With the aid of a car club van (IKR) we took ourselves off to try Glentress. 

Initially we'd arranged to go with their Uncle Christopher but ... bad news... he wasn't well enough to accompany us. But... Good news...he let us borrow his new e MTB.

So after a brief stop in Eddleston, and a quick hunt for Penicuik Athletic's ground, we rolled up to Scotlands premier mountain biking spot.

A quick hour before lunch saw us orientate ourselves and after lunch we let rip....

Tom took off in a cloud of dust leaving Alex and I to potter round at a more sedate pace. To be honest, the hills weren't too severe, but the cumulative effect on Alex was to tire him out.... Tom caught us on his 2nd lap and offered to take a visibly flagging Alex down one of the escape routes. 

I carried on and topped out,before an exhilarating 15 mins of high speed* descending. 

I got back to the van to meet the boys and suggested that I drive them to the top of the hill and let them cruise down whilst I drove back down to meet them. 

Alex wasn't too keen, and I tried to explain to Tom he really needed to try this as it was the best bit.

So off Tom went, Alex and I drove down. The bike track crosses the road 3 times, and we arrived at the first crossing point at exactly the same time as time. I wound down the window, and from the grin across his face, I knew he'd found the downhill section he'd missed up til now!!!!

Suitably mud splattered, we washed the bikes and went off to buy Tom a new mattress and then get stuck for 90 minutes in traffic trying to fetch Loki. All as a result of a lorry fire on the bypawe. We made it home after 8....

* for me