United Kingdom - 2017
The only supported bike adventure in this quest...Ride Across Britain (RAB) was a 980 mile, nine day trek from Land's End in Cornwall (the southwest) to John O'Groats in Scotland (the northeast). It rained every day and the weather was "bloody awful" for September. Overriding that, it was a low-thinking ride with all logistics done by others, enjoyable companionship, massages every other day, a travelling pub and excellent food along the way. A very memorable trip.
I did not fund raise for this ride, nor did I blog in real time. The entries below are wordy, coming from my diary, and the pictures a mesh of mine and those of the Threshold team that provided support.
The only supported bike adventure in this quest...Ride Across Britain (RAB) was a 980 mile, nine day trek from Land's End in Cornwall (the southwest) to John O'Groats in Scotland (the northeast). It rained every day and the weather was "bloody awful" for September. Overriding that, it was a low-thinking ride with all logistics done by others, enjoyable companionship, massages every other day, a travelling pub and excellent food along the way. A very memorable trip.
I did not fund raise for this ride, nor did I blog in real time. The entries below are wordy, coming from my diary, and the pictures a mesh of mine and those of the Threshold team that provided support.
9/7/17 Crossing the Pond
I left Chicago this afternoon with my pumpkin Trek Domane 5.2 bicycle in my checked luggage. Praying my gear arrives with me and in good order. Unlike my cross-USA ride, I’m traveling light in gear and have invested far less in logistical planning. The reason? It is a fully supported trip, denoted Ride Across Britain or RAB, with the accounting/consulting firm Deloitte being a lead sponsor. There is an option for a reduced fee if one raised sufficient funds for UK-based charities. After having so many generous donors to Alzheimer’s research from the US ride in 2014, I chose not to go back to the well again so soon and paid full freight.
French Fry did not accompany me on this trip. He enjoys British beer and their scones but felt a little awkward riding with other people. He will cheer me on from the States.
I left Chicago this afternoon with my pumpkin Trek Domane 5.2 bicycle in my checked luggage. Praying my gear arrives with me and in good order. Unlike my cross-USA ride, I’m traveling light in gear and have invested far less in logistical planning. The reason? It is a fully supported trip, denoted Ride Across Britain or RAB, with the accounting/consulting firm Deloitte being a lead sponsor. There is an option for a reduced fee if one raised sufficient funds for UK-based charities. After having so many generous donors to Alzheimer’s research from the US ride in 2014, I chose not to go back to the well again so soon and paid full freight.
French Fry did not accompany me on this trip. He enjoys British beer and their scones but felt a little awkward riding with other people. He will cheer me on from the States.
9/8/17 Landed in Land’s End
Land's End, by definition, is not a quick place to get to. I spent a day getting from Chicago with more time in wait than in transit with airport connections in Dublin and New Quay, England before I joined two other riders in loading our gear on a biker bus transport for the 90-minute ride to our starting spot on the southwest coast of England.
Arriving at 5:30PM, it felt like I had been transported to a different season despite little change in latitude. Dreary skies, drizzle, 10C colder and high winds. I checked in, getting my gear which included some tags to put on my helmet that both identify me for the photographers who will be taking pictures on the adventure and serve as my timing chip to record my times on each day of the ride. Ingenious! The organization is top notch – there are roughly 800 riders on this journey with me and probably 75-100 volunteers.
I am tagged as rider #1 – purely based on my pedigree in being born an “Adam” and not a “Zeigler”. It was a moniker, clearly labeled on the back of my bike, that brought lots of comments and playful teasing throughout the ride. “ Where is your yellow jersey?” they would say (in reference to the winner of the previous year’s Tour de France.) Some in this crowd are hard core bikers while others look like fish and chips and pub crawls are more their speed. Time will tell where I blend in.
I then unboxed my bike and got help in set up from the excellent mechanics that will follow us along the ride. Things arrived in good shape and I was very relieved for the help as it was getting dark. Next I found my assigned tent - RAB provides the tent and the sleeping pad, the rest was on me.
I celebrated staging success with a ESB beer from the travelling beer cart that will accompany us on the trip. It warmed me up. With night setting in, many of us walked to the Land’s End sign at the spot where land meets sea and waited in a long line to get a picture of the signpost. I had an awesome dinner (more on the food later) and attended an orientation meeting before settling into my tent for the night around 9:30PM.
Land's End, by definition, is not a quick place to get to. I spent a day getting from Chicago with more time in wait than in transit with airport connections in Dublin and New Quay, England before I joined two other riders in loading our gear on a biker bus transport for the 90-minute ride to our starting spot on the southwest coast of England.
Arriving at 5:30PM, it felt like I had been transported to a different season despite little change in latitude. Dreary skies, drizzle, 10C colder and high winds. I checked in, getting my gear which included some tags to put on my helmet that both identify me for the photographers who will be taking pictures on the adventure and serve as my timing chip to record my times on each day of the ride. Ingenious! The organization is top notch – there are roughly 800 riders on this journey with me and probably 75-100 volunteers.
I am tagged as rider #1 – purely based on my pedigree in being born an “Adam” and not a “Zeigler”. It was a moniker, clearly labeled on the back of my bike, that brought lots of comments and playful teasing throughout the ride. “ Where is your yellow jersey?” they would say (in reference to the winner of the previous year’s Tour de France.) Some in this crowd are hard core bikers while others look like fish and chips and pub crawls are more their speed. Time will tell where I blend in.
I then unboxed my bike and got help in set up from the excellent mechanics that will follow us along the ride. Things arrived in good shape and I was very relieved for the help as it was getting dark. Next I found my assigned tent - RAB provides the tent and the sleeping pad, the rest was on me.
I celebrated staging success with a ESB beer from the travelling beer cart that will accompany us on the trip. It warmed me up. With night setting in, many of us walked to the Land’s End sign at the spot where land meets sea and waited in a long line to get a picture of the signpost. I had an awesome dinner (more on the food later) and attended an orientation meeting before settling into my tent for the night around 9:30PM.
9/9/17 – No Easing into Things with 9K Feet of Elevation on Day 1
The first day of RAB was the hilliest I’ve ever done…nearly 9,000 feet over 105 horizontal miles northeast through Cornwall and along the Welsh-England border. Wow. There were roads of inconceivable incline, surely something born before modern civil engineering was a profession. I am thankful I travelled light (two water bottles and a small gear bag.) I can’t imagine how my four pannier system used to cross the US would have fared.
My first night’s sleep was poor with about 90 minutes of shut-eye. I gave up my tent close to the facilities to allow a couple to sleep side-by-side and took a tent at the farthest end from the bike corral, bathrooms, food, etc. I didn’t mind that part of it, but my new locale was exposed - near an escarpment where my tent pounded with the patter of rain and the howling of the winds.
