Due to some wonderful fortuity, I had a room to myself and never enjoyed solitude more. I don't know if you've read 'A Squash and a Squeeze' by Julia Donaldson. The concept is simple - if you think you have it bad, make it much worse and you'll end up grateful for what you had in the first place. Sleeping with an septuagenarian is something we should all do from time to time. (Chris is also a wonderful example of modesty, vivacity, determination and he never complained once. Unlike me.)
One of the many unexpected aspects of this trip has been the way it has sharpened our enjoyment of the simple things:
- the look of ecstasy on the face of a grown Accenture consultant as he finds a tiny patch of van seat in the back of one of the trip vehicles on which to perch half a buttock, sheltered from the wind.
- the bliss of taking off your stiff cycling shoes after eight hours of pedalling.
- The unmitigated delight of squeezing a generous blob of Sudocrem (not to be mistaken for Pseudocreme which just pretends to be effective) onto your fingers and reaching into the depths of your cycling shorts to apply its cooling delights onto areas where man meets machine. Oh, the rapture, the sweet, sweet joy.
So too with the simple bread roll that would await us each night at dinner. The first proper food since getting off the bike, smeared with butter and consumed greedily. The food of the gods to a hungry man.
Speaking of food, (I've got all day to kill so forgive the rambling), its been a mixed bag. There's been average pub grub, great home cooking by the DA team in a hostel, ridiculous
haute cuisine served to cyclists for whom quantity was always going to trump quantity.
We've had menus stuck in the seventies, as much of rural Scotland seems to be. Still serving fruit cocktail as a starter - who knew?
The Discover Adventure team consisted of 6 crew in three vans and lorries. They would be waiting for us at each water stop, morning and afternoon, and have lunch ready for us in the middle of the day. One of the vans had a field kitchen built in, and hot soup, bacon rolls and bowls of pasta would be produced alongside all sorts of cold meats, cheeses, salads, breads and pies. There'd be an urn of boiling water for tea and enough cake and chocolate to keep you going for the afternoon.
There's been a general acceptance that the weight we expected to fall off may have journeyed all the way to the tip of Scotland with us. Better that than run out of puff half way up a hill with another 50 miles to ride.
The DA staff have been indefatigable. Bright and breezy, wonders at getting bent bikes back on the road, driving past with a cheery wave, song or honk, to ensure bags were waiting for our arrival each night.
It would have been great to do this trip with a few mates, carrying our kit and sleeping in B&Bs. It would have been nice to take a few more days, to take interesting diversions and steer clear of some of the busy A roads we ventured along. To eat in local pubs rather than chain hotel restaurants.
But that would have taken more time, required the requisite mates all being able to take 2 weeks off at the same time. It would have meant the trip stayed on the wish list, rather than on the list of achievements to look back upon. (Click pics to enlarge).
I hope to be able to do some other long rides in other parts of the world. With friends or with Susie and the kids. Seeing the countryside by bike is a wonderful way to travel. You can cover remarkable distances and you're always exposed to the elements, your views are always 360 degrees.
It's terribly British to obsess about the weather, but by God we've been lucky.
Less than two hours rain in almost two weeks of constant cycling must be some kind of record. We've had the odd headwind, but nothing too bad. And while the tail winds that we could have expected never materialised either, the clement conditions have allowed us to savour every moment of this scepter'd isle.
It's been a lovely time of year, with the lushness back in the verges and hedges and the golds of the wheat fields enough wealth for any man.
Right, I seem to be descending further into cliche and over egged prose than usual and so should probably stop.
I'm writing this in the sunshine of an Inverness pavement cafe. My flight to Southampton via Manchester is not until this evening so I will not see the kids properly until the morning.
I want to sign off with some thanks. Firstly to Susie for being so supportive. The total financial cost has been considerable, as has the time spent training and the last two weeks away from home. She's always been right behind me and I'm hugely grateful.
I'm also hugely grateful to the 65 people who have so far donated to my Just Giving page. I've got a cheque for £200 from work which puts me within a whisker of £2,000. A lot of people have been very generous, and in these days with so many demands on our time and philanthropy, I'm very, very grateful.
Allergies are on the increase and can ruin lives, but charities like the Anaphylaxis Campaign are doing their best to make things better, and safer, for sufferers and their families. I'm preaching to the converted on this blog I know, but if you haven't, and you can, please do. Www.justgiving.com/miles-Kendall
So that's it. I hope you've enjoyed reading my witterings. I've been writing for a diverse audience - family, friends, work, kids, cycle mates and also as a record for myself.
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