Day 10 - Fort William to London - Back to reality

A few wake up early to get R. to his early train back to London. I sleep through it since my train isn't until noon. It only gives me a few hours so I decide to go along with the ever smaller group up to the trailhead where they intend to hike up at least part of Ben Nevis. Five miles or so there fighting the wind all the way, even without baggage it is a bit of a slog. It is all a bit rushed too, I have to keep track of how long it will take me to get back.

Still, it was worth the sidetrip. The lower falls were nice and the one further on, that rolls down the entire mountainside was really nice. We lock up and head off on foot. I follow along for 15 minutes or so until I know I should head back. I say my goodbyes and quickly head back down, pick up my baggage on the way and head to the train station, stopping at the grocery store for lunch and dinner since I have an all day ride ahead of me. I really want to enjoy the ride from Fort William but I keep passing out and miss a lot of it. Oh well.

So, blah blah blah, trains, switching a few times, panic when the Glasgow one gets in late and how am I going to find my London train in time and get my bike on board. But luckily it is late getting in and all is well. I experience extreme culture shock coming out of Kings Cross. Whoa, city traffic again, give me a second to remember how to do this. But probably like 15 miles for the day. I'm not exactly sure, for some reason my odometer went crazy in a few stations on the train and suddenly 10 miles appeared. And around 420 miles for the entire tour. And what a tour it was. Thanks GC for organizing it. It was brilliant.

And sheep count? I don't know, something more than five and maybe slightly less than the grains of sand on a beach. But the figure might fit closer to the grains of sand estimate. Mechanical problems, I believe just one broken spoke and then last rites for a rear tire which should have been buried months ago.


(The views here represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Wheelers or their officers or of the English or Scottish or even Americans for that matter, especially but not exclusively in matters of weather and its merits, be that wind or rain or sunshine, relative beauty, quaint customs, cuisine, and acceptable sound levels of snoring.)