On July 26, 2001 11 women and 11 men, most members of the Baltimore Bicycle Club, flew Iceland Air from Baltimore's BWI Airport to Reykjavik, Iceland and then to Glasgow, Scotland. We assembled 20 bikes, including one tandem, and stored the bike boxes in the airport Holiday Inn Express Hotel. Debbie, our designated driver, picked up the VW van and we loaded our luggage in the van. We biked 23 miles to the Gourock to Dunoon Ferry and spent the night in Dunoon.
This was the beginning of a 15 day cycling tour through the Scottish Highlands covering about 820 miles mostly on B roads. The route went from Glasgow up the west coast over the Isle of Mull and the Isle of Skye to Ullapool in the north. We cycled across to Tain and on to Portmahomack before turning south through Inverness and the Grampians angling west back to Glasgow. The scenery was spectacular and the countryside pristine.
We visited Inverary, Duart, Eilean Donan and Cawder Castles and the Culloden
We climbed many long and grueling mountains (described as wee hills by the Scots) including five 20% grades. That is steep and more than I have done in my previous 20 - 25,000 miles of cycling. Descending from the Glen Shee ski area we hit 50 miles per hour on the straight upper section then slowed as it got really steep (20%), curvy, windy and wet on the lower section. I hoped my brakes would last until I reached the bottom. The tandem blew a tire from overheated brakes on the previous mountain that morning and a riding partner cooked her brakes earlier on the Isle of Mull.
The weather got so predictable that we ignored the weather forecasts. With the exception of one or two days we had Scottish weather of a wee bit of rain, a wee bit of sun and a wee bit of head wind.
The food was varied and universally good. The soups, bread, seafood and desserts were outstanding. Of special note was the Cullen Skink chowder. I sampled pints of Red Cuillen, Belhaven, Tennants, McEwans, Guinness, MacClay, Fraoch Heather Ale, Caffreys, Tettley's (yes Tettley's) and others and didn't find one bad one in the lot.
We finished with a day walking in Glasgow as most people went to Edinburgh. On August 13 we rode home on the plane with 3 pipe bands who competed with over 300 bands in the championships in Glasgow. They all did well making the final 16.
JULY 26, 2001 Thursday Fly to Glasgow
Got up at about 6:30 a.m. and ran my usual 5.1 miles. Ate breakfast of orange juice, banana, toast with butter and raspberry jam and a glass of milk. Cut my hair, shaved and showered. I finished packing and had my boxed bike, bullet bag with clothes and day pack with necessities for travel set by the front door by 10:00 a.m.
I am nervous so I turn on my computer and respond to last minute emails. I check all arrangements for paying any bills that may come due while I am gone. I give Anne a list of hotel phone numbers and dates where I can be contacted. I check to make sure I have all the little things I usually forget on trips.
Barry and Carol Nelson are coming by at 5:00 to take us to the airport. They are a few minutes late which heightens my nervousness. A good rain shower begins wetting my bike box and bullet bag which I have set in the front yard. They finally arrive and we head down MD100 to I95 to I195 to Baltimore Washington International Airport. We arrive at the busy airport in about 20 minutes and fight the terminal traffic as we are the last departure gate.
Barry and I quickly unload and say good-bye to Carol and Anne. Inside we find Gary Kelly with a large group of fellow cyclists. He gives us an envelope with our tickets and a large packet of trip information. We quickly check in and join the group for the long wait until take off.
We finally board a Boeing 757 in seat 15F on Iceland Air Flight 642. We take off on time at 8:45 p.m. for the 4:55 flight from Baltimore crossing 4 time zones to Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport arriving at 6:40 a.m. on Friday. I was served a Bloody Mary Mix and pretzels followed by supper of chicken, rice, mixed vegetables, salad, roll with butter, spice nut cake and red wine. I got some sleep as I dozed off twice.
July 27, 2001 Friday Bike Glasgow Airport to Dunoon
Keflavik airport is under construction and we were confined to a small temporary terminal not like the beautiful spacious terminal we were in a few years ago.
We took off in a stubby Boeing 737 in seat 34F on Iceland Air Flight 430 at 7:35 a.m. from Reykjavik crossing another time zone to Glasgow arriving at 10:45 a.m. in under two hours. We were served a breakfast of orange juice, scrambled eggs, ham, roll with butter and jelly, fruit salad and more orange juice.
We got our bikes and luggage quickly and walked across the terminal parking lot to the Holiday Inn Express. We set about assembling our bikes and flattening our bike boxes as Gary Kelly and Chuck Plummer went to get our green Volkswagen VW van. I was very busy helping people assemble and adjust their bikes and flattening their boxes for storage. We stored our boxes in the hotel, changed clothes to biking outfits and loaded our luggage into the van. All were ready to go by 2:30 and after some confusion about how to leave the airport we set off on the 23 mile ride to Gourock to catch the ferry.
The twenty one riders on twenty bikes quickly got separated as many fell behind and the leaders got lost. Basically we cycled into the countryside almost immediately following B790 through Houston to Bridge of Weir where we turned right and then left onto B788 over some long hills to Greenock. After some confusion we followed the coast through the city to Gourock and the ferry. Some of us caught the 4:00 p.m. ferry from Gourock to Dunoon. I bought my ferry ticket for £2.75 ($3.97) with the £5 I brought from home. The 45 minute ride dropped us in Dunoon and we quickly found our hotel located on the water. We biked 23.05 miles in 1:43:51 averaging 13.32 mph.
Arriving at the West End Hotel a little past 5:00 p.m. Pete Flaton and I checked into room 7. The hotel phone number is 1369 702907 and is located on the water at an elevation of 10 feet at coordinates 55° 56' 41" N by 04° 55' 44" W. I had no British money so I borrowed £20 from Deborah Clark our van driver. I bought a pint of McEwan's ale for Barry, Pete and myself. The pints were very good and quickly gone.
We cleaned up and walked downtown past the ferry landing. I withdrew a £100 ($145.06) from a Bank of Scotland ATM. We talked to a young Scot waiting on us at the ATM. He directed us to Di Marco's Italian restaurant where we were joined by Charles Borsch. I enjoyed a smooth creamy Irish Caffrey's pint, salad, seafood pasta and an apple crumble with vanilla ice cream (out of this world) for £17 ($24.54). We walked back to the hotel about 10:30 p.m. and fell into a welcome deep sleep almost immediately.
July 28, 2001 Saturday Bike Dunoon to Ardrishaig
I woke up at 5:30 a.m. but tried to go back to sleep until 6:40 a.m. Got up and packed up then loaded my bag on the van. Ate a Scottish breakfast at the West End Hotel that started at 9:00 a.m. It was sunny early but clouded over and remained so all day with only an occasional spot of sun.
Barry Nelson, Pete Flaton and I biked together and Kathy Thornton and Chuck Plummer asked to join us. We cycled away from our hotel at 10:00 a.m. We followed A815 north through Benmore, Inverchapel, Bernice, along a long narrow loch through Strachur, Creggans and St Catherines to the T-junction with A83. Turning left we passed through Cairndow around the top end of Loch Fyne through Clachan to Inverary. On the old stone bridge going south before Inverary we stopped and photographed Inverary Castle.
