Day 12

Final run to John O'Groats! Oh the weather didn't want to play at all today, I set off from Brora down the little country lane to the A9, then proceeded to turn left into driving rain and a 20 knot headwind. That was pretty much the full 65 miles, rain and headwind.

Today was hardcore, morale crushing stuff. At first for a few hours at least I had a good view of the scenery but then the fog really closed in. Now go grab some white A4 paper and a grey felt tip pen, now take your pen and draw a little road at the bottom of your paper. Now go stand in a cold shower holding your piece of paper. That was what my view of Scotland was like for the next 3 and a half hours.

I didn't stop for any food today, I think if I had've stopped it would have been hard to get going again. At some points the headwind was so severe that I could barely maintain 7 mph, that's barely enough to even keep upright. Generally you can tell when the wind is strong by one simple method on a bike, if you need to pedal to keep momentum whilst travelling DOWNHILL.

I did spend a lot of time swearing at the wind, the wind was my enemy today, but it also kept me focused on defeating it, so I win. Just as I rolled into John O'Groats the rain and the wind dropped off, 5 hours too late for me but there you go.

Even though the weather has been crappy I have really enjoyed today, I wouldn't have changed a thing either, well maybe the rain.......er.......and the wind.......and possibly the fog. Overall the whole experience has been fantastic, even the dodgy knees bit, which by the way are much better. 

All the pain and the wind and the soakings have been worth while. Would I do it again, you bet your ass I would, the other way round next time, in 7 days, 12 is too long in hindsight. I have seen a lot of the country though, also I have proved that there are nice people out there that still help others in need. I've meet some great people, useless drivers, other touring cyclists and lots and lots of road kill.

 

I would like to thank all the people who have helped me in this short but worthwhile adventure, most notably Stacey for putting up with my temper tantrums when I wanted to smash my bike to bits, or round the head of some useless motorist. She also booked all the B&B's and everyone of them have been great, okay most of them have been great. Also Sylvia, her mum, also for putting up with my dodgy mood swings and finding Ellis the bike wizard, My Uncle Bob for his help, Debbie for the collection boxes in her shops, Tom for all my bike parts and the good advice, even when I don't always listen haha, Matt and Garry for sending out all the messages of what I'm doing, Ross for yet more moral support, Everyone who keeps facebooking my blog link over and over, plus all the support from my friends and family on the phone, the texts and facebook. Everyone that has sponsored me along the way, and those that are yet to do so. And everyone else I have forgotten but no doubt you will remind me, and also my bike for not completely self destructing and putting up with me swearing at it, Oh and the weather for making me prove I can kick your ass once more, Seriously big, big thanks people!

One final thing I'd like to say is that yeah I've ridden from one end of this great country of ours to the other, you know what, that's no big deal, it doesn't make me special. There are people out there right now suffering with cancer, their families are suffering with the pain and Macmillan cancer support are there for them. These are the special people, day in day out supporting those who need it most, so please if you haven't already done so, please donate something, even a few quid will go along way. 

Plus if you don't I'll hit you with whatever is left of my bike........

Thanks for reading my blog.

For my Dad 18/06/1932 - 1/12/2010

   

Day 11

Mixed bag today really, this morning went really well. My knees feel much better today and I was absolutely flying. After two and a half hours riding I’d already covered 42 miles. Not much to report about the A9, slightly less traffic than yesterday and no wind and good weather. I have seen an alarming amount of dead deer’s today and also loads of rubbish thrown from cars too.

I did have one very minor mishap, one of my bottle holders broke at the bottom, not such a big deal as Stace went and bought a new one from Halford’s in Inverness. Ever been to Inverness? It’s like an industrial estate that someone built houses on, in amongst the units.

After lunch at Cromarty Firth the weather noticeably changed, mainly the wind at first. Crossing the Firth I had the bike leaning into the cross wind from hell. Trying to stay upright was a mission never mind riding in a straight line.

