August 28, 2021
Day Nine - Inverness
First true rest day - later than expected
I woke up without an alarm for once, which was nice. I think I still got up before 7AM. Strangely when I'm in a tent despite getting what seems like good sleep, I still end up waking up earlier than I would like. I assume it's the sun rising. The obvious solution would be to wear a facemask, but then I find it difficult to go to sleep with one of those on. Black out contact lenses? Perhaps not.
As I sat there outside my tent eating my breakfast, the RideForMS bunch were pottering about putting all their kit away. I regularly get told how I'm carrying too much weight on my bike, but the amount of stuff they had was on another level. To my slight surprise none of them said farewell before they set off. Oh well. Their excursion did seem a bit like a package holiday with a veneer of charity. Perhaps I'm coming across as a bit of a bah-humbug.
Lots of things to do that day, so after calling my dad and step mother (family drama!) and asking if I could visit later in the week, I resolved to ride in to Inverness to get some things done.
Riding any bike unladen after having cycled with lots of luggage is always a novel experience. More agile and of course you get more speed for the effort you put in. The campsite is the perfect distance from the city centre too, about a ten minute ride. I dread to think how many people drive their cars from there to the centre. The walk along the river Ness is pleasant too, I've made that journey in the past too.
First stop was the train station, to sort out my train ticket from Fort William to Inverness. I wasn't very keen on buying the tickets and getting the bicycle reservations the day before travelling so several days before seemed wiser. It's usually the cycle reservations that are the issue.
One thing that had occurred to me by this point was that if one of my top reasons for going on these sort of trips was to meet people, I should probably have just remained in Inverness! Would have been rather creepy though I suspect. It felt like every other cyclist I saw had a cacophony of bags adorning their cycle. I suppose they could have just been getting the groceries however their constant looking around and a general sense that they felt a bit lost suggested that they were at the start of a trip similar to what I had just finished.
Anyway, I can't remember exactly why I stopped outside the train station before going in, I suppose it was at least to put a face mask on. Anyway, someone was leaving the station who had clearly been on some sort of cycle trip, bags hanging from his cycle too. I can't remember who said hello first, but we quickly started up a conversation. After a few minutes talking it turned out not only did he know where Leighton Buzzard was (where I live), he also used to live in Aylesbury! Gosh. Insert small world cliche here. I suppose I just did. After a few more minutes I decided I wanted a photo and his name, so I asked - then he asked for my number! Such bravery, I can't remember the last time I asked for someone's number after five minutes of chatting, maybe I never have. Anyway we exchanged numbers...a relatively local cycling friend who likes the same sort of holidays as me was certainly appealing.
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I then ventured in to the rail station, and the person working at the desk was lacking confidence that I would be able to book a train all the way to Buxton to visit my dad and step mother at "such short notice". It was three days away! Something that cycle touring is seemingly supposed to be about is that the adventure can be just that - and adventure. You don't know where you'll be sleeping tomorrow night. I'm not very keen on the idea that I'm going to have to plan the entirity of my trips to the nth degree on account of the failings of the British Rail system. It did amuse me that the day before someone from the RideForMS group had asked me where I'd parked my car. Ha! After the member of staff pulled some faces and deftly delt (certainly better than staff at Leighton Buzzard station) with what looked like rather dated software on his computer, I finally had some tickets and reservations for the train. Huzzah!
I then convinced myself to go and look in some charity shops. I still had to carry my cycling bag around with me however so it wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience. I think I gave up after a couple of shops. Sadly the second hand cycle shop I recall window shopping at appeared to be closed for good. I looked on their facebook page and the last post they had made was in July. Perhaps they just weren't open on Saturdays. Yeah, that seems unlikely to me too.
I might have this order wrong, so apologies! I think I then went to Tesco, where I ended up buying loads of food, I was actually a bit concerned that I'd bought too much. Amongst my purchases was some bacon as I'd noticed free cooking gas at the campsite, very handy. I also decided I'd finally make my own sandwiches for the first time on this trip, and realised I could us avacado as butter. Tesco Finest Chicken Tikka curry ready meal and naan bread for dinner. I didn't really have a good way of heating up the naan bread so cold it was going to have to be. Bacon, chicken, tomato and lettuce panninis for lunch for the next two days. Such luxury!
