we left Perth in glorious sunshine and that stayed with us all the way to Pitlochry - well only 50 or so km. We followed the Tay along an excellent cyclepath until it suddenly disappeared - which what often happens with cycle facilities! So instead of gently rolling upstream we again had to go up and down hills. Anyway the scenery was lovely and traffic was light - were they all at home watching the royal wedding? I hope not - it would be a waste of a lovely day!!
We stopped for coffee in Dunkeld - a wee village with an enormous cathedral and even bigger scones and slices of cake!! From there it was fairly flat till we reached our destination, Pitlochry where cyclists were gathering for the Etape de Caledonia. It is a large closed-roads event with 5000+ riders, unfortunately many of them with more testosterone than brains. I had decided not to tempt fate and ride but was talked into a compromise. I therefore got up at 0600, applied the usual ointments and potions, lycra etc (it was a cold morning with wet roads) and off I went to do the short route of 40 miles. My decision was confirmed when I saw 3 crashed bikes and an ambulance within 5 km of the start!! The rest of the morning was relatively uneventful - a surprisingly big number of lycra dressed walkers were walking their bikes along the roads!! I finished unscathed. Tomorrow the bike and I will travel by train to Suffolk. For a bit of rest!!
So was it worth it (the pain, exhaustion, sleepless nights etc)? It certainly was - it was the best 60% of LEJOG and done in glorious weather. The Airnimal bike behaved excellently and the company was great. But it is interesting how long inclines are not so tiring - you know they will be followed by (normally equally) long descents. It is the short sharp hills that wear you out. You get nothing for your effort - but another hill around the corner. Just the ssme as head-wind. And when you have both - grrrrr. But it was a great great trip and can be much recommended!!
Sunday 20 May 2018
Friday 18 May 2018
C to P day 6 - Moffat to Perth
We knew that we were in for a challenge when every Scot asking about today’s route said “oh, that’s a long uphill way”
Anyway we left our very pleasant B&B after breakfast with Haggis and the return of our laundered cycling kit - the only place we had this super service. A long 11 km climb along a green lovely valley in the morning sun took us up to Devil’s Thumbprint at the top, past the source of the River Tweed ( may have added to it myself!) and a 21 km great descent - watching the river swell to a decent stream. We stopped for coffee at Laurel Bank (I guess Hardy failed) and then pressed on via La Mancha (the man was out, presumably chasing windmills) and getting to the busy suburbs of Edinburgh. We passed through Fairmilehead where I used to work at the Princess Marg Rose Orthop Hosp just actoss from Hill End Skislope that provided us with do many injured thumbs! We circled the city and reached Forth Road Bridge (the old new bridge) which we had almost to ourselves. Spectacular views of the old railway bridge. Stopped for rolls and coffee on the norh shore - and what we thought was a flat’ish ride to Perth was rather up up and very little down. Most of the rides were on cycle lanes/tracks, rather gritty and bumpy - our tyres showed great resistance to all assaults from flints and sharps. Rehydration in Kinross ( irn Bru - 24 g of sugar per bottle!!!must be sponsored by Scottish dentists and Danish insulin producers!). We arrived in Perth at around 18 hrs after a long hard day- 155 km and a lot of climbing. A great Nepalese meal (Robin is an expert having visited that country 15 or so times) awaited us - and a couple of beers. Tomorrow will be a dhort 50’ish km ride to Pitlochry. I'm not sure that I’ll do the Etape - having just done close to 500 miles the thought of racing along with nutters who have never ridden in a peleton does not really appeal to me. Closed road races attract a strange dangerous crowd. I think that I have achieved what I wanted to by getting there on two wheels!
