Road to John O Groats past Tongue

Wind, rain and midges on the Tongue

Some days you just know you are not going to make it.

Once you’re cold, tired, wet and hungry and all there is to eat is midges, you know it’s time to stop.

When the boy gives you this look, it’s a big clue.

Tired

Slow progress

Today’s ride was from Tongue to Bettyhill. We made just 24.1km in the wind, rain and midges. And worked up the most incredible appetite heading up and down the coastal hills.

Hungry?? Oh YES.

Soggy sagging spirits

It’s the combination that does it. Any one of these on its own we can deal with. Rain? No problem, we handled the Kinross experience. Wind? OK it’s slow but we will get there. Midges? Nasty but they can’t fly as fast as we can ride.

But when you put them all together it really challenges the spirit. We do our best to keep our spirits up, but it’s a challenge.

Wet and wild in the mists of Scotland

Should we give up?

So we stopped and holed up in a hotel. To wait for a break in the weather. If it comes. I do wonder sometimes if we really need to do the final few days ride. Or maybe we should just go home?

View from Bettyhill. Could this be the break in the weather we need?