The Crow Road is one of the legendary cycling climbs in this part of the world. It is not the steepest of hills  – there’s a section of 12% at the bottom which lasts for about a quarter of a mile but after that it is just a long drag of a constant climb of between 5% and 9% that goes on for about three miles, going in that distance from 280feet to 1380. What makes it ouchworthy is that you get to what you think is the top only to turn a corner and be confronted with another half mile of up.

My first encounter with this entity was last year during the Trossachs Ton event and it was yet another of my classic comedy cycling moments. Just as I was priding myself on not having stopped, I noticed that the sheep in the field beside the road were actually overtaking me. And the wee buggers weren’t even running!  I do have to confess that my “not having stopped” came to an end fairly soon after that as I ran out of steam and had to put the foot on the ground for a breather before resuming.

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Well I’ve done it. Bought another bike.

The Dolan has served me well for a first road bike, especially since it had never been my intention to get a carbon framed one that early in my cycling life.

But things move on and I had been very impressed with the Specialized Ruby that I hired in Texas.  It had come down to a choice between that and the Giant Avail Advanced, but with the latter being now unavailable until 2014, I went with the Ruby.

Good choice.