http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36496736
To see where we have been today, click on the link below to go to Gavs Garmin page and map for all the details
Another slightly overcast but not bad day in the Cairngorms, having stayed overnight at the Scottish YHA at Aviemore (nice place!)
Morning saw the first celebration of Toby’s 29th Birthday (Still a baby at 29!)
Breakfast at 7.30 was a huge spread of porridge, fruit, toast, boiled eggs, yoghurts, croissants and as much as you can eat – Fantastic start !!
A few poorly people for today, Gav feeling a little under par & Toby apparently suffering from tonsillitis!
Packing started in earnest with a 9.00 start planned, to get away to crack on with the 84 miles down to Perth, in groups of 2 or 4 as before.
The day started uneventfully for the first 4 ½ miles with Pete & Toby starting off to get the ride underway. Having hit the A9, the sounds of Toby’s spoke snapping resounded around the cairngorms.
This was the start of a day of disaster for Toby, who they over a period of time managed to break not only his own back wheel, but then after having the spare bike (remember this is the Deps bike) then proceeded to mash the rear wheel and derailleur into a heap of tangled metal within the space of around 800 metres, having promptly fallen off it!
So following this extensive amount of damage (by one person) Team mechanic (Nick) had a splendid day between various bike shops but true to form managed to repair the first bike at the lunch stop in a lay-by, and spent the remainder of the day sorting out the second bike.
Obviously this will have hampered Toby’s career progression path, but that’s a price we are willing to pay J
After 45 miles, another fantastic lunch was served in a lay-by on the A9, by Princess and the team, with the gazebo up and a full buffet served.
From here, our trusty support team moved on to ASDA at Perth with the fantastic ‘Fi’ & ‘Joyce’ providing both food and a fantastic welcome as the team arrived over the next hour. All apart from Pete & Toby who having decided to take a slightly scenic route arrived last having taken the fantastic ‘route 77’ which led through hedges, ditches & various council estates.
A grand total of £425 was raised at Perth with support with the local station (who inevitably picked up a call soon after arriving). A big thank you to the people of Perthshire!
Finally arrived at the station at Perth around 6.00pm to serious hospitality to the guys at Perth.
Birthday for Toby at 8pm – banners, cake, the full works, with a full meal of gammon, egg haggis (Yes - real haggis!) and all the trimmings
Finished off the night with a birthday drink, and then endured an agonising hour watching Danny trying to assemble a simple camp bed. Interesting to note that Sim & Tattie got theirs up in seconds, and our vivacious Training Centre Instructor was still at it over 30 minutes later…………
Happy Birthday to Toby, 29 and destroyer of bikes! Keep going team H4H!
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