I was up with the camp loudspeakers playing music at 5:30AM. Queen’s “Bicycle Race” and “Fat-Bottom Girls” proved to be standard alarm wake-up music. It was dark. I found breakfast filling but not inspiring. The hot stuff was typical British faire – sausages, eggs, bacon and bread. There were cereals and croissants and porridge (oatmeal). I ate lightly. Going back to the tent, I packed up and dropped off the suitcase at the DHL luggage trucks in my chosen color section in the "yellow" group.
I queued up in advance of the 7AM release/departure time, a habit I continued as I like to start and finish early. Blame the body clock on my 12-year old paper route days. It proved wise...more on why later. Over time, I found that over half the riders were from groups while the others like me were solo and blended in and out of solo riding and group riding as conditions, stamina and interests dictated. I am quick up hills but very slow on downhills as the weather and sharp turns made me edgy. As a result, my pace was not appropriate for any group…and in truth, I wasn’t interested in group riding at a pace that had me focused on the wheels in front of me over the scenery around me.
I wrapped up by 3:30PM and put my bike in a supervised corral based on rider color group. I then picked up a protein powder for a recovery drink and went for my tent assignment. Despite not hurrying, it was interesting to see what number I received. The first 40 tents closest to the services for each color group are reserved for the slow/late arrival riders. I was 67th out of 200 today and tended to get low numbers as the ride progressed despite wearing down.
Arriving early, I found it relaxing to get a shower in the portable shower trailers without the fear of a line behind me. Provided a daily towel, the showers were warm too – both the shower trailer and the water itself. Late finishers often complained about cold water. After a cleanup, I put wet clothes in the heated drying room and took my electronics to the charging stations in the dining/chill room and followed this up with a snack of soup and bread. I opted to hang around, talked to some people and then ate dinner early (it started at 6PM). I ate all I could and took some bread back to the tent.
The first day of RAB was the hilliest I’ve ever done…nearly 9,000 feet over 105 horizontal miles northeast through Cornwall and along the Welsh-England border. Wow. There were roads of inconceivable incline, surely something born before modern civil engineering was a profession. I am thankful I travelled light (two water bottles and a small gear bag.) I can’t imagine how my four pannier system used to cross the US would have fared.
My first night’s sleep was poor with about 90 minutes of shut-eye. I gave up my tent close to the facilities to allow a couple to sleep side-by-side and took a tent at the farthest end from the bike corral, bathrooms, food, etc. I didn’t mind that part of it, but my new locale was exposed - near an escarpment where my tent pounded with the patter of rain and the howling of the winds.
I was up with the camp loudspeakers playing music at 5:30AM. Queen’s “Bicycle Race” and “Fat-Bottom Girls” proved to be standard alarm wake-up music. It was dark. I found breakfast filling but not inspiring. The hot stuff was typical British faire – sausages, eggs, bacon and bread. There were cereals and croissants and porridge (oatmeal). I ate lightly. Going back to the tent, I packed up and dropped off the suitcase at the DHL luggage trucks in my chosen color section in the "yellow" group.
I queued up in advance of the 7AM release/departure time, a habit I continued as I like to start and finish early. Blame the body clock on my 12-year old paper route days. It proved wise...more on why later. Over time, I found that over half the riders were from groups while the others like me were solo and blended in and out of solo riding and group riding as conditions, stamina and interests dictated. I am quick up hills but very slow on downhills as the weather and sharp turns made me edgy. As a result, my pace was not appropriate for any group…and in truth, I wasn’t interested in group riding at a pace that had me focused on the wheels in front of me over the scenery around me.
I wrapped up by 3:30PM and put my bike in a supervised corral based on rider color group. I then picked up a protein powder for a recovery drink and went for my tent assignment. Despite not hurrying, it was interesting to see what number I received. The first 40 tents closest to the services for each color group are reserved for the slow/late arrival riders. I was 67th out of 200 today and tended to get low numbers as the ride progressed despite wearing down.
Arriving early, I found it relaxing to get a shower in the portable shower trailers without the fear of a line behind me. Provided a daily towel, the showers were warm too – both the shower trailer and the water itself. Late finishers often complained about cold water. After a cleanup, I put wet clothes in the heated drying room and took my electronics to the charging stations in the dining/chill room and followed this up with a snack of soup and bread. I opted to hang around, talked to some people and then ate dinner early (it started at 6PM). I ate all I could and took some bread back to the tent.
9/10/17 – Nothing Better than Passing thru Cheddar Gorge
I was up before the 5:30AM loudspeaker music alarm. Our two-person tents are closely packed in rows reminiscent of tombstones in a cemetery, though in this case, the prone occupants are alive and a neighbor’s every sniffle, snore and fart is discernible. I am not adjusted to the time zone change and slept poorly, but a little better than yesterday. We had rain last night and it continued to rain this morning as we prepped for the start. I am pleased with the tent. It is roomy enough to fit my suitcase and my prone body but tight enough to warm up during the night from my body heat and stout enough to not let in the rain.
Much like yesterday, today’s ride was hilly, but a bit less so than yesterday with only 6,850 feet of climbing over 111 miles. We started off with more rain but this was intermittent. It featured more urban settings with numerous small towns with their stone homes and small fenced in yards with pretty plants and rather tidy accoutrements. The roads were generally narrow and many were hedge-rowed on both sides. That seemed to make wind less a factor, though what we encountered was more tail than headwind.
The most scenic spot today was Cheddar Gorge. Worthy of a longer stop, but at this time it was raining hard and there were many tourists with cars milling about. Plus it was steep and challenging to bike. So I pushed on. In the flat stretches, I held onto a few pack riding groups. They were only going 17-18mph on average but this seemed oddly hard. Back home, I can do better than this on my own without the benefit of drafting. Nonetheless, an early start, no pub stops and short breaks had me done shortly after 3PM.
It is an adjustment to left-side bike. My Sam Adams bottle cap rear view mirror that extends from my sunglasses needed to be bent materially to view from my right side and not my left (later today at the first pit stop I will lose this mirror, much to my chagrin). I also am not calling out obstacles properly. I called out “Truck” once when it should have been “Lorry” and with twenty different countries represented, some seem to call traffic coming from behind “car back” while others say “car up” (as in approaching). The ride itself is very well marked with blue and white arrow signs. Never, never once on the entire journey did I get lost or question my general sense of direction for more than a half mile. That was amazing.
