i make a good wanderer

i set off on my bike to Roslin (or Rosslyn; Ross=point, lyn=waterfall -- i think) this afternoon in search of the Chapel that everyone said i should visit... i bought myself a cycle map yesterday and a wee book on "25 cycle trips in Edinburgh and Lothian"... but spent perhaps too much time worrying about the route to take as i set off quite late and got quite lost... Edinburgh is very hilly... well, the city is built within the surrounding 7 hills (but you get to watch 7 synchronous fire-works over Hogmany...so it's just brilliant!)... in attempt to avoid the motorways i tried to take the little roads which were all quite rather unfamiliar to me.... i haven't really ventured out that much i have to admit. but it was a sun-drenched glorious day and i was up for exploration.... somewhere between Edinburgh and Roslin, after walking up a treacherous hilly bit and coming out of a village, i was truly feeling lost. i managed to stop a cyclist on his professional bike with all the pro-gear and asked him for help... he very kindly showed me the way to Rosewell which is next to Roslin and was actually quite amused about my apparent quest for the Chapel and my enthusiasm and my very old bike which is quite ancient. i thanked him profusely and carried on through the marked dirt-path i had looked forward to reaching and looking out for the apparent junction to turn right into Roslin... i went for miles and miles... but saw no junction... i went so far along the path; passing beautiful river streams and farmland with handsome horses i'd love to own... over bridges and through tunnels.... but i still didn't find this junction which shouldn't really be that faraway from where i left the cyclist. some dog-owners were taking their labradors for the Saturday evening walk... i stopped a few times and asked for directions... much to my dismay and astonishment... i was almost approaching another village! i made my way back where i came through... passing the lovely paths and making sure i didn't miss the Rosslyn Glen signpost. i had seen it before but didn't realise that there was a wee path next to the tunnel through which the cycle path went, and over which cars pass... next to this was a marked entrance into Rosslyn Glen... i decided to make my way through the Glen with my bike... the footpath was not made for bikes but i somehow managed...asked a couple and their dog if i am anywhere near the Chapel and they said i am not far off.... out of the beautiful Glen, green and flowering... i hobbled down the gravel path (trying my best to be vigilant for a fall on such rough gravel will be most painful) and found myself up a horrendously step hill.... i cycled as hard as i could on my 3-gear bike... a horse-rider went past me the other way; the cloperty-hoofs of the sturdy horse gave me rhythm and the rider said, "it's hard work!" with a broad smile in passing.... i thought this hill-climb would never end... but then i caught sight of a wee footpath sign to Roslin... i pushed my bike up the path steps through the lovely hilly dirt path overlooking the area... it's beautiful countryside. this wee path reminded me lots of T?bingen where i lived -- nearby there is the ?sterberg hill which i cycled pass with the very same bike every day and certain footpaths leading to the observatory on the hill was almost like the one i trodded through today. it was a good 20 minutes or so before i found myself passing by a cemetery... the tombstones shot up towards the blue sky and fluffy clouds flew by... "am i here?" i asked myself...surely i must be very very near... some folks were visiting graves and i pushed my bike up another bit of hill and came to a carpark... a group of visitors were just getting into their car and i shouted to them: "Hi! Do you where the Chapel might be?" the lady driver kindly got out and said, "it's just round the corner, but it is unfortunately already closed for the day." she pointed to the white roof-structure above the chapel's stone roof and said "just there with the white bit -- the original roof is under repair...well, it's crumbling and damp and they have to put up this structure to let it dry off... it will be up there for some 6 years before they can work on it. go round and have a check on the opening times, perhaps you could come again tomorrow or some other day." i thanked her despite my slight disappointment.... went round the bend and saw the stone wall encircling the little chapel.... where neither the wall nor the slate-roof canopy blocked my view, i could just about see some of the intricate stone carvings on the outerwalls of the chapel. i wonder what treasures laid within.... behind was some footpaths leading to Rosslyn Castle and some other historical sites which i could visit some other time... i parked my bike next to the path gate, sat on the 'picnic' seats in front of the ordinance map located just before the path and ate my almond croissant i had saved all day till i got to the Chapel... i had not had much the whole day and i was so hungry. the wee bottle of water i took with me was soon dropless clean... i surveyed my cycle map again to look for a sensible and fast route home before it started to get dark. an old man with a wee dog passed by and asked, "are you lost again?" i looked up from my map in slight embarassment, "have we met before?! yes i am trying to figure out my way back to Edinburgh" he looked at me with disbelief and bewilderment, walked up to the large artistic tourist map that stood just a meter away and surveyed it. then he turned back and said pointing to the main road,"just keep going that-a-way and you will get there! good luck!" he walked off with the wee creature. oh! yes there was this other asian-looking guy then too, he came with some bus apparently (i didn't think there would be one on Saturday!) and thought i was rather adventurous to come all the way out with my bike.... yes i am slighlty mad.... anyways, it worked out that i had to go through the motorways... or the A-roads... i was a little scared (well i am always scared of big roads which makes me a really nervous driver!) but i remembered that the cyclist said it would be alright if i tuck myself near the curb and go slow enough so that the car drivers will notice and make room... so i went... passing by kids who made snide remarks of my bike, and wondering where i have gotten it and then jeering at me, thinking i must be a nutter to ride such an old bike. yes i am a nutter but this bike is my life. don't you silly twats insult it! i also passed by another adolescent congregation at a bus stop and one of the them had a bike and faced backwards towards me, i yelped in anger when he backed to move, just as i was passing him, without checking his surroundings... it could have been a nasty accident and it was then i shouted an almost audibly loud "bloody hell!" and then tried to concentrate on my route home... some kids are plain horrible and nasty... they get peskier in groups.... anyways, i made through roundabouts in one piece! and up the hill towards the city passing IKEA!, and then found myself on familiar roads...you don't know how relieved i felt... on my way back to the loft, up the links the cable connecting my gear-selector and the gear cogs snapped. i was some half a km from home but was so glad this didn't happen during my crazy wandering and getting lost.... got back, hid the bike in landlady's shed, emptied my wee bag, and set off to the supermarket to get some food for the week before it became shut....it's been a long day; i think i covered some 30-40km or so today... and i am glad i made it to Roslin afterall! i will return again... for now... here is some information about Rosslyn Chapel -- there's a better picture of it (without the new temporary roof) than what i would have been able to capture, and some myths or legends for those who are interested... tomorrow i shall have to get my poor bike fixed!