The "Butt" and other body parts after all had endured 23 days of cycling in all weather conditions including freezing rain and horrendous headwinds as well as over all types of terrain including the bone jarring potholers that seem to make up many of UK's minor roads. All however seemed to be forgiven & forgotten as we approached the finish line of our Scottish end to end ride.
After yesterdays cycling Marathon we reluctantly got going just after 9a.m. needing to resolve some important logistical problems to allow us to finish the day successfully.
Leaving our lovely pub accommodation in the tiny village of New Luce we climbed out of town (as you always seem to do in the UK - I reckon something to do with making it bloody hard for the Vikings to run away with the towns "Jewell's"!) to head across open fields for 10 kms before descending to the main A road into Stranrear.
After another 6kms we entered the centre of town and set about unfolding logistics plan A that required me to take a taxi 10 kms back up the coast to the main ferry terminal to pick up a hire car which we'd be using tomorrow to head South.
Our plans were complicated by the fact that a) there was no car hire place in Stranrear itself and b) being a Saturday the car hire company's hours of opening were restricted.
Leaving Monika babysitting the bikes & equipment I eventually brought our MG6 1.9 Deisel back after finally working out how to start the damned thing (no key) and set about putting into affect part 2 of our plan which required me to disassemble and stow my bike while driving to the finish line some 40 kms away.
This then allowed Monika to continue onwards to the Mull of Galloway (pannier less) by herself while I could then reassemble my bike and cycle back to meet her somewhere en route to allow us to cycle over the finish line together ... complicated, your bet !
Leaving Monika on the road I flew along the narrow roads to the lighthouse passing some fabulous Mull of Galloway ocean scenery that I would ultimately sadly miss on bike.
After a prolonged tea break i then cycled back into a Shetland force head wind to meet Monika, who'd made good time, at the village of Drummore thus allowing us the pleasure of cycling together for the last 8-9 kms of our trip.
The Southern most point in Scotland is situated on a spectacularly wild and rocky promontory with sheer cliffs and a lighthouse that acted as our visible beacon for the last stage of our epic cycle.
I think Monika was deliriously happy to have completed the long journey, not in terms of success but in knowing that she could finally get off the bike and get her "butt" some much needed therapy !
Regardless, it was an absolutely fabulous effort for someone who cycles so infrequently - a journey made up of plenty of determination albeit with a few thousand Grizzles ! Monika now adds this to her 2,000 km 2011 UK end to end ride making for two fantastic cycling achievements something she should feel as proud of as I am of her
After a celebratory cuppa at a nearby cafe and some obligatory photos it was time to disassemble both bikes in the now freezing gale force winds and drive the car to our overnight b&b only 5 kms back up the track
What a fabulous effort !
No comments:
Post a Comment