When I wrapped up today’s ride, I corralled the bike again and the Threshold team (the name for the volunteers) gave me cheers and a plastic wrap “Deloitte” bike seat cover to keep the butt somewhat dry. We didn’t have to tent tonight…thankfully given the 45F/8C temps with heavy rain. Instead, we were given individual dorm rooms in the University of Bath. I settled in, grabbed a number of protein bars and a free shaving kit and took to my room. After shower and setting out clothes to dry, I got my first every other day ten-minute massage from the youthful crew from the University of Birmingham. That was nice. Some roll mat stretching and yoga followed.
Some chillin’, drying out and warming up time preceded dinner. Then at 8:30PM there is a daily update of the next day’s ride in the main dining tent (or in this case, the cafeteria). This evening, the CEO of Deloitte UK and the most famous current UK biker who has won more legs of the Tour de France than any other gave a Q&A. I wish I were a bigger Tour fan. As is, I’m underinformed and the talk didn’t have the rapture some in the audience felt.
I was up before the 5:30AM loudspeaker music alarm. Our two-person tents are closely packed in rows reminiscent of tombstones in a cemetery, though in this case, the prone occupants are alive and a neighbor’s every sniffle, snore and fart is discernible. I am not adjusted to the time zone change and slept poorly, but a little better than yesterday. We had rain last night and it continued to rain this morning as we prepped for the start. I am pleased with the tent. It is roomy enough to fit my suitcase and my prone body but tight enough to warm up during the night from my body heat and stout enough to not let in the rain.
Much like yesterday, today’s ride was hilly, but a bit less so than yesterday with only 6,850 feet of climbing over 111 miles. We started off with more rain but this was intermittent. It featured more urban settings with numerous small towns with their stone homes and small fenced in yards with pretty plants and rather tidy accoutrements. The roads were generally narrow and many were hedge-rowed on both sides. That seemed to make wind less a factor, though what we encountered was more tail than headwind.
The most scenic spot today was Cheddar Gorge. Worthy of a longer stop, but at this time it was raining hard and there were many tourists with cars milling about. Plus it was steep and challenging to bike. So I pushed on. In the flat stretches, I held onto a few pack riding groups. They were only going 17-18mph on average but this seemed oddly hard. Back home, I can do better than this on my own without the benefit of drafting. Nonetheless, an early start, no pub stops and short breaks had me done shortly after 3PM.
It is an adjustment to left-side bike. My Sam Adams bottle cap rear view mirror that extends from my sunglasses needed to be bent materially to view from my right side and not my left (later today at the first pit stop I will lose this mirror, much to my chagrin). I also am not calling out obstacles properly. I called out “Truck” once when it should have been “Lorry” and with twenty different countries represented, some seem to call traffic coming from behind “car back” while others say “car up” (as in approaching). The ride itself is very well marked with blue and white arrow signs. Never, never once on the entire journey did I get lost or question my general sense of direction for more than a half mile. That was amazing.
When I wrapped up today’s ride, I corralled the bike again and the Threshold team (the name for the volunteers) gave me cheers and a plastic wrap “Deloitte” bike seat cover to keep the butt somewhat dry. We didn’t have to tent tonight…thankfully given the 45F/8C temps with heavy rain. Instead, we were given individual dorm rooms in the University of Bath. I settled in, grabbed a number of protein bars and a free shaving kit and took to my room. After shower and setting out clothes to dry, I got my first every other day ten-minute massage from the youthful crew from the University of Birmingham. That was nice. Some roll mat stretching and yoga followed.
Some chillin’, drying out and warming up time preceded dinner. Then at 8:30PM there is a daily update of the next day’s ride in the main dining tent (or in this case, the cafeteria). This evening, the CEO of Deloitte UK and the most famous current UK biker who has won more legs of the Tour de France than any other gave a Q&A. I wish I were a bigger Tour fan. As is, I’m underinformed and the talk didn’t have the rapture some in the audience felt.
9/11/17 - Third Day of Rain is a Pain...but the Route Becomes Less Hilly
Another poor night’s sleep coupled with rain until about noon put a mild damper on the ride. Biking with others who are mutually miserable kept my spirits up enough as we road through small towns on two lane roads and hedgerows on both sides. We crossed the Severn bridge and concluded the ride at the Ludlow Racetrack.
I continue to “improve” on my tent assignments, benefiting from hot showers, snacks and the chance to walk around town before dinner. Sadly, by the time I cleaned up and walked three miles into town, the big church was closed, Ludlow Brewing Company was closed, the Castle was closed. So I walked around the castle, getting some photos and opted to hang out in the pretty downtown area and had a regional pale ale while sitting outside, soaking up some late afternoon sun.
A bit more on dinner…our catering crew is run by Lu Lu and the variety and quantity of food is amazing. Tonight I had a chicken and leak pie and a Thai Basil veggie curry for main dishes (there are usually four to choose from). Four or five salads are offered, including things like beet and quinoa with roasted squash. Desserts feature at least four different cheesecakes and items like chocolate rice pudding, sticky toffee pudding or warm apple crumble. Much better than my pop tarts and chocolate milk with a Chinese or pizza buffet on the cross-USA excursion. Knowing I need to stay fueled, two or three helpings was the norm in an attempt to achieve a balance between full and stuffed so that I get sick. Seating is open and often the day’s highlight is conversing with mostly middle aged men and women from all across the world. The UK is most heavily represented, but there are many continental Europeans and a smattering of Americans, Canadians and Asians in the group. Roughly ¾ are male.
Laundry service is included three times during the ride. Tonight was the first opportunity.
Another poor night’s sleep coupled with rain until about noon put a mild damper on the ride. Biking with others who are mutually miserable kept my spirits up enough as we road through small towns on two lane roads and hedgerows on both sides. We crossed the Severn bridge and concluded the ride at the Ludlow Racetrack.
I continue to “improve” on my tent assignments, benefiting from hot showers, snacks and the chance to walk around town before dinner. Sadly, by the time I cleaned up and walked three miles into town, the big church was closed, Ludlow Brewing Company was closed, the Castle was closed. So I walked around the castle, getting some photos and opted to hang out in the pretty downtown area and had a regional pale ale while sitting outside, soaking up some late afternoon sun.
A bit more on dinner…our catering crew is run by Lu Lu and the variety and quantity of food is amazing. Tonight I had a chicken and leak pie and a Thai Basil veggie curry for main dishes (there are usually four to choose from). Four or five salads are offered, including things like beet and quinoa with roasted squash. Desserts feature at least four different cheesecakes and items like chocolate rice pudding, sticky toffee pudding or warm apple crumble. Much better than my pop tarts and chocolate milk with a Chinese or pizza buffet on the cross-USA excursion. Knowing I need to stay fueled, two or three helpings was the norm in an attempt to achieve a balance between full and stuffed so that I get sick. Seating is open and often the day’s highlight is conversing with mostly middle aged men and women from all across the world. The UK is most heavily represented, but there are many continental Europeans and a smattering of Americans, Canadians and Asians in the group. Roughly ¾ are male.
