoss
    DaveMoss Posts: 236
    2005 and 2006 finish was Castle Douglas, not Dumfries. 2008 finish was Drumlanrig, it didn't get to Dumfries.

    There is a race every year that uses A76 from cummnock to Sanquar, it then goes up the Mennock Pass. However, theres a big difference from using A76 on sunday morning and midday mid week, though the ToB has used short sections in the past. Also, using the A76 straight down would not be a great race route, there are far better routes on the roads roand about such as the meenock and Dalveen passes.

    For Kirpatrick fans, the Drumlanrig challenge sportive goes past his smithy and is based at Drumlanrig where the museum is.
    Sportives and tours, 100% for charity, http://www.tearfundcycling.btck.co.uk
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    Dave
    There is a race every year that uses A76 from cummnock to Sanquar, it then goes up the Mennock Pass.

    I have never seen or heard of an annual cycle race from Cumnock to Sanquhar via New Cumnock and Kirkconnel, along the A76. When is it?

    I still think it should go: Sanquhar, Drumlanrig, Carronbridge, Thornhill, Closeburn, Elisland and Dumfries following KM's tracks. These are lovely wee places, some even benefit from canoeists using the Nith every year.

    Cheers, Aulyin
  • scwxx77
    scwxx77 Posts: 1,469
    I think the Wanlockhead Road Race uses a bit of the A76, between Sanquhar and Mennock.

    Personally, I've been avoiding the A76 since May when I got forced onto the grass verge twice on one ride by nobs overtaking.
    Winner: PTP Vuelta 2007 :wink:
  • DaveMoss
    DaveMoss Posts: 236
    The long established wanlockhed Road race at the end of August run by the Louden CC from Muirkirk uses the A76 before turning up to go through Wanlockhead. There is also the newer Tour of the Lowther which is Based at Wanlockhead and doesn,t use the A76
    Sportives and tours, 100% for charity, http://www.tearfundcycling.btck.co.uk
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    So the lorries rule the A76.

    Cyclists (spectators/pedestrians) should be able to use our roads, especially the birthplace of the first ever cycle tour safely on the anniversary of the birth of the bicycle.


    It's possible to close down Glasgow and London for the ToB but not the A76?

    Cheers, Aulyin
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    (Crapaud:) Does anyone know the exact route he took? I'd quite like to do it, if it's on road, just to say that I have.

    If six people want to be able to say "I did the KM route" talk to a couple of friends each, then they can organise a run. (even better with the help of BikeRader).

    Show us the power of the internet.

    Cheers, Aulyin
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    So, using the anniversary of the Birth of the Bicycle would not be a good publicity hook?

    I thought there would have been a better response from councils north of the border seeing as the Homecoming did so well and was supposed to make Scots proud of their achievements in innovation.

    Quote:
    The Tour of Britain Attracts 4 Million Spectators
    Large spectator numbers and increased TV viewing figures show interest in the sport has grown
    SweetSpot, organisers of The Tour of Britain have announced that the 2009 event was a resounding success, with increased numbers of spectators on the race route and across television and media coverage watching the best field of professional cyclists ever assembled for a British professional race.
    http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_news ... news_id=83 [/quote]

    and I'm told that the ToB is looked at as a very unimportant event. So what if someone put some more effort into it? Ask the media for more coverage. Get councils banging at the door. Do the Kirkpatrick MacMillan bit.

    Cheers, Aulyin
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    There is a lot happening along the A76 Burns Corridor so why are East Ayrshire Council, the local authority in charge of the top half, not promoting it?
    The Tour of Britain organisational team is hard at work planning the 2010 Tour Series, Tour Rides and Tour of Britain race and is in discussions with partners and sponsors for next year’s event roster.

    Working with it’s event stakeholders and regional partners, The Tour of Britain engaged with many thousands of school children in 2009, giving schools and teachers across the country a platform to promote cycling as a healthy sport and sustainable pastime.

    “The 2009 race was a great success. The crowd numbers, and the number of school children that attended the race were a big step forward for us, and this shows that cycling as a sport is growing exponentially in it’s national popularity. We at The Tour of Britain are extremely pleased to be a key part of this process”, said Hugh Roberts, CEO for The Tour of Britain.
    http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_news ... news_id=83

    [note] The Robert Burns International Airport :wink: at Prestwick, Ayrshire will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of ELVIS landing there in March 1960.
  • Aulyin
    Aulyin Posts: 39
    Really close at 7 to 5

    Cheers, Aulyin







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