Then came the rain, it started light and got progressively heavier as did the wind. I was right on the coast now riding into at least a 10 possibly 15 knot headwind. If  I stopped pedalling it was like I’d pulled the brakes on, 15 mph was hard to achieve and I kept dropping back to 10 mph most of the time.

It sapped a lot of energy out of me and was quite hard to stay motivated or for that matter even see where I was going. Luckily Stacey and her mum had got me a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich about another 20 miles up the road. Just as well as I was really flagging.

The views are great yet again and so are the bridges I’ve ridden across to clear the Firths, more exceptional British engineering. I rode past a fairytale like building called Dunrobin Castle, the name made me laugh. Maybe it’s a chav and gypo retirement home.

The afternoon did slow me down but I’m still enjoying the ride, yeah I’m soaked through but I’m still smiling. Only 1 more day to go, weather is going to be really bad apparently, Like I care, it can do what it wants, I’m still riding to John O’Groats regardless. 

Day 10

Into the Cairngorms and the highlands!!! Apparently through a valley? Again serious lack of hills again today, what's going on. On the upside though my knees feel a lot better today, even though the road has been relatively rolling I've been somewhere near my usual top speed. I've managed to average 18mph but most of the time I've been riding along in the mid 20's, If you take into account stopping a few times to take some snaps well then I'm happy with that as I'm not 100%.

The A9 didn't seem so busy today, still a lot of traffic but not as bad as I'd been expecting. Not much really happened today, had another puncture, couldn't find out what had caused it either which was slightly more annoying, the tube had a fairly substantial hole in it too but no marks on the tyre.

One not so great thing today was that I came across my first dead deer, actually it was a stag, a really big one. Judging by the mess all over the road it had been hit within the last few hours, I'm guessing at night. I stopped to make sure it was dead, I don't like the idea of an animal lying there suffering. Anyway swiftly moving on.

Check out the name of the river on the top picture, when you are promoted from engineer to manager at Sky they name a river in Scotland after you, this is Garry's, it's right next to Loch Eric, but I don't know who he is! Tomorrow I'll try to find rivers Pete, Steve and Iain.

I'm glad that the roads were fast because today is my birthday, we are now in Aviemore which is a nice place to be on your birthday, well I like it so that's all that matters to me! Plenty of good food and drink tonight and get some rest for tomorrow's 90 miler. There's quite a climb out of Aviemore, so I'm told, so I'm going to enjoy that tomorrow too.

Now if you don't mind there's a pint down the road with a candle in it so if you'll excuse me...........

Day 9

The A822 to Pitlochry, wow what a road! Today has been one of the best days I have had on my bike for a long time. I'm like Dorothy on the yellow brick road, only without the dog, or the basket, or the stupid dress, or the, you know what just forget that bit. 

Firstly I knew it was only a short day, just some 37 miles and secondly the scenery is something else. I've had stunning views all the way along this road, again with little or no traffic. Scotland's countryside is sensational, I find myself looking round more than I actually spend looking where I'm going, that could end in disaster that! The hills and forests just go on forever and where are all the people? Cows and sheep and horses, plus the odd dead thing on the road but this is an A road, where is everyone? There wasn't as many hills as I expected today either but I think tomorrow might be better for that.

I'm glad I stuck in a short day on this trip, we did it in case I needed a rest, which as it happens my knees really do. Also it's my birthday tomorrow so I wanted to stop in Aviemore for that, so making today shorter made sense. My knees did start to ease off today after 15 miles or so, not by a great deal but enough to increase my speed a little. I'm hoping that they might be a lot better tomorrow and back to normal by the last day. Friday will be the final day and I'll be sad to finish but happy with what I have achieved at the same time. 

