Moffat to Loch Lomond. Well into Scotland now. First, a beautiful alpine-esque climb. 3 miles and 600 feet. Lovely. Through the morning mist and to the top…
Good job we’re fuelled up on steak and kidney pie and Bobotie from our meal last night. Bobotie - a traditional Zimbabwean dish of minced meat, eggs and spices.
Soon we’re in Hamilton on the outskirts of Glasgow. Home to Hamilton Academicals. The town is eerily quiet. No cars, no people. Then it dawns. The derby - Rangers v Celtic. We know because we hear the roar of a mob fuelled up on Tenants Super coming from Scotty’s Bar. A grey, pre-fab establishment which looks like its derelict but is in fact hosting a hundred Rangers fans who’ve just seen their team equalise on the big screen. A challenge for the Tickle Monster then. Not a climbing challenge, no. That would be too easy. Instead he’s told to walk into Scotty’s in his Lycra, turn off the telly and announce to the drunken horde ‘Sod you lot. I’m watching the Coronation Street omnibus…’ Tickle knows nothing about football. But he does know this wouldn’t be a good idea. Challenge fail.
Onto the Clyde - and a 10 mile cycle path that snakes it’s way into the heart of Glasgow, hugging its banks.
Graffiti abounds…
And then we pop up into central Glasgow. I absolutely love this city.
A pasta lunch before the last 20 miles along an old railway line…..
Glorious. And as flat as Gaz’s back tyre has been on most of this trip. When the Jolly Boys finally reach their destination, there’s a surprise in store for the birthday boy.
A birthday cake commissioned by my lovely, lovely wife Rachel and paid for by her and my girls. It was a monster - even the ravenous Jolly Boys could only make a dent in it….
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