I then visited Highland Cycles to finally get some new rim tape. Accessing it was a bit of a pain, there was a huge round about between me and it. Got there eventually at which point it seemed like the entrance was more of a back door. I had to walk through a small yard to get to it. It surprised me how many bikes and random bike parts were casually just laying about outside the front door. Does Inverness have a low crime rate? There was even what I can only assume to be an eBike battery graveyard in the corner of the yard.
Given they were so confident I decided to leave my bike outside the shop, it wasn't like there appeared to be high footfall going past. As soon as I walked in I was impressed with how the shop was arranged, it seemed quite inviting.
I also spotted a cargo bike to my left as I entered. I can't remember what model it was but it was definitely a Tern. My second favourite cargo bike brand perhaps. I proceeded to wander around the shop for a bit looking for rim tape, but eventually gave up and went to the til. Just before I got there, what did I spot?
The king of compact cargo bikes perhaps. It can even be stood up on the props by its rear wheel so it's vertical. I'm a big fan. I recall seeing someone taking their mother for a holiday on one (electric assist, like this one). Very happy to see a bike shop selling such a utilitarian vehicle and putting it right by the counter so everyone visiting catches an eyeful. I wonder how many conversations it starts. Of course, I had to have a little chat with the staff about it. Bought my rim tape, then left via what turned out to be the much more cycle friendly route. Got maybe about a quarter of the way back to the campsite, then realised I hadn't bought a replacement inner tube or tube patches. Clearly the cargo bike had distracted me too much! Decided to save myself the embarassment of visiting the same shop twice and tried to go to Halfords instead, but by the time I was half way to Halfords I was right outside Highland Cycles anyway, so back in I went. At least I got to look at the Tern again!
On the way back to the campsite the second time, I think I witnessed a father and child out for a ride near the city centre, on the road. Whenever I see this sort of riding firstly it suggests to me that the roads must be pretty safe for cycling, and soon after that my inner monologue tends to make a noise similar to "aww". Well I had to get a photo as it looked like a nice little ride they were on, and it's good to see this sort of thing in built up areas.
There were two problems however. Firstly in order to take the photo I ended up freewheeling. The wheels I was using for this trip had a very loud freewheel. "Daddy, who's that strange man taking our photo?". Bother. Now spotted the father (presumably) now thought given the bike I was on with drop handlebars I was a cyclist on a training ride, so proceeded to pull over. I was quite happy to overtake! C'est la vie. I also stumbled across more live music close to where I'd seen it the night before, this was full up though. Six thousand attendees! Perhaps a bit much for me anyway.
Once I got back to the campsite, not a lot happened really. It turned out what I thought was free cooking gas was only usable if you had the right burner with the right adapter, which I didn't. At least I did have my own gas but it was a bit annoying that part of the reason I'd bought the bacon was because I could cook it at no extra cost. The sandwiches I made in the end turned out to be rather tasty. Two for that day and the other two (tied up in a small plastic bag each) for the next day.
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I can't actually remember what I did for the rest of the afternoon. I think it was a combination of catching up on this journal and then watching some TV and videos. I also kept a bit of an eye out to see who else might turn up to the backpacking section. A group of cycle tourers roughly my age who were looking for someone to join them on future excursions? A charming woman who loved going on cycle holidays but just wished she had someone to go on them with? I should be so lucky, on both counts. I'd already made a new friend that day, don't go asking for the earth!
I left my cooking equipment on the picnic bench given I'd be using it again that evening to cook the curry I had bought. The guls and crows seemed quite interested in it but only so much as gazing at it from a distance.
I can't remember really what I did for the rest of the evening. No other cyclists or backpackers turned up. Well, this one guy did turn up as dusk was approaching. The curry ready meal I had for tea that evening was tasty and nice and simple...Tesco Finest, no less. The naan bread felt a bit surplus to requirements given I could not really heat it up. A camping toaster might be a bit much for cycle touring...but then some would say so's a chair and table!
Today's ride: 5 miles (8 km)
Total: 480 miles (772 km)
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