Haggis, Hills, Headwinds
Day 18: Pitlochry to Aviemore, 70 miles
Today was a killer: constant inclines, headwinds trying to push us back really tested our resolve. Dad kept saying: ‘we’re going to get to the sea level soon, we can’t be going up all the time’. Then he changed it to ‘we will start going down…at some stage…’
The wind was so strong at some point it felt like riding into a wall.
We did a couple of things to reduce our wind resistance, ie to cut down on our own drag. We tightened up our jackets so that we wouldn’t be like two big fluorescent flags in the wind (instead we were like two small fluorescent flags), and we also tried to stay in low gears as the higher the gear, the more resistance you get.
No time for photos
We were so focused on just getting through the wind that we:
- forgot about the Pitlochry Salmon Ladder
- hardly took any photos today
It was all go-go-go!!
What we didn’t forget about is breakfast. We need fuel! We have been having full English, and now Scottish breakfast, most days. I’m actually developing taste for haggis!
We’re staying at a Youth Hostel in Aviemore. Dad has put one of the posters about our fundraiser on the noticeboard, I get a bit awkward when strangers talk to me as if they knew me, I think I’m going to hide and let dad do the talking.
Thank you for your great support, the messages :-). Please keep spreading the word to help me reach the target and rebuild the Warren so it can look as good as the one we passed earlier today!
That sounds such hard work, cycling through that strong wind. It was a wise decision not to bother with photographs and just keep your head down. It’s always good to try something new as well, I have no Scottish connections but I love haggis. Best of luck today, well done.
70 miles, wow that is a top effort Jonathan (and Dad of course)! Aviemore is a ski resort in the winter…no wonder it was all up hill! Hopefully tomorrow will see some downhill stretches as you head for the finish line