Betty Hill to JOG

Here you were meant to see a photo of Paul Nd me at the famous post at JOG - but if you think that cycling 940ish miles is hard I can tell you that getting bloody google downloading photos is much harder!
-Anyway we  started the day with our usual breakfast consisting of everything that was once good, was then bad and is now good for you again . Applied the various crimes and layers of Lycra  and off we went on the final leg. The first 1 'Mille was great, straight down hill until we met Molly-2 straight uphill again. An incline that rekindled memories of cornwall ! Like this we continued for 20-30 miles in a gentle drizzle and an easterly wind . We stopped for tea after 20 miles but there was no tea nor any tea belles! Let this be a warning to you all. When a map og Scotland shows what in England would be a sizeable settlement it means two derelict buildings and a blown over caravan. No luck re nutrition until we reached the metropolis of Thurso, where a Polish establishment provided us with dishes from their eastern homeland - a burger for Paul and CHicken curry for me. Both excellent.
Off into the wind and the last 20 miles to JOG which we ached just after lunch. My final thought was "what a great wind to propel you southwards on,". We had finally done it 11 1/2 days and we could have our picture taken at the famous pole (not the Eastern European one).
Paul refused to pedal one stroke more - he had been pedalling valiantly on inspite of a rather angry tendinitis of his tibial is Anterior tendon and insisted on walking to the Seaview hotel where we had booked accommodation.
We were received with a couple of large Scapa malts and a gat pint of Orkney special bitter - lovely dry, slightly hoppy. Excellent!
Then for me 4 sandwiches and two energy bars , a hot shower Nd mugs of tea before supper.
An extra surprise was a present from my friend David - two bottles of Twisted Wheel were waiting behind the bar!!
So what has the overall impression of the trip been - it probably needs time to sink in - and the pain of the backside settle! But it is a bit like life in general - and as Tom Lehrer said "life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it." We have certainly had some rather shitty times but had great great times as well. Paul has been an excellent travelling companion, just get on with it. Pedal for England! And we have had great evening chats in front of fireplaces (real and imaginatory!). It has been a great adventure , one I can strongly recommend - and possible even this time of year. We have been lucky to escape rain but has had the blasted head wind to battle with. As in life you cannot win all the time but generally things will rather go well. Which it did, and we did it.
Thanks to all supporters and all (both?) blog readers. Your encouragement has been most appreciated.
There will probably be an "epiblogue" when it has all sunk in.
But now the haggis and the whiskye and the beer is calling!!!