Piershill Lane

After the nosebleed territory of Wester Ross, it's back to the day job.  The Didier Deschamps role of quiet midfield industry that largely goes unnoticed; a thankless role. 

So I'd dealt with the transport issues; retrieved the car from its MOT failure; to be consigned to the scrap heap I fear. Then the bike shop to get a new spoke and pick up the Giant with its new tyre and brakes. And off through delightful  Trinity for a morning of back to back calls; no margin for error. And thus it was I found myself giving some carpet fitters a hand up to the top floor in Portobello  with some lovely beige Axminster (do they still do Axminster - I must check) and from there on in it was all westward. 

A trundled up to the lights at the start of the Sir Harry Lauder Road and as I'm waiting the Cigsvan (not the Cigsflatbed or the Cigs campervan) zoomed up Portobello Road...! Now I'm normally a careful and conscientious cycist**, so I waited for the lights to go to green to give chase. Sadly from where I was sitting, I couldn't tell if it went right into Craigentinny or up into town. 
As the lights changed, the inner accountant in me played it safe and statistically the van was much more likely to go to town, and so off I sped. A head wind and no sign - oh it was disheartening. But on I went; mentally thinking if I get as far as Meadowbank with no sighting, I'l swing round the velodrome and then back to work. Every time I saw a red light up off in the distance I strain my eyes to see if I could spot a white Seat, but nothing definitive.... My last chance was that traffic was heavy at Jock's Lodge and I might get a final glimpse or a clue as to where it was headed.... but as I approached the lights - nothing.

Except.

Behind the bus stop on the left and partially obscured by discarded doors and a wheelie bin - was a Cigs! Cigs does move in mysterious ways; guiding me to this one. 

And with that, I set off back on my travels; back tracking through EH7; back down Pilrig Street and up to the New Town; through Tollcross and out west into Polwarth; Sunny Saughton Mains and a winding ascent of Drumbrae. 

It was a weary cyclist who finished up at Drumbrae leisure centre about 1545; 50km done; bit with the ever so pleasing prospect of a tail wind / downhill run home. And so I gathered myself and gave it some considerable welly as I zipped home; chancing it on Queensferry Road; down Quality Street and powering along Ferry Road. A joyous romp so it was. And then onto the cycle path the runs beside West Granton Access; a steady 30mph down there.

But wait; what's this coming up the hill? No - it can't be. I'm trying to brake and not crash and swivel my neck to see, but I already know - it's the Cigscampervan...! 2 van sightings on the same day? Mindful of the previous chase, I briefly wondered about giving chase and seeing if I could get a shot... but naw. I had nothing left to give.

I may dander out later to see what Hallowe'en treats Cigs has left about town. But for now? A cuppa and a shower is required. 

**I'm not but for the purposes of keeping the legal team happy, I have to say that