Almost back in England

8.30pm Saturday 18 June

Another wet day – drizzle and heavy showers. The first 30 miles were done at pace down the coast past Troon on the A78 which at times resembled a motorway; we were very lucky this wasn’t a weekday and the traffic was quiet or I think we would have come off it. Passed through Ayr and started to climb to 1000 feet in the Ayrshire hills just as the heavy showers started. After 50 miles we stopped at a café for tea and soup. I didn’t bother changing any clothes as I reckoned I’d stay warmer keeping them on and putting on wet cold clothes is unpleasant.

On the way out we met the 4 guys who set off from John O’Groats at the same time we did – we keep leapfrogging each other. They’d taken a harder route via Oban and Arran. They were also trying to spice up their blog (see www.ukendtoend.co.uk ) and one of them decided to ride naked through the hills we’d just gone through. We saw a clip of the video they’d taken and look forward to seeing it when it gets posted. We will not be doing the same but we will be meeting up with them when they get to Lands End next Saturday.

After another climb on the B729 (great track close to the Galloway Forest) we zoomed downhill for a few miles - no brakes and as fast as you wanted around shallow bends. Great fun and this pushed up our average mph for the day to 14.7 (over 82 miles); we are getting faster by the day.

Arriving at the Auldgirth Inn around 4, we were told we had to order dinner and eat at 6 as a wedding had booked the pub and the chef was busy attending the wedding party. Like it or lump it. The wedding was between two ladies who got married at Gretna Green and arrived at the pub around 7pm to the earthy groans of a kilted piper. Some guests ordered a pre meal drink at the bar behind us and I heard one lady asking for a vodka and diet iron bru. I did not turn around to see what sort of person might drink this monstrous concoction so it is left to my imagination.

The Inn itself dates back to 1500’s and was a sanctuary for travelling monks.  It’s meant to be haunted. The bar lady nervously told us that Alan and my room is the haunted room. So when Alan hears noises (as he did last night) he will have to decide whether it’s the medieval ghosts or my snoring.  There is a lot of scope for having fun in such a situation if I can just find a spare white sheet….  

Highlight of the day:  B729 from Carsphairn to Montaive – 13 miles of fantastic road and scenery even in the rain.

Surprise of the day:  Vodka and diet iron bru – add it to the long list of Scottish delicacies such as deep fried Mars bars.  

Body report:  Great – perhaps the 2 ibuprofen tablets I am taking each day ‘in anticipation of things hurting’ is actually working.

Expectations for tomorrow:  A long 102 mile ride, wet in morning and dry in afternoon. We’re stopping to pick up 3 riders in Carlisle so 6 of us will be heading down through the Lake District on the A6. I just hope the wedding party doesn’t turn into a lock in and wakes up the ghosts or we will be very tired.