I've really enjoyed the whole experience so far, even trying to ruin myself has been character building to some degree, I'd forgotten what its like to push yourself beyond your breaking point. I love it in a strange sort of way, it's just pain, it's just in your head and you're just testing yourself to see what you can actually physically endure. Which, as I had forgotten, is quite a bit, and it still feels good. All you need to remember is there are people out there right now suffering with cancer and so are their families and Macmillan is there to help them. I don't think it's too much to ask for me to put myself through a bit of pain for a good cause. I'd gladly do it again, anytime.

I had to leave the the A822 and join the A9 to get up the final 11 miles to Pitlochry. What a difference in roads. You can immediately tell that Scotland doesn't have a motorway this far up the country, mainly because vehicles come barreling past at 80mph plus. The road has a white line on the very inside but its heavily potholed so I have to ride the other side of it. The potholes are so bad they could test moon buggies here to see if they could cope with the craters, seriously, people could live in some of them.

Some vehicles seem so close as they fly past the bike actually moves in the back draft, especially when the trucks go past. I'm thinking though that once I get past Inverness the traffic will probably drop off. There isn't much in northern Scotland certainly in the way of cites anyway. Much more rolling hills and scenery though which suits me just fine.

Arriving at the B&B early certainly has its benefits, I get chance to look round Pitlochry as I've never been here before. Resting my knees for the afternoon should also do me some good. The best upside is that after a little sightseeing I will be off out to find some Guinness shaped liquid refreshments, ready to be refuelled for another great day tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I ride up to Aviemore, I haven't been there for years and I'm really looking forward to riding through the Cairngorms. The weather is supposed to turn tomorrow but who cares, a bit of rain doesn't do anyone any harm. 

Come on people DONATE!!!!! please, see look I said please, I never say please.

Day 8

15 miles in to today's ride and my knees were up to their old tricks again, already lost my breakfast to the road yet again and it's all getting a bit ridiculous. Today I made the decision to divorce my left knee and disown the right one. This is getting old now and so is the pain, seriously knees, is that all you've got. I'm going to carry on regardless of what you do! Moving on and choosing to grit my teeth and think of something else I carried on with the rest of the 80 miles. 

Something I have noticed about pain relief is that ibuprofen tablets do sort of work, as do aspirin. Even deep heat gel has its slight benefits but ibuprofen gel, give me a break. Its a mythical substance that costs loads and does little. I guess that's why they sell it on the top shelf at the chemists, you know, right next to the love potions, fairy dust and the magic beans. It doesn't work don't waste my time.

Today has been amazing, I got so, so lost in Edinburgh, I had to ask quite a few natives for directions mainly due to the lack of road signs yet again. Still, what a nice place to be lost in, I saw quite a lot of it, sometimes twice, from different directions! There seems to be a lot of roads that cyclist just can't go down in Edinburgh. Mainly the ones I wanted to use, still I eventually stumbled upon the Forth road bridge. I had to cross underneath it in the underpass, which means carrying the bike down a flight of stairs and the back up the other side, bad knees and all. Fantastic piece of engineering though, what a bridge. It actually moves about as the heavy traffic goes past.

Once over the bridge there's a little more confusion with the lack of signage yet again, but my iphone rescues the day and I'm off through Dunfirmline and out into the countryside. The road out is the A823 and has some stunning scenery, great climbs and smooth roads with virtually no traffic. I road past Knockhill motor racing circut, so naturally stopped there for a while and watched the track bikes going round. The weather too has been great today too, I didn't think it could get this hot in Scotland.

I spotted this horse as I'm riding along and I thought it looked a little bored, so I gave it my apple. Seeing that horses aren't that stupid it spotted where I took it from and had a look to see if there was anything else it might fancy eating. The second picture is the result. No more food, no more interest, so it nudged my bike over, Thanks for that.

Meeting up with Stacey for dinner a little later than usual and then it's off onto what has now become the A822. The roads just keep getting better, Tiny little towns with even less traffic and some of the best views I've seen of unspoiled countryside. So great climbs as well. At this point my knees were actually feeling a little better so hopefully there maybe some more improvements tomorrow.

