The weather was clear and sunny this morning with a breeze from the west. The forecast though said this would last until early afternoon and then the rain would return for the next day or so and the wind would keep increasing over the day. Not great news but then again it gave me a window for getting out before it got too bad.
I originally was going to head west for a couple of hours into the wind and then get a bit of a tailwind home. The rain on the western horizon put paid to that and I eventually headed south east initially. I got out just after lunch and did a zigzag type circular circuit through the county. Sticking to mostly single track backroads I headed south then towards Wick, then the coast road to John O'Groats where Heather and Caleb met me for a bowl of soup and a coffee. Then it was back south and up off the coast road to Canisbay and home.
The weather was great when I left home, a strong headwind but sunny, sticking with the sun towards Wick and then along the coast road I could see the weather closing in from the north west, squalls at first then steadier downpours. Would adjust pace and stops to try and avoid some of the smaller ones. Over the big rise before turning and dropping down to Groats you could see the rain falling, not just on the coast but right the way over the water to Orkney and Hoy. Definitely patchy with sun but more of it and closer together, time to get wet as it was looking pretty unavoidable.
Late lunch of lentil soup and fresh baked bread with a bucket of coffee prepared me for the run home. I could have taken the coast road, its 50/50 whether it would be quicker but the top road is a bit nicer and far quieter.
I stopped as usual to take a couple of pictures along the way and at one of these stops I noticed a tandem coming up the hill through Canisbay. It was flying up the hill and they had left a good few minutes behind me as I parked next to them at the café and they weren't leaving when I was. They came past and it was then I noticed they had electric assist on this smart tandem, no wonder they came up the hill so fast. Further along the road they were stopped so I stopped and chatted with them for a few minutes. The assist only works when pedalling but it will help up the hills and once you get to 15 miles an hour it cuts out and recharges itself. So good up hills and good for getting up to speed as I found out when we set off. I let them go ahead, politeness of course ,
and they pulled away and got to a certain speed then stayed that distance all the way until I turned off. Very different, not sure whether it was cool or not, but they were an older couple and they said they had been everywhere on tandems over the years and now they are older it helps considerably. They were travelling the route of the Highland 500, but in a motorhome and then riding section by section. It was just after this stop that the rain started, not surprised as I couldn't see a lot of the coast due to the rain falling, about a mile from home, the sleety ice started falling and it was now not only wet but cold as well. This was all the motivation I needed to put a bit more effort in and get home.
A few seasons in one day but it was a good few hours out and a nice ride, making sure the Trucker was ready for a few longer trips over the next two months and while I didn't have all my gear on it, it ran great as usual. This bike does all the grunt work, pulls the trailer, the little man in his seat, touring, commuting etc and it really only ever needs fine tuning or tweaking here and there.
Anyway, a long story about a short ride and while all my local rides look the same as the landscape doesn't change up here, its the weather that makes it different. Here's some pics in order so you can see the weather turning as the ride went on.
Jamie
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