We've had some pretty crazy weather this year so far - driest winter on record, dryer spring and then it's turned into a real mix of temps, rain, sun and wind. My mum is complaining that they have barely had a drop of rain since March down her way and parts of the south are officially into drought conditions.
I'd penciled in this weekend to do a 200 miler as per last June and a couple of years ago. But another heatwave was due over the weekend with 30 degrees predicted across Scotland, so this seemed a bit much. A bivvy was the the next option as I could really trim the weight down given warmth and total dryness. Then I figured on mixing the two - do the double century but throw a sleep in. This would mean riding into the evening and cooler temps, then hopefully most of the ride home would be done before things got too hot the next day.
So 5pm saw me pedaling west on the Stormchaser, just my lightweight pertex bivvy bag, mat and quilt in the seat pack. I planned a variation of the 200 miler I'd done before without the loop round Loch Rannoch, substituting a loop into Angus on a new road.
Callander was reached quickly enough, despite using a route that adds miles but avoids all main roads. It had started out at 27 degrees but sitting by the river drinking a cold can, things were cooling down nicely. I had the fab cycleway to Killin largely to myself and on the final descent through the forest it was almost chilly. That said, you'd occasionally pass through patches of very warm air indicating an inversion in progress but with the trees retaining pockets of heat. All interesting stuff!
Anyway, I hit Killin Co-op and sat out eating a lot of food. I even had a beer to celebrate the perfect bike riding.
So north we go, into the fading light. There was a huge scout camp up Glen Lochay and folk were sat out, but when I stopped the midges were there. Not too bad, but I was wondering if a shed stop would be a better bet than trying to bivvy outside. The sun was setting but you'd need to be up high to see it and even the summit of the pass is surrounded by hills. I got down the potholed descent in the last of the light but kept lights off as long as I could on the easy pedal down Glen Lyon.
I passed several groups of campers, all with fires. When I think of all the publicity this year about camp fires and the resulting moor fires, I give up. I guess at some point someone will end up burning themselves (or worse, someone else) to death and then maybe people will start listening to common sense... Then I was surprised by (and surprised) an oncoming cyclist, also with no lights and probably doing the BD as he had bags on. We hailed each other but kept on. Finally on the descent to Bridge of Balgie it was now full dark so on with the lights and onward.
More easy riding followed down the glen. I kept thinking I should be bivvying, given the lateness of the hour, but apart from a few yawns I was feeling fit, so I stuck to the plan. At times it was pretty cold (15 degrees!) and I began to notice more night time animals - hooting owls, snipe and a hedgehog ambling across the road. The air was full of bugs, most of which ended up in my eyes but nothing nasty, like mosquitos... And on the long climb out of Coshieville, there were loads of toads sat on the road, obviously enjoying the still warm tarmac, and oblivious to all around them, including me. I saw a few squashed ones, sadly, but avoided squashing any more. The distance was telling by now and the descent was taken carefully, given the late hour (it was now Saturday,) and more toads.
Tummel Bridge was deserted naturally, it being after 1. I started the long climb out of Rannoch over to Glen Errochty, the hut my target for the day as although there were less midges around it would make things easier. It had been empty on my last three visits so a van parked at the bottom of the track up to it was of concern. However as I went up the track, lights doused thanks to the full moon, the alarm suddenly went off and was quickly silenced, suggesting someone was in the van and not in the hut. Sure enough, the string tying the door closed was in place - what a relief!
I sat back having a snack and a dram, reflecting on the previous 9 hours. 107 miles was as long a ride as I'd ever done on a Friday evening. Even our midsummer rides back in the '90's wouldn't have come this far, this quick. Soon enough I felt my eyelids droop and crashed out.
Much cracking and banging as the corrugated iron expanded in the strengthening sun woke me at 6. It would be cool for a while so I reckoned on getting going, despite less than four hours sleep.
As I rolled down Glen Errochty I felt OK, not the bleary eyed drudgery of my second day on the HT! A couple of cars came up the road, probably heading to work in the big hotel at Rannoch, but otherwise I had the place to myself, right down to Blair Atholl. The temps were rising but an easterly breeze was cool. Pitlochry provided a proper breakfast, courtesy of Greggs, sat in the shade. I'd be seeking shade from here on in.
Of which there was very little for the next few miles, over a large climb into Strathardle. The air was crystal clear however, making me wonder if I shouldn't have been up a hill somewhere as the views would be stunning. This was my only real A road bashing of the ride and a few cars and bikes were around but they all disappeared on a cracker of a new road out of Glenshee, climbing over a large moor to Alyth. There are few other wee roads round here, all off the beaten tracks of Glen Shee and the Angus glens. A few roadies coming the other way indicated its popularity. Looking south I realised I was seeing the Lomond Hills and the backside of the Ochills - home was almost in sight! But still a ways off, so keep pedaling...
Alyth provided Breakfast number 3 from a cafe which crucially had an outside seating area in the shade. I was starting to feel pretty weary, my lack of sleep catching up, as well as the heat. Beyond here, the temperature hit 30 degrees and stayed there...
Even the bike appreciated the shade!
I was now on the network of unclassified roads linking east Perthshire and Angus, through which I've pedaled a couple of times on my Mounth and Moray tours. It's easy going but I was craving every bit of shade. The easterly was now behind me which actually made things worse as I could have done with the cooling breeze. Beyond Woodside your on a local short cut route so a fair few cars came past, and beyond the A93 the road still gets used as a way to avoid Perth for people using this popular road. There is a new bypass now but obviously the penny hasn't dropped yet! I cared not a fig for the cars I held up on the narrow and twisty road as the heat was really getting too me. I reached Stanley and dived straight into the shop for more cold drinks and an iced Lolly, sat under the village green trees and blessedly cool shade.
To Dunning I left all traffic behind but two climbs brought on the beginnings of the dreaded bonk. So more shade, cold drinks and food were needed. I poured a liter of iced water over me, making me gasp, but necessary to keep cool on the Dunning climb. I ground up slowly but steadily, my wet shirt avoiding boiling over, help by a stiffening breeze, thank goodness!
Eventually both me and the temperature were heading down. The last climb on the Knockhill road was in the shade and finally I was home, 103 miles done but taking over 9 hours thanks to all the stops. I was utterly exhausted.
I lazed around in the garden all afternoon to the accompaniment of many cold drinks and an ice cold beer (perfect storm, not sure if that was appropriate or not!) and contemplated what I'd just done. 210 miles total, just shy of 4000 metres of climbing over generally easy terrain. Riding into the night had been fab as usual and the hut a great stopping point. I should have probably slept for longer, starting in the hottest part of the day but again riding into cooler temps. Hey ho, I've a full day to recover and then we are back to rain and cold again...