This is the view I had all afternoon, it's a hard life, eh? I stopped here for about 15 minutes, in that time nothing drove past. Well there was this rabbit, it wasn't driving though so it doesn't count. To be fair it just sort of crossed the road then, like it had forgotten something it came back, maybe to check the front door, or maybe it had left the gas on, I do that all the time.

Today has been good, even with all the pain. Passing through and close to some of the Kin's in Scotland, such as Kincardine and Kinross to name a few, all the while my knees stayed in Kin'ell. I have had no other problems all day and I am still enjoying myself and I'm that little closer to the end of the land. Tomorrow is a short but steep day, lots of climbing, I hope to be done for 1pm ish. That way I can let my legs rest all afternoon for the Cairngorms the day after. All in all I'm still living the dream!

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Day 7

Owwww!!!

Today has been a horror show, trying to play things down a little doesn’t work, my knees were beyond wrecked this morning. I think I have a very high threshold for pain and after only 11 miles today I was way, way beyond it. Even walking is painful.

I had to stop, I rang Stace but there was little she could do, I just wanted to speak to someone. At this point which was around 8.30am I was pretty much ruined, I’d already consumed 4 ibuprofen tablets, used deep heat gel and ibuprofen gel and also taken 2 Aspirin. I was like a walking medical cabinet.

The pain was so bad I had been sick twice, that’s all my energy in my full English breakfast all over the A7. Also, I was feeling pretty light headed. Stacey was driving round seeing if a chemist was open and her Mum (who joined us yesterday) was ringing round bike shops to see if they stocked any of the muscle tape to see if that might help. As it’s Sunday though nowhere was open. And, I would’ve preferred that they searched for strong pain killers as I was ready for morphine! Or a vet with a horse tranquilizer.

Stupid, stupid body, I had ten minutes swearing at my knees then set off again trying to pedal. The only way I can describe it was having two red hot pokers in the back of my knees every time I press down on the pedals. Not nice at all. I even rang NHS direct, they told me to stop immediately, so yeah I ignored that then, as if that’s going to happen. I’ll bloody crawl first. I managed to ride 30 miles and crossed the Scottish border before I met with Stacey again.

Stacey had good news, though not morphine or a vet she had found a cycle shop that was open. Trouble was it was back the way we came but she insisted I went as she had spoken with the man from the shop who wanted to check my bike was set up right after the seat issues yesterday, he thought that would start to ease the pain. So stubbornly I put the bike on the back of the car and we set off to Eastriggs. Only with the understanding that I could be dropped off where I was picked up, knees or no knees.

We arrived in Eastriggs and found the bike shop, which was running from the man’s house, I think his name was Ellis (sorry if this is wrong). Ellis was doing some DIY on his house but was kind enough to break away from his painting to help me. He readjusted the seat and seat post and the position felt so much better. He wouldn’t take any money for his help, he actually thanked us for going over so he could help me - another one of those genuinely nice people. A huge thank you to Ellis.

We arrived back at the exact point where we left, Google earth required! After resting my knees now for nearly an hour I set off again. Although I’m still in a huge amount of pain the new seat position really helped. My knees stayed in pain but they didn’t seem to get any worse. The downside is I can’t stand up to fly up the hills so I have to stay seated and grind up the hills instead, not really what I’m used to but at least I’m rolling.

So, then the A7, what a road, great smooth tarmac with very little traffic and wow the views. I kept expecting Mel Gibson to come running out of the trees yelling FREEDOM! Thing is these days Mel Gibson is more likely to run of the trees yelling something racist. Anyway moving on, there have been some really good hills today, much better than anywhere I’ve been so far. I’m hoping my knees will feel a little better tomorrow so I can enjoy them more.

Passed through some picturesque little towns with friendly cyclists, got slightly lost after not reading a sign properly and saw some more Nesquik rivers. Apart from the pain, today has been really quite good. I’m looking forward to riding through more rolling countryside tomorrow and of course Edinburgh. The bike is going well and I’m still feeling really strong and determined to see this through to the end.

