Day 2 Tain to Fort William

We kicked off the day (beautiful conditions, sunshine, small headwind) with breakfast at the Edderton Inn, Christ and Izzi were tremendous hosts, porridge and full Scottish again set the tone and freshly laundered team kits (big thank you Izzi) were the order of the day. Walt Dog had his second bad nights sleep after picking the room above the bar, the team felt sorry for him. The route today was reduced overnight thanks to some local knowledge gained at the bar by Hamish, the only snagging point was a semi black run start, once we were up that we were on our way.  The B9176 through Aucheandunie was quite a climb at the start, but the epic downhill into was epic, a real blast!



From Alness we skirted the Cromarty Firth, 25 miles done we went into our morning stop, Dingwall for coffee and cakes. One word of warning, the Dingwall one way system was quite a challenge, and splintered out the group.  The A862 was quite a challenge as we headed down to. Muir of Ord, and Beauly which had old Garmins in a bit of a pickle nonetheless we started the climbing up to Tomnacross, then downhill, proper downhill 15%, with speeds nudging 35-40mph into the Drumnadrochit Hotel for lunch.  We got chatting to some friendly faces who kindly donated to the charity fund, gratefully received, thank you very much!

 The first afternoon stretch had us heading south on the A82 alongside Loch Ness, Nessie it seemed wasn't out to play, we stopped for a few photos then rode some rollers alongside the coaches and motorbike gangs. (loch castle pic) 25 miles alongside the Loch, the sun was shining as we approached Fort Augustus, where the Caledonian Canal lock was in full operation drawing quite a crowd. (lock photo)

Tom FroomDog Ungi and Sammy Wiggo Dawson were clearly in the zone, the two man peloton/snow plough was in full effect and there was no stopping them, coming in 30 minutes ahead of the b team. We asked the Froomedog and Wiggo what it was like, difficult to describe was the reply, when your overtaking so many cars! (pic of Tommy and Sammy)

Invergarry Castle was the next stop for rest of us, the one mile driveway we though might annoy Big Tommy and David but Andy, Hamish and Craig arrived and ordered afternoon tea scones and cakes in some of the comfiest sofa's we've ever had the pleasure to sit in. 














 The last leg (Froomedog Dog and Wiggo had gone snowboarding up Nen Nevis) Waltdog, Hamish and Craig went cross country down the B804 to Gairlochy, and into Fort William, a single track blast and a pleasure to ride, not a car in sight. 


Big Tommy and Dave stayed in the A82 enjoying the down hill all the way from the Commando Memorial and into Fort Wlliam, and to our bed for the night at the Travel Lodge, with a belly full of curry, we headed for bed.

 Worth a mention:

Expletive of the Day: " I'm not going down the Fricking Road" Tommy Ungi Snr as we approached Invergarry Castle driveway.

 Motor of the Day: Tommy Ungi Snr, 95 miles with a lot of up hill, the big man didn't put a foot wrong, recovering well after 95 miles, an Almighty recovery after looking a bit ropes at mile three! 

Motivational speaker of the day: Super Colin at every stop.

 Best Dismount: of the day goes to Big Tommy, the double pirouette ended with Tommy catching his cleats on David's Handlebars at Dingwall.



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