We locked our bikes and walked to the Inverary Coffee House where we found several riders from our group, mostly the young members of the BBC racing team. I drank a pint of Tennant's Lager and ate a chicken curry potato which was very good and filling. My tab was £6.15 ($8.88) plus a £1 tip. We walked around town which had a festival going on and was crowded with people. I climbed the Bell Tower £2 ($2.88). I entered the room where about 10 bell ringers in a circle were getting a good workout. I realized the steps continued up so I went up past the ringing bells and up more to the roof for some great views of the town and surrounding area. I caught up with Pete, Barry and Chuck at the old jail where Chuck bought some pottery next door. We rode back to Inverary Castle (Campbell Clan Center) on the edge of town. Returning to town we met up with Kathy who had been shopping with Debbie Clark. I bought and consumed a chicken and mushroom pie 80p and 2 bananas 49p. It was a pleasant 64°.
Somehow I managed to get on my bike again without breaking it and the five of us headed down A83. We passed through Auchindrain, Furnace, Minard, Lochgair to Lochgilphead at the top of a spur of Loch Fyne. Here we turned left to stay on A83 a couple of miles to Ardrishaig about 6:00 p.m. We biked 68.53 miles in 4:34:08 averaging 15 miles per hour climbing vertical 2080'.
Pete and I checked into room 11 at the Grey Gull Inn phone 1546 606017 at 56° 01' 05" W by 05° 26' 47" N and across the road from Loch Fyne. We drank a pint of MacClay Scottish Ale and a pint of Fraoch Heather Ale with haddock, chips and a banana butterscotch pie with ice cream for £12 ($17.32) plus a &1 tip at the Inn. We showered in our modern shower equipped with an electric hot water on demand unit. We found these units almost every place we stayed in Scotland. It turned dark at 10:00. We fell into our beds at 11:15.
July 29, 2001 Sunday Bike to Oban
I must have been tired as I didn't get up until 7:18 a.m. Packed up my gear and loaded luggage in the van. Ate breakfast of orange juice, milk, musli, egg, sausage and toast at the Grey Gull Inn for £4 ($5.77)
We had a misty rain all morning and the sky was dark and threatening. The rain stopped as we started biking up A83 back through Lochgilphead at 9:20 a.m. The sky started to clear and we had a progressively sunny day. I was riding with Pete Flaton, Barry Nelson and Kathy Thornton a high school teacher. We passed through Cairnbaan and Bridgend in about 5 miles. We passed through Bridgend by the pub where Anne and I ate four years ago but I saw no one about so we kept going.
In a couple of miles we turned left on a dirt road about a quarter mile to Dunadd a high
We continued north on A816 through Kilmartin to Carnassie Castle where we turned right on B840. We soon came to Ford at the bottom end of Loch Awe. Since it was after noon we stopped at The Old Inn and ordered a Ploughman's lunch. It consisted of bread, cheeses, chutney and several salads and pickles. The lunch with two half pints of Blackman's cider came to £6.15 ($8.88) plus a £1 tip. The walls of the pub were covered with pictures of trophy sized fish of all kinds caught in Loch Awe. The young bartender rolled his eyes when we told him where we were headed. We soon knew why.
We left the pub on B840 which follows the west shore of Loch Awe. The road was very hilly single track and we were either going up or down. The climbs were steep with a 20% grade thrown in. One steep downhill was straight and we screamed down it and over the next hill at 17 miles per hour without turning a pedal. Our hard work was rewarded by beautiful scenery and one fantastic overlook. We passed through Dalavich, Inverinan and stopped in Kitchrenan at the scenic Inn for a half pint of cider
After another 6 miles in more hills but nothing compared to what we had come through, we came to the A85 and turned left. We missed our turn in Taynuilt continuing on A85 through Connel against a strong head wind 12 miles to Oban. We quickly found the Kelvin Hotel ending our day. We biked 51.02 miles in 4:04:35 averaging 12.51 miles per hour climbing 3020' vertical.
Pete and I checked into room 19 of the Kelvin Hotel phone 1631 562150 located at 56° 24' 45" N by 05° 28' 42" W at an elevation of 30'. We went downstairs for a pint of McEwans Export Ale and I bought Pete a Guinness for £3.80 ($5.49). We walked up town through the busy streets with Barry. We asked some men for recommended restaurants. We couldn't get in one but lucked out in getting into Mondo. I had a pint of Strongbow cider, mushroom appetizer, red snapper, pasta, salad, bread, with a peach and strawberry pie for £23 ($33.20). Walked back to the hotel and went to bed.
July 30, 2001 Monday Bike to Aros near Tobermory
Got up at 7:00 a.m., packed up and loaded my bag in the van. Ate breakfast of sausage, bacon, egg, toast, tomato, musli, orange juice and milk in the Kelvin Hotel at 8:00. Barry, Pete, Kathy and I hurried up the hill to see the Coliseum but got lost and ran out of time. We walked to the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal, which was next to our hotel, and bought a 3 ferry ticket for £8.85 ($12.78).
We boarded the 10:00 ferry which took 45 minutes to cross from Oban to Craigmore on the Isle of Mull. I talked to a young Scot on holiday with his family who gave me some good local information and information about further north up the coast where we were headed. We passed Duart Castle on a point of land to our left as we neared Craigmore.
We turned left off the pier on A849 and headed out of town. Chuck Plummer again joined our riding team of Kathy, Barry, Pete and myself. After a couple of miles we turned left onto a single track road leading out onto the peninsula and Duart Castle. We saw a sign about concessions so Pete and I got in for £3 ($4.33) saving us a pound each. We toured the castle which was very interesting. We heard the story about the McClean chief who wanted to get rid of his wife, the daughter of the chief of Clan Campbell. He put her on a rock in the sea by the castle so she would drown in the rising tide. Saved by a fisherman, she greeted her husband when he subsequently delivered her casket to her father. The current McClean chief was Chief Boy Scout of the UK for many years. It was afternoon so we ate at the Duart Castle coffee shop. I had lintel soup, bread, scone, shortbread and milk for £3.50 ($5.05).
Returning to A849 we turned left and biked through Lochdonhead, Strathcoil and Glen More.
01BikeScot/
We stopped at the Salen teahouse for a scone and tea £1.30 ($1.88). We needed to dry out some and warm up. We talked to the owners and a couple with two small boys. The man was a biker and gave us some more good information about the Gairloch area.
We biked on for 5-6 miles to Aros (not really a town) and the Arle Farm Lodge phone 1680 300343 at 5:46. We biked 45.82 miles in 3:45:02 averaging 15.2 mph while climbing 2090'.
Pete and I checked into Quad 3 with Barry and Bob Moore. It had bunk beds and was very crowded but we managed and were comfortable. We caught the second shuttle with 11 of us in the van to Tobermory. We made reservations at Gennetts and had to wait for about 45 minutes. I bought and consumed a half liter of milk and some yogurt for £1.05 ($1.52) to combat my chronic sour stomach. Returning to Gennetts I enjoyed tea, salmon, salad, baked potato, carrots, peas and an apple crumble with ice cream for £16.95 ($24.47). Vanned back to the lodge and went to bed at 11:30.
