Today was one of those days best described as “character building”. For most of the day I have been battered by a strong westerly headwind and I would be lying if I said I had enjoyed it. It was really hard work and whilst I have fallen short of the planned distance by 14 miles, I think I have done remarkably well to have managed 65 miles in the conditions I have faced.
The most positive thing I can say about the day is that it was a necessary step in the overall goal – which is now only 281 miles away.
I set out from Hawick after enjoying a good cooked breakfast including haggis, which was fantastic and I am sure helped fortify me for the day ahead. It was a good steady climb from the town along the A7 towards Edinburgh but it was only after 4 miles that I managed to change out of the low gear cog for the first time.
Halfway up a long hill I pulled into a parking area to catch my breath and ended up chatting with a litter picker. He seemed genuinely impressed with my goal and even offered a tip on the best route to Peebles. On parting he wished me a safe passage. When I saw the width of the road and the size of the lorries I understood his sentiment.
At Selkirk, I turned off the A7 and left signs for Edinburgh behind (I think I had reduced the distance to 54 miles) and headed west and into the wind. I crossed the beautiful River Tweed at Fairnlee and followed it’s course along A72, through the villages of Walkerburn, Innerleithen and then Peebles. From Blyth Bridge, I followed the A721 towards Carnwath as the wind picked up – at some points I was only managing 5mph! The countryside was magnificent but battling against the wind I spent too little time appreciating it.
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| River Tweed looking West at Fairnlee |
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| River Tweed looking East at Fairnlee |
I hoped that I would fare a bit better once I turned north on B7016 and ultimately A706 towards Falkirk. Unfortunately, the road was so open and the wind very gusty at this point that it was all I could mange to stop myself being blown towards the middle of the road. It was time for discretion to triumph over valour and call a halt to preserve my sanity and welfare. George picked me up at Whitburn and we headed for our hotel in Falkirk.
Today’s mileage: 65.6 miles
Duration: 5 hours 15 minutes cycling
Calories burned: 4141
Maximum speed: 29.49 mph
Average speed: 12.49 mphhttp://connect.garmin.com/activity/93779442
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