The sun screen stayed in the box this morning. Having spent much of the spring wearing Goretex (sometimes secretly in the the office), I was very reluctant to concede that I might need wet weather gear on this ride. Seeing a couple of animal transporters going past carrying pairs of animals finally convinced me that the rain was here to stay, so it was on with the full monty of arm and leg warmers, overshoes and Goretex jacket. Which I needed for around 20 mins before the sun started shining, and it was off with the jacket.
It didn't take long to realise that I was very, very tired, and that the cumulative effects of the previous 7 days had caught up with me, but what are you going to do? Quit? I think not. So I plodded on, with the only concession to my weakened state being the abandonment of my plan to take the old military road on the south side of Loch Ness. The thought of a mile long climb with an average gradient of 1 in 10 was just too much, so the A82 was to be my route of choice. Actually, it is the only other road apart from General Wade's masterpiece should you wish to travel from Fort William to Inverness.
During a brief refuelling stop in Fort Augustus, I overheard one of the locals using the word "squally", normally one of my favourite words, but not when I have 50 miles still to ride. And squally it proved to be. On with the Goretex, off with the Goretex, and repeat ad nauseum. I was actually pleased when the rain settled down into a continuous torrent and I could just concentrate on being wet, tired and miserable.
Eventually (and it did seem like an eternity), the rain stopped, the sun came out and I reached Inverness. Somehow I missed the picturesque town centre and the coffee shop of my fantasies, and I ended up with some sort of machine made muck from a petrol station. Muck it may have been, but restored I pressed on to take the A9 in search of Dingwall. Avoid the A9 north of Inverness at all costs if you are cycling; it is a two lane motorway and is terrifying, even at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon.
I was relieved to take the Dingwall road and find the quiet lane up to the B&B; thank you again to the owners for a fabulous dinner and good company.
So, physically I am smashed, one more long day to go, bring it on.
Mileage: 81.9
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/551011049
https://www.justgiving.com/Sean-Bonnington/
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