no pleasing some people

Although I am obviously grateful for the existence of a nice long cycle path leading all the way along the canal to Glasgow it would be nice if it was a little bit less shite in a lot of places. They've recently resurfaced the bit between Viewforth and Chesser, installing speed bumps and silly little flowery gates on the way though they should really have a few big flashing signs telling codgers and people wearing headphones to occasionally check behind them before drifting left and right across the path just in case something faster than them is approaching from behind with their footsteps of bell-tinkles masked by age or loud music. There's still a lot which hasn't been recently resurfaced and which is heading towards being unsuitable for a road bike and a few bits which are developing the ability to be heavily-puddled even when it's not particularly wet and at this time of the year the vegetation is so heavy in places that there isn't enough room for one person ducking beneath the handlebars so that when two people encounter each other one has to stand in a patch of nettles trying not to lose their footing and fall into the water whilst the other shuffles past or steams past at twenty if they have an arse instead of a brain and no manners. I keep forgetting to stick my tyre levers back in my bag so didn't fancy getting stuck too far from home or a train station with a puncture and a spare tube but no means to fit it so stopped at the Almond Aqueduct to look speculatively at the drop beneath (I reckon it's high enough if anyone fancies opening a bungee operation) then went back via Newbridge, the amusingly jam-packed A8 full of people waiting as the polices let everyone out of the showground, Cramond (briefly pausing to watch some people almost get stranded by the incoming tide (in case they needed help from a former lifeguard rather than just because of the potential amusement value in watching them have to wade back seeing as their dog looked incapable of finding them a shallow route back)), Silverknowes prom (with the wind behind me for a bit though I always worry about punctures from the shattered shells along that bit), Granton, Leith, Portobello then the glass-strewn Innocent path. A bit of a detour to avoid going back the same way but it was a nice day, topped off by booking some stuff for the film festival next week.