Ring of bright water

Saturday 2nd July 2011
Day 18
The Pedal for Parkinson's Double End-to-End Cycle Challenge
Lochgilphead to Campbelltown
50 miles

Yesterday, the 4 remaining Challenge Team riders (Team Leader David Greaves, fellow Parkinsonians Mark Vallance and Neil Manning, and friend and teammate Nigel McVean) successfully completed the Scottish leg of the Pedal for Parkinson's Double End-to-End Cycle Odyssey with a relatively short, 50 mile ride from Lochgilphead to Campbelltown where the Team was staying before catching the ferrry to Northern Ireland. Having ridden over 100 miles the day before and with several near century rides already in the bag since leaving Cornwall over 2 weeks' ago, a short, "leisurely", incident-free ride in good weather was a rare opportunity to savour the beauty of the Scottish west coast; with sightings of otters and seals in the lochs. It was a real treat redolent of Gavin Maxwell's classic story told in his book "Ring of Bright Water"! The only interruptions to the relaxed pedalling were the photoshoots. David will no doubt be posting some of the pictures in his journal at the Pedal for Parkinson's Challenge website. As pictures in this instance can surely speak louder than words I'll leave David's Picture Post to do the talking. I shall finish this report with mention of the indispensible Support S@uad. There's Viv, who has been following the Team up hill and down dale since the start of the ride in Cornwall and Liz and Geoff who, from Ripon, took over from Jean the dispensing of refreshments and words of encouragement from their camper van, which has fondly become known as The Challenge Arms. After Viv yesterday, Liz and Geoff complete their mission and say farewell to the Team today when they see them on to the ferry. The Team will have a new Support Crew in Ireland where friends Anne and Stuart are already waiting to support the lads with more tea and encouragement as they take to the road again, making initially for the most northerly point, Malin Head, for this evening's overnight stop and then setting off down towards Mizen Head in the far south tomorrow. David should be reporting in later on today. Let's hope the crossing is calm and the riding as good as it was yesterday. My disapppointment and envy remains undiminished; much like the pain in my uppper arm and chest. But, hey, I can at least watch "le Tour" live every day.