We stayed at Pitlochry last night and a nice town it was too. So after a lovely breakfast we extracted the bikes from the Craigatin's Shed and set off on what should be an easier day!?! The route profile was a pyramid shape so a tough first 25 miles and a easy last 31?
We soon passed Blair Athol and its castle and were pleased to be making good progress. I had read lots of stories about the old A9/cycle path and some swear by them, while others swear at them! Things started well and the path was quite good (you could still see the white line/cats eyes in places). We paused to take in the beautiful falls and then set off again up the drag. A couple of minutes later, while going up a tree lined path I saw a fighter jet and then heard the roar of it just a fraction later - I thought about cheering loudly just like in Top Gun, but then I remembered that I am 36 (so I just allowed myself a small whoop and grinned like an idiot for the next 10 minutes).
The path continued on and eventually we arrived at Drumochter summit. After the now obligatory photo we set off down the other side. The path was rougher on the way down so we weren't making up the lost time. Suddenly the path was blocked and the sign said to call for assistance if you were on a bike. After cycling this far we weren't putting the bikes in a van to be driven. We ignored the sign and went for 300m or so on the very rough path avoiding the road materials etc... that had been dumped there. Then the path was gone - dug up completely. There was nothing for it but to brave the A9 in the roadworks - Gulp. We spotted a gap and went for it - there was a speed limit of 20 in force but we broke it to get through the mile of works that were left. We rejoined the path and let our heart rates drop!
Lunch was at a little van at Dalwhinnie and then it was on past the distillery through Newtonmore, Kingussie and Kincraig. The pilot of the fighter jet came back the other way, but Julia was too close - so I just grinned some more. A lovely view over Loch Alvie before reaching the edge of Aviemore and our guesthouse The Old Minsters House. 4:30 our earliest finish yet and most surprisingly an easy day that was easy.
Martin
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| Monument by the road |
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| Not a sign you want to see! |
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| Or this one! |
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| Falls by the cycle path or the A9? |
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| Smile you've made it! |
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A new hill for the elite endurance group to use -
might need to be at the club a bit earlier! |
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