The end is in sight...

I can hardly believe that I've almost done it, but with 116 miles riding to go today and tomorrow and no more big hills (we did the last of the 'Big 4' yesterday) we're definitely on the homeward stretch! This time tomorrow we'll be donning lycra for our last ride and heading off from Tongue ... I do hope that we can finish in decent weather.

I've woken early this morning and been reflecting on the last 3 weeks - is it only 3? It feels like so much longer. We've travelled through the change of seasons which has somehow stretched it in my mind, seems so long since we were cycling all the way from Cornwall up to Lancashire in short sleeved tops with no jackets! And since then have had 'weather' ... although whilst we have had rain and cold we've been very very lucky - some trips cycle in rain every day .....  For the last 3 weeks my daily routine has been so simple -

Get up at 7am, Breakfast at 8am, Briefing after breakfast. Leave bags at reception. Cycle. Arrive at new destination, Shower/Bath, catch up with emails (if there's wifi), wash clothes, dinner, sleep.

Repeat.

The only variation has been the scenery along the way ... some days finish with a beaming smile feeling like it's been a breeze, some with a smile of relief that the hills have finished (for that day at least!). Yet every day has finished with a feeling of delight .... even on the hardest days there's been such beauty and scenery to wonder at.  I have to commend Bike Adventures for the route they've set, I know that Dad questioned it and he felt that it took in more hills than necessary - which it does, but it does so to keep us off main roads and i have to agree with their choices.  It's only Scotland that has had us cycling on busy routes (through the highlands where there is little other choice) and it prompted me to realise how lucky we were to spend most of the trip on quiet traffic free lanes.

So my first cycling adventure is coming to and end .... Dad has been so much in my mind as i've done it. I still remember my reaction when he suggested that we did it together - i totally ridiculed the idea! Oh how i wish we could re-write history. I would have loved to do this with him, or even talk to him about it and share stories! That's the thing i've longed for most... to chat to him about how he found it.

Way back in Cornwall, on the long tough day that i thought would never end, Geoff told me that at John O'Groats there's a book that people who have done the 'End to End' can sign. Since then i've been looking forward to finding out what Dad wrote in it back in 2007.

I do hope he signed it.

So with that it's time to get up and have breakfast and for the penultimate time clothe myself in more Lycra than is good for anyone - get on the bike and pedal...   you'll hear more of me later.

Have lovely days xxx