Saturday 8th September

After a dreadful night’s sleep, the team prepared to leave JOG on their first leg to Dornoch. Throughout the night the weather turned for the worse and the tent attempted to take flight on numerous occasions. In the morning, a wait, which seemed like an age, for the JOG sign photographer to turn up allowed the team to have the official photo taken. We were en route at 1030 and made decent ground through Wick and on towards Dornoch. Two hills that even a mountain goat would have trouble negotiating were the first real test for the team. The second hill forced the first fall of the trip when Ade’s chain came off – unfortunately Paul wasn’t quick enough with the camera for the blog. Still, you can rely on the team to offer sympathy when needed; Del excelled himself by simply sniggering and continuing past.

Questions were raised as to Tim’s commitment when he attempted to take out the team with a flying packet of fig biscuits (he was actually trying, in a very amateur manner, to eat on his bicycle, on a very steep downward descent).

The 83 planned miles were extended when it was advised that a 4-mile shorter route would lead us to the campsite – a 6 mile (scenic) detour resulted in a dead end into a river. Try telling 5 weary cyclists that the sign was actually correct, still they continued past hoping the sign was wrong and that a new bridge had been built (how wrong could we be!!). A quick search for enough enthusiasm to allow us to finish the 15 miles back to camp followed, just in time for the strong headwind to test our resolve towards the end of the first day.

At camp the camp beds are dropping like flies and another one broke. An anonymous camper donated £20 to the cause he claimed to be a painter and decorator but was very coy about his past and also donated 5kg bucket of energy powder (the sort of thing that painter and decorators use all the time).

Another early night after replenishing the blood sugar levels allowed the team to further stiffen up in preparation for day two – Dornoch to the Youth Hostel at Loch Ness.