Thank you so much for all the messages of encouragement (and concern!) - they are really helping us to keep going! And don't worry, we're fine! We're keeping on top of our aches and pains with a combination of ice, massage and the Cycling Pharmacy that Emily has become :)
Anyway, today fate dealt us an unexpected hand which was probably a blessing in disguise. When we arrived at our B&B last night we realised that Ollie had been cycling with a broken spoke and a badly buckled wheel for goodness knows how long, which can't have helped his tendonitis! He hobbled downstairs early to fix it but realised he needed to remove the rear cassette and didn't have the tools to do it. Being a Sunday we were in a predicament, as the nearest open bike shop was over the hill in Innerleithen, and it was risky to try to cycle there because, with heavily laden panniers, there was a good chance another spoke would go and there is no habitation or phone reception in the wilderness between Langholm and Innerleithen! Also by this time it was 10.30am and, with 50mph (no exaggeration!) northerly winds and 80ish miles to go our ETA in Dunfermline was past midnight, assuming we made it to Innerleithen intact. With time against us, our only option was to accept a lift from the lovely couple at the B&B, who have done LEJoG themselves, to the bike shop. Ollie was downhearted but Emily assured him that we will more than make up the lost miles by cycling from Penzance to LE, and JoG to Wick, and if we hadn't we'd do a quick lap of Richmond park when we get home :)
Bike all fixed and ready to go at midday, we set off to Dunfermline feeling much better for having had a morning off. The fresh legs didn't last long, as we still had to cycle for 50 miles into headwinds so strong that we had to pedal hard just to keep moving - even on the downhills! The sleeting rain didn't help either! However it was a fun afternoon, with stunning scenery and a bumpy ride through the cobbled streets of Edinburgh (and the sun came out!), then an exhilarating ride over the Forth Bridge straight into the 50mph winds! Thankfully there is a cycle lane over the bridge - the road was so busy we wondered why more drivers don't use the First, Second or Third Bridges :)
Arrived at Dunfermline at 6.45 and, unbelievably, another spoke snapped on Ollie's bike about 20 metres from our hotel! With the bank holiday tomorrow and a very hilly 80 miles in front of us we haven't quite figured out our plan of action... Watch this space!
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Location:Whimbrel Pl,,United Kingdom
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