Ascent: 668 feet
Average speed: 12.6 mph
Pain ratings:
Adam 4 (cold, wet but in the zone)
Alan 6 (counting down every mile)
Neil 9 (ouch)
Sound track of the day:
Adam "Keep on running", the Spencer Davis group
Alan "Domino dancing", the Pet Shop Boys
Neil "We are the champions", Queen
Saturday dawned clear and bright. Hopeful cyclists donned their shorts and shed their rain gear. The breakfast room buzzed with subdued optimism. And then the heavens opened... We quickly changed back into full Scottish foul weather gear and, squinting into a miasma of heavy rain, set out for John O'Groats. We struggled against a stiff head wind. With each hard won mile, the signs of habitation grew fewer and the terrain more barren and inhospitable. We reached the "optional" detour to Dunnet Head (the most Northerly point on the UK mainland). Alan did not flinch, Adam was resolute and Neil didn't know where he was exactly and so followed the other two. When we arrived, we braced ourselves against the wind and posed for photos (just so that we could say we'd dunnit -oh dear, Ed.). Then it was back on the bikes as quickly as possible for the final 14 miles to John O'Groats. Adam powered ahead, his little legs a blur through the driving rain. Neil and Alan, lacking Adam's porridge derived energy, struggled to keep up. And then, like a vision, looming up through the murky morning, "the Sea View Hotel" - our regroup point. We gathered in the bar (watching England performing poorly against Argentina) and then rode in convoy to our final destination - John O'Groats.
And how dreadful was John O'Groats ? It is difficult to convey in words the feeling of disheveled decrepitude of the place. Like a ruined carbon copy of its twin in Cornwall (which was bad enough), its gaudy pleasure palace concrete buildings in ruins, it is a disgrace. Even the famous sign was just an unmarked stick. Horizontal rain and gales seemed appropriate for the desolation of the place. We celebrated, briefly (the real celebration will be tonight in Inverness), changed in the public lavatories (20p entry by turnstile - you get the picture) and left.
The ride has been challenging but uplifting - allowing us to see our own country with fresh eyes. There have been moments of great beauty (the sunshine on Dartmoor, Shap Fell and the Dornoch Firth) and parts which were truly ugly (fighting through the traffic in the industrial towns of the North West). We have been led with exceptional professionalism by Jo, Matt and Phil - the team from Discover Adventure. We have made new friends and discovered a cohesive team spirit. Thank you everyone who has read the blog and contributed to our appeal.
PS: keep reading tomorrow for the postscript and after party
No comments:
Post a Comment