http://app.strava.com/rides/18016079#
Above is the link I did to a ride with the meetup crew this Sunday past …. We caught a ferry to Gourock and crossed over on the ferry to the Cowal peninsula. There were 10 of us saying yay to the ride although the statement that it was going to be a hard and hilly 100km ride meant some meetup members opted instead for the easy ride along the Clyde that someone else organised. It was my first ride in this part of the world and it was great to catch a ferry over – it really makes it a special type of ride one with a more travel aspect to it.
The ride started fine – just a grumble or two about missing coffees then we hit the first hill. Was shocked to see the gradient on the garmin shoot up to 20%slope – I was grinding my lowest gear and really just holding on. Luckily the slope was not over long and it eased back to 12% before long. The road carried on its undulating way and then we hit Bealach an Drain – a climb which the organiser which said was vomit inducing … And it was. Some others had edged forward already but I decided to train on the climb and gradually picked them off one by one. Only 3.5 kilometres but had edged ahead by the end of the climb and looking on strava I see I made the top 10 – well at least amongst the very few that upload their files.
Inspired by the Olympics we posed for our Bolt moment – and then trundled on.
After about 40km we stopped at a nice spot for lunch – normally I eat a bar on the move and just press on …. Tis luxury meant I opted for a nice sit down soup Cullen Skink – a traditional dish in these parts.
Then we pressed on – I added a section on strava – the fox and the hounds as it starts on a super descent 75kmh and then levels off to a good chase. Two of the chaps had pressed ahead working well together taking turns to push the pace – but iggy caught up with me and we worked really hard together to fetch them back although it took about 4km to reel in the 200m lead they had.
Finished the ride in a bunch ambled into the village at the ferry and demolished the drink and sweets counter of the local shop. Then a ferry and a train home …. That seat felt so comfy – I might have nodded off ……
Kite*Surf*Bike*Rambling 
Wow, whereas its standard fare for me to see over 200 bpm when I nail it, its not often I see you post a workout where your HR gets so high as it did here.
Elevation profile for that segment looks like a fun gradual sescent where you can get some good speed, conditions permitting?
I was hammering the downhill 75.9km/h was my max …. maybe a bit more slipstreaming and a cadence of 120+ would see 80ish …. great though