A Memorable Ending

My adventure is over and I’m enjoying a very relaxing day with Cindy at a beautiful modern Hilton Hotel before flying home tomorrow.  

It’s been a hard but rewarding ride. Riding through the Scottish Highlands was the highlight of my cycling journey. The beauty was breathtaking. The lush fern and heather covered mountains with the sheep grazing below was picturesque. Around every corner was a new postcard view. Camping in the Highlands next to a clear babbling stream made falling asleep easier or maybe it was the pub next to the campground that caused the deep slumber we experienced. I know I speak often of the pubs but throughout our travels they are usually the only places we can acquire internet service. Some of you might think, then why didn’t I blog more, but with everyone using the service at the same time the internet ran at a crawl. Also, I didn’t want to drink a warm pint. On the next to our last night we stayed at a church/community center at Betty Hill. This was supposed to be a primitive place. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find the minister and her husband had gathered some of the congregation to greet us with a warm welcome and a proper Scottish tea party. It was great sitting with the village people discussing everything from politics, Scottish schools to the interesting history of the area. The minister and her husband were retired Westminster College (Pennsylvania) professors. After they retired they called Scotland and asked if any of the remote area churches were in need of a minister. It’s such a small world at times. The minister said she loved Betty Hill and the people and the only thing she missed from home was Amish corn. The church/community center was just below the pub which looked out on the North Sea. After helping the kind ladies clean up we had a brief team meeting and we then headed to the pub where we had a few pints and played pool. As the sun started to go down at 9:00 we headed outside where James, James and Nicole, our leaders, handed out humorous awards. It was all in good fun a we had a few good laughs. Around 9:30 we made our way to the beach which was about a mile away. We all walk jovially down the long country lane startling the sleepy sheep on the hillsides. We became melancholy as we sat quietly on a cement pier hypnotized by the countless jellyfish as they gracefully floated by. We knew our journey was about to end as we turned our gazes on the setting sun and we knew we would soon be going our separate ways. On rides like these you become close to the other riders and leaders in a short period of time. You’re a team and you work together, sleep together and look out for each other. You develop trust in each other in this brief time. I’m not sure if this happens on all of these rides that are conducted by Bike MS but it’s happened on mine. It’s a great feeling to work together for a worthwhile cause and it’s sad when it ends. Our last day of the journey was only 50 miles but as I’ve experienced before, easy days, can be so, so hard. Many of us woke to the sound of thunder and the driving rain beating on the rooftop. We delayed our start until the rain eased. The rain slowed to a drizzle but the wind had switched direction. Instead of the gentle breeze that pushed us along the day before, we now had a stiff gale blowing in our faces. The first 30 miles were brutal as hills became mountains. At our rest stop we all gathered and decided we would pace line the last 20 miles. By pace lining we would all be riding in a straight line with the leader breaking the wind. After leading for 2 miles the leader drops back to the end of the line and the next in line breaks the wind for the team. By using the method we’re able to use 20% less energy while battling the wind. About 2 miles into our pace line a driving rain began, in time it turned into a fine sleet that stung our faces. It was a tough 20 miles but by riding together we had a number of light moments. Suzanne’s rain helmet cover blew off and Kat, while trying to retrieve it slide down a soft embankment. It was sort of comical especially once we knew she wasn’t hurt. It truly was a slow motion mishap. At mile 50 we had finally reached John O’Groats, the northern tip of Scotland. We were greeted by strong gale force winds but also by cheering people. One person I was especially happy to see in the small gathering was my lovely wife, Cindy. We gathered for a quick photo moment at the famous John O’Groats sign as huge waves crash on the rocky shore below. Our leaders popped some Champagne bottles and sprayed them on us that made us not only wetter but sticky. It’s a great tradition and we truly appreciated it. One bottle was passed around and we all took a huge swig. James, James and Nicole also bought us all one of our favorite beverages. The cold rain was now soaking through our “rain proof” jackets so we looked for shelter. There was a warm cafe nearby and we all made a beeline there where some riders got hot drinks and some snacks. I enjoyed my Scottish brewed Punk Brew IPA that James knew was my favorite on this trip. After we warmed up, Cindy and I walked to a B&B I had booked. The others went to the nearby campground where they struggled to set up their tents in the howling wind. The rain had slowed but the wind seemed stronger than ever. Our B&B was nice but it was a long walk from the campground. However, after hearing that those camping had their tents blow down during the night and friends having to scramble to the campground laundry room to sleep, I can’t complain. We had a celebration in the evening at the Sea View Inn, near the famous John O’Groats sign. James Kelly passed out the very finely crafted medals he had purchased for us. I was proud of mine as was everyone else that had made this historic journey. You might think that this is an exaggeration but it’s true. Our group was the very first Bike the U.K for MS group to complete the journey from south to north. Historic!!!! In a few days I’ll finish the last post for this adventure. I need time to soak it all in and reflect on the last three amazing weeks.