penultimate ride

Day 13 : Dingwall to Dunbeath 77 miles
After previous nights a less splendid visit to Dingwall campsite, with trains making their way to Wick passing fairly frequently in the early evening within yards of our pitch, the town redeemed itself on leaving this morning. Well at least Ross County Football Club did whose ground was a stones throw from the site by letting us pose by the pitch for the morning photo shoot and the lady receptionist passing over a donation to the causes.
The lads set off on what was to be their last long day with the idea of making the final ride into John O’Groats a doddle of 38 miles ~ lightweights!!! I set off a personal visit of my own to visit Kiltearn Burial Ground, overlooking the Cromarty Firth, to visit the grave of my sister-in-law’s brother tragically killed in a car accident at too early an age.
I then caught Vince and Andy up in order to hear their moans when they met up with 2 minor climbs of 747 and 500 feet ~ did they curse but they had to make the most of it as they’ll find it dead flat tomorrow.
Vince and Andy did say they actually found the much maligned A9 a pleasure to cycle for both scenery and road surface. One problem I did find with the van was it demonstrated an alarming desire to swerve to the right when I passed the Glenmorangie Distillery ~ could be a problem on the return drive!