Final Thoughts

Well now the dust has settled and the scars are beginning to heal it's time for a quick round up of the ride. First some awards

 

Scariest Moment - Sitting on my bike at Lands End wondering what on earth I was doing there and how I was going ride over 900 miles in 10 days.

 

Happiest Moment - After 4 or 5 days, realising that I probably could finish the ride - and of course finishing!

 

Best Overnight Stop - Buchan Guest House in Moffat; friendly welcome, did our washing, fantastic!

 

Most Scary Cuddly Toy - John's massive rabbit on his bed in Bonhill.

 

Most Depressing Moment - Realising that we were going to have to pedal down Glencoe into a gale.

 

Best Tea Stop - At the bottom of Glencoe!

 

Biggest Myth - "After the first few days you'll get your cycling legs"

 

Worst Navigational Blunder - That I will admit to? - Setting off up the M74 slip road in Gretna

 

Worst Road Surface - For all round achievement and commitment the old A74 in the care of South Lanarkshire Council wins. However a special award goes to the A6 outside of Levens Hall just south of Kendal. Near the end of our supposedly easy day (turned out to be over 100 miles with plenty of incident) I actually swore out loud at the road.

 

I guess the other guys will have their own personal favourites or other categories.

 

I would like to thank the rest of the team for their fantastic support and encouragement both before and during the ride. There is no way I could have finished the ride on my own - certainly not in 10 days. Plus I have some excellent memories that I hope won't fade. For the the rest I'll just have to keep up the therapy!

 

A big thanks to Ian, nothing was too much for him, bags put in rooms, painkillers procured, bike repairs, drink top ups on demand and arranging stops at the top of the biggest hills he could find!

 

Finally the biggest thanks of all to Mary for supporting me during the training and letting me disappear for nearly two weeks. I came back to one son in hospital with a broken foot, a badly mauled dog on antibiotics, two dead hens thanks to the other dog and first morning back had to round up the sheep for blood tests! It will be a while before I'm allowed to leave home again!

 

Grant

 

Ps - And thanks to all our readers and donors for their support!