The more money I raise for Macmillan the better so everything helps, thanks again for all your support and if you haven’t already done so, what’s wrong? Get your hand in your pocket, can you not see how much I’m suffering haha. 

Day 6

Today I expected a monster, sort of got one but mainly because of the weather rather than the hills. This morning I rode out of Clitheroe with some of my good friends I go cycling with on my days off and on Wednesday evenings. They kept me company through the Trough of Bowland all the way to Lancaster. Once there we had pie and peas at the Lancaster Brewery, which by the way I highly recommend. It was great to have the company today, especially as the weather was so foul. Waterproofs don't work on a bicycle, okay, okay, 'my' waterproofs don't work on a bicycle.

After leaving the Brewery I set off on my own into Lancaster and then up the A6 towards Carlisle, I've been wanting to ride up over Shap fell ever since we thought up the whole idea of the trip. If I'm honest I was a little disappointed, I thought it would be a lot steeper and a lot longer, the descent was a long one down the other side but the hill itself was, er, well pretty poor really. I'm sure that there is an excellent view from the top but the torrent of rain kind of blocked it.

I did notice down in the valley below that a river had quite heavily burst its banks, with all the mud in the water it looked like Nesquik chocolate milk running down the valley floor.

Just before Shap fell my knees began to hurt quite badly, they have been painful for a few days but I've been choosing to ignore them. You know how it is, what do my knees know about anything, that's why ibuprofen was invented isn't it. I had consumed a little too much pain relief today however and they feel like they're about to explode. I found that standing up and cycling hurt less so I did that for fifteen miles or so until that started to hurt too. Plenty of rest should sort them tonight, if not I'll just continue to ignore them some more tomorrow. It's only pain, I need to grow up.

Whilst on my way out of Shap village I noticed the seat seemingly getting closer to the frame. At first I thought I was imagining it until it suddenly dropped into the frame all together. On closer inspection the seat tube bolt had sheared off. Seriously though, how does that actually happen, all it has to do is stop the seat post moving, not really a big job that is it? Once it's tight why bother to break, perhaps I should email Mr Campagnolo when I get back and ask him!

I rode up the road a little way to a farm with what looked like abandoned vehicles everywhere. In fact it looked like something from Apocalypse Now, but whatever. I thought yep these people will have a bolt. So I knock on, this guy Paul comes to the door with honestly the biggest pair of pliers I have every seen. He needed two hands just to hold them, not one for wondering or let's be realistic, caring what he had been doing with them before I arrived I explained my predicament with the seat bolt.

Paul reckons he will have have something that will do and wanders of while his wife makes me a sandwich and a brew. Nice or what! I did explain why I was out in pouring rain and what I was doing for charity, mainly so they didn't think I was mental really. Paul comes back, bike fixed with a bolt that can only have come off a tractor or something, either way the seat won't move again, I don't think the seat will EVER move again. So long as it gets me to Scotland, that's all that matters. They were even good enough to give me a tenner for Macmillan, nice people do exist then.

The A6 is a good fast road for a bike though and has really helped today what with the rain, wind and bike problems. If I had been more isolated I'd have had to carry on with a busted seat. Not big, not clever. It's been cold today as well, I've been shivering quite a bit, mainly at the top of Shap fell, bloody waterproofs. There's a monument at the top, actually you can see from the picture it's more of a rock with writing on. It's to remember all the people that built the original road, before the M6 of course.

After such an epic day I made good time to arrive at the B&B for 4.30pm. So now I have plenty of time for more Guinness. Tomorrow is very hilly all the way to Galashiels so I'm really looking forward to that. Bet my knees aren't, but who cares what they think, its all for Macmillan and a bit of suffering is character building so nothing else matters.

Go to go my drink is getting warm.........