Hey, todays stats peeps - 92 & a bit miles (my longest ever ride, again!), 4400Ft climbed, 6hrs 30 minutes in the saddle at an average speed of 13.9mph........... the low speed was mainly due to Steve!
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| Sailing down Loch Ness |
We set off from the Polmailly Hotel, Drumnadrochit, just before 9am and headed down the side of Loch Ness, the road was quite busy with coaches, logging lorries & camper vans (not your VWs either!) but we got a head of speed on - no worries. After that we crossed the Bridge of Oich by the Caledonian Canal & on towards Loch Lochie. The weather had picked up, the sun was shining and the Loch was stunning, unfortunately the road we took wasn't. In fact, road is not a good description! Alan & I were talked into taking what was described as a forest trail..... "it saves us 5 miles, the CTC web site says its fine...." blah, blah, blah Steve, never again will we go off road unless it is tarmaced!!!!!
The trail was beautiful, the scenery fantastic but frankly if you don't have a mountain bike - DO NOT USE THIS TRAIL!!!!! How the hell none of us got a puncture I do not know, 10 miles of rock, mud, sand and hardcore, not sure my "ROAD" bike is talking to me after that little episode! We stopped in Fort William, attended our bellies with a spot of lunch & then attended our bikes, cleaning them down, de-greasing (more like de-sanding!) and oiling them back up....... not that I'm bitter!
In the afternoon we sped down the A828, passing the medival Castle Stalker at Portnacroish, you've all seen it in the ads for Bonnie Scotland, over Loch Oscair and down to Connel. Considering it was my longest ever ride I feel pretty good, the chaffing is being kept to a minimum, Sudocreme applied (self) each night, chaff cream in the morning (basically expensive vaseline) and plenty of hard graft gets you through the day. You would not believe how much I am enjoying this challenge - I know it hasn't chucked it down with rain yet but.... so glad I've seen The Highlands & The north of Scotland at just about it's best. nine more days to go, two days until we cross the border, tomorrow night Largs - bring it on!!!!
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| Stalker Castle |
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