Day 5 At last the sun returned

Last day and only a short trip today.

We were awloken by the sound of the seaguls feeding the young ones. AT 4:30am AAAGGGHHH.
Thank fully they were moved on and we slept on until 7am
I treated bobby to scrambled eggs for breakfast which I felt was quite an achivement on a wee stove. Bobby was in charge of toast which he is becoming a dab hand at.
After much scrubbing of the pans (egg is tough to get off but worth the effort) we set about agtting ready for the days cycle, but hey we did not have to do any packing as we were coming back to the site today, result!!!
The bikes only had one panier and a handle bar bag. The bikes were so light we reconed we would be at Nesti point in no time. The weather was ok, cloudy but the wind was fairly light.
We set of in great spirits and the hit the first long hill and our muscles reminded us the we were on day 5 of the trip.
We struggerled along the road untill we came to the moumtain pass to get to Glendale. We it was very long and in places a 16% gradient (thats bleeping steep on a bike ;0) ). Once a the top there was an equaly steep decent in to the village. There were more hills but the climb up to the pass to get to the valley that Nesti point is at the end of was an othe steep one.
I would say the hills are extreem on that road.
At the pass we met a lovley couple in a camper van that we had bumped into on our travels and were currently staying at the same camp site. They offered to put the kettle on for us when they arrrived but we declined wanting to keep moving.
On arrival the sun was coming out and the wind had dropped right off. We elected to go left out of the carpark and up to the high clifs looking down to the point. It was beautiful. We stayied and had lumch midge free.
After lunch we carried our bags down the very steep steps and path to the light house. This tested already tired legs to the max as it is amazingly steep.
Once down to the light house we agreed it had been a silly thing to do but you only get one go at these things.
After a look around and watching the birds riding the winds against the cliffs we went back up to thre bikes.

We headed back and were amazed to see how many hills we had climbed to get there as we were. Now running down then.
Thw run back was quicker and we were on the camp site by 5pm. We sat at a picnic table and congratulated each other on another successful cycle tour completed.

Stats for the day
Total distance 22 miles
Average speed: 9.5 mph
Max speed : 33.2 mph
Cycle time : 2hrs 16mins
Total trip: 6hrs 30mins

We would like to that you all for following the exploits of two blokes on their bikes in Skye.
It has been a beautiful place to cycle round ( even nicer in the sun ;0) ) and we have met many people who have been very encoraging of our cycle and a thanks goes to those people to.

On to next years adventure, but that location is for Bobby to chose this time. It will be Bobbys 50th year so maybe some thing different.

I will try to post some of the pics that did not make the cut while we were traveling next week.

Signing off.

BOBBY and AL :0)

Day 4

Can not get pictures to upload today. Will try to add some tomorrow. Sorry.

Phrase for today. 'stop scratching them bobby'

As I sit here in my tent I can remanis about a day that has little going for it.

We woke in Uig camp site and wonderend how we had got there. Then over a cup of galactic zonjia juice ( ministroni soup to humans) we remembered that we had used odd two wheeled transports to eforrtlessly move us from place to place ending up in Uig.

We decided to have another go on the two wheeled transports just for fun to see if any of the earthlings would see through our cheap disguises ( two midle aged blokes that should know better)

We packed the night pods away and had a go at some earth breakfast.

Once we were all packed the energised the two wheeled transports and set off.
It was at this point that we noticed the gravity affected H2O (i think earthings call ir RAIN) that was all around us. We thought how lucky they are to have such an abundant supply of H2O that they can drop it from the sky in such huge amounts and so constantly.

The journey went smoothly and the H2O continued to fall constantly. When the thick atmosphere on this planet moves the earthlings call it wind. Well there was a LOT or this wind around and it always seemed to be moving in the oposite direction to our two wheeled transports.

After about 1.05 melegerts (17 earth miles) the disguises we were using needed re fuling. We puled off on to a side road and setup a fuling station, all the while the H2O was falling and the wind was moving fast. The refuling with beans and bread and ham helped the the disguises and we started the trip again but it was not long before they needed more refuling. We decided to fule up in a mas transport collection container (bus shelter) and kept out of the falling H2O znd the wind for a while.

Once re fuled we moved on again in to the now faster moving atmosphere. The feeling of the H2O smashing in to our faces was wonderfull and will never be fogoten.

We passed few places of interest in the day those we did we took images of.

The travel experience came to an end when we arrived at thw gathering place of Dunvegan.

We then picked a location for the night ppods where would be the most animal life, and found that these was an abundance of a small winged biting creacher in a quiet spot on the field.
This later turned out to an iritation to our disguises so the night pods were moved to a new spot and that is were I write this journal.

Stats for today:    
Distance : 2 melegerts (29 miles)
Average zoom : 9mph
Max zoom: 34.8mph
Transport time: 3hrs 15mins
Total time to arrive : 5hrs 30mins
Odd tasting jelly sweet count : 6 each

Last word. It rained all the way and did not stop but we made it.

Thanks for listening to the voice in your head.

