Dawes Super Galaxy

Tonight (a few days after finishing the ride) I bumped into an old friend,
Michael, who told me I had left a strand of this blog unresolved. 'How was
the bike?' he asked. Wonderful. Yes, for the first few days I had a sore
behind - and actually I had to lavish Savlon there more than once - and in
the first days also sore shoulders; but I think that speaks more about my
posture than about the light, strong, responsive bike that my friends in
Birmingham (Taiwan?) supplied. The bike did its job uncomplainingly and
brilliantly. Oh, and while I'm on postscripts: Sabina and I were made to
feel like champions when we turned up in Edinburgh on the way home. I was
even presented with a quaich.

Made it (kind of)

The last 52 miles went by quite well, powered by my now habitual diet of
muesli bars and Ibuprofen. Beautiful coast north of Helmsdale, hilly but
not wildly so, birds of prey, deer and ?curlews, and would you believe it,
even watery sunshine most of the way. Many thanks to everyone who posted
messages of support - even from Australia - and to those who rode or drove
with me: Drew, Sabina, Bob and Dick. I missed out 130 miles of my planned
route, but still covered 940 miles on the other 13 days. Now enjoying a
hard-earned bowl of Scotch Broth. Whisky this evening.

50-something to go

Today was never going to be easy. After yesterday's exertions, of course I
started tired. And the goal - John O'Groats - is still most of a day away.
Add to that the cold and the drizzle, offset only by the bright colours and
coconut fragrance of the ubiquitous gorse, and I admit I struggled. Scenery
more modest than I had hoped - didn't see seals or dolphins in the Dornoch
Firth - but Loch Fleet at low tide, backed by 'gentle' hills, was
impressive... Miles and miles of mud!

Just about made it to Inverness

Reached the high point of the ride today - literally. The Pass of
Drumochter, 1500 ft, and the highest point on the UK's rail network. Not
that I was travelling by train, no: for me it was about a 20-mile climb on
the bike to get up there. Seen today: promroses and narcissi still in
bloom, cotton grass in all the bogs, a chocolate-brown female deer that
scooted across my path, hillsides of khaki, olive and black enlivened by
remaining patches of snow, oystercatchers and lapwings, and a flocklet of
pied wagtails swooping along the wet road in front of me. The knee? Well, I
just about kept going, on 800 mg of Ibuprofen and three quarterrs of a
fruit cake. Sabina has all the video footage, mostly of me strugglling
uphill.

In the Highlands!

Did I expect to make it here today? I admit my confidence was badly shaken
over the last few days. But I write now from Pitlochry, on the southern
fringe of the Cairngorms, after a frisky 60 miles from Edinburgh through
cold drizzle and wind, unable to see the high peaks around and ahead of me,
and facing the prospect of tomorrow's 84-miler to Inverness with something
approaching eagerness. The muscles, of course, were not tired today, and
the countryside was attractive without being harsh. All in all, I may have
earned a glass of the local distillate tonight.

Thanks for all your input

Many of you have posted supportive comments since learning of my knee
problem. Here's the situation now. I saw a nurse and a doctor yesyterday at
Galashiels, and the doctor even suggested I could increase the dosage of
the painkillers from what I had thought was the maximum. Anyway, by the
time that lot was over, any hopes I might have half-entertained of cycling
that day were out the door. So we drove to Edinburgh, had a good meeting
with the neuro-oncology researchers at the Western General Hospital, a
delightful dinner with members of the local Brain Tumour Action Group, and
loads of encouragement all round. Today I'm trying my luck again with the
bike. Destination Pitlochry. Wish me luck.

Out of touch

Three long days (average 85 miles) behind me now. Sorry I didn't post from
Warrington: I was tired. Drew and I made good speed into and out of Stoke,
stopping briefly for a masala dosa on the way, and through Cheshire, with
my left knee the only worry. Yesterday I met up with Dick P-J (on his
motorbike) at 8 and made haste through the post-ndustrial landscape of
south Lancs. My goodness, Wigan certainly doesn't show her prettiest face
to the A49. Met up with a buddy of Dick's for lunch and pressed on towards
and out of Lancaster. Paused for tea, fruit cake and (ominously) 400mg of
Ibuprofen for my knee. Made Hawkshead in good time, using the ferry across
Windermere, and had dinner with Sabina. Today's breakfast was followed by
another 400mg of Ibuprofen, but half way along Thirlmere the inevitable
happened: my knee refused to go any further. Now I'm in Keswick with a bowl
of soup and a number of questions about what to do next. The bike is on the
back of the car and I'll see a doctor tomorrow morning. I have ridden 670
milesm but at the moment I am worried I can't ride any more.