Saturday 26 May 2012

Day three (26 May 2012)

Day three of our challenge saw us tackle the route from Fort William to Dumbarton. Essentially this meant getting on to the A82 this morning and getting off the A82 (90 miles later) this afternoon. But such a description simply doesn't do today's ride justice. Oh no! The first 20 miles from Fort William to Glencoe was ridden alongside the staggeringly beautifully Loch Linnhe. The road was flat, the sun was shining, the bikes were humming and the world was good. And then the climbing started - a continuous uphill (up mountain?) taking us ever closer to the snowy peaks that we'd seen and pointed to early in the day. All three of team Upside Down made it to the top - no walking, no car, but by pedal power and determination alone. I'm proud of us all! A quick stop at Bridge of Orchy (with Craig doing some odd stretching manouveres)and soon we find ourselves once again in the climb and rapidly(!??) getting back to the altitude we'd descended from only minutes earlier. A stop for photos at the Rannoch Moor summit (1142 feet) and the big decent commenced. What a ride (oh, and what a headwind - not forecast and relentless). Lunch in Crianlarich (served by possibly Scotland's least cheerful shopkeeper) and a brisk 20 miles later we find ourselves sweeping alongside Loch Lomond. An ice cream stop (and more odd stretching) by the loch (where we were served by Scotland's least cheerful ice cream purveyor) and we were off again, continuing our route south. And so it is that tonight we found ourselves in the Positano Guest House in Dumbarton, pondering what to eat and where to eat it. Day three done.  Today's stats then: Miles today: 90 Miles so far: 274 Metres climbed today: 1,520 (4,987 feet) Time in the saddle today: 6hrs 28mins Confidence score: 9.7 (Pete 7) out of 10 Tomorrow we shall continue our march towards 920 miles and to the goal that is Land's End!

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