We haven’t seen the official crowd figures yet, but it felt as though thousands gathered in the Meadows this lunchtime for the 2016 Pedal on Parliament.
The start was scheduled for noon, but such was the throng that some in the middle of the line didn’t start moving until after 12.15pm.
This was the largest number of people to attend in the event’s history, and that – combined with it being an election year – perhaps partially explained a very good turnout from politicians.
We spotted, in alphabetical order, Nigel Bagshaw, Chas Booth, Sarah Boyack,* Miles Briggs*, Andrew Burns, Kezia Dugdale, Patrick Harvie, Lesley Hinds, Alison Johnstone,* Derek Mackay,* Ben Macpherson, Willie Rennie* and Andy Wightman. There may well have been others.
Those asterisked spoke at the end of the afternoon's downhill section.
It was occasionally sunny, but rarely warm. More often Baltic. People responded with a variety of more or less inappropriate headwear.
The hipster in blue made a strong claim for being dude of the day ...
... but the gentleman staying strong was surely the coolest.
Not everyone was feeling the cold.
This individual was making a political point about public life and better roles for women. Honestly.
This visitor from Glasgow deliberated long and hard about what to do with his Pedal on Parliament flag. He didn't want to make his bike 'look overdecorated'.
That moment when you remember the laser-beam scene in Goldfinger.
Outside Holyrood, there was fierce competition to see who could get away from the lights first.
These experienced riders failed to spot a late surge for the line on the outside.
That fast-looking torpedo in more detail.
We have no idea how to fly the thing.
There was some interesting artwork on show.
Not just zombies with pandas ...
... but, potentially, naked zombies with naked pandas.
For some, the excitement was almost unbearable …
… while this couple – up on Salisbury Crags and oblivious to efforts by the announcer to catch their attention – had other things on their minds.
Pedal on Parliament will be back next year. We look forward to it.
UPDATE (25.4.16): Further political faces were spotted and named by SPOKES. Follow the link here.
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.@theSpurtle There were deffo others. Other politicains in ride today included @gavincorbett and @IanMurrayMP and really probs many more.