Barbs's Big Bike RIde

This year I have decided to stay and enjoy an English Spring. It has been a long time coming but at last it is here and I am off to explore my own back yard. Well actually travelling up the UK mainland as far north as possible before 21st June and see how close I can get to the Midnight Sun.


After my travels along the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain last September on my trusty old iron donkey, I have bought a lighter bike in the hope that I can get up a few more hills and by going from Lands End to John o Groats (LEJOG) I can avoid the killing headwinds of the Spanish meseta.


So here she is, we had a jolly naming ceremony on Saturday and hopefully the good friends, food and weather I enjoyed will carry me through to the farthest northern climes. Thank you all for a great send off, admirably topped off with one too many pints The Village Bike listening to Mojo Triangle.


And she is called Eleanor, isn't she beautiful, I hope I still have such tender feelings after 6 hours in the saddle, but probably only in the nether regions I fear.


The map link on the right will show a rough itinerary and route and I will try try to update with my actual route, if I can work out how and where I am as I go along, you know there will be little correlation but I will get there or somewhere in the end!


If you want an email update, submit your address in the box also on right and hopefully it will find its way through the ether to you.

Monday, 27 May 2013

Inverness

Another glorious day, three in a row, is this a record for this year?
Not sure if I saw Nessie's trail into the bottom of the loch, you never know!
The climb out of Fort Augustus was quite steep, I discovered that my 'granny' gear (my feet) is as fast as the lowest gear on a mountain, bike as I overtook some younger cyclists who had steam ahead of me at the bottom!
It was worth it for the views across the moor and the lochs. 
I have decided to try harder with my photography to do better justice to this scenery, magnificent is not a big enough word for it.  So I will try to get a mini tripod for when I get to the islands.
Another sublime lunch stop overlooking the loch, Nessie didn't make an appearance, she obviously didn't fancy my crisp bread and dairylea butties which are my current favourite, along with another at the head of the loch to give Eleanor a little tlc after yesterday exertions.  Here I did see Nessie, many of them in all sizes, colours and textures, not one of them could swim.
Into Inverness, amazing shopping centre but alas no mini tripod.
The hostel was full of cyclists, eight of which had started from john o groats in the morning and intended to get to lands end in 7 days, with full back up of course, but what a contrast with my 60 days!
I also realised I have a little time to fill before I get to jo'g so it was useful to talk to others about where to go next.  I had intended to go to Regard where the hostel is in 1st class railway carriages, appropriately named sleeperzz. Via a little place called Barbaraville, which apart from the name has little to recommend it apart from a retirement village, I thought I should check out for you Gail.

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