Laundry service is included three times during the ride. Tonight was the first opportunity.
9/12/17 – Another Racetrack Sleeping Oval-ation
Day 4 of the ride started without rain, a first! The partially sunny skies lasted until 2PM before sprinkles (ride volunteers say this is the wettest and coldest RAB ride they’ve experienced.) We did have an excellent tailwind pushing out of the southwest of 15-20mph that made the 107 miles seem easy. Today’s highlights included the lovely weather, some marvelous views of the hills (instead of just climbing them, these were off in the distance), and the Badger pub where I stopped after riding past a family of locals cheering us on. Roadkill is also interesting – badgers, pheasants and red squirrels.
I notice some stiffness in my knees during the first hour of riding that dissipated shortly after. My knees are still mad at me for the elevation of the first two days.
We stayed in the oval circle of a racetrack again today. It makes for warmer showering, dining and warming areas. Although the beer in the travelling beer garden has been consistent, the food has varied. Today for a post-ride, pre-dinner snack we had “cheese carts”, a variety of fancy cheeses, crackers and grapes that were served by fancily dressed chefs. Odd seeing grubby bikers being served on chinaware in a fancy setting but it was enjoyable.
My second in the every-other-day massage went well. The masseur worked the lower legs, telling me they weren’t as tight as most people he’s worked on so far on the trip. I guess that’s a compliment.
Day 4 of the ride started without rain, a first! The partially sunny skies lasted until 2PM before sprinkles (ride volunteers say this is the wettest and coldest RAB ride they’ve experienced.) We did have an excellent tailwind pushing out of the southwest of 15-20mph that made the 107 miles seem easy. Today’s highlights included the lovely weather, some marvelous views of the hills (instead of just climbing them, these were off in the distance), and the Badger pub where I stopped after riding past a family of locals cheering us on. Roadkill is also interesting – badgers, pheasants and red squirrels.
I notice some stiffness in my knees during the first hour of riding that dissipated shortly after. My knees are still mad at me for the elevation of the first two days.
We stayed in the oval circle of a racetrack again today. It makes for warmer showering, dining and warming areas. Although the beer in the travelling beer garden has been consistent, the food has varied. Today for a post-ride, pre-dinner snack we had “cheese carts”, a variety of fancy cheeses, crackers and grapes that were served by fancily dressed chefs. Odd seeing grubby bikers being served on chinaware in a fancy setting but it was enjoyable.
My second in the every-other-day massage went well. The masseur worked the lower legs, telling me they weren’t as tight as most people he’s worked on so far on the trip. I guess that’s a compliment.
9/13/17 - The Chilly Willies
I felt the cold the most intensely today, worse than the rain which fell off and on throughout the day. At times, such as hill descents, I worked hard to have the finger dexterity to manage the brake grips. We did 108 miles today and climbed 5,400 feet; about as average as possible on both accounts. As for highlights, the sights of the Lake District were the tops. When the sun was out, it was quite nice…rolling hills , rock fences, sheep, stone bridges.
Every ride day but one features two well-marked rest and recharge breaks (the one 127 mile day had three breaks)…spaced roughly equally apart. After biking through a chip timing arch, there are corrals to hang bikes, mechanical support staff, an aid station with basic medical support, bathrooms, a water refilling station, a High5 area with energy gels and tablets and a few tents with food. In addition, the morning stop featured a travelling truck with coffee for purchase. Oddly, no tea and as I’m not a coffee drinker, I never partook despite the temptation to have something warm in this wet and cold weather. The food was varied enough with the morning stop contained quinoa bars, bananas and tiny sandwiches and the afternoon stop the sugar station with rice and toffee puddings, a variety of British chocolates and sometimes cookies.
I had one mishap today in mismanaging the crossing of a railroad track. I was following a pack of two other riders that I’ve kept up with the last few days. They wisely crossed at a 90 degree angle to the track. I did not and got a tire stuck in the grove. Coming out, I wiped out and slid along the right side of my body. Very fortunately, the bike was not damaged. As for me, my butt was bruised, my elbow bloodied and my underlayment shirt and my North Face jacket sustained holes. I didn’t realize the damage on the elbow until stopping at a rest station. The medical personnel, when I asked what should be done, just said “let it scab up”. I asked for some anti-septic at the end of the day…this was given with some reluctance.
After the accident, I went slower than normal but still was assigned yellow tent #43 today. It was another soggy camp when I checked in. Remind me not to bring tennis shoes along for spare footwear. All this moisture has them spelling super danky and they will not be returning to America. Our campsite is next to a grand old castle-like estate in a meadow, too far removed for any post-ride walkabouts.
I felt the cold the most intensely today, worse than the rain which fell off and on throughout the day. At times, such as hill descents, I worked hard to have the finger dexterity to manage the brake grips. We did 108 miles today and climbed 5,400 feet; about as average as possible on both accounts. As for highlights, the sights of the Lake District were the tops. When the sun was out, it was quite nice…rolling hills , rock fences, sheep, stone bridges.
Every ride day but one features two well-marked rest and recharge breaks (the one 127 mile day had three breaks)…spaced roughly equally apart. After biking through a chip timing arch, there are corrals to hang bikes, mechanical support staff, an aid station with basic medical support, bathrooms, a water refilling station, a High5 area with energy gels and tablets and a few tents with food. In addition, the morning stop featured a travelling truck with coffee for purchase. Oddly, no tea and as I’m not a coffee drinker, I never partook despite the temptation to have something warm in this wet and cold weather. The food was varied enough with the morning stop contained quinoa bars, bananas and tiny sandwiches and the afternoon stop the sugar station with rice and toffee puddings, a variety of British chocolates and sometimes cookies.
I had one mishap today in mismanaging the crossing of a railroad track. I was following a pack of two other riders that I’ve kept up with the last few days. They wisely crossed at a 90 degree angle to the track. I did not and got a tire stuck in the grove. Coming out, I wiped out and slid along the right side of my body. Very fortunately, the bike was not damaged. As for me, my butt was bruised, my elbow bloodied and my underlayment shirt and my North Face jacket sustained holes. I didn’t realize the damage on the elbow until stopping at a rest station. The medical personnel, when I asked what should be done, just said “let it scab up”. I asked for some anti-septic at the end of the day…this was given with some reluctance.
After the accident, I went slower than normal but still was assigned yellow tent #43 today. It was another soggy camp when I checked in. Remind me not to bring tennis shoes along for spare footwear. All this moisture has them spelling super danky and they will not be returning to America. Our campsite is next to a grand old castle-like estate in a meadow, too far removed for any post-ride walkabouts.