Anyway we left our very pleasant B&B after breakfast with Haggis and the return of our laundered cycling kit - the only place we had this super service. A long 11 km climb along a green lovely valley in the morning sun took us up to Devil’s Thumbprint at the top, past the source of the River Tweed ( may have added to it myself!) and a 21 km great descent - watching the river swell to a decent stream. We stopped for coffee at Laurel Bank (I guess Hardy failed) and then pressed on via La Mancha (the man was out, presumably chasing windmills) and getting to the busy suburbs of Edinburgh. We passed through Fairmilehead where I used to work at the Princess Marg Rose Orthop Hosp just actoss from Hill End Skislope that provided us with do many injured thumbs! We circled the city and reached Forth Road Bridge (the old new bridge) which we had almost to ourselves. Spectacular views of the old railway bridge. Stopped for rolls and coffee on the norh shore - and what we thought was a flat’ish ride to Perth was rather up up and very little down. Most of the rides were on cycle lanes/tracks, rather gritty and bumpy - our tyres showed great resistance to all assaults from flints and sharps. Rehydration in Kinross ( irn Bru - 24 g of sugar per bottle!!!must be sponsored by Scottish dentists and Danish insulin producers!). We arrived in Perth at around 18 hrs after a long hard day- 155 km and a lot of climbing. A great Nepalese meal (Robin is an expert having visited that country 15 or so times) awaited us - and a couple of beers. Tomorrow will be a dhort 50’ish km ride to Pitlochry. I'm not sure that I’ll do the Etape - having just done close to 500 miles the thought of racing along with nutters who have never ridden in a peleton does not really appeal to me. Closed road races attract a strange dangerous crowd. I think that I have achieved what I wanted to by getting there on two wheels!
Thursday 17 May 2018
Cheltenham - Pitlochry day 5
our evening in Keswick did fortunately allow us yo sample a few of the local beverages - one must be very careful not to upset the local craftsmen!! We also feasted on a banquet of Thai food - and beer but don’t tell the aforementioned craftsmen!
As usual up early and iff ince a flat tyre gad been mended. The ride out of Keswick started gently but soon the gradients reached 20% in places - but hey ho I have by now built up my Haemoglobin level and we can manage - perhaps not in style!! We werebovertaken by a luggage-less rider but caught him when he was recovering at the top!! Miles upon miles through barren moorland. Then descent to Carlisle (not a very pretty place!!) loaded up with coffee cakes snd scones. We crossed the border with Scotland at Gretna Green, cycled past Lockerbie- even after almost 40 years its name has a ring like Mordor or Mount Doom - not pleasant associations. We followed the main road - nothing scenic - potholes, grit, broken glass and sheep (some if them nice!!) etc but made it intact to Moffat - a rather nice town where we will prepare for tomorrow’s mega Etape to Perth - it is going to be a wee or maybe even a big challenge. We must drink to that tonight!!!
As usual up early and iff ince a flat tyre gad been mended. The ride out of Keswick started gently but soon the gradients reached 20% in places - but hey ho I have by now built up my Haemoglobin level and we can manage - perhaps not in style!! We werebovertaken by a luggage-less rider but caught him when he was recovering at the top!! Miles upon miles through barren moorland. Then descent to Carlisle (not a very pretty place!!) loaded up with coffee cakes snd scones. We crossed the border with Scotland at Gretna Green, cycled past Lockerbie- even after almost 40 years its name has a ring like Mordor or Mount Doom - not pleasant associations. We followed the main road - nothing scenic - potholes, grit, broken glass and sheep (some if them nice!!) etc but made it intact to Moffat - a rather nice town where we will prepare for tomorrow’s mega Etape to Perth - it is going to be a wee or maybe even a big challenge. We must drink to that tonight!!!
Wednesday 16 May 2018
Cheltenham to Pitlochry day 4(? Loosing track!)
Our day stared with the usual massive breakfast - although I did decline the local sausages. Not for dietary or religious reasons but mainly because a tough day had dawned before we did.
Just outside the drive to our B & B a 16% incline welcomed us - with a stiff headwind and temp of 6’.
And from then on it was up up up. In spite of arm- and leg warmers it was not exactly warm! And I did not miss the taste if sausages as I was puffing up 14-16% ascents! We went through Slaidburn and Wray ( never heard if them? Me neither!) and Hornby - pretty castle! By the the temperature had reached double figures (plus!!) and we even had an hour of tailwind!!! Very strange to hear the sound of rubber against tarmac again - till then it had been muffled by wind noises!
