The training is going well, however, I have had to deal with the tragic loss of my mother who passed away a few days ago. A supposedly routine operation went completely wrong and now she is no longer with us.Life doesn't get any easier but I will just have to pick up the pieces and carry on.
The pictures shown here are from a training run earlier up at Loch Katrine on a beautiful summers day - that doesn't happen often these days in Scotland! We started off in Aberfoyle chose the clockwise route around the loch.
After about 7 miles we stopped off at a lovely Tea room called "The Pier". We tucked into our bacon sandwiches and a cup of tea and watched the "Maid of the Mist" Steamer dock there to let some passengers off. There was the slight temptation to just push our bikes onto the boat and sail across to the other end of the loch but that would be defeating the purpose of our training run! It was tempting though!
As you can see from this picture on the left the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. When the sun shines in Scotland there it's difficult to find a more beautiful place than here.
The next stage of the run around the loch provided some cracking scenery with many undulations of the narrow country road/path.
The picture to the left is looking west along the loch with only a few hundred yards before the next pit stop.
We had another stop at the other end of the loch as you can see - who's the steamer in that photo?!!!
I was incredibly thirsty, so went across to put some money in a machine to get some juice, only to discover the red light showing on my choice of drink - pushed button to get my change back and only 80p of the £1 I had put in came back - typical - you're gagging on a drink and this happens. Thankfully the store that owned the machine apologised and gave me my cold Fanta and a bottle of water as an inconvenience. That was very kind of them.
Next up - Dukes Pass and a very, very, very, very steep and long hill to get over and back down to Aberfoyle - it just keeps climbing, and climbing and climbing - makes Soutra look like a doddle - at least I hope so!
After about 7 miles we stopped off at a lovely Tea room called "The Pier". We tucked into our bacon sandwiches and a cup of tea and watched the "Maid of the Mist" Steamer dock there to let some passengers off. There was the slight temptation to just push our bikes onto the boat and sail across to the other end of the loch but that would be defeating the purpose of our training run! It was tempting though!
As you can see from this picture on the left the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. When the sun shines in Scotland there it's difficult to find a more beautiful place than here.
The next stage of the run around the loch provided some cracking scenery with many undulations of the narrow country road/path. The picture to the left is looking west along the loch with only a few hundred yards before the next pit stop.
We had another stop at the other end of the loch as you can see - who's the steamer in that photo?!!!I was incredibly thirsty, so went across to put some money in a machine to get some juice, only to discover the red light showing on my choice of drink - pushed button to get my change back and only 80p of the £1 I had put in came back - typical - you're gagging on a drink and this happens. Thankfully the store that owned the machine apologised and gave me my cold Fanta and a bottle of water as an inconvenience. That was very kind of them.
Next up - Dukes Pass and a very, very, very, very steep and long hill to get over and back down to Aberfoyle - it just keeps climbing, and climbing and climbing - makes Soutra look like a doddle - at least I hope so!
30 miles done and into the pub at Aberfoyle for a light refreshment, bikes in the car and back to Edinburgh. T minus 9 days to departure.
Graeme
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