M 09/18/2010
DAY FIFTEEN We left Inverness this morning in very damp and grey conditions. Neil and Margaret were lovely hosts at the Bluebell House B&B. We travelled over the Kessock Bridge on the A9, but got of this 2-land racetrack as soon as possible. Although along the A9 we passed 2 support vans for other LEJOG cyclists. The 2nd van, a blue van with a trailer and a couple of spare bikes, we had seen a couple of times before. As we taking some of the back roads, we came to a junction, when all of a sudden we were joined by 9 other cyclists, these were the guys being supported by the blue van. We cycled as a group for about 5 miles chatting away, I was up front chatting to a chap called Stewart. The 9 of them were raising money for 3 Scottish Hospices. Their website is www.2010end2end.com They had a planned stop in a pub in the next village, Evanton and invited us to join them for tea and cake, an offer we couldn't refuse. As we arrived in the village, lo and behold, Richard & Judy (sorry David) rolled up behind us, the chaps we had met 15 days earlier in our B&B at Land's End. It was really funny chatting to these two as it sound they have had a very similar time to us, with escapades, both getting on each others nerves, fun, laughter and killer hills. After a photo shoot, we all went our seperate ways, as the 9 man team & Richard & Judy were taking the A9 route, I had planned our route across the wilderness! Now I had been advised via an internet forum, not to miss Bonar Bridge. So we didn't, as cycled through the preceding village, despite it being a Saturday, nothing and I mean nothing was open, not the corner shop, not the garage, not the Post Office nothing. It was literally a ghost town, we then got to Bonar Bridge. Pinhead was seriously unimpressed with the bridge and said he could have built a better bridge with matchsticks in his CDT class at school. Never the less, we stopped for a tea break. We went into the cafe and the 2 girls serving who were in the kitchen saw us and then promptly ignored us for 3 or 4 minutes, so I got the hump and said sod this and walked out. Eventually, we found the local pub did tea. The barmaid/landlady spoke to Scott, whilst the other 5 locals in their completely blanked us while listening to Radio Scotland. So maybe the reason I was advised to go to Bonar Bridge was for the experience!? But I can assure you, I will never go there again, it is without a doubt the most unfriendly place we have been to! After this we got onto the A836, this was to be our yellow brick road for the whole of the second half of the ride and to be honest there is bugger all other than pine trees, heather, a few sheep and a couple of mountains. This is one place you would not take a gamble with thinking you had enough petrol in the car! I was looking at the sheep and this got me thinking, what a miserable life they lead. They stand out in a field 24/7, 365 days a year, chewing grass, trying not to stand in their own poo and get a hair cut 4 times a year and that is it! The road I have now christened the Ariston road as it went Ariston and on and on and on and... Shortly before our final destination, Pinhead and I stopped, shook hands and took a photo, this was the point where we had cycled 1000 miles!! give or take half a mile, but I am sure over 1000 miles we are entitled to a 0.0005 tolerance. We eventually arrived at Altnaharra just before 6pm. Now I am convinced that Altnaharra literally translates as 'In the middle of bloody nowhere' chatting to Mandy our host this evening and the other 4 guests, Karen & Kevin from Sittingbourne, and Ivor & Christina from Germany (their 12th visit to Scotland) Altnaharra has 33 residents within an 8 mile radius. The primary school has 7 children (which means the teams are always going to be uneven, or the fat kid is always going to get picked last). The closest shop is 21 miles away and the neareast main supermarket is 51 miles away, not really the place to get home after going shopping and realise you forgot to buy the bog roll! Also, last year Altnaharra was the coldest place in Britain when temperatures reached -21. We have had a nice 3 course meal cooked for us, but alas no real Ale tonight :-( Roadkill count: Rabbits were definately on a suicide mission, one was even seen squished in the middle of the Kessock Bridge which is about a mile long. There were 11 today. Mouse 1, Hedgehog 1, Seagull 1 (New Entry), Grouse 2, Pigeon 1. Distance covered today 118.4kms (73.5miles). Climbing 1096m (3595 feet) Total to date: Distance 1613.6kms (1003.7 miles). Elevation 16456m (53986 feet) Bye for now Fathead PS There is no mistake in the title, think about it! CommentsUncle Colin & Auntie Pam Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:40:28 To coin a well known phrase. are you nearly there yet. Yes you are.Come on boys we wouldn't say you are on your last legs, but this is defintely YOUR last leg. Looking forward to reading your book when you get it published. Pam & Colin. Laura Percival (from the MS Trust) Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:54:56 Hi Ray, mum and dad Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:19:59 Altogether now "show me the way to go home I'm tired and I want my own little bed" Leave a Reply | AuthorRay Sievey aka Fathead! ArchivesSeptember 2010 Categories |
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