July 31, 2001 Tuesday Bike to Mallaig
Got up at 6:55, packed up and loaded my bag on the van. It is 51 degrees.
We followed B8007 to the right over some sizable hills and then Ben Hiant before
Back on our bikes we continued north through Dainabreck, Kinlochmoidart, Glenuig, Roshven and Lochailort. We were cycling on a high cliff several hundred feet above the water when we found a friendly stray cat. Over the edge behind some yellow police tape stuck in some trees was a car and camper. Turning left on A830 we biked into Arisaig where we stopped in a Spar Store for a banana and half a liter of milk for 65p ($.94). We ate our purchases across the street near the beach and chatted with a nice cycling couple on holiday from Kent. The sun was in and out and the temperature was a pleasant 63 degrees with the barometer at 30.2". Moving north again we passed several white sandy beaches in coves and some hilly seaside golf courses around Mora.
We pulled into Mallaig at 5:20 having biked 65.52 miles in 5:09:08 averaging 12.7 mph while doing 8 climbs totaling 4060' the most to date. Pete and I checked into room 14 of the Marine Hotel phone 1687 462217 located at 57 00' 21" N by 05 49' 46" W at an elevation of 30'.
Barry, Pete and I walked to the upstairs Cornerstone Restaurant where I had a prawn cocktail appetizer, haddock, carrots, broccoli, baked potato, apple pie with ice cream and a pint of Tennant Lager for £13.25 ($19.13). We walked around town and down to the ferry dock then back to the hotel and to bed early.
August 1, 2001 Wednesday Bike to Lochcarron
Got up at 6:53 a.m.. It is 51° with the barometer at 30.15". Packed up and loaded bag on the van. Went downstairs to breakfast of orange juice, grapefruit, musli, toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. Bought a ticket for £3.25 ($4.69) and boarded the 8:40 a.m. large ferry for the 45 minute ride from Mallaig to Ardvasar on the Isle of Skye. It started raining.
We disembarked the ferry in the rain and turned right onto A851 going north. Barry, Pete, Kathy, Chuck and I passed the Clan Donald Centre, Kilmore and Teangue. A851 was being built 4 years ago when I visited Skye and we could see remains of the old road from time to time. We kept moving in the rain on the modern road for 17 miles through Isleornsay to Skulamus at the junction with A850. It stopped raining temporarily as we turned right on A850 for 6 miles over the new bridge to the mainland.
We stopped in Kyle of Lochaish at the visitors center and met Debbie Clark by pre arrangement with the van. We locked our bikes and loaded in the van to be driven the 8 miles to Eilean Donan Castle home to Clan MacRae. The castle is situated on a small
Back in Kyle of Lochaish we were somewhat dry and it had stopped raining. We headed up the hill out of Kyle of Lochaish on a single track B road following signs to Plockton where palm trees grow. We biked through Erbusaig and Duirinish to Achmore where we turned left on A850 again. We followed the east shoreline of Loch Carron for 15 miles through Attadale, Achintee and Strathcarron to the junction with A896. We passed a car that had ran off the single track road in a remote section. The road was up and down and we came to a 14% grade uphill. Going down the other side was steeper but we couldn't run it because it was a narrow single track, rough pavement, wet and a bad curve at the bottom. Wet brakes don't work well so I still descended pretty fast. We stopped near the bottom at the Carron Tea House for tea, scone and lemon lintel soup for £3.95 ($5.70).
At the top of the loch we turned left on A896 for about 3 miles into Lochcarron about 5:00 p.m. This day we biked 44.21 miles in 3:17:09 averaging 13.76 mph climbing 3000' vertical. Everyone is scattered over town in different B&Bs. Bob Moore, Barry, Pete and I are staying in Mrs Michael's Castle Cottage right on the loch. The cottage is located at 57° 24' 06" N by 05° 29' 11" W at an elevation of 29'. Mrs Michael did our laundry for us and asked for £3 each but we agreed to give her £5 each and a bargain at that.
The barometric pressure had dropped to 29.95" and it was raining lightly off and on. We walked about a block to the recommended Rock Villa Hotel for supper. I got a pint of Scottish Ale for £2 ($2.89) at the bar and carried it into the restaurant for dinner. I had cheese celery soup, bread, plaice, carrots, green beans, prawns, potato and apple crumble with ice cream for £19.50 ($28.15) plus £1 tip. Walked back to the cottage and to bed.
August 2, 2001 Thursday Bike to Gairloch
Got up at 7:15 to 59°, the barometer at 29.8" and mostly cloudy skies. It rained during the night. Packed up and left my bag downstairs for Debbie to pick up with the van. Ate breakfast of bacon, sausage, egg, toast, tea, grapefruit, orange juice and oatmeal cake.
We kept getting delayed so we didn't leave until 10:15 a.m. Barry, Pete and I climbed steeply out of town on A896. We picked up Kathy half way up the hill. We covered the 30 miles of single track in some rain doing 3 big climbs passing through Ardarroch, Tornapress, Annat and Glen Torricon to Kinlochewe at the junction with A832.
We ate in a store restaurant with most of the gang there when we arrived or coming in before we left. I ate minestrone soup, scone and tea for £3.85 ($5.56).
Turning left on A832 we biked along Loch Maree through Talladale and stopped at Victoria Falls. I
While most everyone stayed in the rustic but comfortable The Old Inn phone 1445 712006 Bob Moore, Barry, Pete and I were banished to the Slioch Lodge with the hired help. Our room was tiny and had two sets of bunk beds. We literally couldn't turn around in the room. We cleaned up and went to The Old Inn's lounge for a pint of Red Cuillen, a pint of Belhaven 80/ and a huge bowl of cullen skink (fish chowder) with hot bread roll and butter for £3.95 ($5.70). Sue Miltenberger sitting at the next table recommended the soup and it was delicious.
The whole group had a prearranged set menu for supper costing £18.50 ($26.71). I had cauliflower cheese soup, lingoustine, bread and strawberries with ice cream. Paying our bill was a fiasco taking about an hour.
August 3, 2001 Friday Bike to Ullapool
Got up, packed and loaded bag in the van. It is 59 degrees and the barometer is at 29.6". Ate breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, tomato, toast, tea, musli, orange juice and milk at The Old Inn.
Barry, Pete, Kathy and I biked out on A832 at 8:53 a.m. Stopped at the Inverewe Gardens just past Poolewe. Continued north on A832 doing some climbing through Tournaig to great high views of Loch Ewe. We biked in light rain 2-3 times, some sun and a cold 62 degrees as we passed through Aulthea, Laide, Coast, Mungasdale, and Camusnagaul to Dundonnell. Here we stopped in the hotel for lunch of vegetable soup and a prawn sandwich for £5 ($7.22).
Most of the climbing was behind us except for one more big climb through the Dundonnell Forest. As we descended towards the intersection with A835 we stopped and hiked down into Corrieshalloch Gorge. We crossed the gorge on a cable foot bridge for some great views of the gorge. We continued along the rim of the gorge to a view platform suspended in space above the gorge. We had a great view of the Falls of Messach under the cable bridge as we looked back up the gorge.
