postscript to culnakirk

Forgot to mention that after coffee and complimentary cakes from Robbie at Brockies lodge Tina and I did the 14 and a quarter miles to the Cannich turnoff in 1 hour and 5 minutes , this was with the obligatory climb up a hill which you always get when you cycle with Tina , and as usual she was waiting for me at the top .

culnakirk

Hi there this is joan and tina after another hard days cycling. Tina was determined to cycle all the way up culnakirk and today she did it!!! Anyone who knows culnakirk will realise what an achievment that was . I was just glad to get to the top although I did manage to cycle up more of it than I did the last time . I knew tina would do it as on saturday after the whitebridge hill we were going up another steep one and tina got held up and had to get off to push but what did she do but go back down the hill so she could get a proper run at it and cycle to the top which she did. We had a very good run today making much better times than we did the last time we did this run . I have to give a very big thank you to Steve, from HIGHLAND BICYCLE CO, for my bike , I now agree with him my old one was rubbish . I would never have been able to do what I have with it .We came down the Abriachan hill and Tina asked if I would like go up that one which I very politely declined . I dont have Tina,s determination or stamina . We had a lovely cup of tea from ann at the tearoom at kilmartin , a very nice stopping off point .It will be nice to have a few days off now as unfotunately my holidays are nearly over and I have to go back to work ,roll on september when I can give it all up

Changes

Congratulations to Mark Murray and we wish him every success in his new job, he has secured a permanent post as a lecturer at Inverness College. The sad part is that he will be unable to participate in the Five Countries Challenge so we have lost a team member. If you have three weeks to spare in September, and feel up to this wonderful challenge we would love to hear from you.

Loch Ness

On Saturday, despite inviting fellow cyclists to join us, John, Joan and I went out on our own to cycle round Loch Ness. The day was beautiful and the humour was good. Even though we were late in starting out. (Joan is used to waiting for the late Bruces!) We followed the towpath to just beyond Dochgarroch where it ended, where we had to take the A82 to Drumnadrochit. For that part of the journey (10 miles approx) over 100 cars passed us, which is incredible, because it was relatively quiet and much more traffic coming towards us! We had our coffee break in Drumnadrochit and then went on to Fort Augustus, where we stopped and had our lunch and a drink, by the canal locks. The next part of the challenge was the long relentless climb up towards Whitebridge. It really is hard work, but well worth it when you get to the top and see the spectacular scenery. Also the people you meet along the way. One chap from New Zealand had been cycling for 6 weeks! He'd set out from London, along the south coast, did Land's End to John O'Groats and this was him meandering back down, though he di say that part of his return journey was goig to include the train. He was enjoying the downward sweep to Fort Augustus while we had stopped to take breath on the uphill. We stopped at the Loch Mhor gallery, which was run by a couple, in their home. The photography was the work of the husband and the paintings were the work of his wife, both very talented in their individual fields. Well worth a return visit! From there we went to Errogie where we turned down to Inverfarigaig and followed the Lochside (being blown a bit) along to Dores, I hav to say I didn't really enjoy that part of the cycle as it was monotonous and very undulating, However we stopped in at the Dores Inn to have a drink. Then it was just the short (8 miles) ride home. In Inverness we treated ourselves to a jacuzzi, in the Palace, to ease aching limbs, it really was very welcome! The round trip was 68 miles, which will be about our longest distance in September.

Nairn and beyond

On Wednesday Joan and I went out cycling and our route took us out towards Cawdor, where we thought we could get a cup of coffee, which we eventually did in the Cawdor Tavern. From there we headed for Auldearn but as it was still quite early we cycled down the A939 for a few miles and then came back in to Auldearn, where we stopped and had lunch, and a drink in the Covenanters. Through to Nairn for coffee at John's and then home. At this point Joan was in the lead, and she didn't notice I went in to Croy shop to buy some ice-cream. By the time I'd caught up with her, she'd passed the road end I'd wanted to go down (Galcantray), so we just continued on the B9006 back home. We did however manage to cover 59 miles so we were quite pleased with ourselves.

Training trials

Joan and I (Tina) had a very good run last week. On Thursday (12th) we did a tour of the Black Isle, which apart from the odd shower of rain was very good! Our first stop was on the other side of the bridge, coffee with Donnie at Lewis Recordings, Drumsmittal, he'd even bought in biscuits especially!!

From there we went to Cromarty, via a rather slow relentless climb through Eathie! at Cromarty we were treated to lunch from Doris, who was not long home from having been away for a month. While we were there we checked the ferry from Cromarty to Nigg and it is running until October, so we should be able to do that crossing in September.

Our return trip was through Gemimaville, and along narrow country roads to Culbokie, onto Munlochy where we hoped to have got a coffee at the hotel, but dearie me were their winter hours not shut between 3 and 5. Winter in June, why did we not think of that. Anyhow we got a drink out of the shop and wound our weary way home again. A total of 56 miles. Another good day.

Tina

sunny day for cycling

on saturday everyone else was otherwise engaged so i decided to try out the new cycle path to dingwall . a few other people had the same idea as there were quite a few cyclists about . i found it was a bit confusing in one or two bits but was a delight to cycle on . i left it at the bottom of the hill and went to conon bridge and home by the old beauly road . the coffee shop in beauly was a nice place to have a break . i am building up my tan very nicely . hope this blog works out .see you all soon joan

Today was an uneventful day, except I've forwarded three names to EMMS with the potential of participating in the Malawi bike ride 2009.

I've put our stopovers on the website so if anybody cares to join us for any part of the challenge, please do get in touch. Would love it if you could come along.

more challenges

Last week I decided that I would cycle to Tarves, Aberdeenshire.
Day 1 Thursday was short and uneventful. I arrived at Jenny's in Forres around 6.30pm having had a cup of tea with John, Magda and Richard around 4 o'clock at The Culloden Battlefield. 36 miles
Day 2 Friday was a long, wet day. I stopped for a coffee in Elgin, took a few wrong turns to get back onto the route. Then at Findochty, I lost sight completely of the cycle signs and ended up taking the walking route (The Moray Coastal Route), found myself and my bike, scrambling over rocks on the sea shore, pushing the bike through a piece of what was essentially waste ground, but the path was overgrown with gorse!! Then past the local golf-course, eventually finding a path down onto the road. A little further along the coast I stopped in Portsoy and ate my sandwich in the bus shelter, thinking that I would find a tearoom further in the town, no such luck. Fortunately Whitehills was more rewarding with a wee shop selling hot drinks. Just what I was needing, by this time I was fed up of the rain, my feet were soaking wet after the cross-country section, and I was feeling rather sorry for myself. Next town was Banff, where again I lost my signs, so after attracting the attention of a lollipop man, who gave me directions, I was happily on my way again. he rest of the trip was fine and after Turriff I was able to take the wet weather gear off and just a mile short of Methlick, Evelyn came to meet me on her bike and together we cycled the remainder of the way. 85 miles
Day 3 Saturday The 10th Tarves Bike Ride. A dry if overcast day made very pleasant conditions for it. By the time we finished the sun started shining and we were able to enjoy the b-b-q and drinks in Evelyn's beautiful garden. Around 8 o'clock we left in the van, driven by John, and arrived home around 11.30. We had quite a laugh coming home.
Tina