7 days in now and our routines are sorted. Personally I get
up, have breakfast, check weather forecast, dress appropriately, liberally
apply chamois cream and start riding. Stop within 20 minutes for a team pee –
we are the incontinent cycling team! Coffee around 30 miles, lunch around 60, generously
re-apply chamois cream, and then push on
through to the end. Once finished, download the ride to Strava (if it’s not on
Strava, it never happened), clean bike, check in, shower, apply sudocrem, get
dressed, write blog, eat, re-apply sudocrem & sleep. So as I write this
blog, you are now fully up to speed with what I have done today!
With a long day in store, we agreed to start earlier than
normal, and with rotten weather forecast to hit us at midday, we were all very punctual
(even Cormac!) and started as planned at 7.15am.
Escaping the Glasgow area was pretty grim, but once we
neared Loch Lomond the landscape was stunning. It is weird I know, but even with
700 miles in the legs, we are feeling stronger than ever and the distance no
longer daunts us. What does daunt us however is the threat of rain and headwinds! Whilst you lot down in the south of England are worried about what
factor sun cream to apply, we are currently worrying about the right rain
jacket so we don’t get too cold and how to avoid trench foot!
The rain hit us in
earnest by midday with 50 miles still to ride. It is disappointing because I am
sure that the mountains around Glencoe would have been stunning when we cycled
through them but like Cornwall, the clouds were low and the rain heavy so all I
got to admire was tarmac and the same bottoms and calves that I have been
staring at all week.
We were grateful to reach Fort William in good time and get
dry. We are just hoping that tomorrow isn’t a complete wash out as well.
Fines for today are;
Graham – for unnecessary
arm exposure (I’ll include photos tomorrow to explain the serious nature of
this indiscipline
Jones – for having
his 4th puncture of the trip (cycling through yet another hole in
the road)
Everyone else –
for not telling Jones that there was a hole in the road.
 |
| The forecast dominating our preparations for the day |
 |
| A rare sight of blue sky |
 |
| Steadily taking on our first climb of the day |
 |
| I think this is a mountain in Glencoe |
 |
| Glencoe |
 |
| Simon embracing the Scottish culture and eating a deep fried Mars Bar. |
I'm really enjoying This, Andy. Keep up the posts and good luck w the weather. I did LeJog in 2010 but via more easterly route in Scotland, so interested in how you get on with Fort William route. Scotland is the best bit - almost wilderness- and surprisingly big! Courage, Chapeau, Allez! Dom Icely
ReplyDelete