MORE DISASTERS AND MIRACULOUS RECOVERIES (well almost)
Things had been going well initially. Weather at 8.30 was actually OK, and we had a following wind blowing us nicely along the top of Scotland. We fairly scooted along past Thurso and enjoyed great sea views and rolling quiet roads. Dounreay sort of dominates, though is smaller than you might imagine, like lots of things I suppose!!
After 50 miles we stopped in Bettyhill for a cracking lunch at Elizabeth's Tea Room, with home made pea soup followed by acrrot cake for me, and battered black pudding, beans and chips for Francis. We then headed off nicely fuelled for the lonely cycle down to Carbisdale Castle, via Altnaharra and Lairg - well Francis did and I did in a fashion! Cycling past a lonely croft house I heard an ominous "ping" from my rear wheel and immediately stopped. It was a broken spoke, oh ###! After an hour of attempted repairs, we realised it was hopeless and I would have to get to Carbisdale via some other means. I let Francis head off and wandered about outside the house in a stunned daze, with my chances of a lift the remnaining 40 miles not looking great. However, God must have been smiling on me, or maybe it was reward for earlier releasing a lamb that was stuck in a fence, but the chap in the house came down his drive and asked me what was the matter? I explained my sorry predicament, to which he offered to drive me all the way to Carbisdale Castle there and then!!! What a gentleman you are Murdo! After tea and biscuits at his place, he drove me all the way down, passing poor Francis who was enduring wind and rain on his own. I met up with him later at the Hostel and planned our strategy. His was to cycle as planned to Glenshiel for 105 miles on his own - mine was to get the 6.45 train to Inverness, get in my car, drive home to Glasgow, borrow a friend's bike, drive up to Glenshiel, and resume on Sunday as planned!!! AS I sit here, that has all worked out and Francis had not too bad a day on his solo 105 miles, compared to my 300 miles in the car. Here's hoping that is all the disasters out of the way early!!!!!
61 MILES FOR ME - 105 MILES FOR FRANCIS
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