This comparison stuff sort of went out the window a bit and it became more about getting the legs spinning as my little man Caleb has come down with a chest problem again and was up during the night about three times, so nobody in the house got much sleep and then this morning Heather looked like she was following suite.
So it was a late start for a ride, 1.30pm, which was a bit disappointing to me as originally I had planned to ride south from Melvich down to Helmsdale and do the 106klm with a good amount of climbing to get some miles in the legs, but hey ho, that's life and family always comes first. The lack of sleep and sorting things this morning meant I could very easily have stayed in as it was cloudy and very cold, I think it was about 2 degree when I left and quickly plummeted, this along with a slowly increasing wind from the east made it very cold indeed. In the end I got just over 70klm in four hours doing a much more local loop so not too bad considering the conditions.
I had to wear my skull cap and buff along with a thermal and jersey under my jacket, woolly boolly socks along with my Keelas. So well wrapped up or so I thought. MY route was really to play it by ear now.
About 5klm in I realised I should have worn my overshoes as my feet were cold and by the time I was near Wick (about30klm) they were frozen. I stopped at a little craft shop in the old garage just before Wick and had a hot chocolate and ate a banana. I sat outside at the bench and took my jacket off as I didn't want to warm up inside and just walked about drinking my drink and trying to get some heat into my toes. Didn't notice too much when riding, it was only when I stopped it was bad.
Went through Wick and headed down the A9 a bit before turning towards Thurso and coming out near Watten. Stopped and put my small lights on, more so drivers would notice me, knowing that I would soon have to put the proper lights on so I could see. I ended up turning of the main road onto a back road that I thought I knew, turns out I didn't but it wasn't a problem as it bought me out onto an even smaller road not far from where I thought I was. Stopped at a junction where I would turn across country once again to take all the singletrack farm roads for about 20klms, zigzagging across the way to join back up to the roads near home, I put my lights on and had the last Tea Cake, no choice but to get home soon. Was quickly dark and the roads were clear, no ice so it wasn't too long before I was back.
Once stopped and inside after putting the bike away, took off my shoes and my feet were a weird red colour and so painful arrrrggghhhh! Remember overshoes for next time
Tried not to stop too often today but I did manage a couple of pics.
Hope everyone else managed to get a ride in, I know Rob did and had a similar headwind but I still think sometimes you have one of those rides that just seems hard for no reason that it's still better than no ride at all
Jamie
Not long after setting out, my turnaround point is way in the distance in the middle of the pic. Already looking a bit bleak and cold.
Still some ice about
A bit of sunshine
Lights on as the sun drops away
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