Day 36: Simple pleasures

July 20, 2015

I think I have mentioned this in previous journals but it is worth noting again.

There is something about a bike trip, or, I suppose, anything that causes you to push past your limit physically and mentally, that forces you to see everyday things in a different way.

Beds never felt so comfortable when you have not had one for days. Sun is more appreciated until you have spent days riding in clouds. Food tastes better. Dry clothes are a blessing that are taken for granted in our every day lives. And just being able to sit, after a long day in the saddle, slogging up and down hills and battling head winds, is pure delight.

And I'm not complaining about those things. I love sleeping in my tent, and weather and fatigue are part of the adventure, and some of the most beautiful scenery can be found while riding up mountains. I think it is just the extreme nature of those experiences that heightens your sense of appreciation for "ordinary" things.

So when I tell you of our train ride and the pure pleasure of sitting, and watching the world rumble by before us, while our legs did nothing, while we were warm and dry and drinking tea, maybe you will understand?

We rode from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh. Kyle of Lochalsh is a cute as a button little town on the west coast of Scotland. The train ride took us through open country and lakes and mountains and sheep, always sheep.

And I like trains in Britain because they employ someone to amble up and down the middle of the train with a trolley (what we in America would call a cart) with snacks and drinks, like coffee, and tea. TEA! And we didn't even have to get out of our seats to buy it!

The journey was 2.5 or so hours one way so we had a lot of opportunities to drink tea.

The ride is listed as one of the best railway journeys in the world and I can see why.

In Kyle of Lochalsh we had lunch of fish and chips, wandered around the warf for a short time and then got right back on the train for the journey "home".

I couldn't ask for a better rest day.

Look at this picture taken from the train. This would have likely been the best picture of the day, possibly of the trip, or possibly even the best photo of my entire LIFE! But just as I clicked Leo put his big paw in front of the camera to wave at some people who were waving at the train. Thanks a lot LEO!

...you gotta admit, this was a pretty train route.

We didn't stay here but we did have fish and chips right next door.

This was a weird boat. We asked what it was for and got a gruff, non-committal answer from one of the elder crewman. There was something about his answer that seemed very hush hush. I think we may have stumbled on a top secret operation used to drop underwater cable from Europe to The New World which will allow us to communicate via telegraph using Morse code!? Or maybe he was just grumpy?

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