Hello everyone ~ Yippee I’ve completed the first part of my Fun Tri Challenge. On Thursday I awoke in my field to better weather & set off once more. For a little while I cycled alongside the railway track which will bring me home on Saturday. Then I was able to turn left at Helmsdale to take my hoped for de-tour through the middle of northern Scotland & the Flow Country. This was a beautiful cycle ride along a tiny single track road with no shops for 55 miles. Sheep accompanied me all the way and the scenery in this isolated part of Scotland was stunning & well worth pedalling an extra 30 miles for. On reaching the north coast I turned right & cycled 18 miles against a strong head wind to Thurso. I stayed at a proper campsite on Thursday night & got lovely & clean. On Friday I awoke to a bright sunny morning & set off (later than usual) to cycle the last 20 miles off my journey. I arrived at John O Groats at 2pm & immediately burst into tears ~ what a banana!
The kind gentleman at the signpost took my photograph for me (piccies attached). I then treated myself to a cup of tea & had a lovely picnic in the warm sunshine. I spent a few hours at John O Groats enjoying the atmosphere, buying some souvenirs & getting my forms stamped & signed. Then it was a 17 mile cycle ride down south to Wick where I am staying tonight in a B & B and a REAL BED. I have enjoyed my LE – JOG sooo much. It has been difficult many times & very cold, but I have had so much fun & met lovely people who have treated me so kindly & helped me along the way. I have enjoyed watching the beautiful lanscape of Great Britain unfold above my bicycle handlebars & been able to put into practice many of the camping & survival techniques I had researched. I have also learnt another language ~ I can now speak in ‘Sheep’ ~ it’s quite easy really ~ it’s either ‘Maaahhhh’ or ‘Baaahhhhh’ ~ and you always get a reply! People I met asked me if I got lonely doing this on my own ~ I never felt really alone thanks to all the tremendous encouragement, kind e-mails & texts I received ~ Thank you all for you incredible support. Love from Mandy xxx (warm in a bed).
