The route takes you along the pavement alongside the A82 and we soon forgot the pain in our legs and feet as we hiked along this lovely flat road. I remember saying to Paul that there was quite a large mound of tree covered dirt, (a mountain it looked like) off to the left and joked that we would probably have to climb it.. It was no joke and we did have to climb it!
It started off a nice wee stroll through the trees where we were 'checked in' by one of Maggie's helpers, and a gate closed behind us. This was so if we did not surface at the other end they could come looking for us. Well that's what the guy said, I'm not so sure....
Then it was up and up and up and up and even more up! Not only was it not freezing, it was roastin' and our clothes had to be shed one by one. This was the very first time that I felt I would have to stop and take a rest. My head felt like it was going to explode, it was so hot and I could hardly get a breath. I reckoned that the trees were taking up all the oxygen and were dishing out the C02 and that's how I couldn't breathe. I know it's the other way round! Anyway we somehow managed to keep going and after a while it levelled off a bit. Then up and up again!
When we eventually came out at the 'top' there was a very welcome 'water stop' which had tea, cake, and stuff and much needed lavvy!
As the light started to fade, so did we! As you can see by Paul's face. The trees had now disappeared as they had already been harvested. It looked pretty bleak to tell the truth and so did the landscape!
This was my last picture of the night, if you look really close you can see the night stick lights that Maggie's helpers had attached to the trees to guide us. We really did need them.
Now, after Paul's rush to get to the Silver 'massage point' when he left me in his dust, we were now going at a pace that suited me and we could have a blether about our day. I remembered back on the cycle leg, and was explaining to Paul about the guy who got on to me for not stopping and taking on water. "That wis me!!" he tells me. So this is how he got past me! I didn't even recognise my buddie flyin' by. Here was me taking my time to let him catch up and he had passed me within seconds of that water stop and was racing for the line. This had the two of us giggling like a couple of schoolies. Must be dehydrated or something.
Just after a place called Abraichan we came off the forest track and onto a country road. "That's you in single figures now" one of Maggie's guys told us as we come onto the road. This is when we started to try and work out how long it would take us to finish if we were now under 10 miles from 'home'. Have you ever tried calculating possible miles per hour after 14 or 15 hours slogging? Well we tried, and we tried, you know average 3mph and 9 miles to go.. divide 3 by 9 or is it.. no, 9 by 3 which leaves 3. Three what?? We gave up, but not before I called Lorraine on the mobile, telling her we would be in Inverness for 12, or so we hoped!
Although the photo above looks quite dark, it wasn't that dark that we needed the head torches. Paul would say, it's gettin' dark are you putting on your head torch? Nope! Don't need it was my reply. After 15 hours I was just about getting used to the walking poles, without adding further to my geeky appearance!
Needs must though and was not that long 'til the torches became a necessity, except that I had put old batteries in to test them out and reckoned they would do. They did, for about half an hour. It was when we left the penultimate (last but one (for the dafties)) water stop, that we had a blether with some of the other hikers that I noticed that our torch was a lot dimmer than theirs, a lot dimmer. It was now also starting to rain as I tried, in the pitch dark, to insert my spare batteries. Not easy! What a difference when they finally went in though.
The last leg was undoubtedly the toughest, the 'helpers' would 'lie' to us by saying "not far now, just another couple of miles". Then another couple, then... The lights, the lights that we were promised would lift our spirits and urge us on. This was the lights of Inverness, in the distance, in the far distance. That far in the distance that they never seemed to be getting any closer!
A wee lighthearted moment when Paul wished me a happy birthday as the clock struck 12.00
No bad, I was only 48 when I started out on this malarkey and here I was a year older by the time we finish.
Drizzle rain, feet on fire and my hamstring was getting tighter and tighter. Paul moaning that the lights were moving away from us instead of us getting closer. It was pretty miserable!
We then came down off the hill, (imagine that, us up a hill,) up to the last water stop, which we just passed by. Through streets, then another path down a hill, along more streets, under a canal, up steps along a football field and then onto the running track of Inverness Aquadome. Bliss, the AstroTurf of the track was like walking on air, so much so Paul and me broke out into a wee bit of a jog for that last hundred yard or so.. Kings of Leon, I shouted, fist in the air as we crossed the line together.
Lorraine was up in the stand with our video camera recording the finale of our 18 hour Monster Bike and Hike. Unbeknown to her that these wee cameras can't see more that a couple of yards in the dark. Ah well, it's all recorded in ma heid. At least until the brain cells gie oot!
Lynne got this one on her mobile, brilliant!
Next stop, can of Bud and a massage, Fantastic!!
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