up date days 3 to 5

Day 3:    Before leaving Lairg we met a couple who were cycling the end to end, from the south;  they had cycled over Kirkstone and called in at the Spit at Glenridding;  John had been taught sailing by Tony, my brother.  Their project was a 3 week trip, with loaded bikes;  this seems a common plan and leaves me, cycling very light, in awe.  I was even more in awe of a man we met at Bettyhill who was cycling as part of a group;  he had a bad knee and damaged leg;  he had managed one day of 98 miles, with a fully loaded bike.
The route from Lairg to Inverness was not at all bad;  aided by a following wind I made good progress to Bonar Bridge and then turned right to join the B9176;  a bit of a climb;  I stopped just before the top, there was a viewpoint and a man waiting there;  he had joined a group travelling up from Lands End half way through the trip;  he lives (stays) in Temple Sowerby.
I got in over 30 miles before my cofee stop at a services just off the A9;  I had ordered and was making myself comfortable when Alison appeared.  She gave me the excellent news that she had made a wrong turn;  I know she only says she did this to make me feel comfortable;  probably she did not do it all.
It was then on to Inverness, or the campsite at Dochgarroch;  Alison texted me later to say that it was no longer there;  well it was when we were last there 10 years ago;  we stayed instead on the Inverness site by the Sports Centre;  all fenced in but very convenient.  Arrived at 1515, just over 63 miles.
Day 4:   wet and windy was forecast;  Alison came with me walking across the river before setting off on the south side of the loch;  my 'plan' was to stay on the lochside, there would not be any hills on this route then.  As the day progressed I learned why this is not the most cycled route;  it was a bit wet and there were hills, magnificent ones you might say;  I enhanced my enjoyment by retarding my progress by dislodging the back wheel a little on a cattle grid till I came to a halt on a hill with the gear slipping;  inverting the bike lost me the mileage for the day but lead to the cure and much faster progress.  I had my first stop at 19 miles and the 2nd at the bottom of Loch Oich where Alison joined me having had coffee with friends in Inverness.  After this the day greatly improved with a strong wind behind me I 'flew' along Loch Lochy and through to Fort William;  I think I might have seen George and David driving up the hill towards the monument but as I was going down and they up I decided not to try and chase them to check.  Wonderful road to cycle (down) to Gairlochy, not good to go up judging from the lack of expression from the cyclist I met coming up.
Arrived at the campsite just out of Corpach  at 1615 from a start at a little after 0930. We reckon the day was about 63 miles.
Day 5:   very cold night, or it would have been had we not been in the van;  I had thoughts of how cold it would have been if I had been travelling light.  Ben Nevis was so clear in the early morning light.  Alison was doing some washing and we had to top up with water;  did not get away until 1010;  Alison caught me up just before Ballachulish bridge;  I stopped for the banana I had been carrying round for days and a sip and then set out again for Stalker Castle for the first proper stop;  Alison got there ahead of me and cycled back meeting when I had done 25 miles of sunny, still cycling (average to that point 15.6 mph).  28 miles, Stalker Castle Cafe a good point for a lengthy stop;  I am finding that if I go over 20 miles before the first stop it becomes a 1 stop day;  on with the lovely day, sun and flat roads at least until Oban whereafter (cannot leave all my language behind) there were a few 'inclinations'. 66.4 miles average speed 14.4 (as for the day before).
It being Alison's birthday (along with several others' we know of) we have spent the night at the Loch Melfort Hotel; on arriving met Anne and Robin who were having a birthday family gathering;  we did not know they were going to be here and I guess they did not know any better than us that we were (we having only decided to come the night before). Going to mean a late start (already 1030) but only intending to get to Claonaig for the ferry to Arran by the end of the day.

days 1 and 2

Arrived at John O Groats on Wednesday evening;  checked the bikes to find that I had a broken spoke in the back wheel;  was my fault - trapped with strap on the carrier.  Acknowledging that the mistake was mine did not mend it.  We rang Mark MacDonald (as advertised in the window of the Information shop) and he could not help but commended 'The Bike Shop' at Thurso' as having every spoke under the sun.
Thursday morning found us door stepping  the Bike Shop;  incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and effective;  new spoke in, the cassette re-built and bike tested; we even had a recommendation as to which cafe to get our breakfast at.
Day 1:  the start was then a little delayed;  set out about 1245 and had first stop at Thurso - c 20 miles later, same cafe, not carrot cake but ginger cake was not at all bad. After this through to Bettyhill meeting Alison cycling towards me about 7.5 miles out, which she had to turn back to, climbing the hills she had wizzed down minutes before.
The day was pretty still and sunny.  How did that happen ?
In the site for 1730;  not exactly modern but it has running water and a hot shower i.e. much to commend it. Miles 50.94
Day 2:  started out at 0940 from Bettyhill.  Alison said 'B' roads would be sign posted;  I soon thought I had proved her wrong as I was bowling along a single track road which I had pretty much to myself;  it was much the same when I turned round and rejoined the A road before correctly turning off on to the B871.  It really pleased me to know that I had Alison's confidence in her judgement to share with her later.
Later turned out to be sooner as I met her coming out of the Altnahara Hotel having had an early scone and tea as I was coming in for my early lunch (1150).  Alison came back in and watched me eat a lovely chicken soup before she set off to find the site in Lairg, where we now are.  Alison met me a couple of miles out of town and cycled back (for her) with me.  We were on the site 1400. 
The wind was with me to start, against for a bit and back with us from Altnahara;  what a lovely long descent it is on such a day to Lairg.  Another day of dry cycling. Miles 48.5

23 August 2010

Starting the week when our trip is to commence.  The idea is start the cycle from John O Groats and finish at Lands End;  the route is not set.
Advice has generally been 'I would not start from there' followed by commentary on how hard the cycle out of Cornwall had been for them.  Following my firmly held belief that the British Isles slope to the south I can understand why people had difficulty getting out of Cornwall.
One day I  will wake up to doubt some of my beliefs (and will I respect myself then in the morning ?).
I am expecting Cornwall to be hard;  I am not expecting any of it to be easy.