Day 15 - Edinburgh Park to Perth (43 miles)

Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I got the train back to Edinburgh this morning and was cycling away from Edinburgh Park by 9.45am. Along the A8, I had a close encounter of the furred kind when a grey squirrel almost dived through my spokes.
From there to the bridge is all familiar territory to me and I was soon gazing down at a bright blue sail on the River Forth.

Breezy bliss

 “Hello,” said somebody, breaking my dwam. It was another end-to-ender, four panniers, top bag, pained expression, the whole package. We were both following the same CTC route as it happens but he was doing the occasional 100 mile day to get it over with more quickly. “To tell you the truth,” he said, I’m getting really tired and sore and I just want to finish now,”. I was so pleased to hear this as I thought I was the only traitor on the trail. I cycled with him to Inverkeithing but when he stood up on his pedals to go up the hill, I let him go ahead, feigning a desperate need for a cup of tea.
The hills up to Cowdenbeath were uninspiring but the flight down to Kinross was great. I was now off-piste, making up my own route which was more direct than the CTC one, on a day which would be 70 miles at least. I lunched in a Kinross café where the waitress tried many ways of telling a French family there were no baked potatoes then had a really lovely ride over the hills to Glenfarg and Bridge of Earn. It had rained by now but not too seriously. And the traffic was building as I arrived in Perth at 4.15pm and had a pot of tea at the Giraffe Café to fortify myself for the last 26 miles to home.
My phone rang. It was Paul. He was just approaching Perth on his way home from Glasgow; where was I? Did I want a lift?
Soooooo…. What did I do?
I TOOK THE LIFT! AAARRRGGGHHH!
In the interest of self-preservation I was driven along the last stage. I wasn’t due to get home until at least 7.30pm, it was pouring rain and the traffic was getting bad. Now I’ll have to come back and do the Perth to Glamis bit when I finish the main trip but it was worth it and I’d do it again. Bikey has had a wash, polish and oil and so have I and we are all set for tomorrow’s jaunt to Banchory.

Bikey takes a lift