Al

Day 3

Saying. For today. AHHH!!! MORE RAIN

Thw day started bright and blowey, just then there was a howle, the like of which the world had not heared for centuries. Ahhh THOSE DARN MIDGES!!!!

Yes you have guessed it. Bobby has been unfairly targeted by the clan McMidge, a particularly vicious bread of scotish midge that seems indistructable. That was until Avon Skin So Soft. Bobby has discovered that it appears to kill the midges on first bite. But they still get that bite.
Bobbys legs resemble a red ski mogle run. All bumps.

We had both spent an age killing all the midges that made it in to our tents last night but I think bobby may have missed a few as his arms have been attacked too.

We decided on a new tack for morning pack up. Bobby packs hia tent away and I pack my inner tent. Then we have breakfast in under the fly sheet of my tent. This worked well until the rain started. Did I say rain..... Yes it does rain on skye. ;0)
Luckly the bikes were under a lean too at the side of the house of the site so we could move all our stuff out of the rainn to finish packing.

We set off with the wind behind us an boy was I glad it was behind us as it was strong, about a force 4.

Our first objective was to see the Old Man of Stor. The views from a distance were great. As we got closer I found a a prety waterfall which I just had to photograph.
The rain started again so we both put on our shoe covers. Wwe already had rain coats on.

We passed the Old Man of Stor and saw that the car park was full. We trundeled on and found a down hill that was so fast. The speed record has been set. (see stats at end)

We stoped at a veiwing point for another water fall which was far more impresive.

We carried on to Saffin where we went to the beach for lunch as the rain came on hard. We went to the beach and found a large bolder with an over hand we coud hunker down under. Litle did we know there was a puddle on top that when it over flowed would drip down on us. We got soaked having our cup a soup and sandwiches.
We decided that we wold cut our losses and move on and find propper shelter.
We found the best place ever, a bush shelter with a great view. We stayed in the bus shelter for over an hour waiting for the rain to stop. We had a brew and some bic's.

Once the rain stopped we ventured out in the sun light not quite knowing what to make of the strange yellow orb in the sky so we ignored it and got on with the job in hand.

The next stage of the cycle took us arround the most northery side of Skye and straight into the wind. Yep that force 4. It just killed our speed and drained the legs.

We wer then faced with the steepest hill we have yet seen and it was long (pic below). We strugged up the hill woth encoragment from passing drivers. We are proud to say we did not push the bikes at all.
At the top of the mountain was a museum of iasland life but it had closed. The houses we very interesting.

The remaining 9 miles took and age withe rthe wind in our faces but we eventualy made it to the camp site.
The camp site has a particary wonderful feature
NO MIDGES!!!!!! HAPPY DAYS ARE HEAR AGAIN :0)
Also the ground is soft and the tent pegs go in easy.

Well that today documented.

Highlight of the day was the bus shelter with a view

Stats fof the day
Distance 36.4 miles
Average speed 9.7 mph
Cycle time 3hrs 44mins
Total cycle time 7hrs 30mins... Yep thats a long day

Thanks for listening.

Al and bobby.

Oh yes the new speed record is 44mph. Cheek squeekingly fast. ;0)

Day 2

Well today has been WET!

We woke at about 6am. Iam not sleeping enough :0)
With the porrige this morning we tried toast in the frying pan. Bobby was delighted with the results. Never knew a simple piece of toast with butter could excite a grown man so much.

Looking at the hils behind the camp site told us that the weather may not be so nice today, on a ppositive note the wind had swung round and would be slightly behind us :0)

As we were packing up a shower of rain blew through and we took cover in a tent till it passed.

We had to pack wet tents. :0(

Once on the road the true force of the wind became apparent. And when we were in to wind the cycleing became very hard burt when we turned away from the wind the hills did not seem so bad.

At 12 miles the rain started. Bobby asked if it rained in scotland and I said no it pours and at that moment the heavens really opened, just as we started the bid assent of the day.

Half way up and soaked we stopped for a moment and watched more that a dozen Aston Martins drive by, all German registered. It was a wonderfull site.

Once over the top we were treated to a 3 mile down hill towards Portree. The cycle seemed over very quickly. We stoppwd in Portree to pickup some milk for a brew and cycled yhe last mile up the hill to the camp site.

We put up the fly sheet of my tent and mmade lunch and a brew.
Tents and a shower later we headed back down to Portree fof some dinner. We nipped to the library where a lovley lady allowed us to use the computers to check the blog and publish comments.

After a lovley haggis pizza we watched the skye pipe band in the town square. Bobby realy is getting the full highland experience ;0)

We then looked around the lovley town and got some supplies and walked back up the hill.

And here I am. I have had to connect the the sites wifi to get this done and I only get an hour so here are the stats for the day.