We had lunch in Kendal - not a mint cake in site but excellent bacon and chicken salad - and a plum porter - yummy!!! From there on to Windermere (should be Headwindermere), Grassmere, Ambleside- stunningly beautiful!! The roads were congested and we tried our luck with lakeside tracks - a mixture of gravel, boulders and something even bigger. Amazing that our tyres survived - and we too! One final climb took us to Keswick where we after the usual routine of first washing lycra, then ourselves and first then sampling local beer. We feasted on an excellent Thai 3-course menu - because we are worth it - 110’ish kilometers with 1600 metres up. A hard but lovely day. Tomorrow we will reach Scotland - goodby bitters - hallo 80 Shilling!!!
Just outside the drive to our B & B a 16% incline welcomed us - with a stiff headwind and temp of 6’.
And from then on it was up up up. In spite of arm- and leg warmers it was not exactly warm! And I did not miss the taste if sausages as I was puffing up 14-16% ascents! We went through Slaidburn and Wray ( never heard if them? Me neither!) and Hornby - pretty castle! By the the temperature had reached double figures (plus!!) and we even had an hour of tailwind!!! Very strange to hear the sound of rubber against tarmac again - till then it had been muffled by wind noises!
We had lunch in Kendal - not a mint cake in site but excellent bacon and chicken salad - and a plum porter - yummy!!! From there on to Windermere (should be Headwindermere), Grassmere, Ambleside- stunningly beautiful!! The roads were congested and we tried our luck with lakeside tracks - a mixture of gravel, boulders and something even bigger. Amazing that our tyres survived - and we too! One final climb took us to Keswick where we after the usual routine of first washing lycra, then ourselves and first then sampling local beer. We feasted on an excellent Thai 3-course menu - because we are worth it - 110’ish kilometers with 1600 metres up. A hard but lovely day. Tomorrow we will reach Scotland - goodby bitters - hallo 80 Shilling!!!
Tuesday 15 May 2018
Chrltenham - Pitlochry 2018 prologue
Cheltenham to Pitlochry
My friend Robin suggsted a gentle west coast ride to Pitlochry - yes it is on the map of Scotland about 50 km north of Perth. The annual Etape Caledonia takes place there - a charity ride of about 90 miles up and down (more up than down to my recollection) the lumpy terrain. I did it some years ago - once the frostbite suffered at the startline had settled it was a great ride. So here I go again - a sucker for punishment (Climbs and Punishment as Dostoyevsky called it had he only had a bike).
My start is gentle - a cross country train journey from B St E via Ely and Birmingham to Celtenham. The bike is in the shoulder bag - my folding Airnimal as I will be train’ing it home from Pitlochry - and British trains aren’t exactly over accommodating when it comes to bikes on trains- ans there might be a few others trying to get away from Pitlochry after the ride (5-10000 participants?) . The Airnimal has road bike feel but can carry luggage (7.5 kg is what I have, cold westher gear incl.) - but with 520 mm wheels the potholes will look huge!!
An uneventful passage followed by a highly protein nutritional evening meal (with an excellent Rioja)- yes I think we are ready for tomorrow - Houston we can start the count down!!!
My friend Robin suggsted a gentle west coast ride to Pitlochry - yes it is on the map of Scotland about 50 km north of Perth. The annual Etape Caledonia takes place there - a charity ride of about 90 miles up and down (more up than down to my recollection) the lumpy terrain. I did it some years ago - once the frostbite suffered at the startline had settled it was a great ride. So here I go again - a sucker for punishment (Climbs and Punishment as Dostoyevsky called it had he only had a bike).
My start is gentle - a cross country train journey from B St E via Ely and Birmingham to Celtenham. The bike is in the shoulder bag - my folding Airnimal as I will be train’ing it home from Pitlochry - and British trains aren’t exactly over accommodating when it comes to bikes on trains- ans there might be a few others trying to get away from Pitlochry after the ride (5-10000 participants?) . The Airnimal has road bike feel but can carry luggage (7.5 kg is what I have, cold westher gear incl.) - but with 520 mm wheels the potholes will look huge!!
An uneventful passage followed by a highly protein nutritional evening meal (with an excellent Rioja)- yes I think we are ready for tomorrow - Houston we can start the count down!!!
