A wee Bute of a climb

Off to Bute today for a cross race tomorrow. Had to service the old cross bike, and swap out the tyres from the commuting ones, given the new bike isn't finished yet; and my knee is still giving me bother, but looking forward to a first race of the season. And never been to Bute, so it's a two-night stay. Was supposed to be with Ken and George, but Ken had a handbike event that he was to be heavily involved with, so I'm here with just George.

The apartment we're staying in is superb, overlooking the harbour, split over two levels. A wee wander around the centre of Rothesay reveals a place that was once full of Victorian grandeur (not just the toilets in the extra), fading slightly now, with a multitude of pubs, and bored kids kicking about. Still, looking forward to touring the island tomorrow, given the race isn't till 5.30pm. 

While walking we spotted Serpentine Hill, just behind the apartment, 13 hairpins taking you up about 300 feet in a very short time it appears. And given there's an early sign-on possible in the morning which can create a loop with the hill, I'll be taking a brief spin on the bike to do that. Saw a few cyclists tackling the hill tonight, so there are a lot of Strava times to pit yourself against.