Day 7, Friday 23rd June 2000

The Day of Reckoning

We could see on the map that this day's route would be the hardest so far. We didn't know the half of it.
We were so keen to make an early get away that we arrived in the dining room before they were ready for diners.
We left at 8:30 which easily beat our previous earliest start. The weather was threatening rain and a strong wind was blowing. These things did not hamper progress for the first 15 miles or so. The A9 began to swing to the west and as it did so we ran slap bang into a stunning headwind. Our speed dropped to about 6 mph whether the road was up, down or flat did not seem to matter. This continued for 4 hours. When it seemed matters could not get any worse the heavens opened and we were drenched in high altitude chilled rain.
When you are in a situation like that you think. OK I've had enough I want to go home. The problem here was there was no alternative but to press on.

Happiness is a log fire

We pressed on. After another half hour there was a side road leading to a place called Dalwhinnie. This promised "local services". We took the detour. Half a mile down the road was a building that looked deserted but a sign outside said "hot food all day". We entered and found a man stacking chairs. "It says hot food?" for a moment I thought he failed to understand then he sprang into life and told us that we should go into the bar where scotch broth was on tap. He even suggested we bring our bikes into the hotel rather than leave them tied up outside. In the bar was a blazing log fire pumping out so much heat that our shivering bodies were comfortable within minutes.
After the soup and fish & chips and many cups of coffee we were revived. I began to wonder whether we hadn't actually died, of hypothermia, on the hillside and this was our introduction to heaven.
We stayed in log fire heaven for the best part of two hours before we ventured out to complete the final 20 miles into Aviemore.
The road was now heading north east so the effect of the wind had reduced considerably. We settled into a unexceptional pace and had arrived at the Highland Hotel in Avimore by 6:30.
While checking in I managed to act as interpreter between a french guest and the monoglot receptionist. All she had to say was "Thanks the Germans are even worse". Stats
Dave 86.64 miles 7hrs 19mins 11.8mph Average 25.0mph Max
Will (not available)