After hiking back out of the gorge we continued a short distance before turning left on A835 and descended steeply down to Loch Broom. We cycled along the east shore of the loch passing through Inverlael, Ardcharnich and Lechmeim to Ullapool at 4:11 p.m. We biked 56.48 miles in 4:05:09 averaging 13.84 mph climbing 3940' with 6 significant climbs.
We were the first group in so we unloaded the luggage from the van. Pete and I checked into room 13 of the 4 Seasons Travel Lodge phone 1854 612905 located at 57° 53' 42" N by 05° 08' 51" W at 79' elevation. The desk clerk opened the bar and I drank a pint of Tennants 80/ costing £2 ($2.89). We cleaned up and walked back down to the restaurant sitting next to the windows with a beautiful elevated view of Loch Broom. A large cruise ship came in and anchored in the middle of the loch. I ordered celery soup, hot bread rolls, tuna, potato, broccoli, squash, cheesecake and a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon for £16 ($23.10). It was a pleasant evening so we walked around town making phone calls home, finding a bike shop and an email office. We passed a young lady bagpiper practicing in a parking lot next to a stage truck. She was very good. We returned to the hotel passing the sculpture house with many well done sculptures mostly of birds and animals unobtrusively placed in the yard. The barometer is at 29.65". I kept checking the barometer to determine what the weather would be. I found that we always had Scottish weather no matter that the barometer was high or low, rising or falling.
August 4, 2001 Saturday Rest in Ullapool
Got up at 7:20 with the barometer at 29.65". Walked down to the restaurant for breakfast of orange juice, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, peaches, musli, bacon, sausage, egg, tea and toast. The weather is clear and warm so the view is glorious this morning. Today is a rest day so I returned to my room and washed out some biking shorts and shirts.
Rose Campany, Debbie Clark, Kathy, Barry, Pete and I walked to the dock and bought £18 ($25.74) tickets for the 4 hour cruise on the Summer Queen departing at 10:00 a.m. It was mostly sunny as we wove our way between the many Summer Islands passing close to several seal colonies and islands with many birds. We stopped on the Island of Tanera Mhor owned by an English woman. There are 10 inhabitants and 9 houses mostly summer rental cottages. We walked to the top of the highest hill for a good view of the northern peninsula of the Isle of Skye. We saw several places where peat had been dug. Stopped at the little shop and post office where I bought some stamps for £2.40 ($3.46) that can only be bought here. Bought a cheese and chutney sandwich with a coke for £2.10 ($3.03).
Back in Ullapool there was a festival going on with bands, games, food vendors, etc. I listened to a rock band with the young lady bagpiper and was amazed again by her skill. I consumed some fish and chips for £3.65 ($5.27) and a vanilla ice cream cone for 65p ($.94). I walked to the Safeway Store and bought a kilogram of bananas for 86p ($1.24) and two large Cadburys chocolate bars with hazelnuts for 86p each. Went to the Information Center and bought a booklet "Golf in the Highlands" for 50p ($.72) and a book Castles of Scotland" for £2.75 ($3.97). We had a brief rain even though the barometer had risen to 29.7".
Barry, Pete, Bob Moore and I walked to the Argyll Hotel for supper of Calders 70/ for £2 ($2.89), tomato soup, bread, potatoes, broccoli, pork, rice, apple pie with ice cream for £14.80 ($21.34). I walked to the Ceilidh Place and paid £5 ($7.22) to listen to Allen Reid sing Scottish folk songs many of which he had written. Also at the concert were Gary Kelley, Chuck Plummer, Tim Munn, Debbie Chaney, Julie Boughn, Kathleen King, Dan Katz and Jackie Marchand.
August 5, 2001 Sunday Bike to Portmahomack near Tain
Got up at 6:45, packed up and loaded my bag on the van. The barometric pressure is 29.65". Ate breakfast of orange juice, musli, milk, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, grapefruit and mandarin oranges in the Four Seasons Restaurant.
At 8:30 Barry, Pete and I biked out of town and immediately began climbing the first of 3 mountains in 15 miles as we cut across a peninsula north on A835. We passed through Ardmair, Strathcanard, Drumrunie and Elphin to Ledmore at the junction with A837. We turned right heading east and a little south. We had picked up a tailwind around Elphin and it seems to be slightly downhill so we began to really move at 20 mph or more. We sailed through Altriacealgach and Lubcroy to Oykel Bridge where we stopped at the hotel for tea and biscuits (cookies) for £1.60 ($2.31). Kathy, worried about the long distance started early, was there and she rode with us the rest of the day.
We started off again with the tailwind still behind us. Within a mile I got hit in the forehead by a bee which I thought got lodged under my glasses and stung me under the right eye. Kathy, riding behind me said I ran into a swarm of bees. We continued at a fast pace through Invercassley, Altass to Inveran where we picked up A836. In Bonar Bridge we crossed the top of Dornoch Firth and continued on through Ardgay, Kincardine, Fearn Lodge, Edderton past the Glenmorangie Distillery into Tain.
We passed the fancy four star Morangie House Hotel built like a castle but circled back for lunch. The four of us were sweat soaked and probably a little stinky in our biking clothes and we started to leave the fancy restaurant but the staff insisted we come in and we were made welcome by the well dressed people at adjoining tables. I ate a lobster bisque with hot rolls and a pastry shell with berries and fruits covered in pudding for £8.10 ($11.69).
We toured the streets of Tain and then leisurely headed out on a flat B road to a left on B9165 for 12 miles to Portmahomack at 3:30 p.m. We biked 72.44 miles in 4:38:10 averaging 15.74 mph climbing 2940' in 3 climbs.
Pete and I checked into room 8 of the Caledonian Hotel phone 1862 871345 located at 57° 50" 06" N by 03° 49' 43" W at an elevation of 20'. We are located across the street from the small harbor of a very scenic village. We put our bikes in a large dance hall in the back of the hotel. We sat by the windows drinking a McEwan's 70/ for £2.10 ($3.03) as it started raining very hard instantly flooding the street with a couple inches of water as people came drifting in on their bikes. We had some misty rain but never got real wet. We ate supper in the hotel and I had haggis soaked in Drambuie, mushroom stroganoff, rice, potato, parsnips, squash, carrots, broccoli, purple cabbage and apple pie with ice cream for £12.95 ($18.70) plus £1.40 tip. Got to bed early.
August 6, 2001 Monday Bike to Nairn
Got up at 6:30 a.m., packed up and loaded my bag in the van. Walked downstairs for breakfast of orange juice, musli, bacon, sausage, egg and toast. The barometer is at 29.7".
Barry, Pete, Kathy and I started at 8:15 heading south on B9165. We biked through Hill of Fearn and hit the A9 at Kildary. Turning left we kept moving staying on the A9 through Barbaraville, Salthurn and Invergordon passing many oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth. We stopped at a rest stop near the top of the firth before crossing the long bridge and climbing for miles up a 5% incline. Once we were on top we cycled over some rollers then started the long descent into Inverness over the big bridge spanning Moray Firth. We were in Inverness before 11:00 a.m. a distance of over 40 miles.
We searched for a bike shop and finally found a Trek dealer on our 2nd try. Kathy bought rear brake pads which she had cooked on the Isle of Mull. The shop couldn't put them on until 2:00 p.m. so I installed them on the sidewalk in front of the shop. We spotted a bakery across the street so I bought a coke, chicken pie, chicken noodle soup and 2 delicious strawberry tarts for £3 ($4.33).
