June 22nd Perth - Newtonmore
We've been lucky today the weather that was forecast didn't arrive. It was overcast, but no rain. Left Perth at 9 am, got lost as we headed down towards the M9 ! We knew something wasn't right as the 30 ton lorries went hurtling past !! No sooner did we get back on track than we got lost again!
In three hours we had travelled twenty five miles, but we were still only five miles from our hotel. Not the best start to the day.
By 3 o'clock we still had 40 miles to cycle, and a 1500 foot climb! We managed 15 mile climb to Drumochter summit expecting an easy 15 mile ride down, but as we approached the A9 the road had been shut off. Not to be put off by this minor problem we ventured down the newly tarmacked road for about a mile. We then found our way back onto the cycle track which was littered with diggers and all sorts of heavy building equipment not to mention all the workmen who were giving us some very strange looks! We ploughed on regardless, but had to dismount as the path became completely impassable.
We were startled by an Irish accent "You can't go down there its unsafe" We then had to go all the way back to the beginning of the junction, and be collected by a recovery truck to transport us through the roadworks!
We did of course ask ourselves if this was cheating, but soon justified our actions by saying if we had to cross the water we would have caught a ferry. We couldn't use the road (despite our best efforts) so the recovery truck option was taken.
Finally we arrived at Newtonmore at 8.30 pm 81 miles from our original destination, exhausted, but with more funny stories to re live.
Only three days cycling left. It doesn't seem possible.
Back tomorrow for more adventures.
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