I've called an early halt today - for the sake of my own safety. I reached Durness by lunchtime, as planned, but after scampi and chips at a restaurant I returned to the road to find the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Gale force wind and driving rain. So I've pitched the tent here in Durness. I may have to ride this out for a day or so, because tomorrow's forecast is for heavy rain. It would have been stupid (and dangerous) to have attempted to cycle on to Kinlochbervie, across miles of open moorland with no shelter, into the teeth of a SW gale.
Pity, because after a night of rain, the morning promised much, with the sun making frequent appearances. Even managed a few good photos early on, which I'll load to Facebook soon.
Now I'm so glad to be in my tent. I just hope the pegs hold on. I've a neighbour in the next tent, a pleasant Frenchman who's riding a strange sort of bike where he's effectively lying on his back with the pedals level with his head. Apparently it's great for going downhill, but hopeless going up. So we've been swopping places all day; he was camping at Talmine too last night. He phoned home today (he lives near Grenoble) to be told it's 29 degrees there. Here it's about 8. Not taking any clothes off tonight.
Bare bones? That's partly a reference to my own backside. Any fat I might have had there has long been worn away, and there's just a layer of thin skin between me and the hard leather saddle. Not particularly uncomfortable or sore, provided I change position every now and then.
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