About 12:30 we retraced our route to the A9 and headed south before exiting at Daviot. The roads are confusing here and we climbed a big steep hill in the wrong direction before returning to Daviot and asking a young woman directions. After many machinations we got on B9154 to Moy. Moy is where my 5th great grandfather came from, so I photographed the town sign and stopped at the church surrounded by gravestones many with the McQueen name. I talked to a man working on the church roof and he joked about the McQueen's being sheep thieves. I heard that one for the rest of the trip.
We continued south on B9154 to pick up a bike path at the junction with A9. We took the bike path to Tomatin where we stopped in the post office and store owned by Mrs McKay. We turned left down a hill and across the small river to Corrybrough. My ancestor was a McQueen of Corrybrough.
We retraced our route back to Daviot and then took B851 past the Clava Cairns to the Culloden Battlefield. We walked the battle lines in the muir then remounted our bikes following B9006 through Croy bearing right on B9091 through Clephanton to Nairn. We saw a huge rabbit and then 40-50 rabbits running in a field along side of us just before Nairn. I noticed my left Achilles' tendon was sore as we entered town. We had to bike through town to our hotel next to a golf course on the beach of Moray Firth. We arrived at 6:45 p.m. after biking 93.19 miles in 6:50:11 averaging 13.58 mph climbing 3530' in 4 climbs. The barometer read 29.65".
Pete and I stored our bikes in a large shed beyond the tennis court then checked into room 26 high on the 3rd floor of the Alton Burn Hotel phone 1667 452051 located at 57° 35' 02" N by 03° 54' 25" W at 25' elevation. Walked downstairs for a pint of 70/ beer, lintel soup, seafood stir fry, French fries and sticky toffee cake with cream and ice cream for £15.25 ($22.02). We had only a large bathtub so I showered in Barry's room with the hot water on demand unit. My left Achilles' tendon looks inflamed and is swelling. It would hurt biking and progressively swell for the rest of the trip.
August 7, 2001 Tuesday Bike to Grantown-On-Spey
Got up at 7:24, packed up and put my bag in the van. The barometer is at 29.7". Ate breakfast of orange juice, milk, musli, toast, bacon, 2 eggs and tomato at the Alton Burn Hotel.
Pete, Barry, Kathy and I biked from the hotel at 10:07. We looked around Nairn a little before heading out the B9091 about 6 miles to Cawdor Castle. It cost £4.90 ($7.07) entrance fee. We toured the castle which was lavishly furnished with period antiques and tapestries. We walked around the formal garden, the holly maze and flower garden. As it was after noon we ate carrot and coriander soup, bread and trifle for £5 ($7.22) in the castle coffee shop.
We continued on B9090 then B9101 through a hilly 10 miles in a head wind to Dulcie Bridge. The bridge was an old stone arch bridge built on a sharp incline over a little gorge on the Findhorn River. We walked upstream a short distance to see the stream boiling over and around the boulder stream gorge. We talked to two pleasant English couples with dogs. After a short distance we turned right on B9007 past Lochindorb where we turned left for about 2 miles along the loch to the forlorn ruins of the Lochindorb Castle on an island in the loch. A sad tales is associated with the castle that the locals don't seem to know. We returned to B9007 going south to left on A938 and through Duthil to Dulnain Bridge. We saw many red ground squirrels some with white tail and others with black tails. We tried to find the Heather Museum but got several directions to it. We decided to bike the 3 miles into Grantown on Spey a pretty town nicely situated in the hills.
We arrived in Grantown on Spey at 4:00 after biking 41.98 miles in 3:20:29 averaging 12.28 mph. Pete and I checked into room 22 of the Garth Hotel phone 1479 872836 located at 57° 19' 55" N by 03° 36' 02" W. Walked to the hotel next door with most of the group and had a pint of Tennants 80/ for £1.20 ($1.73). I called Marjory McQueen of Achmahammer in Dulnain Bridge whose number was given to me by Mrs McKay in the Tomatin post office. Marjory said her father and grandfather's name was Dugal, the same as my 5th great grandfather's name who came from Moy. She promised to send me what genealogical information she had. I ate potato and leek soup, bread, venison, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers and a salad for £15 ($21.65) at the Garth Hotel. My left Achilles' tendon is very sore and my foot badly swollen. The barometer has fallen to 28.8". Went to bed at 10:15.
August 8, 2001 Wednesday Bike to Ballater
Got up at 6:30, packed up and put my bag in the van. It is 50° with a good wind out of the northeast, threatening clouds to the northeast and the barometer at 28.75". Walked downstairs to breakfast of orange juice, musli, grapefruit, mushrooms, potatoes, tomato, bacon, sausage, egg and toast.
Kathy, Pete, Barry and I biked out of Grantown on Spey at 8:33 on A95 briefly before turning right on A939. It was raining and we immediately began a long steep climb through Bridge of Brown where we dipped over a stream then climbed a short 20% grade leveled out to about 13-15% grade then up a longer 20% grade. Climbing some more we topped the mountain and descended to Tomintoul the highest town in Scotland. We found out that night that Bill Wolf and Pam Bair blew a tire from the heat of the brakes on the downhill.
We passed through some rolling countryside before beginning our second and longer climb up to Lecht Ski Lodge with our longest 20% grade thrown in.
As you might have guessed we immediately began our 3rd climb of the day though not as steep. We had a relatively straight and long downhill to the River Dee and Ballater.
We arrived at the Monaltrie Hotel in Ballater at 12:33. We had biked 38.86 miles in 3:10:30 averaging 12.39 mph climbing 3400' in 4 climbs. The barometer had risen slightly to 28.9".
Pete and I checked into room 32 on the third floor high above a gabled slate roof out our window of the Monaltrie Hotel on the Dee River. We are located at 57° 02' 52" N by 03° 02' 13" W at an elevation of 689'. We walked downstairs for lunch of scotch broth, cheese and pickle (pickled vegetables) sandwich and a pint of Guinness for £6.30 ($9.09).
We walked around the neat town of Ballater and found out there were Highland Games starting tomorrow at noon. I stopped in a Co-op Store and bought 2 large Cadbury chocolate bars with hazelnuts at 85p each, a delicious blueberry muffin for 45p and 2 bananas for 46p. Stopped at a Clydesdale Bank ATM and withdrew £100 ($143.66).
That evening Barry, Pete, Bob, Deb, Kathy, Rose and I walked downtown to the Highlander where I had broccoli soup, chicken stuffed with haggis in walnut pickle sauce and a strawberry cup with ice and whipped cream for £14.75 ($21.15). My left ankle is very sore and the foot badly swollen. The barometer has climbed a bit more to 28.95".
August 9, 2001 Thursday Bike to Pitlochry
Got up at 7:22, packed up and loaded my bag in the van. Went to 8:30 a.m. breakfast of orange juice, corn flakes with fruit and nuts, scrambled eggs, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, toast and tea at the Monaltrie Hotel. The hotel has an environmental statement posted. I have seen these or philosophy statements posted in businesses all over Scotland. I saw a TV program in the US that stated that Scotland had passed what we now consider as environmental laws in the 19th century and accounts for the clean pristine condition of the countryside, rivers and lochs.
