I find some joy in deciding my fate like flicking a coin on whether my clothes are dry enough to wear. Dry I go on... Wet I give up and get off home.... I go down to the drying room and collect the shoes, socks and what I left to dry and go back to my room. I check the items on the oil radiator and assess their condition. All are bone dry. So I have to do Day 7 then. I slip my clothes on and head out to the shed, I open the door and the bike is there safe and sound. So I really do have to do today then !!!! Last attempt is I take my empty sachet of chamois cream I just spread over my butt and said to myself. I will throw this in the bin from where I'm stood and if it misses and I have to go over there and pick it up off the floor I ain't doing today !!!!
It goes straight in the bin with a loud clang !!!!
No best of 7, you got 3 signs to say get on with it. Just see how far you get and go with the flow......So off I go.
I wave to Chris (The No man) the B&B owner of the worst B&B in Scotland. I should have shouted to him, Have you met Frances at Newark Farm in Sanquhar, I think you should mate, you need help on running a hospitality business.... I know what his answer would be..... No I won't !!
I walk to the bike and set the Garmin to on and wait for it to pick up the satellite GPS signal so I can be tracked wobbling my way north. While I wait I count the midges landing on my freshly Avoned skin and laugh to myself... Tastes good ey fellas. I am invincible today, I survived yesterday and managed to get me & my bike ready for this penultimate day of this adventure and if I can get going and eat these miles without incident and giving in I can pretty much do anything I ever set my mind on. The last 48 hours has tested me so much I feel different. I really do feel like a new person. I feel calm, very very tired but totally calm and clear about my future. I had given in to it and in a way did not care anymore, I just wanted to go home.
I clip in and set off for what will be one of the most memorable days of my entire life........
Today I am riding for Debby, Jess & Callum. XXX
I set out at 6:50 AM and up ahead I had a small 2 mile climb out of the Doldrums and then I see a vision in front of me that makes me stop and take a sharp intake of breath. It looks like the mountain on the Paramount scene at the start of a film. The top of it has a small cloud. It looks like a painting, it cannot be real. Say hello to the real Scotland and The Highlands & Trossachs.
It is stunning. I will let the pictures do all the talking, it is a shame the weather wasn't better but it did improve later. I had the whole road to myself too....
Avon Skin So Soft + Jojoba and Citronella works, I never got bitten once.
I was slowly repairing, cell by cell. I felt stripped down to the bare bones both physically and emotionally and it was almost like I was a blank canvas being filled again. I really felt renewed. I cannot explain it properly but I was almost feeling euphoric by the time I got to Fort William about 50 miles on. This 50 mile stretch of road mended me. That is as close as I can get to describing it. I said to myself that if I can get to Fort William I would have beaten my demons. The 75 mile stretch along Loch Lochy & Loch Ness was straight and pretty much flat all the way to Inverness and it also was north east with the days prevailing wind. The beauty of that 50 mile stretch cured my negative thoughts and I am not a religious man but it came close to what I can call that sort of feeling.
Just about 2 miles past this point I started a 10 mile descent into Glencoe. The most unbelievably beautiful road I have ever ridden a bike on. It was spectacular and paid back every molecule of pain and suffering I had built up over days 5 & 6. By the time I got to the bottom of this road I was a new man. I know what you are thinking. I know how this sounds but it is the absolute truth. I wish I could bottle it and sell it as I would be richer than all the oil barons and internet entrepreneurs on the planet. As I rode into Fort William I knew for the first time since leaving Lands End that I was going to complete this lejog.
This smile is real, not forced for the camera like the last 3 days were...
Glencoe..
Getting down to Fort William I found a great cafe, I had forgotten it was a Sunday so a few places were closed. The lady behind the counter was very nice. She warned me as I put a sandwich and cake on the tray of how much the banana loaf was. I think she expected me to raise a formal complaint as she said it as if most people threw it back on the counter in disgust, I said no problem. It was a bit too much though. She was lovely but I had to stop myself looking at the whiskers sticking out from her chin. Maybe that was a local custom but I think it might have been meant for the men. We chatted and she said I bet you are doing the lejog. Yes I said. Well be careful on the way out to Spean Bridge, loads of cycling deaths on that stretch..... Thanks lady, might not bother with the cake now then.
