The kindness of strangers - Day 1

If this blog post makes no sense then blame 73 miles of cycling and an unscheduled steep climb into Lanark that added 10 miles and an hour onto our journey. The fiddle factor of getting out of Glasgow was a fiddle and did entail stopping, map checking, asking for local knowledge so the cycle speed was slow.

Click here to see 66 miles of the 73 before the phone ran out of battery.

The crowds were out in force along the route - sadly not for us but for a couple of Town Galas.  Having consulted with 2 people from Carluke, who donated £4, we set of towards the haven of Carstairs Junction where we were to join a cycle route.

Having come down a long hill on the B7056 we discovered we had, in fact, gone the wrong way along the B7056.  There ensued a 'domestic' with Nic point-blank refusing to return up this very long, long hill and Philip reluctant to continue the descent.  First points to Nic as the team headed into Crossford on the river Clyde and stopped at another T-junction to consult the map - again.

Ben came to our rescue and pointed us in the direction of Lanark, warning us of an 'uber' hill into Lanark.  Instead of the team tipping Ben, Ben donated £10 - Top Man!

Mark and Alan came to our rescue as we contemplated the 'uber' hill from the safety of the bridge over the Clyde.  Offering to see us back onto our intended route there was suddenly no escaping the climb.  Jake was awesome up he chugged, aged 12 with 2 panniers on his bike accompanying 2 adults on their unencumbered road bikes!

They stayed with us until 4 miles before Biggar and were complete stars, reuniting us with the intended route and helping us to pick up the pace as Jake and Philip bowled along through beautiful countryside chatting away and Nic huffed and puffed with any leg strength completely dissipated by Lanark, not enough training and probably not enough water.

 

9:00 Departure from Hampden

Alan and Mark - Are you sure you wouldn't like
to do another 1200 miles?

Stunning countryside and a great cycle route (once found).

At Winkston Farm in Peebles  - they understand cyclists (what a great shower) and very yummy biscuits in the room too.

Chuffed but tired & Nic sunburnt (stupid) but another interesting day beckons so Goodnight.