At 9:40 a.m. Pete, Barry, Kathy, and I cross the bridge on the River Dee and turned right on B976 for about 12 miles parallel to the River Dee to Balmoral Castle summer residence of the royal family. A sign said closed to the public until April 2002. We bantered with the security personnel as a bakery truck by royal appointment delivered its goods passing through the gate. We crossed the River Dee again and talked to a Dutch couple who bike a lot. We biked up the little street to Crathie Church and went inside where the royal family attends.
Turning left on A93 we cycled along the river to the walled Braemar Castle built in the 1700s on the edge of Braemar. After a short visit we continued into town at 12:00 noon to the Braemar Hotel for scotch broth, roll with butter and tea for £4 ($5.77).
Continuing south on A93 we rode through Glen Clunie with a power station and dam and past the Devil's Elbow to Spital of Glenshee. It rained lightly all day with short periods of sun. We began climbing probably our longest climb of the trip but the grade was not too bad. We ground it out to the top and the Glen Shee Ski Lodge. We stopped and Kathy bought a sheep sweatshirt for her granddaughter which I carried in my bike bag. On the long relatively straight downhill on a two lane road Pete said we reached 50 mph.
After thinking we had missed our turn we finally reached B950 and turned right then right again on A924 through Kirkmichael, Straloch and Dainavaid. We saw many quail and ring neck pheasants. The road was very gently rolling but then we started a long gradual climb before a fast descent for 5-6 miles through Moulin to Pitlochry at 3:58 p.m.
We stopped at the Craigvrack Hotel phone 1796 472399 on the downhill entering town after biking 56.55 miles in 4:00:24 averaging 14.11 mph climbing 2870' in 2 climbs. The hotel is located at 56° 42' 31" N by 03° 43' 47" W at an elevation of 701'. The barometer is up to 29.4" and it is 55°.
Pete and I checked into room 14 on the second floor with a large picture window with a great view of the valley and mountains beyond. We went back downstairs and the pleasant lady running the hotel drew us a pint of Tettley's Bitter for £1.90 ($2.74) and I ate 2 packs of chili flavored peanuts at 50p ($.72) each.
We had theater tickets so we quickly showered and went downstairs at 6:00 p.m. for dinner of tomato and shallot salad, pheasant, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes and an apple tart with ice cream at £16.68 ($24.08) plus a £1 tip to our young waitress from Normandy.
It was after 7:00 when Pete and I hurried down the hill to the center of town and after a couple of tries found the footbridge across the river to the Festival Theater. We picked up our £17 ($24.54) tickets at the box office and found our 5th row seats in the 1,000 seat auditorium with a couple of minutes to spare before the 8:00 p.m. curtain. We saw the very entertaining "The Winslow Boy" set in London in the 1890s about a boy from a modest family expelled from the British Naval Academy for stealing and his families long fight to restore his reputation which becomes a national controversy. I ate an ice cream bar £1 ($1.44) at the break. They told me Anne had called but left no message when I returned to the hotel about 11:00 p.m.
August 10, 2001 Friday Bike to Callander
Got up at 7:10, packed up and loaded my bag in the van. Checked my bike tires in the fenced back yard of the hotel. It is 49° and the barometer is at 29.55". There are mixed clouds and sun but no rain. Ate breakfast of mushrooms, bacon, eggs, sausage, tomato, orange juice, musli and milk at the Craigvrack Hotel. Barry had 3 or 4 flat tires so we were delayed getting started.
At 9:48 a.m. I biked from the hotel with Chuck, Pete, Barry and Kathy. We coasted downhill through town and across the river to the fish ladder around the dam near the theater. We saw several 18-24" fish jump out of the water. We followed Ross Road to a left on B848 along the river and then Loch Tummel. It was very hilly and as we were approaching the top of the loch we came up a hill around a bend and faced a 20% grade without warning. Already under pressure I could not shift down to my small chain ring and had to muscle my way up in the middle chain ring which was quite a strain. It was a tough but very scenic 12 miles to Foss then left on B846 for a long gradual climb over through Glengoulandie and it's deer farm to Kaltneyburn where we turned right on a B road to Faltingall.
Faltingall is noted for several burial cairns, a 5000 year old yew tree (perhaps the oldest living thing on earth), the birth place of Pontius Pilate and several nice thatched roof cottages.
Outside of Faltingall we turned right on a single track B road through Glen Lyon. With no traffic we rolled up and down through some of the best scenery of the whole trip. We biked through the village of Invervar to the Bridge of Balgie. Here we stopped at the post office restaurant for lintel soup, cheese with pickle sandwich and tea for £5.60 ($8.08).
We crossed the bridge then climbed a long gradual ascent before a long fast and fun descent to a sudden intersection with A827 a real test for our brakes. With a right turn we entered the Alpine like village of Killin where we met other people from our group. It was sunny and 67° so we stopped for peaches and cream ice cream cone £1.20 ($1.73) and chatted in the street.
At the edge of the upscale and lively town we crossed the river and was treated to a good view of the Dochart Falls which was really a long and wide cascade. In 2 miles we turned left on A84 and headed south through Strathyre, Lubnaig and the Pass of Leny to Callander. About 4 miles out my free wheel gave out and my mates left me to get the van. I walked, and used my bike like a push bike, as Brits call them, at 6-7 mph and coasted downhill. A little more than a mile out Deb and Kathy showed up with the van and hauled me to town.
We stopped at a couple of bike shops but couldn't find a Shimano 8 speed hub free wheel. We arrived at the Abbotsford Lodge phone 1877 330066 at 5:40 p.m. I had biked 67.85 miles in 5:32:03 averaging 12.24 mph climbing 4520' over 4 climbs. The lodge is located at 56° 14' 36" N by 04° 12' 32" W at an elevation of 240'. Pete and I are in the large high ceiling room 1 across the hall from the front desk by the front door.
We walked to the hotel next door for a pint of Tennants Creme for £1.20 ($1.73) where we joined the half dozen from the BBC racing team and others. We ate supper of potato and leek soup, lamb with pear and mint sauce, potatoes, carrots, green beans, squash and raspberry pie with ice cream for £13.50 ($19.43) plus &1 tip in the lodge. I went to bed early and I was drifting off to sleep when Bob Moore was at my window to wake me up to let him in. He had gone to make a phone call and staff had locked the front door.
August 11, 2001 Saturday Bike to Glasgow
Got up at 6:50 a.m. on my last day of cycling, packed up and loaded my bag in the van. Despite my concerted efforts last night and this morning to get a replacement free wheel for my bike or to barrow a rear wheel that matched my bike from the sick and wounded non riders, I was unsuccessful. In order to finish the ride (a necessity due to space for people and bikes in the van) I decided to ride Charlie Borsch's 55 cm Bianchi which he so graciously offered to me. My Trek has a 60 cm frame with 178 cm crank arms. Charlie's frame is about 1.8" shorter and the crank arms about 1.2" shorter so it is significantly smaller than my bike. Despite being smaller and very difficult to shift, the Bianchi is quick, responsive and solidly under you. I ate breakfast of fruit, grapefruit, orange juice, toast, bacon, eggs, mushrooms and tomato.
