Day 6: Dalwhinnie to Tummel Bridge

Last night’s late night didn’t help. At twenty to nine I was live on BBC Radio Scotland, chatting on the Fred and John show about uphills from Inverness and the size of my right calf. I put out an on-air appeal for local Scots to support us with their vehicles for a couple of days, and then we waited.

It had been four days since the website was updated and my inbox was flowing with ‘where are you’s?’ and ‘are you ok’s?’. Spent the morning and afternoon replying to everyone, sorting out the site and lining up some media coverage. Then two sucker punches: barely any donations through the justgiving site, which sent me down into the doldrums. Fingers crossed that they pick up as I pass through England. And then I browse through BBC Online to find the article on BFUK. I was P****D off! Ok, great to have coverage on BBC online, but the article made out that I was doing this because I was bored. Just some quirky guy who was looking for a way to fight boredom, so he decides to skate the UK. Come on, the BBC of all media organisations throw in a bit of lightweight journalism and completely undermine the project. To whoever wrote it – I’m doing this to raise funds and awareness for three children’s charities and promote sport to children of all ages. It’s not something I’m doing because I was a bit bored. This has taken a year to organise, if I was bored I would have turned on my Playstation or had a game of chess. A bit of research and that article could have brought in a flurry of donations. Instead: bugger all.

By 3pm there had been no calls so we clambered into the van with no reverse and made off up the A9. It was heartbreaking going up that road knowing I’d have to skate back most of it. At the point just south of Dalwhinnie where we stopped yesterday I fell out of the van. Felt sick, legs wobbly. Not in a good state to skate a mile. I thought to myself, ‘I’ll be lucky if I make five miles today’.

The cycle path was hardened mud covered in grit. I was skating at walking pace, bouncing around like Tigger. Music on, think positive. Ploughed on, made the Pass of Drumochter. Surely when you make the pass you’re about to go downhill?!! Yep!

Saying that, the path was still rough, and just to tease me the A9 was a kerb away, and boy was it smooth. So tempted to wait for a gap in the traffic and roll – not push – for a few metres. But then got a bit paranoid about hidden CCTV cameras and chickened out. What is wrong with me?!!

The path started to improve, got wider and less gritty. And then I had a moment. Bumbled down a small hill, then the path turned smooth, perfectly smooth. It was going slightly uphill, there was no wind around, none. Yet I kept moving. I looked around trying to find the wind direction but there was no wind. Someone’s pushing me along, I thought, I could almost make out fingertips at my back forcing me along.

Then Holly’s phone rang. A man named Martin, he had read the BBC Online article and had linked through to the BoardFree site. He admired what I was doing and offered the team a place to stay just south of Edinburgh. His wife’s a geography teacher and has access to every OS Map we need for the rest of the route. They’re both ready to feed and water us early next week. Amazing. Thanks BBC!

I felt much better. Crossed the 7 mile marker, it was past 5pm no but I felt stronger than I had in a while. The cycle path disappeared and turned into the best surface of the journey. So smooth!! I have a road fetish! Up and down I carved, pumped, didn’t put my feet down for a mile, worked my thighs, gave my calves a rest and cleared my head. Soon after came the turn off to Trinafour, the end of my romance with the A9. I called Holly and Dimitri, who were waiting at a lay-by a few miles back, and then ploughed on down the country road. 4 miles to Trinafour, up and down, beautiful countryside, the roar of the heavy traffic left far behind. This is more like it.

Beyond Trinafour was a signpost, 4 miles to Tummel Bridge. That’s our stop for the day. A long uphill ahead, and then oh my god what a road!!! The van was a hundred metres ahead and I was catching up. Carving it up, making full use of the road, grinding into the turns to try and slow down, on and on and on. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

The van pulled up and I stopped alongside, screaming! Dim had the camera on me, and shouted into it, elated. “That was the best road ever!” And it was. And I was only halfway down it!

Tummel Bridge wasn’t far. A tiny place on the map, hiding the real truth. Tummel Bridge Holiday Haven! Caravans everywhere, mini golf, restaurant and bar, chippy, arcades. Jackpot! They gave us a free pitch for the van. Ian from Edinburgh, a VW expert, turned up and in exchange for a cheeseburger sorted the gearbox problem. Kick myself for wasting 60 quid on mechanics last night.

All good so far, and ironically, due to the new, more southerly route we’re taking, we’re due west from Pitlochry, tonight’s planned stop, and a few miles closer to Land’s End had we stuck with the original route. Aiming to be south of Perth tomorrow.