9/14/17 - Starting the Scottish Highlands
Another start in the rain as we worked our way through relatively flat and open terrain into the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. Low mileage count of 100 with only 3,200 feet of climbing. This should have been a relative cupcake but it was more a crumpet due to modest headwinds all day. Oddly, when there are hedgerows which often line both sides of the road, the winds are less noticeable. When there’s a break in the brush, the sudden gusts can almost knock you off your bike if you aren’t paying attention.
The weather cleared up by late morning and the temp range of 8-13C have been typical (that’s 46-55F). Keeps me in multiple layers for top and bottom but I’m not peeling things off like in the States. The winds and the cloud cover are more varied than the temperature. Finished at another racetrack at 2:30PM, a nice setting surrounded by ornate white buildings. My tent assignment today was #41 and I was among the first in the bike corrals. Looks can be deceiving as I tend to be out the gate at the start, preferring to have some flex in the afternoons. When measured by chip ride time, I was generally around 90th out of what appears to be 550-650 daily finishers out of 800 or so who started. My goal was to go slow enough to see things but not lily-gag at pubs.
There are a few unusual bikers on this trek. One guy is riding a fat tire bike which must create enormous friction on these “grippy” roads. There’s also a younger couple who are riding a tandem bike and going faster than me. By ride’s end, they were still talking to each other. Amazing!
I did the post-ride cleanup routine, enjoying some hot cross buns and soup for a snack. I went for a walk around Hamilton, located on the outskirts of Glasgow. After a few parks and churches, I settled for a working class pub with free wi-fi and had a Belhaven Best beer. Oddly, there are few cask-drawn bitter beers here than I would have thought…more craft stuff and especially lots of Budweiser. Tis a shame.
Back at the race track by 6PM, I charged devices, ate dinner and went to bed early after some yoga stretching.
Another start in the rain as we worked our way through relatively flat and open terrain into the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. Low mileage count of 100 with only 3,200 feet of climbing. This should have been a relative cupcake but it was more a crumpet due to modest headwinds all day. Oddly, when there are hedgerows which often line both sides of the road, the winds are less noticeable. When there’s a break in the brush, the sudden gusts can almost knock you off your bike if you aren’t paying attention.
The weather cleared up by late morning and the temp range of 8-13C have been typical (that’s 46-55F). Keeps me in multiple layers for top and bottom but I’m not peeling things off like in the States. The winds and the cloud cover are more varied than the temperature. Finished at another racetrack at 2:30PM, a nice setting surrounded by ornate white buildings. My tent assignment today was #41 and I was among the first in the bike corrals. Looks can be deceiving as I tend to be out the gate at the start, preferring to have some flex in the afternoons. When measured by chip ride time, I was generally around 90th out of what appears to be 550-650 daily finishers out of 800 or so who started. My goal was to go slow enough to see things but not lily-gag at pubs.
There are a few unusual bikers on this trek. One guy is riding a fat tire bike which must create enormous friction on these “grippy” roads. There’s also a younger couple who are riding a tandem bike and going faster than me. By ride’s end, they were still talking to each other. Amazing!
I did the post-ride cleanup routine, enjoying some hot cross buns and soup for a snack. I went for a walk around Hamilton, located on the outskirts of Glasgow. After a few parks and churches, I settled for a working class pub with free wi-fi and had a Belhaven Best beer. Oddly, there are few cask-drawn bitter beers here than I would have thought…more craft stuff and especially lots of Budweiser. Tis a shame.
Back at the race track by 6PM, I charged devices, ate dinner and went to bed early after some yoga stretching.
9/15/17 – Long Day & Sad Day
I felt nostalgia yesterday when passing a biker with a soccer ball tied onto the rear of his bike. No French Fry…while it would have been a conversation starter, the #1 tag on my helmet and back of my bike has proven equally adroit at that. The wet weather would have been very difficult on him, so I am glad he didn’t come. I will have a chat afterwards to apologize, explain the hostile environment and beg his forgiveness.
Today’s rise and shine Queen song set began at 4:30AM, an hour earlier than normal as the ride length of 127 miles is the longest of the trip. Coupled with almost 6,000 feet of climbing, it is billed as the hardest day since the first two days. Groups departed together at 6AM and I sought to stick with a pack, especially as we worked through the Glasgow suburbs and dealt with morning traffic. The Scottish police were very helpful in providing some protection in spots where intersections posed challenges. We started in dry conditions and only had one spat of rain in the early afternoon.
A sad thing happened today. At mile 18, still in the throes of the morning twilight with marginal visibility, I biked upon the scene of a serious bike injury with one of our RAB riders. On an uphill climb with a rock cropping on one side and a guard rail on the other, a road maintenance vehicle occupied one lane of a narrow two lane ride. A car descending the hill moved to the left to skirt the maintenance vehicle and ran headlong into our RAB rider, a larger man dressed in darker clothes with no reflective gear. Not sure if he had a light even as that seems optional here in England. The biker smashed into and off of windshield and was lying prone on the road when I approached.
There were other riders and individuals attending to the bicyclist and I was asked to console a few of the women who were crying. I did this until medical staff arrived, after which we slowly moved along our route. Those of us in front of the accident were allowed to proceed on, shaken by the incident and praying for the best. I found out later the man was badly injured, lost an ear but had it reattached and appeared to be recovering as of the end of the ride.
The majority of riders who were behind me waited up to 90 minutes for the ambulance and then for police to map out the scene before being allowed to continue. and many ran short of time to finish by dark. RAB has support wagons to pick up slow, injured and exhausted riders and these had to work overtime on this day.
The three rest stops for the day were sparsely attended when I rolled through because of this incident. Eerie. I didn’t know riders were being held up at the time. The scenery today was the best to date and I stopped often for pictures. It reminded me of New Zealand or Norway with waterfalls streaming down cliffs. Not having rain added to the enjoyment.
I arrived to base camp at 4:15PM, tagging along with a few faster riders as we took turns drafting along the lochs (lakes). I was the 6th rider from the yellow group to finish and was given tent #46. It was almost eerie arriving so early…yet it really wasn’t that early as the delay caused many of the riders to come in after dark. I had a beer after the post-ride chores, read a few papers, did some yoga and ball stretching and ate dinner before bedtime around 9PM.
I felt nostalgia yesterday when passing a biker with a soccer ball tied onto the rear of his bike. No French Fry…while it would have been a conversation starter, the #1 tag on my helmet and back of my bike has proven equally adroit at that. The wet weather would have been very difficult on him, so I am glad he didn’t come. I will have a chat afterwards to apologize, explain the hostile environment and beg his forgiveness.
