Sunday, August 5, 2018

8/5/18


Late start and knock the slugs off my ten. There can be only one slug on this trip and I do not want to give up the starring role.  Back over the road I traveled yesterday.  This time I go over the pass and down the other side. I see a nice wide trail but it is blocked off as it is being worked on.  Lower down I am able to ride it.  It is steep in a positive direction and I ride my brakes.  As always I wonder who believes loose gravel is needed on trails.  I’ll stick to the road going the other direction up.  At Fort Augustus I follow the canal.  See a nice spot and camp early.  Rain was predicted and it is nice to be a head of the weather.  Once again I forgot to check the internet while in town.  The need to be connected is fading.
Love and kisses
Steve







Saturday, August 4, 2018

8/4/18


Back 5 miles to Inverness. Not going to the library as the laptop needs power. Decision is made and head out on the south great glen route.  I look across Loch Ness for Nessie.  The road turns into the hills.  I go to some forests to camp. There are no forests as the trees are cut.  The new trees are short and the ground has been ripped up and to limply. I go back five miles to a nice camp spot I saw.
Love and kisses
Steve





Friday, August 3, 2018

8/3/18


Rain over night. Midges are friendly so I decide not work on the bike. Nine miles to the bike shop. The shop replaces the bottom bracket and it does not fix the clicking. Spoke is also fixed and the wheel trued. Pedal is the problem and I will see if adding grease will help. In Inverness I find out the library does not allow people to plug in devices as they are afraid they might exceed their electricity quota. I head up the Great Glen trail to camp.
No photos taken today.
Love and kisses
Steve

Thursday, August 2, 2018

8/2/18


Watch a salmon trying a falls.  I am to slow on the camera for a pic.  Stop at a Pictish stone.  A cyclist invited me to her home for tea.  She had a bottom bracket tool.  I tried to fix the bottom bracket, but the click click continues.   Back on the road I noticed a spoke is broken.  As it is getting later in the day I seek a place to camp.  Tomorrow I need to fix my spoke and see if the bottom bracket can be fixed.
Love and kisses
Steve









Wednesday, August 1, 2018

8/1/18


Rest day

Love and kisses
Steve

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

7/31/18










A long southern ride into the wind across the moors.  Passed through a land clearing area.  A thousand families evicted with less than an hour notice before their homes were put to a torch.  This was done so that 2000 sheep could be put on the land.
Love and kisses
Steve

Monday, July 30, 2018

7/30/18









Some midges wait outside my tent so rain gear and head net. On the road I head once again into the wind. It is goes slow as the wind has nothing to slow it as it whips across the moor.  I stop at the center that is removing tree plantations and making them into bogs.  This is interesting as they are looking to do this to much of north central Scotland.  There was trees in the area 4500 years ago when it was warmer and dryer. In the last years the area has been having warmer and drier weather so it will be interesting to see how this works out.

I finally turn west in the afternoon. Nice to not fight the wind.  I camp early in another forest. I grab a cool shower. Wind dies and the tent is surrounded by tens of thousands of midges.  I kill a thousand and I have not thinned them. Trapped as I do not want to open the tent door.

Love and kisses
Steve


Sunday, July 29, 2018

7/29/18









Start early and I fly 20 miles to Thurso.  A strong tail wind push me there.  I resupply and prepare for travel though north central Scotland.  Stores are limited there.  Leaving Thurso I travel against the wind.  Going is slow until the road turns northwest. After traveling the coast for a while I turn south into the wind.  I crawl along as the rain clouds grow.  I finally come to a forest and the gate that just fits the bike.  I camp in the quiet forest protected from the wind.  Rain comes later.
Love and kisses
Steve

Saturday, July 28, 2018

7/28/18



Rest day. Fog, rain and wind. Trees keep me in quiet place.
Love and kisses
Steve

Friday, July 27, 2018

7/27/18




I wake to thunder at a distance and flashes of lightning.  I evaluated my options at 3 AM and went back to sleep.  As I was on a high spot on the moor and could only hope that the nearby fence take the blast rather than my tent.  At eight packed and started my way to Wick.  In Wick I head out to Sinclair Castle.  Find most of the castle fenced off and closed.  Too many people around for me to siege the castle.  Then off to camber cairns.  Head wind was strong as I went south. I crawled in to the cairns.  Camp in the nearby forest to hide from wind.  I check for the lunar eclipse and only see a rainbow and clouds.  Rain starts and thunder move closer.
Love and kisses
Steve