After several delays Chuck, Kathy, Pete, Barry and I finally got started at 10:00 a.m. in the rain with a head wind. We left Callander on A21 heading south. Of course we had some climbs, a head wind and rain but nothing compared to what we had to contend with to this point. The small of my back was sore from hunching over and my thigh muscles hurt from not being able to fully extend on each pedal stroke. We moved along pretty well through The Trossachs and the towns of Brig o' Turk, Aberfayl, Blanefield and Stratblane. We kept going except for 2 short stops to Milngavie. We stopped in a gas station and talked to a customer who was a biker. He told us the best way to Glasgow Airport was through the Clyde Tunnel and that there was a bike tunnel.
We turned right on the A739 a couple of miles past Milngavie and followed it to the Clyde Tunnel. Chuck passed us all and as we started heading down into the tunnel. I called to him but he kept going. The four of us stopped by an entrance ramp on our left. I spotted the bike tunnel up about 10' on the left of the car tunnel. We walked up the entrance ramp around a barricade to the bike path and into the bike tunnel. Emerging at the other end we saw a cyclist in a yellow rain jacket who we thought was Chuck emerging on the highway. We soon met up with him and it turned out to be Tim Munn. As we tried to find our bearings and the A8, Janet Olney and Susan Miltenberger emerged from the bike tunnel. Together we found the A8 and soon met up with Tim. It was an easy ride to the Glasgow Airport.
We arrived together at the airport Holiday Inn Express at 1:15. We had biked 42.32 miles in 3:02:57 averaging 13.91 mph while climbing 1740' in 3 climbs. We couldn't check into our rooms until 2:00 so most of the group ate lunch of a pint of Tennants Velvet for £2.50 ($3.61), tomato soup, bread and a chicken cheese club for £3.40 ($4.91) in the lobby. Chris Fiorante came in and said he had been clipped by a car in the tunnel, was knocked over and picked up by the police. The police were angry and knew that 3 cyclists had gone through the car tunnel. Fortunately Chris was shaken but unhurt. We also heard that Bonnie Pearce was escorted off the M8 (our interstate highway) by police. Very scary! Bottom line is everyone made the entire trip without a serious accident.
Pete and I checked into room 116 on the second floor of the Holiday Inn Express phone 1315 617828 located at 55° 51' 46" N by 04° 25' 42" W at an elevation of 90'. We cleaned up, went down and got our flattened bike boxes out of hotel storage. We assembled our bike boxes on the beds and then broke down our bikes and stored them in the boxes with our other biking gear.
At about 6:40 Bob Moore, Kathy, Deb, Pete and I walked across the parking lot to the terminal and caught a bus for £5 ($7.22) round trip to George Square in downtown Glasgow. We checked out the information center and ran into the racing team members. We tried to eat at Bella's but couldn't get in. We walked further down St Vincent Street to Henry's where I enjoyed a pint of McEwans 80/, a Caesar salad, hake, potatoes and a blackberry custard crumble for £15.50 ($22.37) plus a £2 tip.
August 12, 2001 Sunday Tour Glasgow
Got up at 7:24 and cleaned up. The barometric pressure is 29.7". Went downstairs to breakfast orange juice, grapefruit, musli, croissant and an orange.
Most people went to Edinburgh and Pete is meeting wife Sylvia flying in at 11:00 a.m. At 9:43 Barry and I took the airport bus £5 ($7.22) return to George Square in downtown Glasgow.
We decided to walk around Glasgow for the day so we stopped in the information office. Across the street in front of the Modern Art Museum is a statute of the Duke of Wellington with a traffic cone over his head. Someone in Scotland must not be very fond of him. We stopped in the Upper Crust sidewalk cafe for tea and a scone at £1.10 ($1.59). We walked through Borders book store where I bought "Scottish Coast to Coast Trail" for £6.50 ($9.38) and "The Munros in Winter" £3.99 ($5.76). We walked past some old buildings and cathedrals then crossed the M8 into west Glasgow. We walked through some neat old neighborhoods going through a renaissance. We walked through a busy Kelvingrove Park past Glasgow University and down Dumbarton Road.
We stopped in a nice pub for a pint of McEwans 80/, salad and a potato with ham, cheese and onion for £4.10 ($5.92). We walked back on the bike path along the river to the Tall Ship. We stopped and talked to two young Englishmen working at the university as research scientists for what technology will replace the computer chip (transistor). We passed the Scottish Exhibition Center that looks like the Sydney Symphony Hall. We crossed the Clyde River on a footbridge to the Millennium Tower, Science Center and Imax Theatre. Back across the river we passed two round brick buildings with glass roofs, one on each side of the river. The one on our side had been converted to a brew pub restaurant.
We stayed on the bike path until we were downtown again near George Square about 5:00 p.m.. We watched an organ grinder and two street mimes for about 20 minutes. It started to rain so we walked to Bella's for a pint of Stella Artois, minestrone soup, bread, seafood (prawns, calimari and fish) linguini and cheesecake for £17.10 ($24.69). Returned to our hotel by bus in the rain and to bed early.
August 13, 2001 Monday Fly Glasgow to Baltimore
Got up at 6:21, showered and shaved. Walked downstairs at 7:05 a.m. for breakfast of orange juice, grapefruit, musli and croisant. I sat with Pete and Sylvia Flaton, Barry and Rose Campany. I got a cart from the parking lot at 10:15 a.m., checked out of the hotel and walked to the airport terminal with my bike and luggage in a light rain. The Iceland air window was not designated or opened until 11:00 a.m. and I checked in 3rd. They checked my bag but I had to take my bike box to the far end of the counters, open it and remove my wheels to be sprayed for hoof and mouth disease. Boarded a Boeing 737 on Iceland Air Flight 431 14:00 Glasgow to Reykjavik 15:10 in exit seat 12A and took off at 2:00 p.m. for the 2 hour flight to Reykjavik. An hour and a half later we took off on Iceland Air Flight 643 16:35 Reykjavik to Baltimore 18:45 in a Boeing 757 in the next to last row in seat 34F for the 6 hour 30 minute flight to Baltimore.
We flew over Greenland which was covered by snow with mountains protruding upwards and silhouetted by the sun. The coast was striated with many deep fjords. I could see a large glacier flowing into a fjord with many stress fractures near the top of the flow. The water is a dark blue with hundreds of pieces of ice of all sizes floating in the fjords and open sea. Many looked like fleets of white fishing boats. The last hour coming into Baltimore was rough and bumpy especially in my rear seat. There were several layers of clouds but on top was a puffy cottony layer with huge billowing mountainous clouds protruding up.
We landed late at 7:23 and were delayed getting to the terminal. I got my bag (soaking wet) and bike rather quickly and breezed through customs. I waited for Barry then went outside to meet Anne and Carol Nelson. We rode home in the Nelson's van arriving at 8:30 p.m.