Today’s rise and shine Queen song set began at 4:30AM, an hour earlier than normal as the ride length of 127 miles is the longest of the trip. Coupled with almost 6,000 feet of climbing, it is billed as the hardest day since the first two days. Groups departed together at 6AM and I sought to stick with a pack, especially as we worked through the Glasgow suburbs and dealt with morning traffic. The Scottish police were very helpful in providing some protection in spots where intersections posed challenges. We started in dry conditions and only had one spat of rain in the early afternoon.
A sad thing happened today. At mile 18, still in the throes of the morning twilight with marginal visibility, I biked upon the scene of a serious bike injury with one of our RAB riders. On an uphill climb with a rock cropping on one side and a guard rail on the other, a road maintenance vehicle occupied one lane of a narrow two lane ride. A car descending the hill moved to the left to skirt the maintenance vehicle and ran headlong into our RAB rider, a larger man dressed in darker clothes with no reflective gear. Not sure if he had a light even as that seems optional here in England. The biker smashed into and off of windshield and was lying prone on the road when I approached.
There were other riders and individuals attending to the bicyclist and I was asked to console a few of the women who were crying. I did this until medical staff arrived, after which we slowly moved along our route. Those of us in front of the accident were allowed to proceed on, shaken by the incident and praying for the best. I found out later the man was badly injured, lost an ear but had it reattached and appeared to be recovering as of the end of the ride.
The majority of riders who were behind me waited up to 90 minutes for the ambulance and then for police to map out the scene before being allowed to continue. and many ran short of time to finish by dark. RAB has support wagons to pick up slow, injured and exhausted riders and these had to work overtime on this day.
The three rest stops for the day were sparsely attended when I rolled through because of this incident. Eerie. I didn’t know riders were being held up at the time. The scenery today was the best to date and I stopped often for pictures. It reminded me of New Zealand or Norway with waterfalls streaming down cliffs. Not having rain added to the enjoyment.
I arrived to base camp at 4:15PM, tagging along with a few faster riders as we took turns drafting along the lochs (lakes). I was the 6th rider from the yellow group to finish and was given tent #46. It was almost eerie arriving so early…yet it really wasn’t that early as the delay caused many of the riders to come in after dark. I had a beer after the post-ride chores, read a few papers, did some yoga and ball stretching and ate dinner before bedtime around 9PM.
9/16/17 - The Penultimate Ride Day
After yesterday’s 127 miles, I felt the most wiped on waking and tried to fortify heavier at breakfast with porridge (oatmeal), a croissant and some granola. The “B” cook crew must work breakfast as the offering are relatively bland compared to the wonderful dinners.
With no internet access yesterday, I relied on a person in queue for laundry to give me a weather prediction. He turned out to be too optimistic. I opted for the lighter yellow jacket but did bring along heavier gloves. We got rain most of the day and colder weather than ideal. Too bad. The scenery was the best of the trip were it not for the dreary weather. Lots of lovely lochs we biked along…but all were obscured by the rain which kept our heads down and the light levels low and dreary.
When the sun came at mile 95 or so, I was tapped and eager to wrap up the day’s 111 miles and 5,200 feet of climbing. The most challenging part was prior to the first rest stop where we had to climb a lengthy hill in three stages, parts at a 16% grade reminiscent of the first two days’ efforts. Almost as bad was biking down those hills in the rain, the headwinds and the cold conditions. It sucked the toffee pudding out of me as it did others who I biked with on the way. The volunteers must have known as they came out with signs and cowbells supporting us on the crests of these hills. More cowbells? Fine. More sun? Most definitely. I biked much of today on my own. With a headwind again and barren land that is northern Scotland, this was hard. I did tag along with a group of guys the last three miles at an 18mph pace.
In camp, I got tent #54 today and did the shower, charging of devices and massage in order. Despite the muddy mess, I took advantage of it being Saturday and took a short walk down the road to the Scottish Highland Games festival. Watched a bit of a tug-of-war and some sort of weight toss featuring burly men. I bought a beer here, having it dispensed into my High5 biker water bottle.
I ate the evening meal slowly today, trying to enjoy my last RAB dinner – both the food and the experience of being with so many interesting, athletically-minded and goal-oriented individuals. I started with salads, followed by desserts and concluded with the main course. Weird order, but I wasn’t about to lose out on desserts. Finished the night with the 8:30PM all rider briefing before going to bed.
After yesterday’s 127 miles, I felt the most wiped on waking and tried to fortify heavier at breakfast with porridge (oatmeal), a croissant and some granola. The “B” cook crew must work breakfast as the offering are relatively bland compared to the wonderful dinners.
With no internet access yesterday, I relied on a person in queue for laundry to give me a weather prediction. He turned out to be too optimistic. I opted for the lighter yellow jacket but did bring along heavier gloves. We got rain most of the day and colder weather than ideal. Too bad. The scenery was the best of the trip were it not for the dreary weather. Lots of lovely lochs we biked along…but all were obscured by the rain which kept our heads down and the light levels low and dreary.
When the sun came at mile 95 or so, I was tapped and eager to wrap up the day’s 111 miles and 5,200 feet of climbing. The most challenging part was prior to the first rest stop where we had to climb a lengthy hill in three stages, parts at a 16% grade reminiscent of the first two days’ efforts. Almost as bad was biking down those hills in the rain, the headwinds and the cold conditions. It sucked the toffee pudding out of me as it did others who I biked with on the way. The volunteers must have known as they came out with signs and cowbells supporting us on the crests of these hills. More cowbells? Fine. More sun? Most definitely. I biked much of today on my own. With a headwind again and barren land that is northern Scotland, this was hard. I did tag along with a group of guys the last three miles at an 18mph pace.
In camp, I got tent #54 today and did the shower, charging of devices and massage in order. Despite the muddy mess, I took advantage of it being Saturday and took a short walk down the road to the Scottish Highland Games festival. Watched a bit of a tug-of-war and some sort of weight toss featuring burly men. I bought a beer here, having it dispensed into my High5 biker water bottle.
I ate the evening meal slowly today, trying to enjoy my last RAB dinner – both the food and the experience of being with so many interesting, athletically-minded and goal-oriented individuals. I started with salads, followed by desserts and concluded with the main course. Weird order, but I wasn’t about to lose out on desserts. Finished the night with the 8:30PM all rider briefing before going to bed.
9/17/17 - Finished!
I concluded the RAB 2017 ride today at John O’Groats in northeast Scotland. Feeling fortunate at having accomplished a challenging but rewarding adventure. Today started an hour earlier than normal with a 4:30AM rise and a 6:00AM start. The rain and cold have worn me down. I wasn’t hungry for breakfast and ate sparingly, then belatedly attempted to compensate by overeating at rest stops. I took food with me and ate on the bike. I even stopped once about ten miles after the second pit stop at a store to buy a pack of pastry pies but attracted midges – little flies – anytime I paused today.
