Day 17 - Alness to Tongue. 68 miles, hilly bits 3300 ft, 1 x cartwheel with bike

Blustery. Gales. Windy. Tempest. Hoolie. Turbulent. Wild. Stormy. Blowy. Gusty.

No words strong enough to describe how fierce the wind was for the last 40 miles today. We should have expected it, after all there were no buildings and no livestock. The few trees there were lay on their side, and even the hills appeared to have been blown into the distance.

Alan always said hills are your friends. Today they would have been, they’d have provided some shelter. Instead we were swept across the road to such an alarming degree that oncoming cars would stop 100 yards before us, waiting patiently as we tried to cycle by them, rather than into them.

Richard was blown across to the other side of the road and into a ditch, somersaulting over his handlebars, feet still trapped in his cleats. Much to the horror of the car behind him. Entangled in his bike and unable to move, they rescued him - no doubt cursing the lack of dashcam in their car and its comedy value.

Today’s lessons:

1. It is possible to freewheel uphill.

2. Bikes can heel as well as a sailing boat.

3. New cleats don’t let go.

4. Pedal and brake simultaneously if you want to stay upright.

5. Being told by locals that they’ve never known it this windy, doesn’t help.

6. I ❤️ Tongue stickers are a must.

Thank you and goodbye Ross and Cromarty.

Goodnight.