I made it!!! Woohoo! (Yes, I know I'm not at the end yet, but making it to the end of today has been more than enough of a challenge!)
Today has been mostly about suffering...
I left Ecclefechan at 8am after a good breakfast. My B&B for the night had been lovely. Despite all this exercise I'm sleeping very fitfully though and was awake a few times in the night. I left Ecclefechan with stiff, sore legs (nothing new there then...) in the rain and headed north on the B7076, a small road that follows the M74 northwards. Wind and rain are never a good thing to start with, but add in hills and you are on to a loser! The road seemed unrelenting, and having initially felt ok, my legs were suffering. There was none of the freshness that I'd had on Shap the day before...
At this point I was seriously wondering whether I would be able to finish today, and was aware that I wasn't that far from the Lake District... Maybe Will or Nicky could come and rescue me? It certainly crossed my mind. But I am NOT a quitter!! I am a crier though, so shed a few tears with the pain and frustration of it all. I need to remind myself that I have chosen to do this! No one is making me.
I made it to Abington at 40 miles, hoping for some food. Unfortunately all I found was a corner shop with a hot drinks machine. So I had a hot chocolate; better than nothing!! What I did find though (quite excitingly!) was another cyclist heading north on LEJOG!! David is a lawyer from Canada, riding LEJOG over 2 weeks (with a week off in the middle to work). We had a chat and set off from Abington together. He was heading north via Glasgow, and was much more heavily laden with 2 pannier bags on a hybrid. I waved goodbye after a mile and two but it was nice to chat and see a friendly face.
After Abington the road continued uphill for another few miles and a relentless cross wind picked up, threatening to blow me across in front of traffic. Not a nice experience. I shouted at myself to pull myself together and get riding. I starting singing 'the Wombles' and the Proclaimers (thanks Jo and Dan; they were good!) and before long the hills had ended and I was treated to some beautiful downhill! Well, it wasn't beautiful, it was grey and bleak, but a down is a down right??
I turned off at Douglas and headed north-east, skirting around the edge of Lanark. The roads were nice and the miles rolled by a bit easier. I finally found somewhere to stop and eat; a cafe in Forth. After a quick refuel, I headed on towards Edinburgh and the Forth Road Bridge; my link to the other side! Due to a closed road I had a couple of dodgy miles on some dual carriageway straight through Livingston, but otherwise made my way to the bridge quite easily, through Uphill, Broxburn and Newtown. As I came round a corner the bridges looked into view and looked stunning! I stopped to snap a quick pic then zoomed off to the bridge.
I got there to see traffic cones and flasing lights; bridge closed to high-sides vehicles and motorbikes. Well I'd already decided I'd be using the path given the horrendous cross winds, so headed over to the pedestrian/cycle lane to find the barriers down and signs telling me it was shut. I had a quick look and thought I could just lift my bike over. At this point one of Traffic Scotland's employees sees me so I head over and ask what the deal is. He can't let me cross but rings his colleague to take me over in a pickup truck. The next nearest bridge (my alternative option) would add on at least another 30 miles to an already long day. When he tells me I can't cross, I apologise, then burst into tears. I've been so far over the last few days and am so disappointed. I really don't want to go in a truck. Also, I really like bridges and wanted to ride over this one (I think I would have been an engineer and designed bridges if I wasnt a doctor...). This man is lovely anyway and doesn't make me feel stupid for crying. He chats away to me whilst we wait for the truck, and I tell him about my challenges. He is very understanding!
The truck turns up and I lift my bike over the side by myself (independent women and all that!) and get driven over the bridge and dropped at the other side, insisting that I get out as soon as possible!! I get back on my bike (having missed 2 miles of riding) and head north on B roads towards Kinloss and then Perth. In Inverkeithing (just after the bridge) a kind bike shop lets me use their track pump. I've then got about 30 miles to go, 2 or so hours which will fly by. My legs are tired but they are still going! I zoom past Loch Leven (beautiful) and through Kinross. I've had an overwhelming desire to swim this week every time I see water, be it a river or a lake.
I keep my legs moving and arrive at my B&B at 6.30pm, better than hoped given the horrendous start. I'm now showered, and about to go out for dinner with my friend Mark and his girlfriend Bella.
Today has been really tough. It's not surprising really! It's day 5, my legs are so so tired, it's been raining, and worst of all its been windy. But positives; at least it wasn't a head wind else I don't think I'd have made it!!
Tomorrow I have the luxury of Mark's company up to Inverness. We will be mostly following the A9 or minor roads alongside it. Hopefully the wind drops before morning else it will be a tough day (especially for Mark as I plan to hide behind him all day!! Only kidding...). I'm looking forward to riding North, I'm sure the scenery will be stunning in a bleak kind of way.
A reminder of my charity page (sorry...) www.virginmoneygiving.com thank you!!
And thank you for all texts, Facebook messages and song requests, it does help! Nicky I tried to rap fresh prince of bel air but couldn't remember enough words!!
Today's stats:
Distance; 121.92miles
Ride time; 8hr56
Av speed; 13.6mph (slower again...)
Ascent; 1901m (the most yet I think?)
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