Monday 2 July 2007

Day 9 Queensferry to Pitlochry


June 27 2007. I managed to miss the entrance to the cycle lane over the Forth road bridge, so cycled across with the trucks, ducking round the end of the barrier at the toll. I only got soaked once, but it was a really icy shower, which left my toes in all too familiar discomfort. I had planned a direct route to avoid some long detours on the main roads, but had forgotten that yellow roads on the map mean steeper hills. On paper this was the day with the greatest total ascent. As the 20 per cent gradient sign came into view I was regretting my back country route, even more so when one of the minor roads turned out to be a private farm track. I quickly gained new respect for the pros who ride the cobbles of Paris Roubaix. I slowed to a crawl and was amazed not to puncture or slip over on the gravel. The latter made a reappearance in the afternoon - in most of the corners of an otherwise excellent descent into Aberfeldy, which set me up for a fast finish into Pitlochry.

76.5 miles, 14.7 mph

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