Well I woke up after a good nights sleep to a grand breakfast cooked (or at least served!) by Steve - he even packed up some egg, bacon and black pudding sandwiches for me to take on the road (oh boy, did I need those). Better still he gave me a contribution for my Sense collecting tin - always more than welcome!
Now Steve warned me that the road I planned to take would go up a rather steep hill. Unfortunately I had only gone about 2 miles before the hill kicked in so I wasn't warmed up enough to try it. Got off the bike fairly quickly and started pushing. Was quite a long old hill (or felt it at that time in the morning anyway. When I got to the top it turned into some lovely rolling countryside with heather moorland on either side. Into Beauly where I stopped for a drink/snack break. Saw a guy with the heaviest laden bike ever - tent, sleeping bag, two huge panniers on the rear and two on the front wheel. Turned out he was headed up to Lairg and I wished him good luck (and boy is he going to need it with that load). I whizzed past him on the way out of town (I had given him a sporting 5 minute head start...). Starting to see some more cyclists on the road now.
On to Dingwall and then joined the A9 just after it had crossed the Cromatry Bridge. The A9 is best described as a testing experience to ride on: it's busy, it's noisy and there are quite a few commercial drivers so you need your wits about you.
Over the estuary bridge near Tain (always a joy with a sidewind to ruffle your feathers) and then onto a piece of road that stuck in my memory from the last time I was in this part of the world. There is a lovely downhill stretch near Skelbo castle. Unfortunately this was followed by me nearly being driven off the road by a landrover with trailer - yep, the landrover left me some space but then pulled the trailer right across the road so I nearly got pushed into a ditch. Stopped for a breather and chocolate boost at the bottom of the hill before the turning to Rogart (I remember staying at the Sleeperzz at Rogart station when Helen and I cycled the Land's End to John O'Groats route and things are really starting to look familiar.
Onwards through Golspie, Brora and onwards to Helmsdale. Not sure if Helmsdale has had the cheer on arrival that I gave it (I was feeling ready for a stop by this point). Staying at the Belgrave Hotel which is just off the main road - well, right on the edge of the main road and the traffic is definitely getting up a head of steam when going through town!!
Parked up lightning, tea and biccies, shower and then set the alarm for 4:45 in the morning - tomorrow is going to be a toughie and no mistake. Went to bed and fell asleep thinking of whether I could make the grade tomorrow - dreamt of putting bikes on trains, hitching lifts from passing lorry drivers and other such options...
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