Total distance : 25.31 miles ( a snip on yesterday)
Average speed : 10.3mph
Max speed : 27.3
Cycle time ; 2hrs 26mins
Total time : 3hrs
Wine gum count: 4
Rain type: mega heavy

Night night signing off

Al  

Day 1

Tha day started early for both of us. Sleep was in short supply and we were both up by 6:30. We decided not to rush the day and had a lovley health breakfast of bacon and egs in buttered bread, well we are doing a lot of exersize to work it off.

It was a bright sunny morning with a gental wind from the north west.

Braekfast scoffed, we set about puting the bikes togeather and packing the tents away.
With the bikes loaded with what seemed all the supplies neccisary to survive on the polar ice for a year we set off staight on to a steep hill, that should have been a message to us.

We cycled on and on and the sun got hotter, the hills got steeper and the the wind changed from a gental following wind to an anoying head wind.

We stopped frequently to take photos and chat to other cycleists.

We decided the lead the the road and head down to the water for lunch where we found a very welcome tree to shelter out of the sun.

Onec we had munched throught the sandwoiches and fruit and biscuits we had to climb the north face of the eiger to get back to the road, i dont remember is being the steep on thw way down for lunch.

We started to feel the distance at about 25 miles but this turned out to be the cause of the head qwind we had been fighting.
Once we turned on to the main road on the east of the island the wind swung bach to the north west and was a very welcome tail wind again.

We took a detoure to leave the main roqad to see if we could find a place to wild camp. The route was plesent but no where to camp so we carried on the the Lochside camp site which is also a boat yard.

We got the tents up and had showers. We then set about cooking the tuna pasta with tomato and herb sauce. There was plenty of it and we ate our fill. Problem was as we ate we were beingn eaten by the midges. The wind had dropped compleatly and they had come out in droves.

After dinner we went and sat on the jetty to have pudding (choc buscuits ) and a coffee. It was idilic.

Well it is. 23:32. And i am tired so here are the stats for today

Total distance : 39.2 miles
Average speed 9.7 mph
Top speed : 36 mph
Cycle time : 4hrs 47min
Total time : 6hrs 10min
Wine gum count: 6 each yum yum
Sun burn : you bet i am :0)

Night

Al

Arrived at dunvegan

Well we set off from Edinburgh at just after 10 am and the run up went smoothly. We did do the tourist route through Glen Coe and stopped for lunch surrounded by the majestic mountains in the sun. We drove on through Fort William and stopped again at the monument to the commandos, a very beautiful spot.
We stopped just short of the Skye bridge to take one of the photos below. It is a great bridge.


Once on the island the sun came out again. We drove the route we will the cycling tomorrow and realize that the route takes us up over the top of the island it will be a demanding day.
On arrival we setup the tents (pic below) and headed off up the coast in the car to the coral beach.




We had our dinner on the beach with the cows looking on. The beach turned out not to be the coral beach, it was much further on. See pics below.

We returned to the camp site and went through our kit to try and shave off some weight while the cloud of
midges descended on us. We were glad of the midge nets.

The sun set was lovely and the sea calm.
Well it is going dark at 23:35 so time for bed. Tomorrow the cycle begins.
Night
Al

16/06/13

The morning of the trip up north and the men were nervous and excited all at the same time sadly i was not there to see them leave but i made sure someone took pictures of them before they left hope you have a great week good luck Dad and uncle Bobby.

15/06/13

Bobby arrived in the afternoon and by the evening we were in the full swing of packing.

Our weights scared us a bit but altogether we were raring to go.

Bike Week 2013

BIKE WEEK 2013

15/06/13 - 23/06/13

http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/

Bob 13 Training “The last post pre Skye”

The full route …

Whalley - > Wiswell > Pendleton -> Worston ->Downham ->  Chatburn -> West Bradford ->  Waddington -> Edisford Bridge ->    Gt Mitton ->  Whalley -> York -> Home

It did seem a little apt that my last training trip pre Skye was my normal training route on a lovely day but this time I did take a little de tour as I had discovered a new road for me which linked Waddington with Edisford Bridge at Clitheroe. I therefore decided to head for Edisford and have my lunch there.

One of the high lights of todays trip was being chased by three young lads on their mountain bikes up Goldacre Lane. I had earlier made my way down old Nab Lane from York at which I had first passed them as they had made their way up Whalley nab. I went in front until one of them passed me at Piccards farm. I made a comment that I should be sharing my load of approx 24kgs with him and his mates and he just smiled and pushed on, the other two could not be seen. The tortoise and the hare yet again, its easier to keep going when you have something to chase? I made it to the top of Goldacre and when I turned the corner the young lad was sat catching his breath. He said “I can’t believe you have just done that” my response was to advise “I have been trying to do that since the beginning of the year!”

Have I (we) done enough training for Skye? Time will tell.

Stats for this journey.

Weight carried :            24kgs (Just the sleeping bag and 2 sleeping mats to be packed)

Max speed :                 27.5 mph

Average :                      9.7 mph

           

Time 2hr 58min

Miles travelled 29 miles

Average miles travelled over the last 5 weeks equals 75 miles per week.

Average miles travelled over the last 5 weeks prior to the 2012 Trip equalled 57 miles per week.