The penultimate day of a two week adventure is probably about the right time to "look to the end" (certainly better that the first week of a four year degree, thanks Homerton) and today the extent of what our team has done over the last two weeks really began to hit home as we realized that as of this evening we only had 50 miles left riding together.
Anyway, saving sentimental stuff for the weekend, more about today. We started early having been scared by the prospect of hills and heat. The usual gang minus the invalid Sarah rolled out and took the first few miles very leisurely and cruised quite happily to the first rest stop where we caught Sarah with Nic, Paul, Franz and Jenny. After much debate about where Danny could quench his coffee craving I decided I wanted to plough on and joined Sarah with Paul and Nic expecting my troops to catch me up later.
As it happened Nic decided that today was her day and we stormed up the long gradual climb with Sarah soldiering through her injuries like a machine. We were rewarded by some incredible views and the promise of lunch at the rest stop on the top. However once we got there an attack from swarms of horse flies cause us to abandon and run away into the valley where we found the most perculiar (and fancy) hunting lodge/hotel which did serve a cracking lunch.
Just as we had had our fill Danny, Soph, Evan and Lauren also found the lodge and we handed over our table and continued on our way. The roads on the whole today we're much much improved and there was so much less traffic that we could quite happily cruise along chatting while keeping half an eye out for the odd suicidal sheep. Withing what felt like no time we were waved down with only 7 miles left to camp by James bearing gifts of (rather melted) ice creams to power is through to home.
Camp tonight is in Betty Hill with a veiw of the North Sea (I think...) to show us how close the end really is. After a delicious team given to us by the women of the church the plan is to enjoy the sunny evening on the beach with some drinks for a mini celebration.
Despite the heat today, the roads, veiws and pleasant riding made it easily the best day of the trip, which even the thought of finishing tomorrow will struggle to beat!
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