Today’s weather was the best of the trip. No rain all day and partial sun most of the time. The route was pretty. As far north as we are, the traffic was sparse, the vegetation even sparser and the road in many places is best considered a one laner with sporadic expansion for passing lanes. The road surface was paved but deemed “grippy”…that British term for uneven blacktop/gravel surfaces that forced eyes down to avoid pot hole issues. Especially lovely were the initial ten miles, full of ferns and gullies with a stream on one side or the other. Sadly, I left too early and missed seeing it in its glory.
I took more pictures today than on any other day of the trip. There was a sense of relief that I would be finishing and no hurry to draw a conclusion to the effort. As I noted to myself several times on the ride, “the view from the bike seat is better than that of the tent”. Today was the sort of weather where this was more than just a motto. More lochs, more waterfalls and more sun to accent things. Partially due to the scenery, the last day absorption of it all and due to being physically tapped, I went slow. I paused longer at breaks. I didn’t slide into the faster paced pack riders for a tenner or so at a good pace. Me and the bike and the road. As a result, I saw a different sort at the pit stops. Not the fast breakers, but easy riders with mass transit deadlines intent on wrapping early to get back to their jobs, etc. on Monday. Not me.
I crossed the finish line at about 2:45PM. With a mile to go, I put back on my yellow jacket which had been strapped around my waist due to the warmness of the day. I wanted to look presentable for the finish photos and, in a sense, earn the yellow jersey for being #1 and finishing my first RAB despite the bloody awful weather.
After biking across the black balloon arch that noted the end, I received my medal and a congratulations handshake from a young lady and moved into a queue for a picture next to the John O’Groats sign that marks the tip of this part of Scotland. I waited about twenty minutes for my turn, got the help of the wife of a fellow rider behind me in line to take my photo and then meandered around a bit.
Without the normal flags denoting which of the white tents was what, I was a little lost. This wasn’t the normal camp layout I’d grown comfortable with the past nine days. After asking around, I found where the luggage and my bike bag were. With less help than in setting up the bike, I managed on my own with some struggle and a tad bit of ‘wrench on the pedal’ assistance to get the bike into the bag.
Skipping the basic soup and bread available to riders in a nearby Starbucks, I rolled my suitcase and carried the bike bag 1/3 a mile uphill from the finish to the Seaview Motel where I checked into my second story, double bunk bed room for the night. There was no bathroom en suite but I didn’t mind. I was a little concerned there would be a second biker joining me (in part because I had stuff strewn about and shoes that stunk terribly). Thankfully, no one else came and I enjoyed some time catching up on e-mails and the view of the remaining bikers coming in to the finish line. I put on my RAB blue hoodie sweatshirt with excessively large white pull straps and had a beer in the small restaurant/bar. Nothing was open in the area, so I opted to eat my accumulated stash of protein bars for dinner and read up on things to do in the Orkney’s. I was gassed and went to bed a little after 8PM. I was exhausted but not tired and fell asleep only several hours later.
A few reflections on the ride:
1. Very glad I did this ride. I want to do another British commonwealth country now…perhaps New Zealand, though prelim research indicates bikes are less respected by Kiwi drivers than in the US or the UK.
2. It was smart recently upgrading my bike. Having some gears that went lower helped on the hills. The lightness of the bike probably aided in my stamina and the carbon fiber may have helped my hands from getting numb. I would have preferred disc brakes given all the rain however.
3. Had no mechanical breakdowns…no flat tires (tyres in the UK), no broken chains or other issues. I do need to get a few things repaired due to the rough road – a clicking noise hints at a canister in the wheels that may need to be swapped out. That compares to probably 12-15 flats on the US trip.
4. Happy with the tent camping and how my body responded to the physical exertion. Though it wasn’t a timed ride, I finished in the top 100 all but two days and didn’t need the ‘broom wagon’ that swept up the DNFs (Did Not Finish) riders. I was surprised by two things – how slow I went overall on the bike (about 14-15mph average) despite having little gear and a lighter bike than crossing the US. I didn’t have the gas in the distances biked to want to keep pace with the pack riders. Perhaps I could have done so for the better part of a day (and did do this in smaller spurts), but I sense, likely accurately, that this would only have weakened my immune system or cardio strength and made for a harder ride later in the journey.
5. Enjoyed the scenery, though the weather put a damper on things. The Lake District and the Scottish Highlands were the best overall.
6. The support and overall logistics were incredible. That includes the directions (the white arrows on the blue backlit signs were never far away), the food, the pit stops, the bathrooms, showers, drying rooms, the staff in all facets. Incredible.
7. Wore down a bit at the end despite having done more than my normal training. Perhaps a bit to age. Perhaps a bit to the climbing (averaging about 5,300 feet a day vs. 3,200 feet a day on the cross USA trip.) The bike was lighter, the mental exertion less but the pace was quicker and the sleeping accommodations less comfy than motel lodging.
I concluded the RAB 2017 ride today at John O’Groats in northeast Scotland. Feeling fortunate at having accomplished a challenging but rewarding adventure. Today started an hour earlier than normal with a 4:30AM rise and a 6:00AM start. The rain and cold have worn me down. I wasn’t hungry for breakfast and ate sparingly, then belatedly attempted to compensate by overeating at rest stops. I took food with me and ate on the bike. I even stopped once about ten miles after the second pit stop at a store to buy a pack of pastry pies but attracted midges – little flies – anytime I paused today.
Today’s weather was the best of the trip. No rain all day and partial sun most of the time. The route was pretty. As far north as we are, the traffic was sparse, the vegetation even sparser and the road in many places is best considered a one laner with sporadic expansion for passing lanes. The road surface was paved but deemed “grippy”…that British term for uneven blacktop/gravel surfaces that forced eyes down to avoid pot hole issues. Especially lovely were the initial ten miles, full of ferns and gullies with a stream on one side or the other. Sadly, I left too early and missed seeing it in its glory.
I took more pictures today than on any other day of the trip. There was a sense of relief that I would be finishing and no hurry to draw a conclusion to the effort. As I noted to myself several times on the ride, “the view from the bike seat is better than that of the tent”. Today was the sort of weather where this was more than just a motto. More lochs, more waterfalls and more sun to accent things. Partially due to the scenery, the last day absorption of it all and due to being physically tapped, I went slow. I paused longer at breaks. I didn’t slide into the faster paced pack riders for a tenner or so at a good pace. Me and the bike and the road. As a result, I saw a different sort at the pit stops. Not the fast breakers, but easy riders with mass transit deadlines intent on wrapping early to get back to their jobs, etc. on Monday. Not me.
