As posted previously, I have recently become a ride leader for the Sky Ride initiative and over the past three weeks I have been undertaking several rides in statu assistant leader rather than as a participant. My inaugural ride was somewhat of a baptism of fire when I was asked to stand in as assistant leader on the recognised most difficult ride on the south side of Glasgow. Then a major skelp along Mosspark Boulevard to assist on a second ride – the “skelp” beng necessary as the morning ride had overshot its allocated time considerably.

However, today I undertook my first ever ride as yer actual leader rather than assistant het, on the second of two rides through the “redeveloping” east end of Glasgow. Nice groups. Had an interesting encounter with some neds in Shettleston who, after I firmly requested that they remove themselves from the middle of the road, said I should be riding a broom rather than a bike. I must take after my mother after all. It was a reasonable ride although some small children and a couple fo very unfit adults meant that we had to go a lot more slowly than the ride level implied. However, all duly delivered safely back to the start point. Phew. Look forward to the next ones.

My fellow ride leaders were also amused by the etiquette and environmental awareness of the River Clyde Walkway jakies who, rather than smash them or leave them lying around, bag up their empty Buckie bottles and hang them on the railings awaiting collection by Glasgow’s finest midgie men. If only the rest of the citizenry would follow their example.

Ride Guide extraordinaire