After the demise of my cycle computer, I sorely needed some home comforts and this is exactly what I received at my hosts for the night, the Kennedy's of Fort William. Waiting for me was a hot bath and an amazingly large portion of very wholesome home cooking, which I was encouraged to have seconds, and thirds...
One thing you do not need to worry about when cycling all day is a diet. In fact, it's more a case of ensuring you have enough to graze on. With the need for sugar and salt, it really gives you an excuse to consume all the things you would normally feel guilty about afterwards. Girls, the old addage 'a minute on the lips and a life time on the hips' doesn't apply here.
Today was another day where I covered two planned stages, cycling from Fort William to Inverness along several lochs including Loch Ness, a total of around 65 miles.
While I didn't espy the famed beastie, I did encounter numerous monsters of the automotive variety along the A82 running along the north side of the shore. I elected this route, avoiding the suggestion to cycle along the quieter road to the south requiring a 600 foot climb via Glendoebeg and then dropping down to Foyers.
Peddling through intermittent rain with high vis and lights, as usual, I still spent an inordinate amount of time looking in the mirror and pulling over many times to allow hgvs and cars to pass me, many of which did so at speed.
The A82 is not for those with high blood pressure or poor bowel control.
Ironically, due to the drop in temperature, I spent a lot of time at the side of the road waiting for a long enough gap in the traffic so I could answer the repeated calls of nature. Of the first variety, I may add.
On a more serious note, you do really need to have your wits about you on this road. Earlier in the day on a gentle gradient forcing a very low I speed I was jumped by a bus that came up and passed by so close that I had no where to go but into the grass verge. Clipped in to my pedals at low speed, I soon found myself lying on my side still attached to the cycle starting up at the passengers looking down at me.
Needless to say the bus did not stop. However, I did manage to record the time, place and number plate which I passed on to thre next country police office I went past in Fort Augustus. Yarp!
Carrying on after a change into drier socks and some food in the village, I finally made it into Inverness yha where I met another kind of monster - my evening meal.
Tomorrow, I'll be having a day off from cycling to sort a few things out in the morning and hopefully visit a relative in the afternoon. I'll be then back in the saddle and on the digital cycle cb heading for Hemsdale on the 19th for what I hope will be the penultimate day's cycle towards John O'Groats.
Until then, ten four rubber duckies and y'all have a good day.
No comments:
Post a Comment