There were a few people in the cafe, most found tables as far away from me as possible. I don't blame them really. One couple made me smile to myself. I think they may have been on honeymoon and I guessed from what he was wearing that she wore the trousers. He had a sweatshirt on that said "In 2016 I married the most amazing girl in the world" Love it. I actually have the 1993 version at home. XXXX
I made it to Spean Bridge, home of the famous Commando Monument.
The Commando Monument. I stopped to give my respects.
Loch Ness..
As I got into Fort Augustus the heavens opened again but I did not care one iota. I found a great bike shop and bought some new gloves with long fingers as it was getting a bit colder up north. He also checked the bike and topped up air pressures again. I was also really desperate for a new waterproof as all I had worn all week was a shower proof jacket, one which I could roll up into a tiny ball and stick in my pocket. It was forecast for more rain later and tomorrow too so I just wanted to get comfortable. Unfortunately he didn't have any.
There really is not much more to say about this day except... it was the High Point.
A friendly cyclist joined me for a while who was out for a Sunday ride on his own. Great guy, we chatted for about 5-6 miles. First thing you say when you hook up is Hi mate, been far today. So that kind of steered the conversation towards me and my trip but I really wanted to know more about a local and his stories. Oh well, maybe next time. I think I might have been slowing him down from his required pace anyway. That is the thing about a weekly ride if that is all you get to do. You want it to be fast and at the end of it feel the effort not just tootle along at my pace which by now was like a tractor towing a tonne of taters !! He shot off at high speed. Aww well, I remember when I used to be able to do that !!!
Getting into Inverness I went past a Halfords and spotted a guy closing the doors, I quickly realised it was 4:55 PM so headed in to beg for help. New waterproof bright red jacket purchased I felt great. Lucky too as 10 minutes later the heavens opened again and it rained hard.
I found the last but one B&B in Culbokie on the Black Isle north of Inverness about an hour later. The owner had texted me asking if I was near as she had plans to go out and wondered if she would see me before 6. I said with luck the next 9 miles would be kind and sure thing. The B&B was perfect. The lady Anne was lovely and very caring and kind and knew exactly how to deal with a tired and emotional cyclist. She could tell though that my emotions were more in the realms of ecstatic rather than the Doldrums. I was so happy I think I was beaming from ear to ear. I knew barring major disasters I had beaten this and I would finish the challenge.
My bike was happy too. safe and sound at Annes beautiful cottage. Her home is stunning. It sits high up on the hill overlooking the Cromarty Firth. Cups of tea were made, juice and home made cakes were placed on the table and it was an all I can eat buffet. Within 5 minutes I feel like I had known Anne for years. She made a meal too which was lovely. My clothes were washed and then distributed on every radiator possible around the house to dry for the last day of this epic adventure. My phone call home to Deb was very special and emotions were running high. I felt like a new man and like I had climbed Everest. One thing I almost forgot about was I still had a 108 mile bike ride to do tomorrow but my new found confidence and attitude meant that I could have taken on a 200 miler and relished the challenge. Early night and the best sleep of the week.
Anne lent me some clothes for the night. Back in painters and decorators clothes again. They were a 28 waist but I wasn't too bothered. I nearly got in them as I had lost about half a stone this week.
Stats: 125.53 miles ridden, 5186 feet climbed. 7198 calories burned. Total time around 11 hours, average speed 15 mph. Two aching knees, saddle sores screaming, neck pain at 90% but heart, soul and spirit back to 100% !!!!! Tomorrow is my last day. I cannot believe I made it this far. In one week I had ridden over 812 miles. Look out John, I am coming to get you...........
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