Stage 7 Lesmanhagow – Glencoe
Very early start, on the road for 7-35 am. Took it very easy to the outskirts of Glasgow until Simon crashed into a railing going up a very small kerb. No obvious damage so we found a Halfords to buy 4 new inner tubes and borrow a track pump to get the pressure up in the tyres. Simons patched tube was still holding. Succumbed to a sausage and egg McMuffin before setting off again. As we neared the centre of Glasgow, passing Glasgow Green, I reflected that almost 19 years ago to the day an elegantly flowing Englishman had glided effortlessly through the tape to win the Scots Porridge marathon in a course record 2-14-54 and lead England to victory. This fine, and some might say modest chap was of course me. Having grasped my 10 seconds of fame on News at 10 that night I was making a nostalgic return. Surely someone would remember (the middle aged woman we stopped for directions didn’t, even though I reminded her). There were even signs out for the Great Scottish Run the next day. We eventually left the sprawl of Glasgow and headed towards Loch Lomond on the very busy A82. Very good progress alongside the Loch and stopped for our well deserved après 50 miles beer just before Tarbat. Continued to make good time and at 4-50pm in Tyndrum with 30 mules to go, where my gears starting making funny noises. The next 10 miles were a dream, a slight climb then 6-7 miles downhill. Another climb and stop for refreshment in a lay by then the fantastic 5 mile descent to Glencoe. We found the Youth Hostel easily enough and found we were sharing a room with 6 hairy arsed walkers from near Farnham, who turned out to be nice blokes and gave us a lift to the pub and back, where we got the only real ale I saw in Scotland. Arrived at 7pm, total 110.61 miles. 8hrs 30min on bike.
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Stage 8 Glencoe – Inverness Team Time Trial
Easy Day. Set off at 9-16am after Simon had put a patch inside his tyre where the tube was bulging out. I lubricated everything I could reach to stop my squeaky gears. No breakfast at the Hostel so we stopped in Glencoe village for Coke and chocolate. Stopped at Fort William to try to get a new tyre for Simon, but they only dealt with mountain bikes so settled for a sausage and egg roll ( a pattern is emerging here). Cycled on towards Loch Ness past Fort William golf club, another to visit when I end to end again, in a car with wife and clubs. Stopped at a shop by Loch Oich and met Martin, the first End to Ender we had met since leaving Lands End. It transpired that he had started on the same day as us about 45 minutes later. We invited him to join us until he turned off, and encouraged by his tobacco habit we successfully employed our team tactics to rip the legs off him (twice, because he re-passed us when we stopped for a beer at Drumnadrochit). With 13 miles to go and only 70 minutes to reach Inverness before the cycle shops closed I decided to apply my time trial experience and pushed as hard as I could for the next 10 miles. As I was recovering with 3 miles to go, twang, another spoke gone. This made finding a bike shop imperative, as the next day was the longest, at 120 miles and being a Sunday I had no chance of finding a shop if my wheel collapsed. Of course as soon as we reached the outskirts of Inverness we were stopped by a lifting bridge, however we made it to Highland Cycles who fixed my wheel and sold Simon a tyre, which in the end he didn’t need. Nice Youth Hostel, we were sharing a room with 2 strapping lads from Brighton who were doing the Loch Ness Marathon the next morning (no they didn’t ask). Arrived at 6pm. 84.43 miles. 5 hrs 49 mins on bike.
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