1 Oct: Day 8 Kilmarnock to Inveraray

1^st October 2013 – day 8 of our cycle ride – dawned cold, frosty, sunny and autumnal. We were quickly out of Kilmarnock, after the worst breakfast so far (Sarah’s sausages doing the breast stroke in grease; Jo’s poached eggs bullet like) The ride was magic though, along a fast, flat, quiet road by the sea.

The group of 21 re-grouped at a very nice coffee (and pastry) shop in Largs and from there we cycled in one peloton to the ferry near Gourock.

Yesterday’s ferries had been cancelled because of bad weather (high winds) so we were all rather anxious as we feared a 3 hour winding, sicky coach ride instead. Fortunately, the fretting was in vain and we crossed the River Clyde to Dunoon (about a 15 minute ferry ride).

From here we cycled to Benmore Botanical Gardens for lunch (in another barn) via a quick visit to a chainsaw wood workshop! Sarah now has another bright idea of taking lessons on how to make sculptures with a chainsaw.

 Spot the carving above

Loch Eck

 Loch Fyne

The cycle after lunch was wild – strong winds and gently undulating countryside surrounded by mountains (the Trossachs) along Holy Loch, Loch Eck and finally Loch Fyne.

We arrived in Inveraray with cheeks glowing at 3.40 pm with Colin. Jo and I cycled around the castle grounds before heading off for very hot baths at the Loch Fyne hotel. We have given up with the cold baths. Too much pain for little benefit felt.

Today’s stats: 5 hours 49 mins in the saddle, 84 miles, 750 metres of ascent, average speed 14.5 miles per hour, 1608 calories!

Peloton stats: 17 boys, 4 girls, average age 46.6 years old (spread between 32 and 62 years old), all of them extroverts and lunatics.

Average alcohol intake per night: – Sarah: 1 pint of Guinness / Jo 1 pint of bitter.

Not our usual tipple but supposed to be better than wine with lots of carbs.

Note from Jo: Sarah thinks I am aging before her eyes as I am going very grey after so much stress! It is also too hot to sleep in stuffy Uk hotel rooms whilst trying to dry clothes on radiators the size of an A4 notepad; will someone who lives in the Uk, please tell us what this strange health and safety rule is about: we are not allowed to open windows more than 10mm?

Tomorrow we expect some rain and max of 6 or 7 degrees centigrade. Waaah!  

Route today:

PS. The group have raised over 90,000 GBP for various charities. Worth every ache and pain.