Cheltenhamto Pilochry day 3
We left Premier Inn after an adequate breakfast - not dissimilar to the evening meal but instead of non decript beer we had ditto coffee. We headed out into the Manchester rush hour but fortunately Robin had detected a towpath which we could follow for 5-6 miles missing motorway crossings and similar tourist sights. Instead we had narrow boats and wild life - lovely. We headed into the wind - as always- via Warrington and Leigh (coffee and very fruity scone stop - must be several of the 5-a-day !!). We had lunch in “scenic” Blackburn - a place that has a Wilco on the main street must have problems!! - but the cafe and waitress were lovely. As the wind became slightly more westerly we followed it over moorland and hills hills hills. Some of them rather challenging - espec into the wind!!! We arrived at our farmhouse destination in Slaidburn - one of the best places in the UK to do star gazing - just as the clouds were building up. No Milky Way tonight - but hopefully a beer or two will make up for it. The sun has been out for most of the day and it has been a great but hard day - only 96 km but 1000 metres of ups - and the wind!!!! And tomorrow it will strengthen!!!! Why oh why oh .....
Monday 14 May 2018
Cheltenham to Pitlochry day 1-2
I took the train to Cheltenham - no problem with a carry-on bike but if you bring a standard one - not easy. You can only book a bike ticket if you have your own ticket. And once you’ve booked your own you may realise that there are no bike spaces left (only 3-4 per train!!!). No wonder we are leaving Europe - they will probably help us pack.
Sunday morning Robin and I headed off towards Ledbury, Leominster and Ludlow - after a flat start (and yes I did get a pinch puncture on a cattle grid we hit the hills - or they hit us!! It was as challenging as Devon and Cornwall. A bit of advice - do not donate blood the day before you go on a long ride! It may save you some weight but it removes a couple of cylinders from your engine!!!
Anyway on a diet of cake and biscuits and sandwiches (no beer - the second mistake!!). we made it to Bishop’s Castle somewhere on the top of a very steep hill!!! Had a lovely room, great food (3 courses were wolfed down accompanied by a couple of 🍺. Followed by a tendition of Silent Night!!
Today we continued through hilly Shropshire but it all became more civilised in Chesshire - gentle inclines - very few declines to my recollection - still sunshine but as always when I’m in these parts a headwind!! Great pub lunch on route after coffees in lovely Shrewsbury. And after some rather congested peri- Mancurisn roads (probsly all hoing to the Man City parade) we made it yto our abode for the night. In total 250 km done with 2300 metres up - and down!!
But in all - spectacular scenery, lovrly matket towns - espec Ludlow was beautiful. If you haven’t been here - come - England at its best!!! But they do have pot holes here as well
I took the train to Cheltenham - no problem with a carry-on bike but if you bring a standard one - not easy. You can only book a bike ticket if you have your own ticket. And once you’ve booked your own you may realise that there are no bike spaces left (only 3-4 per train!!!). No wonder we are leaving Europe - they will probably help us pack.
Sunday morning Robin and I headed off towards Ledbury, Leominster and Ludlow - after a flat start (and yes I did get a pinch puncture on a cattle grid we hit the hills - or they hit us!! It was as challenging as Devon and Cornwall. A bit of advice - do not donate blood the day before you go on a long ride! It may save you some weight but it removes a couple of cylinders from your engine!!!
Anyway on a diet of cake and biscuits and sandwiches (no beer - the second mistake!!). we made it to Bishop’s Castle somewhere on the top of a very steep hill!!! Had a lovely room, great food (3 courses were wolfed down accompanied by a couple of 🍺. Followed by a tendition of Silent Night!!
Today we continued through hilly Shropshire but it all became more civilised in Chesshire - gentle inclines - very few declines to my recollection - still sunshine but as always when I’m in these parts a headwind!! Great pub lunch on route after coffees in lovely Shrewsbury. And after some rather congested peri- Mancurisn roads (probsly all hoing to the Man City parade) we made it yto our abode for the night. In total 250 km done with 2300 metres up - and down!!
But in all - spectacular scenery, lovrly matket towns - espec Ludlow was beautiful. If you haven’t been here - come - England at its best!!! But they do have pot holes here as well
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