I crossed the finish line at about 2:45PM. With a mile to go, I put back on my yellow jacket which had been strapped around my waist due to the warmness of the day. I wanted to look presentable for the finish photos and, in a sense, earn the yellow jersey for being #1 and finishing my first RAB despite the bloody awful weather.
After biking across the black balloon arch that noted the end, I received my medal and a congratulations handshake from a young lady and moved into a queue for a picture next to the John O’Groats sign that marks the tip of this part of Scotland. I waited about twenty minutes for my turn, got the help of the wife of a fellow rider behind me in line to take my photo and then meandered around a bit.
Without the normal flags denoting which of the white tents was what, I was a little lost. This wasn’t the normal camp layout I’d grown comfortable with the past nine days. After asking around, I found where the luggage and my bike bag were. With less help than in setting up the bike, I managed on my own with some struggle and a tad bit of ‘wrench on the pedal’ assistance to get the bike into the bag.
Skipping the basic soup and bread available to riders in a nearby Starbucks, I rolled my suitcase and carried the bike bag 1/3 a mile uphill from the finish to the Seaview Motel where I checked into my second story, double bunk bed room for the night. There was no bathroom en suite but I didn’t mind. I was a little concerned there would be a second biker joining me (in part because I had stuff strewn about and shoes that stunk terribly). Thankfully, no one else came and I enjoyed some time catching up on e-mails and the view of the remaining bikers coming in to the finish line. I put on my RAB blue hoodie sweatshirt with excessively large white pull straps and had a beer in the small restaurant/bar. Nothing was open in the area, so I opted to eat my accumulated stash of protein bars for dinner and read up on things to do in the Orkney’s. I was gassed and went to bed a little after 8PM. I was exhausted but not tired and fell asleep only several hours later.
A few reflections on the ride:
1. Very glad I did this ride. I want to do another British commonwealth country now…perhaps New Zealand, though prelim research indicates bikes are less respected by Kiwi drivers than in the US or the UK.
2. It was smart recently upgrading my bike. Having some gears that went lower helped on the hills. The lightness of the bike probably aided in my stamina and the carbon fiber may have helped my hands from getting numb. I would have preferred disc brakes given all the rain however.
3. Had no mechanical breakdowns…no flat tires (tyres in the UK), no broken chains or other issues. I do need to get a few things repaired due to the rough road – a clicking noise hints at a canister in the wheels that may need to be swapped out. That compares to probably 12-15 flats on the US trip.
4. Happy with the tent camping and how my body responded to the physical exertion. Though it wasn’t a timed ride, I finished in the top 100 all but two days and didn’t need the ‘broom wagon’ that swept up the DNFs (Did Not Finish) riders. I was surprised by two things – how slow I went overall on the bike (about 14-15mph average) despite having little gear and a lighter bike than crossing the US. I didn’t have the gas in the distances biked to want to keep pace with the pack riders. Perhaps I could have done so for the better part of a day (and did do this in smaller spurts), but I sense, likely accurately, that this would only have weakened my immune system or cardio strength and made for a harder ride later in the journey.
5. Enjoyed the scenery, though the weather put a damper on things. The Lake District and the Scottish Highlands were the best overall.
6. The support and overall logistics were incredible. That includes the directions (the white arrows on the blue backlit signs were never far away), the food, the pit stops, the bathrooms, showers, drying rooms, the staff in all facets. Incredible.
7. Wore down a bit at the end despite having done more than my normal training. Perhaps a bit to age. Perhaps a bit to the climbing (averaging about 5,300 feet a day vs. 3,200 feet a day on the cross USA trip.) The bike was lighter, the mental exertion less but the pace was quicker and the sleeping accommodations less comfy than motel lodging.
9/18/ & 9/19/17 Touring the Orkney’s Before Heading Home
After perhaps the biggest breakfast I’ve had in England (mueslix, wheetabix, yoghurt, toast, scrambled eggs and beans with green tea), I walked downhill to the port where I boarded a ferry that took us north 45 minutes to the Orkney Islands. One of my master’s degrees is in archaeology and there are many ancient rocks to see. I joined a bus tour with a mostly senior crowd and we were blessed with ideal weather. Warm, not windy (a rarity in these parts) and mostly sunny.
The Orkney’s were clean. Crazy clean…better than Switzerland. It is a safe place with only nine police officers. Wind and hydro power provide subsidies to the islanders so they live comfortably and are ranked as among the happiest in the world. We saw much, albeit in a rushy-rush check-the-box sort of way. This included:
Back on Scotland soil, I next took a two hour ride with my gear to Inverness with a van full of RAB rider bikes. They dropped me off at my lodging, I had a nice walkabout in the evening and the following morning before taking a series of flights back to Chicago, landing in time to celebrate a birthday dinner (for me!) with my family on the 19th of September.
After perhaps the biggest breakfast I’ve had in England (mueslix, wheetabix, yoghurt, toast, scrambled eggs and beans with green tea), I walked downhill to the port where I boarded a ferry that took us north 45 minutes to the Orkney Islands. One of my master’s degrees is in archaeology and there are many ancient rocks to see. I joined a bus tour with a mostly senior crowd and we were blessed with ideal weather. Warm, not windy (a rarity in these parts) and mostly sunny.
The Orkney’s were clean. Crazy clean…better than Switzerland. It is a safe place with only nine police officers. Wind and hydro power provide subsidies to the islanders so they live comfortably and are ranked as among the happiest in the world. We saw much, albeit in a rushy-rush check-the-box sort of way. This included:
- Churchill Barriers, the set up to keep German U-boats from working their way into the channels and disrupting the UK shipping fleet where were headquartered here for much of WWI and II.
- St. Magnus Cathedral, a large burnt amber brick edifice with a storied past.
- Skara Brae, a UNESCO World Heritage site that contains a small village of a 5,000 year old family settlement that had no defensive walls. Built at a time when the earth was 5C warmer, it was impressive seeing storage shelves, stone wall beds and the possible makings of indoor plumbing. No walls for defense. No weapons found on site.
- A series of Neolithic sites including the stone circle called The Ring of Brodgar, the more ascetically appealing Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ness of Brodgar that is under archaeological investigation.
- A beautiful Italian Chapel done by Italian WWII POWs in the early 1940s.
Back on Scotland soil, I next took a two hour ride with my gear to Inverness with a van full of RAB rider bikes. They dropped me off at my lodging, I had a nice walkabout in the evening and the following morning before taking a series of flights back to Chicago, landing in time to celebrate a birthday dinner (for me!) with my family on the 19th of September.