TRIP COSTS
TRIP STATISTICS
ROSTER
SCOTLAND BIKE LIST
Battlefield. Several of us visited my ancestral home of Corrybrough near Moy about 10 miles south of Inverness. Our rest day in Ullapool included a cruise of the Summer Islands with a stop on Tanera Mhor, a festival of music, food and games in Ullapool and then an evening listening to Scottish folk singer Allen Reid at the Ceilidh Place. In Pitlochry we saw the play "The Winslow Boy" which was very well done and entertaining. We cycled a long ways on the Water of Life Trail. I never realized there were so many distilleries in Scotland.
rock outcrop in the middle of a flat plane. Dunadd is believed to be the seat of government for the Dalriadd Kingdom during the dark ages. We climbed the steep hill on foot and photographed the foot print, bowl, animal drawings and unknown letters carved in the rock on top. We continued up the road about a mile to a burial cairn on the left side of the road and a stone circle like a miniature Stonehenge in the field next to it.
for £1.05 ($1.52). We carried our drinks across a little bridge spanning a small stream and sat at tables in the shade. Very nice spot.
Turning right on single track B8035 we cycled along Loch Scridain through Balevulin then began a long climb over Ardmeanach Mountain to Balnahard on Loch na
Keal. There were many highland cattle and blackfaced sheep all over the road and we crossed several cattle grids. It started to rain and kept increasing in intensity as we rode.
It was 56° and windy. The 9 mile ride along the edge of Loch na Keal to Knock was remote and spectacularly beautiful. I enjoyed it very much despite the adverse conditions. It stopped raining as we continued straight for 2.5 miles across Mull to Salen and left on A848 on the Sound of Mull.
We had no breakfast at the lodge so Pete, Barry, Kathy, Chuck and I biked out at 7:40 turning right on the A848 up a wee hill and down 6.5 miles to Tobermory. Stopped in a grocery and bought a half liter of milk, 2 bananas and yogurt for £1.30 ($1.88). Our whole crew was there and we ate our purchases by the little monument on the harbor. I walked down to the Clydesdale Bank ATM and withdrew £100 ($144.37). The bakery opened at 9:00 so I bought a Cornish pasty for 80p ($1.15). I had my ferry tickets last night in the lodge but couldn't find them so I purchased another for £4.40 ($6.35). We boarded the small 9:30 ferry for the short ride across Mull Sound to the mainland at Kilchoan.
coming out on the shore of Loch Sunart at Ardsignish. We followed the scenic shore line for about 10 miles through Glenmore and Glenborrodale to another Salen. There were several fish farms in the loch. In Salen we turned left heading north on A861 through Ardshealach and its castle to Acharach. We stopped in Acharach House for a ploughman's lunch and a half pint of cider for £6.15 ($8.88). The ploughmans lunch wasn't as good as the original one.
island in the loch with a small bridge linking it to mainland. It is the most photographed castle in Scotland and rightfully so. We paid £3.20 ($4.62) and toured the impressive castle. We ate lunch of vegetable soup, bread, shortbread and peach ice tea for £4.20 ($6.06) in the castle coffee shop.
climbed to the top of the falls and took some photographs. We continued along through Charlestown to Gairloch at 3:00 p.m. We biked 50.51 miles in 3:41:19 averaging 13.69 mph while climbing 2510'.
Corrybrough is a large estate (5-6000 acres) with a large gray stone house built over hundreds of years. We biked up the hill into the trees to the house where the gate was open. We talked to the head groundskeeper who told me the estate was owned by a Mr Tinsley an English businessman. The groundskeeper knew the history of Corrybrough and pointing to a high hill related a story of how the clan met on that hill after the Battle of Culloden (5 miles away over a mountain) and then dispersed.
It was raining, windy and cold so we stopped in the lodge to dry out some, warm up and refresh ourselves with a tea and scone £2.10 ($3.03). We chatted with some friendly ladies working at the lodge who were interested in our bike trip. On leaving the lodge we had a steep, straight and long downhill with a wide road (two lanes) so we let it go and reached 48.5 mph before ascending a short uphill. At the top was a 20% sign and as you looked down it was a bit scary as the road seemed to drop from under you. It was wet, windy, very steep downhill, sharp curves, rough road and a long descent. Wet brakes don't work well so you went faster than you should and I remember hoping that my old tired cables and brakes would hold out until I reached the bottom. I safely passed through Cock Bridge and it's Corgarth Castle at the bottom and continued on to Colnabaichin
w
here we turned right on to stay on A939.
Trip Costs $2,000.00 Cash (£5 x 1.4436333) $7.22 Cash ($95-$92) $3.00 ATM (£300 - £11= £289 x 1.4436333) $417.21 Charges $341.76 Film (20.99/216=.0971759 per picture) $12.83 Pictures (132@$15.78 +) $15.78 Total $2,797.80
Biked 15 days Total biked 818.33 miles Average biked 54.56 miles per day Average speed 13.43 miles per hour Total vertical climbed 42,700 feet Average vertical climbed 3,053.85 feet per day Average vertical 55.98 feet per mile Total 63 climbs Average 4.20 climbs per day Total 5 20% climbs Road time 100.87 hours Average road time 6.72 hours per day Biking time 60.92 hours Average biking time 4.06 hours per day Total participants 22 people Total bikers 21 people Total 20 bikes
Shiu-Ying Bair (Pam) Alexandria, VA Jacquelyn Marchand Rochester, NY William Wolff Alexandria, VA Charles Borsch Arlington, VA Daniel McQueen Columbia, MD Julie Boughn Ellicott City, MD Susan Miltenberger Baltimore, MD Rosemary Campany Warren, OH Robert Moore Baltimore, MD Deborah Chaney Ellicott City, MD Timothy Munn Baltimore, MD Deborah Clark Bel Air, MD Barry Nelson Columbia, MD Christopher Fiorvante Ellicott City, MD Janet Olney Baltimore, MD Peter Flaton Millersville, MD Mary Pearce Baltimore, MD Daniel Katz Jessup, MD Charles Plummer Baltimore, MD Gary Kelley Baltimore, MD Kathleen Thornton Bel Air, MD Kathleen King Bethesda, MD
Bike Box Bullet Bag w lock Health & First Aid Bike Bike Clothes A&D ointment Tire pump Bike pants 3 Lipbalm Helmet Bike shirts 6 Bismuth tablets Shoes Bike socks 6 Imodium Gloves 2 Clothes Ibuprofen Water bottle Golf shirts 6 Bike bag Underwear 6 Copy of passports Spokes Pants/shorts 3 Free wheel tool Socks 6 Visa & Mastercharge Knife Health Insurance card Allen wrenches Dockers Drivers License Tire tools Fleece Money card Patch kit Swim trunks Money Tubes 4 Log Tires 2 Hygiene Pens Rain jacket Battery shaver Maps & Cue sheets Spoke wrench Deodorant Address list w Email Sunscreen Shampoo Trip Info Pedal wrench Comb Camera & film Chain whip Floss Binoculars Biking glasses Toothbrush AA Batteries Thermometer Toothpaste Sewing kit Lock & keys Scissors Safety pins Cyclometer Hair trimmer Flashlight Lip balm Tail light Running Clothes Underwear 2 Socks 2 Shorts Wear Jeans Golf Shirt Shorts Running Socks Running shoes Day pack Fleece Passports Plane tickets Plane pillow
Last updated Sep 2, 2001